Introduction to Archaeology

Fossils and archaeology tools laid out next to each other at an excavation site

Course Dates

Key Features

Aims of the course

To introduce participants to key concepts and practical approaches in archaeology
To learn the key methods for doing archaeology: how to retrieve information, excavation, dating.
The foundations of archaeological interpretation. How do we know what we know?

Course content overview

Archaeology is the study of past human life. Archaeologists primarily focus on material remains. But how do we reconstruct past lives? What questions can we answer? This course is an introduction to a fascinating discipline. It is intended for anyone with an interest in the human past. We will explore the birth of archaeology as a discipline, the methods used to retrieve information, the basics of dating and analysis and some key case studies. We will focus on the questions that archaeologists investigate and how they address these questions. In doing so, we will learn about the key techniques and methods: how to recover, record and interpret data. This course will show that archaeology is not just about objects or monuments; it includes artefacts, buildings, landscapes across time and space.

Week 0: Preparing to study this course

Learning outcomes:

become familiar with navigating around the VLE and from VLE to links and back
tested their ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sorted out any problems with the help of the eLearning Helpdesk
learnt how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
used forums to introduce themselves to other students
contributed to a discussion forum to introduce themselves to other students and discuss why they are interested in the course, what they hope to get out their studies and also to respond to News item sent out on behalf of tutor
please note: All recorded lectures will involve illustrated slides

Week 1: What exactly is archaeology?

Purpose:

overview of key themes, theories and the nature of archaeological research
archaeologists seek to understand the past, examining material remains to explain how we came to live as we do in the present

This session will explore:

the history of archaeology – how did archaeology emerge as a discipline?
what is the purpose of archaeology?
what is the framework for studying these themes?

Learning outcomes:

familiarised themselves with the history of archaeology
learnt about the key benefits of archaeology to understanding the past
developed the first step of the overarching framework
note: resources will include clear explanations of technical terms (paradigms etc – these will be uploaded on the VLE

Week 2: Key Methods and Techniques (1)

Purpose:

the next two sessions explore the key methods and techniques for retrieving information, identifying objects, determining how old they are and the basics of interpretation.
this session is about the key questions in archaeology – how do we know what we know? We will explore the basics of how to find information (hint: it’s not just by digging), how to look at things, what survives and how things survive (or not)

Learning outcomes:

familiarised themselves with key field techniques
continue building solid interpretive framework

Week 3: Key methods and techniques (2)

Purpose:

how do we date things?
what does time mean?

Scientific dating, which gives us a chronological age, is fairly new in the history of archaeology. Prior to this, people used various methods to figure out what is older and more recent. In doing so, people had to face the question of what time means, and in the process questioned the antiquity of humankind.

Learning outcomes:

developed an understanding of dating
continue building solid interpretive framework

Week 4: Interpreting the Past (1)

Purpose:

the next two sessions include a mix of lectures and activities designed to help you interpret the past
the first session will provide a clear outline of how people have interpreted the past
we will explore how ideas developed, their impact and their pros and cons
this week you will be challenged to interpret a number of objects
feedback will help you develop techniques for thinking about things, evaluating information and identifying what makes for a good argument

Learning outcomes:

learnt about the key interpretive methods
developed experience in constructing their own arguments

Week 5 - Interpreting the Past (2)

Purpose:

this session examines two main themes: (a) the nature of historical archaeology
is written evidence different from archaeological evidence
are texts superior to material culture? How do we interpret things in historical archaeology
do historians need archaeologists? And (b) how do we evaluate information
what makes an interpretation valid? We may roll our eyes at claims of ancient aliens and the like, but there is a darker side to these matters

Learning outcomes:

understood the basics of historical archaeology and evaluating information
engaged with the different types of information offered by historical archaeology
strengthened their interpretive skills

Week 6: What Next?

Purpose

assessment of student learning.
assessment of student satisfaction.
encouragement of further study.

Schedule (this course is completed entirely online)

Orientation Week : 16-22 February 2026
Teaching Weeks: 23 February-29 March 2026
Feedback Week: 30 March-5 April 2026

Study commitment and Certificate

Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours reading material, etc., although this will vary from person to person.

While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material).

Virtual Learning Environment

Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (discussion boards etc).

Certificate of participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.