Archaeologist course

Lesson 1 • Research Design Fundamentals

Introduces theory formation, sampling logic, and project scoping. Connects theory to practical planning before any fieldwork begins.

Lesson 2 • History and Scope of Archaeology

Traces archaeology from antiquarianism to modern science. Establishes disciplinary identity and sets context for all subsequent methods.

Lesson 3 • Ethics and Professional Standards

Covers stewardship obligations, community engagement, and repatriation principles. Grounds all fieldwork decisions in ethical responsibility.

Lesson 1 • Pedestrian and Surface Survey

Covers transect design, artifact surface collection, and field recording. Students practice systematic coverage and inter-observer reliability.

Lesson 2 • Geophysical Prospection Methods

Covers magnetometry, ground-penetrating radar, and resistivity survey. Students interpret geophysical outputs to prioritise excavation targets.

Lesson 3 • Landscape and Settlement Analysis

Examines how environment shapes site distribution and human behaviour. Provides spatial thinking skills essential for survey planning.

Lesson 4 • Survey Data Management

Addresses field data entry, GPS recording, and database structuring. Ensures survey outputs are usable for analysis and reporting.

Lesson 1 • Sampling and Bulk Collection

Addresses bulk soil sampling, flotation, and wet-sieving protocols. Links field collection decisions to post-excavation analytical goals.

Lesson 2 • Stratigraphic Theory and Practice

Explains the law of superposition, Harris Matrix, and context relationships. Provides the interpretive backbone for all excavation decisions.

Lesson 3 • Excavation Methods and Tools

Covers open-area, box, and trench excavation strategies and hand-tool use. Matches excavation method to site type and research question.

Lesson 4 • Site Safety and Risk Management

Covers trench shoring, hazardous material protocols, and emergency procedures. Integrates occupational safety into daily excavation practice.

Lesson 1 • Artifact Conservation and Storage

Covers first-aid conservation, packaging standards, and long-term storage conditions. Ensures assemblage integrity from field to repository.

Lesson 2 • Lithic Analysis

Covers flint-knapping technology, reduction sequences, and use-wear analysis. Connects raw material sourcing to mobility and exchange patterns.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Typology

Introduces type, attribute, and assemblage concepts for artifact classification. Establishes the analytical vocabulary used throughout material culture study.

Lesson 4 • Ceramic Analysis

Examines fabric, form, surface treatment, and firing technology in pottery. Links ceramic sequences to chronology and cultural interaction.

Lesson 1 • Site and Feature Mapping

Covers digitising site boundaries, feature polygons, and artifact point data. Translates field records into queryable spatial layers.

Lesson 2 • Predictive Modeling and Site Location

Builds logistic regression and cost-surface models to predict site locations. Supports survey planning and cultural resource management decisions.

Lesson 3 • 3D Visualisation and Landscape Reconstruction

Uses digital elevation models and photogrammetry outputs for landscape visualisation. Communicates spatial findings to specialist and public audiences.

Lesson 4 • Spatial Statistical Analysis

Applies kernel density estimation, nearest-neighbour analysis, and hotspot detection. Reveals non-random patterns in artifact and site distributions.

Lesson 1 • Relative Dating Techniques

Covers stratigraphy, seriation, and cross-dating as relative chronological tools. Establishes sequence before absolute dates are applied.

Lesson 2 • Dendrochronology and Other Methods

Covers tree-ring dating, archaeomagnetism, and obsidian hydration. Demonstrates how independent methods cross-validate chronological models.

Lesson 3 • Bayesian Chronological Modeling

Applies Bayesian statistics to combine multiple date estimates into a coherent model. Produces probabilistic phase boundaries for site interpretation.

Lesson 4 • Other Radiometric Methods

Introduces potassium-argon, thermoluminescence, and optically stimulated luminescence. Extends chronological reach beyond radiocarbon's effective range.

Lesson 1 • Economic and Exchange Analysis

Examines provenance studies, isotope analysis, and network models for trade. Connects local assemblages to regional and interregional exchange systems.

Lesson 2 • Paleodemography and Bioarchaeology

Covers skeletal aging, sexing, pathology, and population estimation methods. Integrates human remains data into site-level social interpretation.

Lesson 3 • Assemblage Integration Strategies

Combines finds, environmental, and stratigraphic data into unified phase narratives. Demonstrates how cross-category synthesis drives interpretation.

Lesson 4 • Functional and Social Interpretation

Applies activity area analysis, household archaeology, and identity structures. Moves from material patterns to human behaviour and social organisation.

Lesson 1 • Client and Stakeholder Management

Develops skills for briefing clients, managing expectations, and negotiating scope. Ensures project delivery within budget, time, and quality constraints.

Lesson 2 • Desk-Based Assessment

Covers historic map analysis, archive research, and significance evaluation. Produces the evidence base for mitigation strategy decisions.

Lesson 3 • Community Archaeology and Outreach

Designs inclusive community participation programmes and public engagement activities. Builds relationships between professional practice and local heritage stakeholders.

Lesson 4 • Regulatory Structures for Heritage

Examines heritage protection legislation, impact assessment requirements, and permit systems. Positions the archaeologist within planning and development processes.