Archaeology: from Dig to Lab and Beyond
Get an introduction to studying archaeology, exploring exciting discoveries in the Vale of Pewsey, near to Stonehenge and Avebury.
Who is the course for?
No prior experience of archaeology is needed. This course is designed for anyone interested in studying an archaeology degree at university. However, anyone with an enthusiastic interest in archaeology is very welcome to join us too.
What topics will you cover?
Week 1:
The transferable skills needed to be an archaeologist
Introduction to the Neolithic period
Planning an excavation
How does a dig work?
Storing, handling, recording and transporting artefacts
Week 2:
Introduction to the medieval period
Human bone analysis
Archaeological science: what can isotopes in bone tell us?
Museums: the ethics of storage and display
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to…
Explain how an archaeological dig works, from the planning stages, through excavation, to the analysis and storage of artefacts
Summarise the basic characteristics of key archaeological periods from the Mesolithic to the post-medieval period (c.8000 BC–AD 1900)
Describe the main ways in which archaeologists analyse human skeletons
Debate some of the key issues facing archaeology today
Understand the transferable skills you will acquire from studying archaeology
