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ARCH1900: The Archaeology of College Hill
Fall 2013 Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World Brown University Time: Mondays 3-‐5:20 pm + 1 hour section per week (time TBD) Locations: Quiet Green (excavation), Carriage House at 137 Waterman St. (lab), Rhode Island Hall 108 (section) Instructor: Linda Gosner (linda_gosner@brown.edu) Office Hours: TBA and by appointment, Rhode Island Hall Graduate Studio Teaching Assistant: Andrew Dufton (andrew_dufton@brown.edu) Office Hours: TBA and by appointment, Rhode Island Hall Graduate Studio Course Website: http://proteus.brown.edu/collegehill2013/home (Password: collegehill2013) Archaeology at Brown, 250th Anniversary Blog: TBA Course Description:
The goals of this course are twofold: to introduce students to the basics of archaeological field methods, and to understand historical archaeology through active research and fieldwork on the Brown University campus. Students will learn all basic components of field archaeology including project planning, survey and mapping, excavation, drawing and recording, photography, artifact analysis, and data management. Through readings, discussion, and independent research, students will also become familiar with archaeological interpretation, documentary and museum research, and public presentation. Upon completion of this course, students will have a solid foundation for participation in archaeological field projects in the US and elsewhere.
The course, Archaeology of College Hill, has a long history of conducting excavations in and around Brown’s campus. Previously, students have excavated off-‐campus at the First Baptist Church and the John Brown House. Last year, excavations moved to campus, where students investigated the history of student life on the Quiet Green through an excavation outside of Hope College Dormitory. This year, as part of Brown’s 250th anniversary celebration, we will continue to excavate on the Quiet Green, this time exploring the life of the first presidents of Brown University through a survey and excavation at the former location of the first president’s house. Our excavations, blog, and presentations will be some of many exciting 250th anniversary activities on campus.
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Course Structure: This course is designed to expose students with little or no archaeological experience to the hands-‐on aspects of being a field archaeologist. We will begin by learning about site selection, archaeological survey, and preliminary research. Following this, students will learn basic excavation methodology including digging, recording, and artifact collection through excavation on the Quiet Green. The final part of the semester will be devoted to artifact analysis in the lab, interpretation, and presentation of our excavation results to the public.
Most fieldwork and lab work will take place during our primary meeting time, Mondays from 3-‐5:20. Hour-‐long section meetings (time TBD) each week will provide students the opportunity to discuss relevant readings about archaeological methodology, historical archaeology, and our current research on Brown’s campus. Excavation and survey will take place on the Quiet Green, lab work will be in the Carriage House, and sections will be held in Rhode Island Hall.
Because of the hands-‐on nature of our work, the class size will be limited. The class has a capped enrollment, and preference must go to upper class undergraduate concentrators in the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World or the Department of Anthropology. Permission to register for students who have not pre-‐enrolled may be given by the instructor after the first class meeting. Assessment: Students will be evaluated based on the following criteria: three written response papers, a final project, a blog and excavation notebook, and attendance and participation. Papers (3): 30% (10% each)
Students will submit three papers over the course of the semester. The first of these will be a site report on a place of potential archaeological or historical interest on the Brown University campus. Since we will be excavating on the Quiet Green, and studying the early history of Brown University, this paper will help us accumulate more background information as we begin our research. This first paper will also be posted on our blog. The two other papers will focus on discussion topic(s) for a particular week, and should be turned in the evening before section by 10 pm. These papers should discuss important themes in the readings, and discuss how they apply to our current research at Brown. *All papers must be 3-‐5 pages long, 12-‐point font (Cambria or Times New Roman), double-‐spaced, with 1-‐inch margins. They must include a bibliography and in-‐text citations. Paper 1 should include relevant modern or historical photographs and/or maps. Since Paper 1 will be posted on our blog, it may be written in an informal voice. Papers 2 and 3 should use a formal academic writing voice. Paper 1 due before section on Week 4; Paper 2 due before section on Week 5, 6, or 7; Paper 3 due before section on Week 8, 9, or 10.
