Fall 2025

ANTH 240: Introduction to Archaeology

Instructor

Kyla Cools, PhD. Meeting Times: Mondays 6pm-7:15pm

ANTH240 Wednesdays 6pm-7:15pm

3215 Parren J. Mitchell Art-Sociology Bldg.

Office Hours: By Appt.

[email protected]*

*The instructor is reachable by email between

9 am and 6 pm M-F.

Course Description

This course will provide an introduction to the tools and theories archaeologists use to
understand our past. Archaeology is a fluid discipline that is constantly changing in the face of
new discoveries and new theoretical and methodological approaches. As part of your
engagement with these new developments, this class will discuss archaeology’s engagement with
major contemporary issues as a central theme of the class. We will ask and attempt to answer
questions about the relevance of past phenomena to contemporary issues.

In this course, we will explore the origins of culture, the rise of social complexity, and European
settlement of the New World. The course will be split into three primary sections. The first
section will broadly address the methods and foundations of archaeology. The next section will
explore the archaeological evidence and models of human evolution, the origins of agriculture,
and the first cities. The final section will address historical archaeology, particularly
globalization and the impact of European expansion from the fifteenth century to the present.
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Learning Objectives

This course will primarily consist of lectures with facilitated class discussion and self-reflection
to engage several fundamental aspects of anthropological and archaeological inquiry. By the end
of the semester, students should be able to:

-Define archaeology and anthropology and their application

-Describe the contributions of archaeology to studies of prehistory and the modern world

-Explain what archaeological methods are and why we utilize them

-Detail human origins and the rise of social complexity

-Describe historical archaeology and its study of the modern world

Course Requirements and Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criteria Due Date % of Final Grade

Reading & Engagement Quizzes x10 throughout the semester 15%

Participation Throughout semester 10%

Exam 1 Monday, October 6, 2025 20%

Exam 2 Wednesday, November 12, 2025 20%

Media analysis assignment Due: Friday, December 12 , 2025 15%

Final Exam Wednesday, December 17, 2025 20%

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Reading & Engagement Quizzes (15%)

Throughout the semester, short reading quizzes will be distributed at the beginning of most
classes. These quizzes will reward students for being present, having thoroughly read and
engaged with the material (including lecture material, assigned readings, and other media
sources) covered since the previous quiz. In total, there will be 10 quizzes. Each quiz is worth
1.5% of your final grade, meaning quizzes will make up 15% total of your final grade. If you do
not score as well as you would like on up to 3 quizzes, you may qualify for an extra credit
assignment to bring up your average quiz grade. Feel free to contact me for more information.

Attendance, Participation, and Engagement (10%)

Attendance at class sessions is necessary to do well in this course, but not required. It is
understood that some students have different responsibilities, and levels of access to reliable
transportation during these unprecedented times. Though students are not required to be present
during class sessions, it will impact your participation score if you do not actively engage with
course materials and concepts in discussions/on discussion boards. Participation will make up
10% of your overall grade, and the grade breakdown is expanded on below:

● Participation makes up 10% your of final grade

○ 5% of this grade comes from leading discussions for this course. Leading
discussion consists of coming up with a 1 slide summary of key points from an
assigned reading/video, and coming up with 1-2 discussion questions per
reading/video.

■ Google doc sign up to lead discussion:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c2uYrSAT869OBfRglmZL2JlVXv69
B41eO9aSkvR3j1w/edit?usp=sharing\

○ 5% of this grade comes from actively participating in class

discussions/discussion boards

Additionally, if you have engaged with this syllabus and read thoroughly, you are eligible for
5% extra credit added to an assignment of your choice! Just send me some quality otter content
(meme/cute picture/gif/youtube video of otters) along with a description of which assignment
you’d like your extra credit applied to.
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Exams (3, each worth 20% of your grade)

Exams will be held in person during normal class hours. Exams will be a combination of
multiple choice, short answer, and matching questions that will address content from lecture and
readings (in that order of importance). Your final exam will be held in our usual classroom on
Monday, December 16th 2024.

