Unit name | People and Cultures of the British Isles |
---|---|
Unit code | ARCH10011 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | C/4 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. Cramp |
Open unit status | Open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Department of Anthropology and Archaeology |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit provides a comprehensive survey of the archaeology and material culture of the British Isles focusing upon the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. Starting with the earliest humans in the Palaeolithic, it introduces students to the landscapes, sites and material culture of British and Irish prehistory, including the earliest appearance of farming and the emergence of metallurgy. It continues through to the Roman and Viking ages, ending in the archaeology and material culture of historical times.
The aims of this unit are:
To provide a basic understanding of the multi-disciplinary methods and approaches in current archaeological practice and theory, as applied to the archaeology of the British Isles
On completion of this unit, a successful student should be able to:
1. Identify key classes of artefact, site and monument found in the British Isles
2. Outline the significance of key points in the development of society on the British Isles from prehistoric to historical times
3. Critically describe the models employed to understand how and why prehistoric societies changed over time
4. Discuss the possible causes for changes and continuities in landscape, society and culture in the British Isles
5. Demonstrate how the multi-disciplinary methods and approaches in current archaeological practice and theory have been applied to the archaeology of the British Isles
6. Construct logical and structured arguments supported by relevant evidence, at a standard appropriate to level C.
Two one-hour lectures per week
Essay (2000 words; 50%) ILOs 2 - 6
Exam (2 h, 50%), ILOs 1-6
Bradley, R. 2007. The prehistory of Britain and Ireland. Cambridge: CUP
Cunliffe, B. 2013. Britain begins. Oxford: OUP
Hunter, J. and Ralston, I. 2009. The archaeology of Britain (2nd edition). London: Routledge