Field Notes and Blog Entries: 15% Because doing archaeology is a destructive process, some of the most essential elements of archaeological practice are proper recording and dissemination of findings. To that end, each student will be required to keep their own personal field
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notebook during and after our class meetings. These notebooks should be a narrative of what has happened, what has been found, and any other relevant information (weather, problems and concerns, hypotheses). Notebooks should also include drawings or sketches of trench plans, sections, and/or artifacts. These will be handed in on Week 5, Week 10, and Week 12 during section for evaluation. We will also keep a class blog to share our work with the Brown community general public. Each student will be required to update the blog at least once per semester with photographs and a narrative of that week’s findings. This should be posted by 10 pm on the Wednesday of the assigned week.
Final Project: 25% Students will conduct independent research using data and materials collected during survey and excavation, as well as archival materials. This research will go into final projects that can be research papers, posters, websites, or other creative projects. Students will be required to meet with the instructor and teaching assistant to propose a project during Week 9, and will submit a rough draft by Week 12. The results of the projects will be presented during the final week of class, and may become part of an exhibit displayed in the Joukowsky Institute.
Attendance and Participation: 30% Regular attendance and participation are mandatory, and this will be strictly enforced. Archaeology is a collaborative, hands-‐on discipline and it is extremely important to be present, prepared, and participate actively in fieldwork, lab work, and discussion every week. A student with more than one unexcused absence will be required to withdraw from the course. An excused absence is acceptable when accompanied by a note from a doctor, coach, or other appropriate authority. Please speak with the instructor the first week of class if you foresee any time conflicts.
Final grades: A = 90-‐100%, B = 80-‐89%, C = 70-‐80%, No Credit: 69% and below
Fieldwork Preparation:
Archaeological fieldwork is physically demanding and can involve heavy lifting, shoveling, and prolonged periods of working outdoors in squatted or bent postures. Students should be in appropriate physical condition to carry out such activities. Please notify the instructor of any injuries or physical limitations on the first day of class. There are always less strenuous tasks that can be assigned in order to avoid aggravating preexisting injuries.
Moreover, archaeological fieldwork and lab work demands careful attention to detail, and, above all, patience. Archaeology is a destructive process, and it is extremely important that each detail of the excavations is recorded thoroughly and accurately. We are never in a rush to excavate soil or materials from the ground before they are properly documented in situ. Students must follow the excavation instructions given by the instructor or teaching assistant. Anyone who does not follow the proper pace of field documentation and lab work procedures will be withdrawn from the course.
This should be a fun experience for all involved, but we also must be mindful that we are representing Brown University to the public, to visitors, and to various historical interest groups, such as the Rhode Island Historical Society. Please treat one another with
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respect and take the time to speak with visitors courteously. Foul language, inappropriate behavior, and tampering with the excavation areas unaccompanied by the instructor or teaching assistant will not be tolerated. It should go without saying that Brown University is our host institution, as well as private property, and that any behavior that conflicts with its policies is unacceptable.
Finally, some basic, universal rules of field behavior apply. Students must be dressed appropriately in order to participate in fieldwork. Close-‐toed shoes are required for all outdoor fieldwork. Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. As is often the case in archaeology, we have limited time and will work in all weather conditions, rain or shine. Be prepared with appropriate rain gear, sunscreen, hats, water bottles, etc.
Keep track and take care of equipment at all times, as well as the location of the trenches in order to prevent injury. Never lean or sit on the edge of a trench or sit on the ground inside a trench. Always take the initiative to ask questions, even if something seems rudimentary – it is much better to ask a question than make a basic mistake. Also be sure to pick up after yourself, and to stow equipment in the storage location after the day’s work is completed. Everyone must contribute equally to cleaning up the site after each day of fieldwork before anyone can depart – archaeological fieldwork is first and foremost a group effort, and no one is done until everyone is done. Finally, have fun. What we want most in this course is for students to be team players and enjoy themselves! Texts and Materials: (** Denotes books and materials that must be purchased, all others are recommended but also available in PDF format or on reserve at the Joukowsky Institute)
• Deetz, J. 1996. In Small Things Forgotten: An Archaeology of Early American Life. New York: Anchor Books.
