Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Social Science School
This course provides students with a practical introduction to a broad range of methods and techniques used in historical archaeology and archaeological science. Key themes in historical archaeology, including colonialism, capitalism and inequality in the modern world, are explored in detail through a range of real-world examples drawn from industry or research-led archaeological investigations. The course introduces students to the theory and method of key areas of historical archaeology, and the use of practical and integrated problem-solving laboratory-based exercises enables students to put into practice many of the concepts discussed throughout the course. Problem-based learning exercises and group work are run weekly in the archaeology laboratories in which students are required to describe, measure, draw, record and interpret historical archaeological artefacts from the School's reference collections.
ARCS2050 Historical Archaeology introduces historical archaeological models and practice, with emphasis on practical skills acquisition. A range of case studies from Australia and other countries are presented. Students develop a practical understanding of the role of artefacts in identifying, dating, and interpreting historical archaeological places.
Course requirements
Assumed background
No background knowledge is assumed.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
ARCA1000
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
ARCA2050
Course contact
School enquiries
Student Enquiries School of Social Science
Level 3, Michie Building (09), St Lucia campus, The University of Queensland.
Monday-Friday, 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm.
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Please note that the practical sessions do not occur every week. Check your timetable to identify the weeks in which practicals are held.
Aims and outcomes
- To introduce historical archaeological places, themes and practice.
- To demonstrate the role of artefacts in interpreting and understanding historical archaeological places.
- To develop an understanding of the role of Australian historical archaeological places in the modern world.
- To present case studies from Australia and around the world to illustrate historical archaeological issues.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand the main themes in historical archaeology
LO2.
Understand the variety of sources of evidence in historical archaeology
LO3.
Understand the place of historical archaeology in general archaeological practice
LO4.
Be able to identify common artefacts and basic diagnostic features of artefacts found in Australian historical archaeological contexts
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz |
Online quizzes
|
15% 5% for each |
Quiz 1 14/08/2024 - 16/08/2024 Quiz 2 11/09/2024 - 13/09/2024 Quiz 3 23/10/2024 - 25/10/2024
Each quiz will be open on Blackboard from midday Wednesday to midday Friday. |
| Project |
Cemetery Exercise
|
50% |
3/10/2024 4:00 pm |
| Examination |
In-class artefact practical exam
|
35% |
9/10/2024
This task will be scheduled to occur at a specified time within the 3-hour timetabled Practical. |
Assessment details
Online quizzes
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 15% 5% for each
- Due date
Quiz 1 14/08/2024 - 16/08/2024
Quiz 2 11/09/2024 - 13/09/2024
Quiz 3 23/10/2024 - 25/10/2024
Each quiz will be open on Blackboard from midday Wednesday to midday Friday.
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
For this assessment, you are required to complete a sequence of three online, multiple choice question quizzes. Quizzes will each be open for 48 hours and you can attempt the quiz at any time during that period. Once started, your attempt will be timed and you will only be able to make one attempt for each quiz.
The quizzes are worth 5% each and will each contain 10 questions. You will have 20 minutes to complete each quiz.
Quiz 1 will test your knowledge drawn from required readings and lecture content from Weeks 1 to 4. Quiz 2 will cover required readings and lectures from Weeks 5 to 8. Quiz 3 will cover required readings and lecture content from Weeks 1 to 13 (all course content).
The quizzes are 'open book': you can have the textbook, lecture notes or any other reading material on hand to assist you.
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
AI Use: This assessment task evaluates student’s abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must attempt each quiz within the due date range.
Quizzes are available on blackboard. To attempt each quiz, electronically log in to http://learn.uq.edu.au/ with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assessment Task 1, and use the appropriate link for each quiz.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
An extension request without penalty will only be considered under exceptional circumstances as outlined on my.UQ. You must submit the extension request as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed, but no later than the assessment item submission due date.
A request for an extension to an assessment due date must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
Extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Extensions exceeding this duration or subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ) and Course Coordinator approval.
When you submit an extension request in the student portal, it is received, read, and actioned by the Social Science Student Administration Team. It does not go to the course coordinator.
Late applications (requests received after the assessment item submission due date) must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date.
In considering applications for extensions, students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible.
