Aims

The course aims to place students in real-life situations, calling on the services of research laboratories as part of their future career training, and to teach them to distinguish objectives, stakes, possibilities and techniques used by the laboratories for the characterization and dating of the materials, objects and other elements found during excavation

Main themes

All methods used in the laboratories to set up an archaeometric examination will be considered in this course. They will be generally described in their ways of functioning and more precisely in their objectives and goals, pointing out the most significant results that can be obtained. Essentially, the following themes will be tackled :
- Physical chemical methods of characterization and dating (X-Fluorescence, Thermo luminescence, Carbon 14) ;
- Contributions of the Earth Sciences(Petrography, Paedology, Sedimentology) ;
- Contributions of the Sciences of Nature (Dendrochronology, Palynology, plant macro-rests, Archeo-zoology).

Content and teaching methods

Content
Laboratory methods for characterization and dating of archaeological structures and objects. Physical and chemical methods of analysis. Carbon 14 Dating, Thermoluminescence, Dendrochronology. Contributions of the Sciences of the Earth and Nature : Petrography, Sedimentology, Palynology, study of plant macro-rests, fauna studies, paleo-ecology and paleo-economy. Statistical methods.

Methods
Each analysis technique will be presented in relation to ongoing research and illustrated by visits to laboratories.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Since different lecturers contribute to the course, the final examination will be a written assessment.
Detailed plan of the course with illustrations.

Other credits in programs