• Renfrew, C., and P. Bahn. 2010. Archaeology Essentials. Second Edition. London: Thames and Hudson Limited.
• **Renfrew, C., and P. Bahn, eds. 2004. Archaeology: The Key Concepts. New York: Routledge.
• Roskams, S. 2001. Excavation (Cambridge Manuals in Archaeology). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• **Marshalltown Trowel ($12-‐$19 on Amazon) • **Small bound notebook (Moleskin or similar)
Useful References and Resources:
• Encyclopedia Brunoniana: http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/Databases/Encyclopedia/
• Brown’s 250th Anniversary website: http://brown.edu/about/brown250/ • Rhode Island Historical Society Library: http://www.rihs.org/library/collections/ • Providence City Archives: http://www.providenceri.com/archives • John Hay Library (closed for renovation, but some information available digitally):
http://library.brown.edu/about/hay/ • Society for Historical Archaeology: http://www.sha.org
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Weekly Schedule: All readings should be completed BEFORE section each week, and students should come to section prepared to discuss readings and fieldwork progress. Week 1: Introduction and Survey Archaeology September 9 – Syllabus and Class Introduction (Rhode Island Hall) Section: What is archaeological survey (extensive and intensive survey, geophysical survey, remote sensing)?; How does survey help us understand the landscape and decide where to excavate? Readings:
• Renfrew and Bahn 2004: Survey • Renfrew and Bahn 2010: Chapter 3 – Survey and excavation of sites and features • Review last year’s fieldwork outside of Hope College on the Quiet Green:
http://proteus.brown.edu/collegehill2013/19092 • Browse student wikis from last year:
http://proteus.brown.edu/collegehill2013/19091 Week 2: Archaeological Survey and Excavation in Practice September 16 – Pedestrian Survey of Brown’s Quiet Green, Totals station survey training Section: Key concepts in excavation techniques and methodologies, dating and recording Readings:
• Renfrew and Bahn 2004: ‘Ideas in relative and absolute dating,’ ‘key ideas in excavation,’ ‘archaeological formation processes,’ ‘principles of stratigraphic succession’
• Look over all recording paperwork and example notebooks from the Brown University Labraunda Project and the Brown University Abydos Project.
Week 3: Excavation, Research Design, and History of Brown September 23: Excavation – laying out a trench, archaeological photography, field notebooks, recording, excavation techniques (bring your trowel!) Section: What is historical archaeology?; History of Brown; areas and buildings of archaeological interest on Brown’s campus; archaeological research design and planning Readings:
• Philips, J.M. 2000. Brown University: A Short History. Providence, Rhode Island: Office of Public Affairs and University Relations.
• Renfrew and Bahn 2004: ‘Historical Archaeology and Text’
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Week 4: Excavation and History of Brown **Paper 1 Due by 10 pm before section (hand in email draft, post on the class blog) September 30: Excavation Section: Discussion of archaeological and historical sites of interest at Brown University
(Paper 1); blog and public presentation goals Readings:
• Allen, B.A., P. Armstrong, E. Hu-‐Dehart, and M. Orr. 2006. Slavery and Justice: Report of the Brown University Steering Committee on Slavery and Justice. Providence, Rhode Island.
• Peruse blog posts of classmates Week 5: Excavation, Drawing, and Recording Techniques **hand in excavation notebooks for check during section October 7: Excavation Section: Archaeological photography, plan and section drawing, Harris Matrices Readings:
• Roskams 2001: Chapter 7 – the photographic record; Chapter 8 – the spatial record; Chapter 9 – the stratigraphic record (p. 119-‐168)
Week 6: Excavation and Community Outreach October 14 – No class (Fall Weekend) Readings:
• Deetz, J. 1996. In Small Things Forgotten: An Archaeology of Early American Life. New York: Anchor Books.