Media analysis assignment (15%)

This assignment is based on your own research online focusing on recent developments in
archaeology as well as the presence online of some truly wild, false, and at times even deranged
archaeology. The media loves archaeology. This is partly due to our ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’
heritage. But is also a function of the fact that archaeology is in fact cool and has been since it
started. Who doesn’t like the idea of digging up interesting old stuff? Also, Archaeology is, like
history, a very useful tool for self-identification. This usefulness goes across the whole spectrum
of culture, from descendant communities to conspiracy theorists. In consequence of that there
should be a significant number of articles in the media about recent archaeological discoveries
published during the semester. You need to pick two of these. (1) find an example of a new
archaeological discovery that happens during the semester that looks legitimate to you. (2) find
another example of an archaeological discovery or analysis that looks illegitimate to you. Defend
your choices and conclusions as to their legitimacy. We will discuss in class what we expect the
final product to look like. It will not be long and what is not expected is a written essay. A
webpage will work. Powerpoint or any other presentation software such as Resi works as well.
Video, animation, poster board all will be acceptable. We will discuss this more in class.

Grading Scale

99-100 = A+ 93-98.9 = A 90-92.9 = A - 87-89.9 = B+

83-86.9 = B 80-82.9 = B- 77-79.9 = C+ 74-76.9 = C

70-73.9 = C- 67-69.9= D+ 64-66.9 = D 64 or below = F

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Course Website

Our course website will host all readings, student grades, additional resources, and course
announcements. All assignments should be submitted through ELMS. Because important
announcements regarding class cancellation or room changes will be made through ELMS,
students should keep their notifications turned on.

Late Assignments

Assignments must be turned in on time. For every day that an assignment is late, 3% will be
deducted. After four days, the assignment will no longer be accepted and will receive a zero.
Assignments are considered late once the due date/time has passed, even if the assignment page
is still accepting submissions. Extensions can be granted if you contact me for one prior to the
deadline, not after.

Plagiarism

This course has a zero-tolerance policy for cheating on assignments, as does the University.
Plagiarism will be reported directly to the Office of Student Conduct and the University Honor
Council. UMD’s Code of Academic Integrity and Code of Student Conduct prohibits submitting
the same paper in two courses and submitting papers that are not entirely your own original
work. Also, improper citation can constitute plagiarism, so take care to learn and follow proper
citation practices, even when you paraphrase; see the Libraries’ plagiarism resource page:
https://www.lib.umd.edu/research/services/citation.

Accommodations for Disabilities

UMD understands that each student may require certain in-class accommodations in order to
achieve academic success. Students must provide documentation from ADS in order for
accommodations to be provided. Please get these documents to me within the first three weeks of
the semester.

Classroom Respect and Professionalism

As an open space for discourse, please remember that we have to have a semblance of formality
during/about class. When submitting discussion posts, sharing a point in class, or emailing me
regarding questions please be grammatically correct and use professional language.

Additionally, as this is a largely discussion based course you are likely going to wind up being
asked to share your opinion about contentious topics on occasion. While it’s okay to disagree
with your peers, you are expected to engage in respectful discourse rather than verbally attacking
your classmates.
Fall 2025

Additional UMD Policies and Resources

It is our shared responsibility to know and abide by UMD’s policies that are related to all
courses. These topics include: academic integrity, student and instructor conduct, accessibility
and accommodations, attendance and excused absences, grades and appeals, copyright and
intellectual property (among others). Please visit http://ugst.umd.edu/courserelatedpolicies.html
for the Office of Undergraduate Studies’ full list of campus-wide policies and follow up with me
if you have questions.

Schedule of Course Themes, Readings, and Assignments

**Please note that this syllabus is a living document and is subject to change (particularly the
readings) if I come across new material that I feel is a better fit for the unit. Additionally, listed
readings are to be completed before class the day they are listed. This is so that we can all
engage in productive discussions about the material. Please read the syllabus carefully and
come to class/discussion boards prepared.

