printer friendly pageARCHLGY 34: Animals and Us (ANTHRO 34)
The human-animal relationship is dynamic, all encompassing and durable. Without exception, all socio-cultural groups have evidenced complex interactions with the animals around them, both domesticated and wild. However, the individual circumstances of these interactions are hugely complicated, and involve much more than direct human-animal contact, going far beyond this to incorporate social, ecological and spiritual contexts.This course delves into this complexity, covering the gamut of social roles played by animals, as well as the methods and approaches to studying these, both traditional and scientific. While the notion of `animals as social actors is well acknowledged, their use as proxies for human autecology (the relationship between a species and its environment) is also increasingly recognized as a viable mechanism for understanding our cultural and economic past. It will piece together the breadth of human-animal relationships using a wide geographic range of case studies.
Last offered: Autumn 2020
| UG Reqs: WAY-ER, WAY-SI
ARCHLGY 58: Egypt in the Age of Heresy (AFRICAAM 58A, AFRICAST 58, CLASSICS 58)
Perhaps the most controversial era in ancient Egyptian history, the Amarna period (c.1350-1334 BCE) was marked by great sociocultural transformation, notably the introduction of a new 'religion' (often considered the world's first form of monotheism), the construction of a new royal city, and radical departures in artistic and architectural styles. This course will introduce archaeological and textual sources of ancient Egypt, investigating topics such as theological promotion, projections of power, social structure, urban design, interregional diplomacy, and historical legacy during the inception, height, and aftermath of this highly enigmatic period. Students with or without prior background are equally encouraged.
Last offered: Autumn 2018
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-SI
ARCHLGY 60N: Digging for Answers: 5 Big Questions of Our Time (ANTHRO 60N)
The aim in this course is to explore the archaeological evidence for long-term change with regard to 5 major questions of our time: Where do we come from? Has inequality increased? Have we become more violent? Why do we have so much stuff? What is the relationship between humans and climate change? You will be introduced to recent publications for class debate, and will also be introduced to the ways in which archaeologists use evidence in order to explore the 5 themes. We will go to Stanford¿s archaeological collections so that you can have hands-on experience of artifacts and will be able to problem solve using data from the instructor¿s own excavations. We will also visit labs (archaeological and genomic for example), local museums and local archaeological excavations.
Last offered: Winter 2021
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
ARCHLGY 77: Heritage Theory and Practice: Current Approaches to Tangible and Intangible Heritage (ANTHRO 77)
This is an introductory course to heritage studies that aims at familiarizing undergraduates with how heritage has been theorized and utilized by multi-disciplinary practitioners in the present global context. It will walk students through how heritage conversations evolved from being primarily dedicated to material tangibility that was rooted in inherent 'heritage value', to a deeper understanding of given value through intangibility of heritage. The focus will be on familiarizing students with the multi-disciplinary and agentic approach to heritage studies in the present day, which manifests in critical conversations in architecture, archaeology, and, anthropology, which are instrumentalized within issues of policy, conflict, urban & non-urban development, museums, social fabric & culture, etc.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3-5
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
Instructors:
Gupta, S. (PI)
ARCHLGY 84: Incas, Spaniards, and Africans: Archaeology of the Kingdom of Peru (ANTHRO 84B)
Students are introduced to Andean archaeology from the rise of the Inca empire through the Spanish colonial period. We will explore archaeological evidence for the development of late pre-Hispanic societies in western South America, the Spanish conquest, and the origins of key Spanish colonial institutions in the Andean region: the Church, coerced indigenous labor, and African slavery. Central to this course is an archaeological interrogation of the underpinnings and legacies of colonialism, race, and capitalism in the region. Students will also consider the material culture of daily life and those living on the social margins, both in pre-Hispanic societies and under Spanish rule.
Last offered: Autumn 2021
| UG Reqs: WAY-EDP, WAY-SI
ARCHLGY 102B: Incas and their Ancestors: Peruvian Archaeology (ANTHRO 106, ANTHRO 206A)
The development of high civilizations in Andean S. America from hunter-gatherer origins to the powerful, expansive Inca empire. The contrasting ecologies of coast, sierra, and jungle areas of early Peruvian societies from 12,000 to 2,000 B.C.E. The domestication of indigenous plants which provided the economic foundation for monumental cities, ceramics, and textiles. Cultural evolution, and why and how major transformations occurred.
Last offered: Autumn 2019
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, GER:EC-GlobalCom, WAY-SI
ARCHLGY 103: History of Archaeological Thought (ANTHRO 103B)
Introduction to the history of archaeology and the forms that the discipline takes today, emphasizing developments and debates over the past five decades. Historical overview of culture, historical, processual and post-processual archaeology, and topics that illustrate the differences and similarities in these theoretical approaches. Satisfies Archaeology WIM requirement.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-A-II, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Trivedi, M. (PI)
ARCHLGY 104: Digital Methods in Archaeology
Archaeologists have long adapted and incorporated available digital tools into their methodological toolkits. The recent explosion in computing power and availability has led to a proliferation of digital apparatus in archaeology and sparked dynamic theoretical and methodological discussions within the discipline. This course provides an overview of digital tools and methods utilized by archaeologists through all stages of research.
Last offered: Winter 2020
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
ARCHLGY 106: The Archaeology of Climate (ANTHRO 103, ANTHRO 203)
This course reviews the long-term relationships between human societies and Earth's climatic systems. It provides a critical review of how archaeologists have approached climate change through various case studies and historical paradigms (e.g., societal 'collapse', resilience, historical ecology) and also addresses feedbacks between past human land use and global climate change, including current debates about the onset of the Anthropocene.
Last offered: Winter 2023
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
ARCHLGY 111: Emergence of Chinese Civilization from Caves to Palaces (ARCHLGY 211, CHINA 176, CHINA 276)
Introduces processes of cultural evolution from the Paleolithic to the Three Dynasties in China. By examining archaeological remains, ancient inscriptions, and traditional texts, four major topics will be discussed: origins of modern humans, beginnings of agriculture, development of social stratification, and emergence of states and urbanism.
Last offered: Spring 2023
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, WAY-SI
Filter Results: