IDENTIFYING DATA 2019_20
Subject (*) EXCAVATION AND RECORD METHODS IN QUATERNARY ARCHAEOLOGY Code 12645106
Study programme
Quaternary Archaeology and Human Evolution (2010)
 Cycle 2nd
Descriptors Credits Type Year Period
6 Compulsory First
Language
Anglès
Department History and History of Art
Coordinator
MOSQUERA MARTÍNEZ, MARINA
 E-mail marina.mosquera@urv.cat
Lecturers
MOSQUERA MARTÍNEZ, MARINA
Web http://prehistoria.urv.cat
General description and relevant information This is a course mainly practical, devoted to the student to acquire high quality information about the excavation techniques, as well as his/her development into the knowledge of the most important sedimentary landscapes and sites of Europe.

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.
  AC4 To evaluate fossil remains and decide on preventive archaeological interventions.
  AC5 Plan the archeological exploration and excavation intervention.
  AC6 To lead archaeological interventions.
  AC7 To train yourself in the treatment and registration of data.
  AC8 To evaluate and decide on conservation and restoration.
  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.
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.

Learning aims
Objectives Competences
Knowing sedimentary landscapes and processes of postdepositional aleration. AC1
AC2
AC3
AC4
AC5
AC6
AC7
AC8
AC9
AC10
AC11
 BC1
BC2
BC3
BC4
BC5
 CC1
CC2
Organize, manage and monitoring of archaeological excavations, data analyses and interpretation of Quaternary sites. AC1
AC2
AC3
AC4
AC5
AC6
AC7
AC8
AC9
AC10
AC11
 BC1
BC2
BC3
BC4
BC5
 CC1
CC2

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
A. Geoarchaeology Principles of geoarchaeology
Sedimentary landscapes: fluvial, lacustrine, glacial, desert deposits.
Units and levels
Sediments and particles
B. Mètodes d’excavació Prospectin and sampling
Types of Quaternary excavations
Techniques of excavations and record
How the most important Euroasiatic and AAfrian sites are excavated.

Planning
Methodologies  ::  Tests
  Competences (*) Class hours Hours outside the classroom (**) Total hours
Introductory activities
1 0 1
 
Seminars
40 2 42
Fieldwork/excursions
16 80 96
Assignments
0 10 10
 
Personal attention
1 0 1
 
 
(*) 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 Introduction to the archaeological methodology and balancing the previous knowledge of the group.
Seminars Theoretical classes to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge.
Explanation of natural and anthropic processes
Control of excavations and record in experimental fields.
Explanation of techniques of excavation and record.
Fieldwork/excursions One journey to practice with station, setting up the excavation, the grid, squares, records, etc.

Taking part of an archaeological excavations leaded by members of the IPHES (80 hours), during May.
Assignments Excavation, lab tasks, excavation reports and other requirements of the directors of the excavations.
Personal attention Individual monitoring of the development of the students
Monitoring the university career of the student
Strenghtening his/her potential in managing excavations.

Personalized attention
 
Personal attention
Introductory activities
Description
Individual monitoring of the development of the students Monitoring the university career of the student Strenghtening his/her potential in managing excavations.

Assessment
  Description Weight
Seminars Taking part and debate in the workshops and theoretical classes. 50%
Fieldwork/excursions Activity 1: Fill in one experimental sheet with all the information required for archaeological items. Fill in the complementary drawing sheet.

Activity 2: Field journey
Objectives:
1. Understanding sedimentary landscapes
2. Learning to use the station.

Activity 3: Experimental excavation
Objectives:
1. Controlling excavation techniques.
2. Controlling recording techniques

Activity 4: Archaeological excavation
Objectives:
1. Controlling excavation techniques.
2. Controlling recording techniques.
3. Implication in excavation work teams. 		40%
Assignments Those required by the directors of the excavations from Activity 4. 10%
 
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.

The course will be qualified according to the following criteria: 1. Taking part of the theoretical classes and debates. 2. Active participation in the experimental practices. 3. Excavation of archaeological sites. 4. Taking part of the excavation, report, field labs, and other tasks related with th excavation. 5. Students should pass each part to pass this course.

Sources of information

Basic

Bibliografia general:

Aitken, M.J. -1990- Science-based Dating in Archaeology. London, Longman.

Brown, AG. 2008- Alluvial Geoarchaeology. Cambridge Manuals in Archaeology.

Butzer, K.W. -1989- Arqueología : una Ecología del Hombre. Ed. Bellaterra, Barcelona. 345 pp. (1ª Ed., 1982).

Chaline, J. -1982- El Cuaternario : la Historia Humana y su Entorno. Ed. Akal, 312 pp. (1ª Ed., 1972).

Gilbert et al. 2015- Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology. Springer

Harris, E. -1989- Principles of Archaeological Stratigraphy. (2ª ed.) Academic Press: London-New York

Renfrew, C. & P. Bahn (1991) Archaeology: theories, methods and practice. Thames & Hudson, Ltd. London, 543 pp. (Traducido)

Siart, CH. et al. 2018- Digital Geoarchaeology: New techniques for Interdisciplinary Human-Environmental Research. Springer,

Waters, M.R. -1992- Principles of Geoarchaeology : a North American Perspective. Univ. of Arizona Press, 398 pp. 

 
Complementary

Recommendations
(*)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.