Archaeology

College of Arts and Sciences

Concentration in Archaeology (2203)
Minor Concentration in Archaeology (2203)
Instructional and Research Facilities
Organizations
Courses

Chairman Norman Hammond

Associate Chairman Ricardo J. Elia

Professors Beaudry, Coggins, Goldberg, Hammond, Kleiner, McAnany, Mughal, Runnels, Wiseman

Associate Professors Bard, Elia

Assistant Professors Borojevic, Roosevelt

Adjunct Assistant Professors DiBlasi, Pérez-Juez

Research Professor Murowchick

Professor Emerita Hansen

Archaeology is concerned with the behavior, social organization, arts and crafts, motivations, ways of life, and thoughts of people of the distant and recent past. The peoples of prehistoric and historical periods are studied in the context of their time and environment. The concerns of archaeology often involve comparative cultural studies, as well as cultural/historical approaches. Archaeology draws on all conceivable types of material remains (from a simple stone tool to the massive remains of a large urban complex); on evidence from the paleoenvironment; and, where possible, on written, graphic, and oral accounts. Archaeology is highly interdisciplinary, combining several of the social and natural sciences with humanistic pursuits. The Department of Archaeology faculty are involved in a wide range of field projects in different parts of the world including North America, Meso-america, Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Turkey, Spain, South Africa, and the Near East. Students have a variety of opportunities to work closely with faculty on field projects and archaeological materials from many parts of the world.

The department offers a broad interdisciplinary background for students who intend to enter graduate studies in archaeology or related fields. An archaeology concentration is an excellent preparation for many other fields of study. Graduates in recent years have gone into such diverse areas as law, medicine, museology, and cultural resource management. A concentration or minor concentration in archaeological studies provides particularly valuable preparation for graduate programs in historical and cultural studies and in certain special fields within the sciences.

For additional information, visit the department website at Department of Archaeology, or contact the department by e-mail to archaeo@bu.edu.

Concentration in Archaeology (2203)

Courses may be credited toward the concentration only if a grade of C or higher is earned.

Required Courses Students are required to take CAS AR 101, 307, 450, and 503 (or equivalent, for which prior approval is necessary). In addition, students must select the following from courses offered by the Department of Archaeology: one technical course (CAS AR 215, 380, 381, 382, 400, 404, 501, 505, 506, 509, 515, 556, 570, or 585); one topical course (CAS AR 201, 202, 205, 206, 208, 215, 261, 262, 280, 305, 335, 375, 480, 507, 508, 543, 544, 555, 570, 572, 576, 580, or 585); and three area courses (all CAS AR courses not listed above). CAS AR 503 is offered as part of field school programs of the department in the United States and abroad both during the academic year and in the summer.

Archaeology Field School Policy Every concentrator in archaeology must complete CAS AR 503, a course in archaeological field methods, for four credits. It is expected that the requirement for AR 503 will be satisfied by participation in one of Boston University's field schools. Credits may be transferred in exceptional cases from a field school in another institution. Prior approval from the student's advisor is required for transfers, and the field school must carry the equivalent of four Boston University academic credits. Transfer credits from field schools at other institutions will be approved only if the field school satisfies the requirements for AR 503, which are listed at Department of Archaeology . In certain exceptional circumstances extensive or unusual fieldwork that does not carry academic credit may be used to satisfy the requirement for AR 503, but prior approval from the student's advisor, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and the chairman of the Department of Archaeology is required.

Related Courses CAS MA 115 or MA 213, CAS AN 101, and one other CAS AN course (to be chosen in consultation with the student's advisor) are required. Students are expected to fulfill the CAS language requirement with a language appropriate to their concentration. In some cases, at least two semesters of an ancient language are recommended in addition to a modern foreign language.

Second Concentration or Minor Concentration Students are encouraged to select a related second concentration or a minor concentration in the humanities, social science, or natural science.

Research Project Students may elect to write a concentration research paper for distinction work (the equivalent of two regular courses). A written proposal describing the project must be submitted to the undergraduate advisor no later than the end of the junior year.