Late submissions of extension requests in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Work can NOT be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Cemetery Exercise
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
3/10/2024 4:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Work integrated learning.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
For this assignment you need to select one (1) cemetery from the following list, visit the cemetery and record monuments in that cemetery:
- Alberton
- Bald Hills
- Balmoral
- Beenleigh
- Bethania
- Brookfield
- Caboolture
- Cleveland
- Dunwich
- Eagleby
- Ipswich
- Logan Village
- Nudgee Catholic
- Nundah
- South Brisbane (Dutton Park)
- Southport
- Toowong
This exercise has a number of tasks that must be carried out in the specified order. These tasks are:
- Select a cemetery
- Visit the cemetery (you will need a method for recording your work, camera or phone and tape measure)
- Identify an area of pre-WWI (pre-1914) graves in the cemetery
- Select 12 of these graves for this study that have a range of ages for the deceased and a range of styles (you may find that there are not 12 graves that meet these criteria in a single area in your chosen cemetery and you will need to select graves from different areas across the cemetery).
- Record the details of each memorial. You can use the recording form provided, or create your own form (such as excel spreadsheet or notebook system).
- The person memorialised, their name, their age at death, their relationship to others on the memorial or in the grave, their religion, their sex, ethnicity (or country of origin), occupation, cause of death etc
- The year of the death
- The size and shape of the memorial
- The material that the memorial is made from
- Who erected and/or paid for the memorial (e.g. husband, wife, friends, workmates, public subscription etc)
- Any significant inscription and/or symbolism on the memorial (and your interpretation of what that symbolism means)
- The surface area of the memorial that relates to each specific individual (surface area is determined by measuring the length and the width of that portion of the memorial and multiplying them together). You can do this roughly - don't worry about curved edges etc.
- Take at least one photo of each grave and in at least one of the photos include yourself (take a selfie)
- Prepare and submit report that includes:
- A brief summary of the results (this information can be presented in tables, graphs or figures and you can select the key data that are relevant to your analysis below. Any pattern you discuss below should be reported in this results section.
- A discussion of two patterns you observe in the data (you don't have to use statistics to do this), for example (you can expand your analysis beyond this list):
- What are the ages ranges represented?. What can you say about the demographics of the area from your data (e.g. infant mortality rates)?
- What different materials are used at different times for memorials?
- Why are some memorials bigger than others?
- Do different symbols relate to different ethnicities, ages, sexes etc?
- Do different surface areas relate to ethnicities, ages, sexes etc?
- Are memorials built by husbands for wives more or less ornate than those built by wives for husbands etc?
- A discussion of which theme/s (select from the themes listed in the Week 3 lecture) best apply to your analysis and why it/these are a helpful lens for your analysis. Select no more than two themes and align these to patterns your have described above.
- An appendix of your record form/s and photographs of each grave.
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
AI Use: This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.
Turnitin links will be configured to permit early submission of assessment items. Students will have the opportunity to submit draft assignments to Turnitin prior to submission of the final assignment in order to review similarity index content and to improve academic writing practice in accordance with UQ Academic Integrity policies.
By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own. Please note that on the preview page, your assignment will be shown without formatting. Your assignment will retain formatting and your course coordinator/tutor will be able to see formatted assignments. Once you have submitted your assignment you are able to go back and view your submission with the correct formatting.
You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again. If you are unable to submit your assignment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension through your student portal on my.UQ.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS team via AskUs.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
An extension request without penalty will only be considered under exceptional circumstances as outlined on my.UQ. You must submit the extension request as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed, but no later than the assessment item submission due date.
A request for an extension to an assessment due date must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
Extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Extensions exceeding this duration or subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ) and Course Coordinator approval.
When you submit an extension request in the student portal, it is received, read, and actioned by the Social Science Student Administration Team. It does not go to the course coordinator.
Late applications (requests received after the assessment item submission due date) must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date.
In considering applications for extensions, students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible.
Late submissions of extension requests in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Work can NOT be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
In-class artefact practical exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 35%
- Due date
9/10/2024
This task will be scheduled to occur at a specified time within the 3-hour timetabled Practical.
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L04
Task description
This is an in-class examination of the skills you have acquired from the lectures, practical sessions and handout on photographs and historical artefacts of the material classes that you have handled in the Practical classes. Each person will be given a number of objects and that they will be asked to identify, estimate a date range of manufacture and justify their answers.
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
AI Use: This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
This assessment requires students to attend in-person for an allocated 60-minute exam within the timetabled Practical for Week 11.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Supplementary Assessment: Supplementary assessment is an additional opportunity to demonstrate that the learning requirements for an eligible course have been satisfied and that the graduate attributes for the course have been attained. Supplementary assessment may only be granted where Supplementary Assessment – procedures allow. A passing grade of 4 (or P) is the highest grade that can be awarded in a course where supplementary assessment has been granted. For further information on supplementary assessment please see my.UQ.
