Archaeology
Archaeologists study past human cultures and behaviour through analysis of the materials people left behind, and the landscapes they lived in.
Students in the Department of Archaeology receive practical training and experiential learning in the classroom, but also in state-of-the-art laboratory and hands-on field work settings. Memorial is home to just one of two Archeology Departments in Canada!
Archaeology electives
Below is a list of all archaeology electives that anyone can register for, because they have 0 or just 1 prerequisite. For a complete list of our archeology courses, see the university calendar.
Introduction to Archaeology
(ARCH1000)
Introduction to Archaeology is a broad overview of Archaeology and Bioarchaeology introducing the concepts of human biological and cultural evolution and the methods and techniques by which these are investigated. The course is designed to provide the basis for further study in the disciplines.
Note: Same as the former ARCH 1030.
Critical Reading and Writing About the Archaeological Past
(ARCH 1001)
Critical Reading and Writing About the Archaeological Past is an introduction to archaeological literature including essays, monographs, and journal articles and popular media. Emphasis is placed on critical reading and writing, analyzing texts, framing and using questions, constructing essays, organizing paragraphs. Students learn elements of academic assessment of literature and technical skills to refine analytical writing. All sections of this course follow the Critical Reading and Writing Course Guidelines available at www.mun.ca/hss/crw.
Note: Same as the former ARCH 2590
Critical Reading and Writing in Indigenous Studies
(ARCH 1005)
Critical Reading and Writing in Indigenous Studies features the analysis of scholarly literature, media, and other sources of knowledge related to Indigenous studies. Students practice analytical reading and writing through class discussion and assignments related to the study of both past and present. All sections of this course follow Critical Reading and Writing Course Guidelines available at www.mun.ca/hss/crw.
Note: Same as History 1005 and the former ARCH 2590 and History 1016
Principles of Bioarchaeology
(ARCH 2430)
Principles of Bioarchaeology investigates the human animal as we exist now and as we developed through time. Students will discover how the study of fossil remains, living and extinct primates, and the applications of the principles of genetics, adaptation and variation of human evolution help to provide an understanding of how biology and culture have interacted to produce modern humans.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030
Principles of Archaeological Science
(ARCH 2450)
Principles of Archaeological Science introduces the student to a broad range of scientific approaches and quantitative methods used in archaeology. The course provides an overview of the historical development of archaeological science and a survey of the analytical techniques used to investigate materials recovered from archaeological contexts, including biomolecular methods, statistical analysis of data, geophysical prospection, dating techniques and quantitative methods of calibration, and remote sensing. All sections of this course follow Quantitative Reasoning Course Guidelines available at www.mun.ca/hss/qr.
Principles of Archaeology
(ARCH 2480)
Principles of Archaeology is an introduction to archaeological techniques, methodology and theory. Classes cover the development of the discipline, techniques of survey and excavation, and the main methods of archaeological analysis and interpretation.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030 or permission of the instructor
Ancient Civilizations of the Americas
(ARCH 2481)
Ancient Civilizations of the Americas is a survey course introducing the archaeology and ethnohistory of the Aztec, Inca and Maya. The course is comparative and thematic, addressing the development, ideology, economics and administration of each civilization. The events and responses of these Indigenous civilizations to contact with Europeans will be investigated, examining the reasons their cities collapsed while the descendants of their populations continue to inhabit the same regions today.
Indigenous Peoples and the Struggle for Self-determination (ARCH 2482)
Indigenous Peoples and the Struggle for Self-determination explores, in a Pan-American comparative perspective, the experiences of Indigenous peoples inhabiting the nation-states that emerged out of the European settlements. The loss of self-determination and struggles to regain it are shared experiences but the routes followed historically and in the present are not the same. Understanding Indigenous Peoples’ diverse experiences of, and struggles against, colonialism will enable the alliances needed for more just and sustainable societies.
Forensic Archaeology
(ARCH 2492)
Forensic Archaeologyis an examination of procedures and techniques used by Biological anthropologists and archaeologists to obtain data pertinent to investigations by law enforcement and medical authorities; evidence concerning the identification of human remains and the cause, time and manner of death.
Note: May not be used for credit toward a major or minor in Archaeology
Archaeology on Film
(ARCH 2493)
Archaeology on Film explores the use of archaeology as a popular backdrop to many films and documentaries. Yet, the manner in which archaeology is represented in modern film is hardly realistic, or is it? The portrayal of archaeology in popular film will be discussed in order to determine what movies convey to the public about archaeological method and theory as well as the historical stories that archaeologists investigate.