TOP OF PAGE

Minor Concentration in Archaeology (2203)

Students with concentrations in other programs may earn a minor concentration in archaeology by completing the following courses with a grade of C or better: CAS AR 101, 307; and four other CAS AR courses at the 200 level or above, one of which must be at the 400–500 level.

Instructional and Research Facilities

Department facilities include teaching and research laboratories, seminar room, computer room, slide library, darkroom, student lounge, and reference collection of artifacts and specimens. Additional computer facilities and instructional/research equipment are available through the Center for Archaeological Studies, a component of the department, and the Center for Remote Sensing, the only such center in the world that emphasizes archaeological applications. The centers are described elsewhere in this site. The headquarters of the Archaeological Institute of America, the American Journal of Archaeology, the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR), and the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) are located nearby at 656 Beacon Street in Kenmore Square. The International Center for East Asian Archaeology and Cultural History is located at 650 Beacon Street. Department faculty edit several journals and newsletters whose editorial offices are included in or near the department quarters: the Journal of Field Archaeology; the regional journal Journal of East Asian Archaeology; and Context, the newsletter of our own Center for Archaeological Studies.

In addition to the archaeological materials in Mugar Library, there is an important collection of archaeology books and journals in the Stone Science Library, which primarily serves the Department of Archaeology and the Center for Remote Sensing. The collection is on the fourth floor, where reserve readings for advanced archaeology courses are housed along with computers, online catalogs, archaeology bibliography reference works, maps, and other archaeology reference materials.

Organizations

The Boston University Archaeology Club (BUAC), organized by undergraduate concentrators, offers many opportunities for students to socialize, meet visiting scholars, and learn about fieldwork opportunities. The club has regular meetings and is open to concentrators and nonconcentrators.

TOP OF PAGE

Courses

Courses marked with a (†) satisfy divisional studies requirements.

†CAS AR 100 Great Discoveries in Archaeology

Illustrated lectures focus on the important discoveries of the discipline of archaeology. Course covers the whole of human prehistory and history around the world. Archaeological methods are described, along with the great ancient sites: Olduvai, Lascaux, Stonehenge, Egyptian pyramids, Machu Picchu, etc. Borojevic, Roosevelt. 4 cr, either sem. (HU)

†CAS AR 101 Introduction to Archaeology

Theory, methods, and aims of prehistoric and historical archaeology in the Old and New Worlds. Excavation and recovery of archaeological data; dating techniques; interpretation of finds; relation of archaeology to history and other disciplines. Examination of several Old and New World cultures. Staff. 4 cr, either sem. (SS)

CAS AR 202 Archaeological Mysteries: Pseudoscience and Fallacy in the Human Past

Not offered 2007/2008

†CAS AR 205 Origins of Civilization

The comparison of origins and institutions of civilizations in the Old and New Worlds, including the first state-organized societies of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, China, Mesoamerica, and Peru. Bard. 4 cr, 1st sem. (SS)

CAS AR 206 Ancient Technology

Traces the related evolution of technology and culture over the first million years of human existence. Case studies focus on the interaction between early technology and social structure, values, and institutions. Lectures and hands-on experience with ceramics, stone, and metallurgy. Runnels. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 208 Lost Languages and Decipherments

An overview of the archaeology of writing focusing on modern decipherments of ancient texts. Related topics include characteristics of the world's major language families, the nature of linguistic change, and the origin and history of the alphabet. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS AR 210 Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations

Traces the rise and fall of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations from their Stone Age roots to the end of the Bronze Age. Subjects include art, architecture, economic, social, political, and religious characteristics, and theoretical explanations of cultural change. Runnels. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS AR 215 The Contested Past

Examination of the diverse and often conflicting values associated with archaeological objects, ancient monuments, and cultural sites. Case studies (including the Elgin Marbles) highlight contemporary controversies over ownership, appropriation, use, and abuse of the material remains of the past. Elia. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS AR 221 Archaeology of the Islamic World

An overview of the Islamic world from the seventh to the eighteenth century CE. Focus on ancient cities: religious and secular buildings such as gardens, palaces, forts, mausoleums, and mosques; and study of ceramics, calligraphy, metal and glassware, trade routes, and Islamic crafts. Mughal. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS AR 222 Art and Architecture of Ancient America

Introduction to the cities, monuments, and major art styles of the Aztec, the Maya, the Inca, and their predecessors in ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes from the first millennium B.C. to the sixteenth century. Coggins. 4 cr, 1st sem.

