Studying at York
Prehistory to the Present - ARC00001C
Module summary
This module will provide an overview of the main chronological phases in the study of archaeology. It will cover the whole span of human history, from the emergence of Homo sapiens to the use of archaeology to study the contemporary world. The key events and periods explored in this module will form the chronological framework that underpins the rest of your degree.
Different members of staff will introduce you to the key types of archaeological evidence and the main environmental, cultural, economic and social processes that operate in each period. A series of case studies will exemplify how our knowledge has been gained through archaeological investigation.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2024-25 |
Module aims
The main aims of the module are:
- To give students a broad understanding of the major chronological phases of the human past, from early prehistory through to the modern and industrial periods
- To introduce students to key archaeological discoveries from each period, and relate these findings to overarching cultural and social contexts
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should have:
-
A systematic understanding of the key chronological phases of world archaeology, from early prehistory through to the industrial and modern periods
-
An ability to describe the types of evidence archaeologists study, and the processes we can infer from that material
-
An appreciation of the depth of chronology and the breadth of evidence that exists in the archaeological record
Module content
The module will cover prehistory in the first four weeks and historical archaeology in the second four weeks. The prehistoric periods covered will be the Early and Late Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age, along with case studies of Star Carr and Covesea. Historical periods will be Roman Britain, the Anglo-Saxons, the Viking period, later Medieval, historical (early modern) and contemporary, with case studies of Malton and Heslington Roman sites, and Gawthorpe Hall and Breary Banks for the early modern period.
In addition to this, we will introduce you to eight prehistoric and historical individuals each week who have been researched by archaeologists that you will be expected to investigate in more depth. As well as being fascinating people in their own right, they illustrate deeper aspects of how archaeology can reveal new (and sometimes surprising) knowledge about the past.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Formative: written feedback from module leaders
Summative: written feedback within the University's turnaround policy
Indicative reading
Hunter, J and Ralston, I (ed.) (2009) The archaeology of Britain, 2nd edition. London: Routledge. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/york-ebooks/detail.action?docID=465394
Schofield, J (ed.) (2011) Great excavations: shaping the archaeological profession. Oxford: Oxbow Books. https://www-jstor-org.libproxy.york.ac.uk/stable/j.ctt1cd0nz2