Aims and Methods in Archaeology

Module code: AR1061

How do archaeologists find sites? How do they excavate them? How do they take the fragments of things they find and use them to tell stories about the past? This module gives you an introduction to the things archaeologists do, the materials they study and the many ways in which they study them. You’ll learn about every stage of archaeological work from the first identification of a site, to its excavation, to the analyses that take place after the excavation has finished.

Learning material for this module includes recorded lectures, guided readings and practical exercises for you to do at home designed by our academics and delivered through our virtual learning environment. You will have two assessment periods for the module. In the first, halfway through the module, you’ll answer a series of short answer questions. In addition, you’ll write a short practice essay. You will get feedback for your essay but no official mark – it’s designed to give you a no-risk attempt at essay writing. In the second assessment period, at the end of the module, you will write an essay. You can choose the question you’re most interested in from a list we provide.