†CAS AR 230 Archaeology of Classical Civilizations

An introduction to classical antiquity through the material remains of the period, ca. 1500 B.C. to A.D. 400. Chronological survey of the magnificent (palaces, temples, and major arts) and the mundane (pots, coins, tools, and weapons) as evidenced in the archaeological record. Special emphasis on daily life and on relations between Greco-Roman and other cultures. Roosevelt. 4 cr, 1st sem. (HU)

†CAS AR 232 Archaeology of Ancient Egypt

The technology, economy, social life, political organization, religions, art, and architecture of Egypt from predynastic times through the Hellenistic period, based on archaeological and historical sources. Emphasis on the period of the pharaohs (ca. 3200-323 B.C.) Bard. 4 cr, 2nd sem. (HU)

CAS AR 240 Archaeology of Ancient China

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS AR 251 Ancient Maya Civilization

A survey of current knowledge and scholarship about the Maya civilization, which flourished in Central America between A.D. 250-900, its earlier beginnings and subsequent collapse, and aspects of its economic and social basis and artistic and intellectual achievements. Hammond. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 252 Ancient Aztec and Inca Civilizations

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS AR 261 Asia's Ancient Cultures and Civilizations

Outstanding archaeological sites and monuments in Asia, highlighting their cultural significance, uniqueness, and diversity. Includes selected sites in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Mughal. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 262 Asian Gods and Goddesses

Representation, meaning, and mystery of gods and goddesses of South and East Asian cultures, from prehistory to the present. Mother, fertility, and tree goddesses; deities of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Evidence from archaeology, rock engravings, religious shrines, and other sources. Mughal. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 270 New World Rediscovery: Archaeology of the Age of Exploration

Archaeological evidence for Columbus's voyage and its aftermath. Topics include coastal exploration, early settlement, and cultural contacts between Europeans and native Americans. Evidence from both land and underwater excavations. Beaudry. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS AR 273 Archaeology of the Viking Age

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS AR 280 Food, Diet, and Ancient People

A survey of the archaeological evidence of the food, diet, and nutrition of hunter/gatherers and the changes brought about by the development of farming. Emphasis on the remains of plants, animals, and humans and what they tell us about ancient food. Borojevic. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 307 Archaeological Science

Prereq: CAS AR 101 or consent of instructor. Application of natural sciences, as an integral part of modern archaeology, to issues of dating, reconstructing past environments and diets, and analysis of mineral and biological remains. Laboratories concentrate on biological, geological, physical, and chemical approaches. Goldberg. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 310 Prehistoric Greece

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS AR 330 Greek Archaeology

Prereq: CAS AR 101. Archaeology in Greek lands from the Iron Age to the first century BC; aims and methods of Classical archaeology; correlations with anthropology, art history, history, and literature. Roosevelt. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS AR 331 Etruscan and Roman Archaeology

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS AR 335 Mystery Cults in the Graeco-Roman World

Prereq: any two of the following: CAS AR 230, AR 330, AR 331, CL 101, CL 102, CL 213, CL 321, CL 322, AH 111, AH 233. Evolution and nature of Graeco-Roman mystery cults from seventh-century B.C. to Late Antiquity. Rituals, belief systems, iconography, and sanctuaries of select cults, including Demeter and Kore, Dionysus, Cybele, Isis, and Mithras. Evidence from archaeology, art history, literature, and inscriptions. Also offered as CAS CL 335. Wiseman. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 342 Syrio-Palestinian Archaeology

