Instructors: Miriam Rothenberg and Alex Marko

Meeting times: Monday 3-5:30 (excavation/lab) and Tuesday 12-1 (section)

Meeting locations: Moses Brown School (excavation), Carriage House at 137 Waterman St. (lab), and Rhode Island Hall 109 (section)

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the practice and process of archaeological fieldwork. Students will learn the foundational methods of archaeological recovery: survey, mapping, documentation, excavation, artifact identification, and artifact interpretation. The fieldwork will also extend beyond the excavation trenches. Students will engage with issues of presentation and representation, interact with non-professional audiences, become familiar with political and ethical challenges, and combine historical and archaeological sources in their research. In past years, fieldwork has been completed at the First Baptist Church, the John Brown House, Hope College, and the Quiet Green. This year, we will continue the work we began in 2015 with our neighbors at the Moses Brown School, where will be excavating the foundation of an 19th century home, and then processing the artifacts that we find.

The goals of this course are twofold: to introduce students to the basics of archaeological field methods, and to explore the history and archaeology of our surroundings through active research and fieldwork. Each Monday, students will learn the basic components of field archaeology through hands-on excavation at Moses Brown School, and laboratory processing of the resulting archaeological finds. On Tuesdays, discussion sections will focus on fieldwork or research techniques and their application to historical New England contexts. Upon completion of this course, students will have a solid foundation for participation in archaeological field projects in the U.S. and abroad.

Note: ARCH 1900 is a writing-proficiency (WRIT) course. Students will be writing in a variety of archaeological genres, and should expect to receive feedback on their writing assignments.

Learning goals

Hands-on training in archaeological field techniques, including site survey, excavation, stratigraphic recording, artifact analysis and processing, and conservation
Experience with historical and archival research, using collections at the Rhode Island Historical Society and elsewhere within the city of Providence
Develop greater knowledge of the history of the Moses Brown campus and of Providence more generally
Learn basic skills for engaging with the broader community through research dissemination, museum display, and public outreach
Demonstrate the ability to think anthropologically about material culture and humans
Develop student writing skills and confidence

ARCH1900 Fall17 S01 The Archaeology of College Hill