Week/Date Topic/Theme Readings & Assignments

Week 1 Mon: *Labor Day - No Class*

Mon. Sept. 1 What is this course

/Weds. Sept. 3 about?
Weds: First day of class, no readings

Week 2 What is Anthropology? Mon: Miner, Horace. 1956. “Body Ritual

Among the Nacirema.” American
What does Anthropologist 58(3):503-507.
anthropology mean?
Mon. Sept. 8 Eriksen, Thomas. 2013. “Proto-
What kind of research
/Weds. Sept. 10 Anthropology.” In A History of Anthropology
happens in (ed. 2), by Thomas Eriksen and Finn Sivert
anthropology? What do Nielson (eds.), 1-19. London: Pluto Press.
anthropologists do?
Fall 2025

What is Archaeology? Weds: Chazan, Michael. World Prehistory and

Archaeology: Pathways Through Time (4th
What is the history of Edition), Routledge.
archaeology as a field?
● Introduction (pgs. 2-5) & Chapter 2 -
Where did it come
Putting the Picture Together (pgs. 35-
from? What do 55).
archaeologists do?
Where do World History Encyclopedia. 2022. “An
archaeologists work? Introduction to Archaeology: What is
Archaeology and Why is it Important?”

Time Team America. 2015. “The Search for

Josiah Henson.” (Season 2, Ep. 1)

Week 3 Archaeological Mon: Chazan, Michael. “Chapter 1 - Getting

Methods - Survey & Started in Archaeology” In World Prehistory
Location and Archaeology: Pathways Through Time pgs.
6-34. (4th Edition), Routledge.

The Archaeologist’s Laboratory. 2022.

Mon. Sept. 15 “Archaeological Survey I - Introduction”
What types of methods
/Weds. Sept. 17 do archaeologists use? Weds: Banning, E.B., & Alicia L. Hawkins, S.
What can different T. Stewart, P. Hitchings, and S. Edwards. 2017.
methodological “Quality Assurance in Archaeological Survey.”
approaches tell us? Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory
How do archaeologists 24:466–488.
decide which methods The Archaeologist’s Laboratory. 2022.
to use? “Archaeological Survey II - Factors Affecting
Survey”

Week 4 Archaeological Mon: Barkman, Marc. 2016. “Why is

Methods - Dating Archaeology Underground? (Site formation
methods processes)”

What types of methods Renfrew, Colin and Paul Bahn. 2018. “Chapter
do archaeologists use? 4 - When?: Dating Methods and Chronology.”
Mon. Sept. 22
What can different In Archaeology Essentials :
/Weds. Sept. 24
methodological Theories/Methods/Practice 4th ed.
approaches tell us?
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How do archaeologists Weds: *No class - Watch recorded lecture,

decide which methods do discussion board*
to use?
The Archaeologists Laboratory. 2021.
“Stratigraphy”

Howland Rowe, John. 1961. “Stratigraphy and

Seriation.” American Antiquity 26(3):324-330.

Week 5 Archaeological Mon: Hirst, Kris K. 2020. “Archaeological

Methods - Dating Dating: Stratigraphy and Seriation”
Methods (Cont.) ThoughtCo.
https://www.thoughtco.com/archaeological-
dating-stratigraphy-and-seriation-167119
Mon. Sept. 29 What happens in an Wagner, Gail. 2020. “Absolute Dating Methods
/Weds. Oct. 1 archaeological lab? for Archaeological Sites.”
What types of analysis https://youtu.be/S2BpSkZke6k
do archaeologists
perform? What Weds: *No class - Watch recorded lecture,
information can we do discussion board & be sure to utilize the
learn from these posted study guides/materials to prepare for
methods? Exam 1*

Hazen, Robert. 2010. “How Old is the Earth

and How Do We Know?” Evolution: Education
and Outreach 3:198-205.

DNA Learning Center. 2020. “Museum Tour:

Ötzi the Iceman.”
https://youtu.be/w1KgN4kLP7o

Week 6 Exam 1 & Early Mon: No Readings *Exam 1*

Hominids

Where did early

Mon. Oct. 6 humans come from? Weds: Toth, Nicholas and Kathy Schick. 2018.
/Weds. Oct. 8 When and how did we “Chapter 2 – African Origins.” In The Human
become humans? Past: World Prehistory & the Development of
Fall 2025

Human Societies, by Chris Scarre (editor). Pgs.