• King, J.A. 2006. “Household archaeology, identities, and biographies.” In The Cambridge Companion to Historical Archaeology, edited by, D. Hicks and Mary C. Beaudry, 293–313. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
October 19 – International Archaeology Day/Family Weekend (mandatory)
10 am-‐4pm – Excavation and public visits from families and community members Week 7: Excavation, Archival Research, and Maps **Paper 2 Due by 10 pm before section October 21 – Excavation
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Section: Guest talk on archival research and cartography in Providence by Timothy Sandiford; techniques of writing historical archaeology Readings:
• Seasholes, N.S. 1988. “On the use of historical maps.” In Documentary Archaeology in the New World, edited by, M. Beaudry, 92–118. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Wilkie, L. 2006. “Documentary Archaeology.” In The Cambridge Companion to Historical Archaeology, edited by, D. Hicks and M. Beaudry, 13–33. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Mrozowski, S.A., G.H. Ziesing, and M.C. Beaudry. 1996. Living on the Boott: Historical Archaeology at the Boott Mills Boardinghouses, Lowell, Massachusetts. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. (skim)
Week 8: Excavation, Databases, and Digital Technologies and Public Presentation October 28: Excavation Section: ARK and database creation and management, digital presentation Readings: (Look over websites)
• ARK Databases: http://ark.lparchaeology.com • Day of Archaeology: http://www.dayofarchaeology.com • Çatalhöyük: http://www.catalhoyuk.com • Morgan, C., and S. Eve. 2012. “DIY and digital archaeology: what are you doing to
participate?” World Archaeology 44 4: 521–537.
Week 9: Excavation and Object Biographies **Final Project Proposal meetings during teaching assistant or instructor office hours November 4: Excavation Section: “250 Years of Brown in 25 Objects,” guest presentation by Müge Durusu Readings:
• Gosden, C., and Y. Marshall. 1999. “The cultural biography of objects.” World Archaeology 31 2: 169–178.
• Joy, J. 2009. “Reinvigorating object biography: reproducing the drama of object lives.” World Archaeology 41 4: 540–556.
• Kopytoff, I. 1986. “The Cultural Biography of Things: Commoditization as Process.” In The Social Life of Things, edited by, Arjun Appadurai, 64–91. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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Week 10: Laboratory Skills and Ceramic Analysis **Paper 3 due by 10 pm before section; hand in excavation notebooks for check during section November 11: Object analysis in the Carriage House Laboratory Section: Object Drawing and Photography, Ceramic Analysis Readings:
• Orton, C., P. Tyers, and A. Vince. 1993. Pottery in archaeology (Cambridge Manuals in Archaeology). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Read: Chapter 2: The Potential of Pottery as Archaeological Evidence, p.23-‐43; Chapter 7: Illustration, p.87-‐97)
• Groover, M. 2001. “Linking Artifact Assemblages to Household Cycles: An Example from the Gibbs Site.” Historical Archaeology 35 4: 38–57.
• Adams, Williams, H. 2003. “Dating Historical Sites: the Importance of Understanding Time Lag in the Acquisition, Curation, Use, and Disposal of Artifacts.” Historical Archaeology 37 2: 38–61.
Week 11: Laboratory Analysis November 18: Object analysis and final projects Section: Object analysis and final projects Readings:
• Independent reading and research for final projects • Historic Glass Identification: http://www.sha.org/bottle/
Week 12: Laboratory Analysis and Final Projects **Rough drafts of Final Projects Due; hand in excavation notebooks during section November 25: Object analysis and final projects Section: Object analysis and final projects Readings:
• Independent reading and research for final projects Week 13: Final Project Presentations December 2: Final presentations in Rhode Island Hall **Final Projects due on or before December 11th at 5 pm
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