Introduction to Archaeology

This module provides an introductory overview of the emergence of archaeology as a discipline.

This first-year core module runs in Term 1 and begins with a history of human curiosity about the past, moving through the age of antiquarian enquiry and closing with a consideration of the development of modern archaeology.

The module will place the development of archaeology in context with wider intellectual traditions and cultural movements in order to understand how and why the study of the human past came about. The methods and techniques of archaeology will be presented alongside the changing nature of interpretation of archaeological remains. The module concludes with a focus upon the importance and relevance of archaeological remains and their understanding in the contemporary world.