Archaeology

This course is an introduction to the prehistoric communities who inhabited Ireland, Europe, and Western Asia from about 150,000 BC to AD 400. Archaeologists divide this long period of time into the Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age), Neolithic (New Stone Age), Bronze Age and Iron Age. Students begin with the earliest modern human inhabitants of Europe and Western Asia, their hunter-gatherer way of life, their art and their relationship to the Neanderthal communities who preceded them. They look at evidence for the first hunter-gatherers who settled in Ireland and later the settlements and rituals of the first communities to develop agriculture and build megalithic tombs. Students then examine changes in how these communities organized themselves and their rituals over thousands of years, including their adoption of bronze and iron metalworking. 

This course is specifically designed for visiting students to Ireland; as such, the course provides students with an insight into modern Irish society through an in-depth appraisal of its past history. This knowledge base allows students to become more familiar, and, in turn, feel more at ease, with the society in which they now find themselves interacting on a daily basis. The course is an introduction to fundamental aspects of Irish archaeology, heritage, history, and literature, from the first evidence of human activity on the island to the development of the socio-political frameworks which shape modern Ireland. Students examine the nature of the Irish landscape from the retreat of the glaciers to the impact of major historical events on modern society. The island has been subject to centuries of invasion, plantation, and demographic upheaval leading to some interesting blends of cultural and ethnic influence. Irish poetry is interwoven throughout the archaeological and historical explorations and includes the works of Heaney, Yeats, Hartnett, Kavanagh, and MacNeice.

This course examines methods and theories that define the archaeological discipline. It covers sites and archaeological discussions which have defined the discipline of archaeology; core theories and explanatory frameworks archaeologists use to interpret material culture; tools and instruments from the exact sciences archaeologists use to reconstruct the past; excavation reports and central heritage legislation.

This course is both an introduction to archeology and a study of the archeology of France, including an exploration of the oldest remains in Europe and France. It provides an overview of prehistoric people and cultures, with a strong emphasis on relics and archeological data found in France, and how the ancient people of what is modern France once lived. The course begins with an explanation of the tenets of archeology as a profession, and then delves into the various geological and climatic eras on Earth. It also examines the variety of human species along with their artifacts, namely in France. Discussions include the main stages of the chronology and the technical, economic, and social specifics of the societies of the current territories of France for each major historical period. The course sessions are shared by three instructors, each working in their area of expertise.

This course reviews the turbulent development of London from the Roman period (c AD 47) to the rebuilding of the City after the Great Fire of 1666, integrating archaeological, architectural, and documentary sources. It considers the non-linear trajectory its development, noting the serious setbacks such (rebellions, foreign invasions, conflagrations, major plague) and the impacts these had on its ultimately successful commercial expansion.

People have been living on the island of Ireland for the last 10,000 years. This course tells that human story from early hunter-gatherer times to the present. Students follow the footprints of people through time by means of the spectacular archaeological heritage that is such a central feature of the Irish landscape. This rich and diverse record of monuments, landscapes, and objects is explored and interpreted to provide a narrative of the lifestyles of people in the past. Students study the first settlement of the island, the establishment of farming, and the building of monuments like Newgrange. The course explores Ireland's place in the Celtic world and the lasting impacts of the introduction of Christianity. The richness of the historic archaeological gives a vivid picture of life and society in medieval times and the emergence of modern Ireland. This is an accessible course for students across the range of disciplines and programs. It provides students with a clear understanding of Ireland's past, the Irish landscape, and key times of innovation and change.