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Semester 1

Ancient Bodies: Archaeological Human Remains in their Social and Cultural Context (ARCA10099)

Subject

Archaeology

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

3

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Visiting students must have completed at least 3 Archaeology courses at grade B or above, including courses equivalent to Archaeology 2A and 2B. We will only consider University/College level courses. **Please see Additional Restrictions below**

Course Summary

What was life like in the past? How can bioarchaeology help us understand the impact of social change and catastrophic events such as famines and war? What factors have influenced health and longevity in past societies? These are some questions that will be discussed in this course, which focuses on current research topics in social bioarchaeology.

Course Description

This course will introduce students to current research topics in social bioarchaeology that focus on health and disease in the past and the application of social theory in bioarchaeology. Different themes will be explored, such as the current understanding of the impact of the introduction of agriculture and more sedentary lifestyles, as well as work environment and general living condition to overall health in past societies. Similarly, the detrimental impact of social injustice, discrimination and racism on human well-being will be discussed. Using archaeological and bioarchaeological sources, interpreted in an interdisciplinary setting, students will explore how people have responded or adjusted to these factors. They will learn how studies of burials and archaeological skeletons can give us an insight into how social relations were constructed and formed in the past. Other than discussing these topics in an archaeological/historical settings, students will be given the opportunity to reflect on factors that determines health in contemporary society today.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

Additional Restrictions

Unless you are nominated on an Archaeology or HCA exchange agreement, visiting students are only permitted to enrol in one 3rd year Archaeology course each, per semester, before the start of the relevant semester’s welcome period – and spaces on each course are limited so cannot be guaranteed for any student. Enrolment in a second course from this group will depend on whether there are still spaces available in the September Welcome Period, and cannot be guaranteed. It is NOT appropriate for students to contact staff within this subject area to ask for an exception to be made; all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. This is due to the extremely limited number of spaces available in this very popular subject area.

view the timetable and further details for this course