46-70

NOVA. 2011. “Episode 2 - Birth of

Humanity.” Becoming Human.
https://youtu.be/_1Ra1IX1aPY (just a note -
this video has a weird break in it from 16:53-
21:03 (the video stops) - so skip to 21:03 once
you get the break)

Week 7 Early Hominids (Cont.) Mon: Suwa, Gen, Berhane Asfaw, Reiko T.
Kono, Daisuke Kubo, C. Owen Lovejoy, Tim
D. White. 2009. “The Ardipithecus ramidus
Skull and Its Implications for Hominid
Origins.” Science 326:68-68e7

Smithsonian Institution. 2021. “Human

Evolution Timeline Interactive” Smithsonian
National Museum of Natural History
Mon. Oct. 13 Where did early http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-
/Weds. Oct. 15 humans come from? evolution-timeline-interactive
When and how did we
become humans? Weds: Toth, Nicholas and Kathy Schick. 2018.
“An overview of the cognitive implications of
the Oldowan Industrial Complex.” Azania:
Archaeological Research in Africa 53(1): 3-39.

Grocutt, Huw, Michael D. Petraglia, Geoff

Bailey, Eleanor M. L. Scerri, Ash Parton, Laine
Clark-Balzan, Richard P. Jennings, Laura
Lewis, James Blinkhorn, Nick A. Drake, Paul
S. Breeze, Robyn H. Inglis, Maud H. Devès,
Matthew Meredith-Williams, Nicole Boivin,
Mark G. Thomas, and Aylwyn Scally. 2015.
“Rethinking the Dispersal of Homo sapiens out
of Africa.” Evolutionary Anthropology 24:149–
164.
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Week 8 Early Hominids & the Mon: Klein, Richard. 2018. “Chapter 3 –
Origins of Social Hominin Dispersals in the Old World.” In The
Complexity Human Past: World Prehistory & the
Development of Human Societies, by Chris
Scarre (editor). Pgs. 71-107.

Warren, Matthew. 2018. “Mum’s a

Mon. Oct. 20 Neanderthal, Dad’s a Denisovan: First
Where did early
/Weds. Oct. 22 discovery of an ancient-human hybrid.”
humans come from?
Nature.
When and how did we
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-
become humans? What
06004-0
is culture and how did
it form? Weds: Chazan, Michael. 2021. “Chapter 5 -
The Origin of Modern Humans.” In World
Prehistory and Archaeology: Pathways
Through Time. New York: Routledge.

Fazzino, David. 2014. “Social Complexity.”

https://youtu.be/rSfhkwjJUFM

Week 9 Peopling the New Mon: Chazan, Michael. 2021. “Chapter 6 -

World & Origins of The Peopling of Australia and the New World.”
Agriculture In World Prehistory and Archaeology:
Pathways Through Time. New York:
Routledge.
Mon. Oct. 27 How did humans get to Potter, Ben, James F. Baichtal, Alwynne B.
/Weds. Oct. 29 the New World? What Beaudoin, Lars Fehren-Schmitz, C. Vance
are the origins of Haynes, Vance T. Holliday, Charles E.
agriculture? How has Holmes, John W. Ives, Robert L. Kelly, Bastien
agriculture impacted Llamas, Ripan S. Malhi, D. Shane Miller,
social complexity? David Reich, Joshua D. Reuther, Stephan
Schiffels, Todd A. Surovell. 2018. “Current
evidence allows multiple models for the
peopling of the Americas.” Science Advances.
Fall 2025

The Archaeological Conservancy. 2022. “An

"Idiot's Guide" to the American Upper
Paleolithic.” https://youtu.be/N97UyAmrAlU

Weds: Fagan, Brian and Nadia Durrani. 2020.

“Chapter 5 - The Origins of Food Production”
In World Prehistory: A Brief Introduction. New
York: Routledge.

Price, T. Douglas. 2000. “Introduction.” In

Europe’s First Farmers, pgs. 1-18. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.

Week 10 Origins of Agriculture Mon: Fuller, Dorian Q. 2010. “Origins of

& Urban Revolution Agriculture: An Emerging Paradigm Shift in
the Origins of Agriculture.” General
Anthropology 17(2): 1-12.

Mann, C. C. (2011). How the Potato Changed

the World. Smithsonian Magazine.
What are the origins of
Mon. Nov. 3 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-
agriculture? How has
/Weds. Nov. 5 the-potato-changed-the-world-108470605/
agriculture impacted
social complexity? “The Potato: A Crop Connecting the World.”
How did cities and https://uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/b03a
complex social 5b5368c4b93554d9e8959159e777/columbian-
structures emerge? exchange-crops/index.html

Weds: Fagan, Brian and Nadia Durrani. 2020.