Note: may not be used for credit toward a major or minor in Archaeology
Game of Genders: Sex and Society in the Medieval North (ARCH 2494)
Introduces students to considerations and expressions of gender in northern medieval society, with particular reference to Viking and Anglo-Saxon worlds. The course explores the concept of gender and considers varied gendered identities found in material and textual evidence. Students will reflect on how significant cultural changes, such as the conversion to Christianity and the expansion to the North Atlantic and to L'Anse aux Meadows, laid the foundation for what is considered gender appropriate in Western society.
Note: Same as Medieval Studies 2494
Prerequisite: It is recommended, but not obligatory, that students should have successfully completed ARCH 1000 or the former 1030 or Gender Studies 1000
Archaeological Frauds and Mysteries
(ARCH 2495)
Archaeological Frauds and Mysteries explores the sensationalized and ‘unreal’ side of archaeology and delve deeper into popular misconceptions of the past. From unraveling the mysteries of Big Foot to evaluating the evidence for alien life on Earth, students will learn how scientific methodology is used to determine facts from myths in archaeology.
Note: May not be used for credit toward a major or minor in Archaeology, and same as the former ARCH 2491
Art, Architecture and Medieval Life
(ARCH 3001)
Art, Architecture and Medieval Life is as examination of the development of medieval art and architecture and of the ways in which they mirror various aspects of life in the Middle Ages. This course will include a discussion of art and architecture in the countryside, in the town, in the castle, in the cathedral and in the cloister.
Note: Same as Anthropology 3589, Medieval Studies 3001, Folklore 3001, the former ARCH 3589, and the former History 3020
Prerequisite: It is recommended but not obligatory, that students should have successfully completed one of the following courses: ARCH 2480, the former ARCH 2582, Folklore 1000 or the former 2000, History 2320, Medieval Studies 2001, History 2330/Medieval Studies 2002, or Medieval Studies 1000 or the former 2000.
First Peoples of Newfoundland and Labrador
(ARCH 3290)
First Peoples of Newfoundland and Labrado explores the archaeological history of the area which today includes Newfoundland and Labrador and eastern Québec, from entry of humans into the region until the time of European contact, including the ancestors of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit. Particular attention is paid to the interactions among the various archaeological cultures in the region and their adaptations to the local environment.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030, or permission of the instructor
First Peoples of the Maritime Provinces
(ARCH 3291)
First Peoples of the Maritime Provinces explores cultural developments in the area which today includes the Maritime Provinces and northern Maine, from the entry of humans into the region until the time of European contact, including the ancestors of the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, and Peskotomokhadi. Emphasis is placed on cultural adaptations to a changing regional environment and the evidence for intercultural contact.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030, or permission of the instructor
Prehistory of Africa, Asia and Europe I
(ARCH 3500)
Prehistory of Africa, Asia and Europe Iexamines the early stages of cultural evolution in the Old World. Topics include: earliest human origins in Africa; the dispersal of humans throughout the Old World: the appearance of modern-type humans during the last ice age.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030
The Ancient Americas
(ARCH 3510)
The Ancient Americas is a survey of cultural development in the Americas from the entry of humans until the time of European contact. Topics include: the earliest human migrations and the dispersal of human groups throughout the New World; the development of complex hunting-gathering societies; the origins of agriculture and sedentism.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000, or the former 1030, or permission of the instructor
Prehistory of Mesoamerica
(ARCH 3515)
Prehistory of Mesoamerica discusses the Spanish explorers arriving in Mesoamerica i.e. Mexico and Guatemala of today, and how they discovered rich and complex civilizations that had developed independently of European or Asian influence. This course traces the development of Mesoamerican civilizations from their known origins to the point at which growth was terminated by Spanish intervention.
Note: Same as the former History 3515
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030
Indigenous History to 1763
(ARCH 3520)
Indigenous History to 1763 examines Indigenous history in North America, including the Innu, Inuit, Beothuk and Mi’kmaq, from before European contact to the Royal Proclamation in 1763. Particular attention will be paid to historical encounters framed by first contacts, cultural exchange, trade, disease, religious encounters, conflict and diplomacy, and territorial encroachment.