Additional assessment information
Academic Integrity: All students must complete the Academic Integrity Tutorial: https://www.uq.edu.au/integrity/
UQ Assignment Writing Guide: Steps for writing assignments - my.UQ - University of Queensland
Release of Marks: The marks and feedback for assessments will be released to students in a timely manner, prior to the due date of the next assessment piece for the course. This is with the exception of the final piece of assessment. The Marks and feedback for the final assessment item are to only be made available to the student on Grade Release Day at the end of semester.
Assessment Re-mark: For information on requesting an assessment re-mark, please view the following page on my.UQ: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/academic-progress-and-final-results/querying-result.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Historical archaeologists publish their research in a wide variety of scholarly journals, and peer-reviewed papers on historical archaeology topics can be found through a general search of the UQ Library.
Some of the journals which exclusively contain historical archaeological contentﾠare:
Australasian Historical Archaeologyﾠ
Industrial Archaeology Review
International Journal of Historical Archaeology
Post-Medieval Archaeology
ﾠ
ﾠ
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Introduction Introduction to the course and assessments. Defining historical and contemporary archaeology. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Methods in historical archaeology What kinds of evidence do historical archaeologists use and what does that mean for methodological approaches? Introducing 'scale' from artefacts and landscape archaeology. We'll use a real-world case study of colonial Parramatta in NSW to examine how evidence is incorporated into a research project. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Themes and theory in historical archaeology The main themes in historical archaeology. Different approaches to interpreting and understanding the historical archaeological record. We will revisit last week's case study of colonial Parramatta in NSW to see how different theories and themes might affect the research outcomes. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Practical |
Glass artefacts Identification, manufacture and dating of glass and bottles including practical exercises in which you practice work-related skills in interpreting 19th and 20th century glass. Practical exercises focusing on recording diagnostic attributes of bottles. Learning outcomes: L02, L04 |
|
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Urban historical archaeology An examination of the historical archaeological study in and of cities and urban spaces. We'll examine the case study of 'Little Lon' in Melbourne, the concept of 'slums' and artefacts from cesspits. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Cemetery studies An overview of how and why historical archaeologists might undertake cemetery studies and the relevant methods to do so. This lecture will also introduce key requirements for the cemetery assignment. We'll also review Old Sydney Burial Ground, isotopic analysis and what studying historical archaelogy was like in Australia in the 1970s. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Practical |
Ceramic artefacts An introduction to the historical archaeological analysis of ceramics including identification, manufacture and dating of ceramics. Practical exercises in which you practice work-related skills in interpreting 19th and 20th century ceramics. Learning outcomes: L02, L04 |
|
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
Entanglement and colonialism How the historical archaeological record helps us to understand entanglements between peoples, and the impact of colonialism. We'll use an example of archaeological investigations from the Cape York Peninsula and war capitalism to explore this theme. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Interconnected networks How the historical archaeological record helps us to understand capitalism, and globalised trade networks. To explore this topic in more detail, we'll examine the capitalist agendas of multiple waves of colonisation of Norfolk Island. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Practical |
Documents & photographs We learn the ways historical archaeologists use documents to enhance their archaeological interpretations. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
Cultural complexity in the historical period How the historical archaeological record helps us to understand social stratification, gender, ethnicity or ages of people in the past. This lens will be applied to the case study of Point Puer in lutruwita/Tasmania at the site of a prison for convict children. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
Power Understanding how the historical archaeological record helps us understand inequality and powered relations. We will return to Point Puer for our case study again this week, this time through a lens of power and powered landscapes. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Practical |
Other materials Identification, manufacture, dating of various types of historical archaeological objects including practical exercises in which you practice work-related skills in interpreting 19th and 20th plastic, wooden, textile, building materials and metal artefacts. Learning outcomes: L02, L04 |
|
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid Semester Break |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
Institutions and ideology We will explore what are institutions and why did they appear in the modern world, and consider the types of archaeological evidence we can use to explore institutional systems as well as the experiences of people with them. We'll cover the shifting institutional agendas of a site of a convict lumber yard and asylum. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Lecture |
Hidden worlds This week we will examine how the historical archaeological record helps us to understand illicit behaviours and to what extent social factors influence this world. We'll explore a casy study of a secret cache of artefacts from the Royal Derwent Hospital in lutruwita/Tasmania. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
Archaeology in the present What is archaeology of/for the present and what does historical archaeology contribute to this space? We will also consider, who is historical archaeology for? We'll use the 'Transit Van project' and a more recent comparable example of contemporary archaeology to examine this sub-discipline. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Lecture |
Conclusion This week we'll be returning to an overview of main themes in historical archaeology and their interconnectedness across the topics of this course. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.