Course syllabus

 

Soviet war graves at Ohlsdorf Cemetry Hamburg

ANTHROPOLOGY 367: THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF HUMAN REMAINS

SEMESTER 2, 2018

15 points

 
Course Convenor: 

 Judith Littleton - j.littleton@Auckland.ac.nz

Teacher:

 Judith Littleton - j.littleton@Auckland.ac.nz

Course delivery format:

 LECTURE 3-5PM WEDNESDAY

LAB: FRIDAY 11-12 PM ROOM 706, HUMAN SCIENCES BUILDING.

Lectures will be recorded and posted by the end of the week.  We cannot guarantee the quality of lecture recording and note at least one lecture is a fieldtrip.  Reading quizzes will be completed during the lecture.  Labs are an integral part of the course as well since they provide the range of practical skills integral to this course.

 Summary of Course Description:              

 Human remains reflect the lives of the dead as well as the lives of those who buried them. In this course you will be introduced to the various ways in which we study the dead. The course will cover three areas: the interpretation of mortuary practices, the interpretation of past lives from human remains, and the practice of burial archaeology in the southern hemisphere. The course is designed for students intending to do further study in archaeology or biological anthropology. It focuses upon the reality of archaeological practices including an extensive introduction to human osteology through lab exercises explicitly associated with the six issues addressed routinely to bioarchaeologists: is it bone?, is it human?, is it a child or adult?, is it male or female?, is it normal?, what is the burial context? In addition we will discuss archaeological practice, particularly in relation to this part of the world.

Course Aims

In this course we aim to:

  • Introduce you to the area of bioarchaeology and the analysis of both human and mortuary remains;
  • Give you an opportunity to undertake independent research in this area;
  • Demonstrate how different research questions and theoretical perspectives lead to different outcomes;
  • Understand how assumptions underlie different analyses and learn how to identify them.
  • Learn the basics of human osteology and the excavation of human remains.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, you will be equipped with the tools to:

♦ _Explain the limitations and promises of the analysis of human remains;

♦ _Evaluate analyses of human remains and mortuary practice;

♦ _Apply the first principles of analysis of human remains within an archaeological context;

♦ _Identify and explain what constitutes best practice in relation to human remains;

♦ _Master and demonstrate research skills including development of research questions; and

♦ _Write coherent evaluations of research and concepts relevant to course content.

 

Employability:

Able to analyse – undertaking independent research, identifying and using theoretical frameworks and concepts, use reference databases effectively to identify relevant sources.

Practical skills for cultural resource management and archaeology – including appreciation of legislation, ethics, and the excavation and recording of burials and human remains. Use first principles in working with human remains and burials.

Communication skills: presenting work in a written format concisely and accurately; able to debate sensitive issues

Social and environmental skills: awareness of ethical issues and the multiple responsibilities of a researcher, cultural sensitivity.

Assessment

Task

Value

Due Dates

Reading quizzes

10%  (1 mark per quiz)

Question will be asked in Wednesday’s lecture – one quiz per week commencing week 3

Annotated bibliography and essay statement

10%

Due 15/8 on Canvas by 3pm

Essay (3000-3500 words)

30%

19/9  on Canvas by 3pm

Practical lab test

20%

12/10 in Lab

Take home exam
(2 essays – 3-5 pages each)

30%

Handed out on Friday 20 October, due 26 October by 11.59 pm on Canvas.

 

 

Weekly Topics:

SEE UNDER MODULES OR DOWNLOAD THE SYLLABUS

 

Prescribed Texts:

THERE ARE TWO TO THREE READINGS PER WEEK FOR THE LECTURES. THESE ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE MODULES OR READING LIST PAGES. MAKE SURE YOU READ THEM BEFORE THE LECTURE AND THEN REVISE BRIEFLY AFTER.

 Workload :           

The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly.

Due dates, late work

All coursework should be submitted by the due date and time. IF YOU ARE ILL OR HAVE SOME OTHER FORM OF EMERGENCY THEN CONTACT JUDITH AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO ARRANGE AN EXTENSION. Assignments will be accepted up to 48 hours late, with a penalty of 10% points per 24-hour period.

SYLLABUS:

Download the syllabus here:367syllabus_2018.docx

DOWNLOAD THE LAB MANUAL HERE: 367_2018labmanual.pdf

Course summary:

Date Details Due