A survey of the archaeology of ancient Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, from the Stone Age to the late Roman Empire, with emphasis on the material remains of the second and first millennium B.C. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 351 Mesoamerican Archaeology

Prereq: CAS AR 101 or consent of instructor. Analysis of major events and processes of the Mesoamerican area. Topics include the arrival of man; development of regional patterns; origin of food production; the rise of towns, temples, and urbanism; origin of the state; and development of the empires. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 352 South American Archaeology

Topics include origins of early man in Latin America, development of regional cultural patterns, evolution of prehistoric food producing technology and its relationship to settlement patterns, social organization and development of regional states and an empire in the central Andean area. Staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS AR 370 Archaeology of Colonial America

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS AR 371 Archaeology of Postcolonial America

Prereq: CAS AR 101 or consent of instructor. The archaeology of America from the Revolution to the present. Deals with the social history, industry, and material culture of recent and modern Americans. Beaudry. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 375 Oral History and Written Records in Archaeology

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS AR 381 Introduction to Paleoethnobotany: Plants and Ancient Man

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS AR 400 Statistics and Computer Sciences for the Archaeologist

Prereq: CAS AR 307 or equivalent, or consent of instructor; junior or senior standing. Elementary and intermediate application of the computer to archaeological data analysis; derivation and interpretation of the structure of archaeological data assemblages in terms of statistical and mathematical models. Staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 401, 402 Senior Independent Work

Prereq: approval of Honors Committee. 4 cr each, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS AR 404 Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials: Analysis and Preservation

Prereq: CAS AR 101 and CAS AR 102. Primary field recovery techniques, laboratory analysis, and laboratory experience in conservation methods for archaeological materials including pottery, wood, bone, metals, stone, leather, fabrics, basketry, paper, and floral remains. Borojevic. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS AR 450 Methods and Theory of Archaeology

Prereq: at least two archaeological studies courses at 200 level or above, senior status, or consent of instructor. An interdisciplinary course dealing with field and laboratory techniques, research methods, concepts and problems in archaeological theory, and formulation of research designs. Beaudry. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 480 Archaeological Ethics and the Law

Prereq: junior standing or consent of instructor. Ethical and legal issues for archaeologists. Topics include archaeology as a public interest; legal organization of archaeology; international approaches to heritage management; looting, collecting, and the antiquities market; maritime law and underwater archaeology; and cultural resource management in the United States. Elia. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS AR 491, 492 Directed Study in Archaeology

Prereq: concentrator in department, junior or senior standing, consent of instructor, and approval of the Academic Advising Center. Individual instruction and directed research in archaeology. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS AR 503 Archaeological Field Methods: Survey and Excavation

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS AR 505 Remote Sensing and Archaeology

Prereq: two archaeology courses or consent of instructor. Lecture/laboratory course introducing students to applications of remote sensing in archaeology. Students learn a variety of geophysical survey methods as well as multispectral image analysis. Topics include the use of remotely sensed data for regional analysis, the discovery and mapping of buried archaeological features, and computer analysis of multispectral data. Koch. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS AR 509 Geoarchaeology

Prereq: CAS AR 101 and CAS AR 307 or equivalent. Lecture/laboratory course illustrating the use of geological concepts and methods in the study of archaeological problems. Topics include: stratigraphy and stratigraphic principles, geological environments and earth-surface processes, anthropogenic sediments, archaeological materials and their analysis, and the formation of archaeological sites. Field trips in the Boston area. Goldberg. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS AR 511 Studies in European Archaeology

Not offered 2007/2008

CAS AR 512 Laboratory and Field Methods in Geoarchaeology

Prereq: CAS AR 509 or consent of instructor. Introduction to laboratory and field methods used in geoarchaeology, including description of field profiles and settings; map (topographic, geological, soil survey) and aerial photo interpretation; laboratory analytical techniques, such as soil micromorphology, x-ray diffraction, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry. Goldberg. 2 cr, 2nd sem.

Published by Trustees of Boston University
One Sherborn Street
Boston, MA 02215

22 October 2007
Boston University
Questions
Credits