“Chapter 8 – Early Civilizations & State-
Organized Societies.” In World Prehistory, by
B. Fagan and N. Durrani, pgs. 249-276. New
York: Routledge.

Week 11 Urban Revolution & Mon: Fagan, Brian and Nadia Durrani. 2020.
Exam 2 “Chapter 9 – Mesopotamia and the Eastern
Mediterranean World” In World Prehistory: A
Brief Introduction. New York: Routledge.
Fall 2025

Mon. Nov. How did cities and Mann, C. C. 2002. “1491.” The Atlantic.
10/Weds. Nov. 12 complex social https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/
structures emerge? 2002/03/1491/302445/
Why have complex
societies fallen? Weds: *Exam 2 - No readings due*

Week 12 Defining Historical Mon: Little, Barbara. Historical archaeology :

Archaeology & why the past matters. Left Coast Press: Walnut
Historical Artifacts Creek.

● Chps. 1 & 2

What is historical Orser, Charles. 2010. “Twenty-First-Century

archaeology? How or Historical Archaeology” Journal of
Mon. Nov.
is it different from Archaeological Research 18:111–150
17/Weds. Nov. 19
other forms of
archaeology? What Weds: Orser, Charles. 2004. “Chapter 4 –
types of artifacts do Historical Artifacts” In Historical Archaeology.
historical
Deetz, James. “Chapter 1 - recalling things
archaeologists analyze?
forgotten: archaeology and the American
artifact.” In Small Things Forgotten: An
Archaeology of Early American Life

Week 13 Historical Artifacts & Mon: Fracchia, Adam. 2022. “Overlooked

Types of Sites Places: Telling the interconnected history of
MD through recent archaeology in Baltimore.”
Natural History Society of Maryland.
Mon. Nov. 24
https://youtu.be/FlOJthfNVnE
/Weds. Nov. 26 What types of artifacts
do historical Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. 2020. “Behind
archaeologists analyze? the Scenes: In the Field with Monticello
How do historical Archaeology: Discovering Site 6.”
archaeologists classify https://youtu.be/UZLzNPrI7Us
different sites?
Weds: *Thanksgiving Break - No Class*
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Week 14 Interpreting the Mon: Orser, Charles. 2008. “Chapter 9 –

Historical Past Interpreting the Historical Past” In Historical
Archaeology.

Mon. Dec. 1 Shackel, Paul. 2009. “Introduction.” In

/Weds. Dec. 3 How can we approach Archaeology of American Labor and Working-
interpreting the class Life, pgs. 1-13. Gainesville: University
historical past? How do Press of Florida.
archaeologists
approach concepts such Weds: Orser, Charles. 1999. “The Challenge of
as race, ethnicity, class, Race to American Historical Archaeology.”
and gender? American Anthropologists 100(3): 661-668.

N/A. “The History of The African Burial

Ground in New York City.”
https://youtu.be/jbCa_djSo6E

Week 15 Interpreting the Mon: Jones, Siân. 1997. “Chapter 6 - Ethnicity

Historical Past, and material culture: towards a theoretical basis
Concepts and Practice for the interpretation of ethnicity in
archaeology.” In The Archaeology of Ethnicity:
Constructing identities in the past and present,
106-127.

Mon. Dec. 8 Weds: Gilchrist, Roberta. 2009. “The

How can we approach
/Weds. Dec. 10 Archaeology of sex and gender.” In The Oxford
interpreting the
Handbook of Archaeology, by B. Cunliffe, C.
historical past? How do
Gosden and R. Joyce (eds), Oxford University
archaeologists
Press, 1029-47.
approach concepts such
as race, ethnicity, class, Orser, Charles. 2004. Historical Archaeology.
and gender? What kind Pearson Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River
of work do
archaeologists today ● Chapter 12. Historical Archaeology and
do? What is CRM? Cultural Resource Management

*Media Analysis Assignment Due*

Fall 2025

Week 16 Final Exam Mon: Final Exam prep

Mon. Dec. 15 Weds: Final Exam (Date pending via

/Weds. Dec. 17 Testudo)