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Course Descriptions

ANT 205 - Archaeology Field School

3 Credits

This course will offer students the opportunity to participate in an ongoing excavation of the Castle-Kumpf Farm, a 19th Century Euro-American farmstead located near Spencerport in Monroe County, New York. Students will broaden their understanding of anthropology, history, and science through training and practical experience in archaeology. Training and practical experience in a variety of archaeological field methods such as artifact analysis and record keeping will be provided. Students gain an understanding of basic techniques of survey, excavation, and post-excavation lab work. This will enhance concepts and practices acquired from previous coursework and be applicable to future courses, other archaeological fieldwork, or to their knowledge of local history.

This is a two-week course meeting for six hours each day (with a lunch break), Monday through Friday.

Prerequisite: ANT 101 recommended

New SUNY General Education: SUNY - Social Sciences

Retiring SUNY General Education: SUNY-SS - Social Sciences (SSCS)

MCC General Education: MCC-CT - Critical Thinking (MCT), MCC-SCI - Scientific Reasoning (MSCI), MCC-SSD - Social Science and Diversity (MSSD)

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Define and discuss key archaeological terms and concepts.
2. Describe the methods used to survey and locate archaeological sites.
3. Demonstrate fundamental skills in conducting archaeological fieldwork including mapping, establishing an excavation grid, excavating in stratigraphic and arbitrary levels, and screening for artifacts.
4. Document archaeological fieldwork by completing excavation and feature forms, sketching stratigraphic profiles, and taking digital photographs.
5. Demonstrate basic skills in cleaning, cataloging, and preserving recovered artifacts.
6. Conduct a preliminary analysis of the artifacts to assess how they inform or support local historical knowledge.

Course Offered Summer

Use links below to see if this course is offered:
Fall Semester 2024
Spring Semester 2024
Summer Session 2024