Students need not be enrolled in the lecture to take the lab, although it is highly recommended. In the lab students learn standard archaeological field and lab methods. Students practice survey and orienteering teachniques used in archaeology, and become familiar with using compasses and topo maps. They also learn to sketch sites, artifacts, and bone using the conventions of the discipline.
Experimental archaeology is also part of the lab course.
We primarily focus on artifact replication and traditional technologies. Depending on time, weather, student interest, and available materials, we may also include the manufacture of other tools, traps, animal calls, drums and other instruments. The archaeology lecture class covers methods, techniques, and theories used in archaeology. We learn about pre-contact Native North, South, and Central Americans, Africans, and Australians, the evolution of complex societies, and technological innovations, such as, architechture, astronomy, art, and the domestication of plants and animals. We will also cover recent major finds, such as the Siberian Ice Maiden and the Ice Man.