Archaeology Lab

ANTL 207= -001

Spring 2= 007

Dr. Nora Reber	MW 2-3:15 PM
SBS 100F	SBS 100
X-7734	rebere@uncwil.edu
Office Hours: MW 3:30-4:30, TR 10-11:30	http://www.uncwil.edu/people/rebere=
And by appointment

Course Descri= ption: This class concentrates on a hands= -on understanding of archaeological laboratory and field procedure. Students will perform artifact processing, mapping, drawing, computer drafting and photography. The main goal of this class is an understanding of the ways in which archaeological excavation and laboratory analysis work together to provide an understanding of ancient people and cultures. Class will be a mix= ture of laboratory and lecture, with informal discussion encouraged. This is a real lab class, meaning = that it is bounded by the practicalities of equipment function and funding, and whatever artifacts need processing.

Evaluation: Grades in this class will be based= on work done in class (70%), a group lab project (20%), and class participation (10%).

Laboratory wo= rk: Various exercises will be performe= d in lab, such as artifact cataloguing, virtual excavation, drawings, photograph= y, and description, maps, etc. T= he written results of such laboratory work (maps, artifact sheets, etc.) will be collected and graded by Dr. Reber.

The majority of our lab work this semester will be concentrated on artifacts from the Hamill site = (11 S 62) which was the site excavated by the UNC Wilmington American Bottom Summ= er Field school in the summer of 2006. Our analysis will be directly applied to papers and reports presente= d on this site—what you do matters!

Group Project= : Towards the middle of the semester= we will divide the class up into groups to work on a project, which will count= for 20% of your grade. Projects m= ay be practical (screen replacement, lab reorganization, museum exhibits) or more academic (pottery interpretation, projectile point analysis, experimental archaeology). You will be gra= ded on effectiveness, thoroughness, and group dynamic—what you turn in will = vary with the project. A practical project may not have a written report, for example, but an analysis will ne= ed one, giving your results. We = will discuss this throughout the semester. Your project will need to be done by the last day of class, which is= Monday, April 30, at 3:15 PM.

Reading Assignments: There is no textbook for this clas= s; you may find references in the archaeology lab helpful in completing various units. These references shoul= d be read during the lab period, or copied to take home with you. Books may only be taken home for l= ab projects, and should be checked out on Dr. Reber’= ;s office door.

Field Trips: = It is possible that we will have a field trip to visit or excavate a local archaeological site. If we do= this on a weekend, the field trip will be optional, with each half-day of field = trip equivalent to one day of lab class. People who show up for a whole day of excavation can therefore skip = a week of classes; people who show up for a half day can skip one class. Please wear sensible shoes on any = field trip (closed toes, good tread, and flat)—nothing is sadder than watch= ing someone try to do archaeology in open-toed heels. Long pants may also be advisable, particularly if you’re sensitive to poison ivy and bug bites.

Exams: There will not be any.

Schedule: This course is by definition flexible, so all my schedules are generally wrong by the end of week 2; I h= ave therefore given up on them. H= ere are some important dates, however: <= /span>

   &nbs= p;        Monday, January 15—Martin Luther King Day—no class

   &nbs= p;        March 5-7—Spring Break

   &nbs= p;        February 21—choice of group projects due

   &nbs= p;        April 30—last day of class, final projects due, lab should be clean.

Notes: This is archaeology, so dirt is involved—it’s probably better NOT to wear clothes you really care about to this class, unless I sa= y it will be a “clean day.” The odds of my remembering to say this are slight, so you might want= to ask. We do have aprons, just = in case.

Under no circumstances should soda or coffee get spill= ed on artifacts. If it’s esse= ntial to have them around, keep them as far away from the artifacts as possible—if the artifacts are on the table, beverages are on the floo= r, or another table. Spills can = make an artifact useless for residue or trace analyses, and encourage bacteria a= nd rot on an artifact.

Please turn off all cell phones.