Aims

By the end of this course, students will be familiar with the methods used in archaeological field research and will understand the stages involved in archaeological excavation and how to prepare excavation sites and record data. Students will have the possibility of gaining practical experience of these various stages during a period of fieldwork.

Main themes

This course aims to teach students the importance of fieldwork in Archaeology and to introduce them to the steps involved in preparing a site for excavation. Various excavation methods are discussed and emphasis is placed on selecting the right method for the particular situation. Excavation data recording techniques are dealt with and students learn how to interpret research findings as a step in drawing up an excavation report. Finally, students gain practical hands-on experience through a period of fieldwork.

Content and teaching methods

This course provides a broad overview of how archaeological methods are applied to field research. It examines the various stages in which the archaeologist is involved: organizing the research, excavation methods, data recording and interpretation of findings. Successful archaeological excavation is founded on the choice of the right excavation method and the establishment of a topographical reference system. For this reason, the different excavation techniques are always related to particular types of excavation, prehistoric excavation, architectural excavations, excavations on perishable structures, excavations of cemeteries and churches, in underwater sites and in towns. The course has both theoretical and practical components. The practical component comprises a compulsory week of fieldwork and is directly linked to the theoretical part of the course.

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