Note: Same as History 3520, Anthropology 3520
Indigenous History from 1763
(ARCH 3525)
Examines the history of Indigenous peoples in North America, including the Innu, Inuit, Beothuk and Mi’kmaq, from 1763 to the twentieth century. Particular attention will be paid to Indigenous-settler relations, including Indigenous policies, military encounters and diplomacy, expansion and removals, education, treaties, and politicization.
Note: Same as History 3525, Anthropology 3525
Ethnoarchaeology
(ARCH 3561)
Ethnoarchaeology is a subfield of archaeology that uses recent ethnographic information to interpret and explain the material remains of past human behaviour. This course compares the goals and methods of ethnoarchaeologists with those of ethnographers and archaeologists. Case studies are used to illustrate the different approaches and concerns of ethnoarchaeologists working in different regions of the world.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030, or permission of instructor
Bronze Age Archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean (ARCH 3580)
Bronze Age Archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean examines the archaeological evidence that underlies the current reconstruction of the Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean. The Bronze Age of the Aegean and the island of Cyprus is essentially prehistoric and inaccessible except through the methods of archaeology; physical dating techniques, geoarchaeology, residue studies, palaeoethnobotany, zooarchaeology, forensic anthropology, underwater archaeology and cultural resource management. Pieced together these give us a compelling picture of the cultural history, lifeways and the dynamics of cultural change during this important period. Emphasis is placed on the role of Cyprus as a physical and cultural link between peoples of the Aegean and the Near East.
Note: Same as Classics 3580
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030 or permission of instructor
Historical Archaeology
(ARCH 3582)
Historical Archaeology introduces students to historical archaeology, with special reference to the North Atlantic, 1000 to 1900 AD. The archaeology of specific sites will be examined in order to raise issues about theory and method. Students will be introduced to paleography; historic maps; documentary archaeology; the survey, excavation and analysis of complex sites; material culture and subsistence studies; consumer studies; cultural resource management; archaeological conservation; and nautical archaeology.
Note: Same as History 3582, the former Archaeology 2582, the former History 2582, the former History 3530
Prerequisites: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030
Arctic Archaeology
(ARCH 3588)
Arctic Archaeology is an introduction to the archaeology of the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and Alaska, from earliest settlement to historic interactions between Inuit and Europeans. Special emphasis is placed on the eastern Canadian Arctic, and the changing social and economic adjustments arctic peoples have made to a challenging environment.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030, or permission of the instructor
Hunter-Gatherer Studies
(ARCH 3590)
Hunter-Gatherer Studies examines past and present hunting and gathering societies from various areas of the world, both from an ethnographic and an archaeological perspective.
Note: This course is not applicable towards the Major or Minor in Anthropology, and is the same as the former Anthropology 3590
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030, or permission of the instructor
Norse Archaeology
(ARCH 3592)
Norse Archaeology explores the influence of the Vikings on the medieval world and the place of L'Anse aux Meadows within this cultural milieu. Students will be introduced to Viking-Age archaeological and literary texts to gain knowledge of specific questions and problems concerning multicultural contact within the Viking-Age world, specifically the North Atlantic region. They will also gain an appreciation of the challenges associated with using interdisciplinary evidence as well as migration and multicultural issues in the past and present.
Note: same as Medieval Studies 3592, and the former ARCH 3685
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030
Archaeology of Children
(ARCH 3593)
Archaeology of Children examines emerging archaeological and bioarchaeological research on children and childhood. Topics include play, learning work, embodiment, identity, death, narrative approaches to children’s lives, and the paleoanthropology of childhood.
Note: Same as the former ARCH 3684
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030
Archaeology of Sport
(ARCH 3594)
Archaeology of Sport addresses organized recreation as a fundamental variety of past social activity. The evolution of athletic physiology, bioarchaeological traces on past bodies, sporting facilities and equipment, animal sports, experimental and ethnoarchaeological approaches, and the varying social, ritual and economic contexts of past athletic performance will be examined, with case studies of notably large scale and long-running sporting phenomena such as chariot racing and the Mesoamerican ballgame.
Note: Same as the former ARCH 3681
Archaeology of Intoxicants
(ARCH 3595)
Archaeology of Intoxicants surveys the archaeological evidence for drug use from the Paleolithic to the present, and its role in wider social, political, economic and cultural processes. This evidence consists of material traces (plant remains, genetic and chemical residues, paraphernalia, depictions etc.) of the production, circulation and consumption of a wide array of intoxicants (tea, coffee, tobacco, alcohol, opium, cannabis, coca, peyote etc.).
