IDENTIFYING DATA

2019_20

Subject (*)

PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL RECONSTRUCTION

Code

12785202

Study programme

Quaternary Archaeology and Human Evolution (Erasmus Mundus) (2012)

Cycle

2nd

Descriptors

Credits

Type

Year

Period

Optional

Language

Anglès

Department

History and History of Art

Coordinator

BURJACHS CASAS, FRANCESC

E-mail

francesc.burjachs@urv.cat

Lecturers

BURJACHS CASAS, FRANCESC

Web

http://http://www.urv.cat/ca/estudis/masters/oferta/arqueologia-quaternari/

General description and relevant information

Modern Prehistory needs the use of analytical methods extracted from other sciences. Through some of these methods, palaeoclimatology deepens our knowledge of the palaeoenvironment of the human populations of the past, while studying deposits in their most microscopic dimension. That is to say, demonstrating what has been called "invisible archaeological record". The possibility of providing theoretical bases and especially practical knowledge of palaeoenvironment is a necessity to train good Quaternary archaeologists, which advises introducing this discipline into the curricular plan of the Master in Quaternary Archeology and Human Evolution.

Competences

Type A	Code	Competences Specific
		Common
	AC1	To evaluate the updated information in the different fields of research.
	AC2	Have analytical decision capability.
	AC3	To perform technical analysis protocols.
	AC5	Plan the archeological exploration and excavation intervention.
	AC7	To train yourself in the treatment and registration of data.
	AC9	To plan research projects.
	AC10	To organize research teams.
	AC11	To have research capacity, generation of paradigm and demonstration.
Type B	Code	Competences Transversal
		Common
	BC1	Learning to learn
	BC2	Effective solutions to complex problems
	BC3	Critical, logical and creative thinking, and an ability to innovate
	BC4	Autonomy, responsibility and initiative
	BC5	Teamwork, collaboration and sharing of responsibility
	BC6	Clear and effective communication of information, ideas, problems and solutions in public or a specific technical field
	BC7	Sensitivity to environmental issues
	BC8	Management of complex technical or professional projects
Type C	Code	Competences Nuclear
		Common
	CC1	Have an intermediate mastery of a foreign language, preferably English
	CC2	Be advanced users of the information and communication technologies
	CC3	Be able to manage information and knowledge
	CC4	Be able to express themselves correctly both orally and in writing in one of the two official languages of the URV
	CC5	Be committed to ethics and social responsibility as citizens and professionals
	CC6	Be able to define and develop their academic and professional project

Learning aims

Objectives	Competences
Understand the relationship between hominin species and climate.	AC1 AC7	BC1 BC3 BC4 BC7	CC1 CC2 CC3
Understand and apply the relationship between hominin species and the climate.	AC1 AC2 AC7	BC1 BC2 BC3 BC4 BC7	CC1 CC2 CC3
To project a palaeoenvironmental research.	AC1 AC2 AC3 AC5 AC9 AC10 AC11	BC2 BC3 BC5 BC8	CC1 CC2 CC4 CC6
To evaluate the material resources necessary to carry out the projected research.	AC1 AC2 AC3 AC5 AC7 AC11	BC2 BC4	CC1 CC2 CC3
To interpret the palaeoenvironmental analytical results, as a result of the different disciplines involved and the projected research.	AC1 AC2 AC7 AC11	BC2 BC3 BC5	CC2 CC3
Assess the adequacy of the analytical technique used in the search to the type of expected results.	AC1 AC2 AC7 AC10 AC11	BC2 BC3 BC5 BC6	CC1 CC2 CC3 CC4 CC5 CC6

Contents

Topic	Sub-topic
I. General concepts on climate.	I.1. What determines the environment. I.2. How our species can change the environment. I.3. How and where to get samples for palaeoenvironmental analysis.
II. Sciences, techniques, methods, disciplines, ... involved on Palaeoenvironmental Restitution.	II.1. Geoarchaeology II.2. Archaeozoology II.3. Anthracology II.4. Palynology II.5. Carpology and diatoms. II.6. Fitòlits and Dendrology II.7. Isotopes.

Planning

Methodologies :: Tests

Competences

(*) Class hours

Hours outside the classroom

(**) Total hours

Introductory activities

Assignments

Lecture

Personal attention

Extended-answer tests

(*) On e-learning, hours of virtual attendance of the teacher.
(**) The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies

Methodologies

	Description
Introductory activities	Presentation of the program, adapting it to the research interests of the students, whenever possible.
Assignments	To guide students on how to look for information about the subject, how to write and present a palaeoenvironmental work project, as well as carry it out, write it up and present it in public.
Lecture	Master classes, presented with didactic material. These presentations will be available through Moodle.
Personal attention	- Knowing the technical language and the concepts of scientific work in the field of palaeoenvironment, basically applying archaeology. - Introduction to their analysis techniques and problems. - Obtain basic knowledge, necessary to be able to participate in interdisciplinary and / or own research projects.

Personalized attention

Personal attention

Description

1.- Knowledge basic of the technical language and the scientific work in the field of palaeoenvironment basically applied to Archaeology. 2.- Introduction to analytical techniques and their problems. 3.- Getting a basic knowledge required to take part in interdisciplinary research and/or own.

Assessment

	Description	Weight
Assignments	Theoretical work project of some palaeoenvironmental discipline on archaeological site; written (40% of the mark) and exposed in class (30% of the note).	70%
Extended-answer tests	Written test.	30%

Other comments and second exam session
Los estudiantes matriculados en la URV siguen el sistema ECTS y tienen derecho a las convocatorias de evaluación indicadas en la normativa académica de grado y máster vigente. Criteria: It will be basically evaluated 1) the participation of the student by the discussions in the theoretical and practical classroom, 2) his critical capacity and reasoning in the work to be presented and in the test, 3) use of materials not provided by the teacher (Library, Internet, other resources), 4) theoretical knowledge acquired in class, 5) writing and correct structuring of the requested scientific work, 6) as well as classroom attendance.

Sources of information

Basic
	- Projection of subjects through computer presentation program of talks. - The student will be given the graphs and projected tables, key articles, and material for the practices.
Complementary

Recommendations

Subjects that continue the syllabus

HOW TO WRITE A MASTER'S THESIS/12785110

EPISTEMOLOGY AND THE THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE IN ARCHAEOLOGY/12785108

MASTER'S THESIS/12785301

Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously

EXPERIMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY/12785210

HUMAN EVOLUTION/12785109

ETHNOARCHAEOLOGY/12785201

Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before

MICROSCOPIC ANALYSIS IN ARCHAEOLOGY/12785214

GEOLOGY OF THE QUATERNARY/12785102

EXCAVATION AND RECORD METHODS IN QUATERNARY ARCHAEOLOGY/12785106

(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.