Archaeology is the study of humans and their cultural and natural environment across time; from the Palaeolithic to modern forensic studies. It explores human activities in time and space and at a variety of resolutions, ranging from human migration over millennia through to dramatic events, as at Pompeii, where a single event is captured, instantly and forever.
The range of information that supports this exciting study is diverse, encompassing historical sources, material culture, buildings, landscapes, past environments and climate. The strength of archaeology is the ability to engage with information from a range of sources and integrate it together to provide narratives of the past.
This foundation course introduces the concept and practice of archaeology and how the discipline relates to associated themes of study (e.g. Ancient History, History, Anthropology, Geology, Classics). It outlines the range of approaches to studying the past and how these can be integrated to become more than the sum of the parts. Hence this course if of benefit to all disciplines that study the past.