Artifacts from North American Contexts 1600-1900
(ARCH 3650)
Artifacts from North American Contexts 1600-1900 provides students with practical experience in the analytical methods used to identify, date and interpret artifacts from 1600-1900 contexts in North America. Detailed discussions on manufacture, technology, form and function provide the necessary background for a better understanding of concepts relating to artifact identification, provenance, dating techniques, and other current issues. Practical, hands-on exercises will help reinforce weekly topics and teach students the fundamentals required to interpret artifact assemblages from the historic period.
Note: Same as Folklore 3650 and the former Anthropology 3683
Archaeology of Exploration, Interaction and Settlement in the Americas (ARCH 3651)
Archaeology of Exploration, Interaction and Settlement in the Americas focuses on the history and archaeology of European colonization of North America from approximately 1500 to 1700. A diverse range of topics will be discussed including: colonialism; Indigenous peoples; early colonies and seasonal outposts; extractive industries; war, trade and economics; daily life in pluralistic societies; the material record; the built landscape and maritime archaeology.
Note: Same as the former ARCH 3862, or the former Anthropology 3682
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030
Archaeology of Iceland
(ARCH 3680)
Archaeology of Iceland employs an interdisciplinary archaeological approach to examine changes in Icelandic society from the Viking Age to the present. Through indepth analyses of current research scholarship in Icelandic archaeology, the course will analyze the role played by changing economic, political, religious and environmental circumstances in the construction of past and modern Icelandic lifeways and identity.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030
Studies in Archaeology and Prehistory
(ARCH 3681-3686 and 3689)
Studies in Archaeology and Prehistory courses vary each semester but will include the consideration of current developments in methods, techniques and theory as applied to selected areas of the world.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030
The Archaeology of Death
(ARCH 3687)
The Archaeology of Death explores archaeological studies of mortuary rituals, human remains and grave goods to provide insight into past social structures, cultural ideals, identity, and community beliefs. This course takes multiple approaches to understand the variability in archaeological mortuary practices cross-culturally over time and space.
Archaeology of Warfare
(ARCH 3750)
Archaeology of Warfare is a broad overview of archaeological research conducted at sites associated with human conflict spanning from ancient times to World War II. Weekly lectures and hands-on exercises will provide students with a solid background on the various means by which archaeologists study and excavate sites relating to war, conflict and captivity. A broad range of topics will be covered including remote sensing and field survey techniques, the changing technology and tactics of war, battlefield sites, POW camps, sunken naval vessels, aviation sites, fortifications and frontier outposts.
Prerequisite: ARCH 1000 or the former 1030
Material Culture
(ARCH 3850)
Material Culture is an introduction to the study of material culture and the question of why objects are important to us. Using folklore and interdisciplinary approaches, we will look at objects as cultural products, question the influence of objects on behaviours, and address the role of objects in historical and ethnographic research.
Note: Same as Folklore 3850
Environmental Change and Quaternary Geography
(ARCH 4150)
Environmental Change and Quaternary Geography examines methods of reconstructing Quaternary environments, effects of Quaternary environmental changes on landform, with special reference to North America, development and characteristics of glacial and nonglacial climates.
Note: this course is same as Earth Sciences 4703, Geography 4150, and has 3 laboratory hours per week
Prerequisites: 6 credit hours in Physical Geography or in Archaeology at the 3000-level, or permission of the instructor.
Palaeoethnobotany
(ARCH 4151)
Palaeoethnobotany is a combined directed readings/laboratory course on palaeoethnobotany. Palaeoethnobotany concerns the recovery and analysis of archaeological plant remains as a basis for understanding human and plant interactions in the archaeological record. This course focuses on recent paleobotanical research in northeastern North America.
Prerequisites: ARCH 2450, ARCH 2480, or the permission of the instructor
Special Projects in Archaeology
(ARCH 4160-4169)
Special Projects in Archaeology courses may be offered from time to time as demand arises. They may involve readings, seminars and actual analysis of archaeological collections on, for example: The Neolithic of Western Asia; the Rise of Civilization in Western Asia Scandinavian Prehistory; Palaeoethnobotany; and Technology and Material Culture.
Prerequisites: one of ARCH 2450, 2480, 2481, the former 2582, or permission of the instructor.
Special Topic in Historical Archaeology
(ARCH 4500)
Special Topic in Historical Archaeology courses will vary each year to consider current developments in methods, techniques, and theory in Historical Archaeology.
Prerequisites: ARCH 2480, the former 2582, or permission of instructor