The aim of this course is to provide a broad perspective on Archaeology nowadays for students studying archaeology for the first time, overcoming the commonplaces about the discipline. Academic, methodological, theoretical, professional and social issues will be addressed through analyzing different contexts. The topics covered in this course will be developed deeply in the following courses of the Historian degree: “Archaeology” (2nd year), “Archaeological Methods in History” (4th year), and two optional courses entitled “Topics of Prehistory and Archaeology” and “Advanced Archaeology Topics” (3rd or 4th year).

This course is included in the module ‘General History’ (M02), the academic skills of which are: 1. To learn the methods and basic skills of historical research, gathering, organizing and analyzing different sources of information; 2. To show sufficient knowledge and understanding of the main processes of history from a diachronic perspective, in its different aspects (economic, social, political, cultural) and in its relations with present societies; 3. To identify different perspectives and historiographical approaches used over time and to establish their relationship with the cultural periods; 4. To present properly in oral and written forms at least one theme or a problem of historical investigation in order to show the capability to study correctly primary and secondary sources.

The learning outputs of the courses are 1. To value critically the potential of Archaeology to understand/ enlighten? study any historical period and to identify the professional dimension (M02C2); 2. To be aware that Archaeology is in permanent construction and revision, using different approaches to ‘make sense’ of the archaeological record (M02C3); 3. To define and understand the methodological tools used by Archaeology (M02C1).

The Framework of Archaeology

1. What is Archaeology?

2. The history of archaeology thought

Archaeological Methods

3. Archaeological Reconnaissance

4. Archaeological Excavations

5. Building Archaeology

6. Post-excavation analysis and archaeological materials

7. Dissemination, edition and museums.

The ‘archaeologies’ and the diachronic limits

8. Chronological approaches (Classical, Medieval and postmedieval archaeology) and Thematic approaches

Archaeology and society

9. Archaeology, Cultural Heritage and Society. Professional Archaeology

Theoretical and practical sessions will be held during the course. Usually, the students have to do some tasks before the practical sessions, sometimes in groups. Some fieldwork and visits will be held depending on the availability of funds and other circumstances.

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 40
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 20
  • Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 40

40 % of the evaluation will be based on a written exam; the other 60 % will be evaluated through attendance, tasks, active participation in lecturers and practical works (project, seminars, visits, etc) following the instructions given in the practical sessions. It is compulsory to obtain a minimum of 5 points (over 10) in each part. Misspellings and the lack of clarity (in the exam or the essays) can be penalized.

Positive participation in class, effort and originality would be taken into consideration.



The students must inform the teacher, by written communication or email, if they decide to refuse the ordinary exam call. This refusal has to be made during the first 9 weeks of the term. The final evaluation will consist of an exam (held on the day defined by the Dean’s Office), and the delivery of an essay. The topic of the essay has to be previously agreed.

At the beginning of the course each teacher will supply a detail ‘student guide’ with extra information and details.

The extraordinary call will consist of a unique written exam held on the day defined by the Dean’s Office, and the delivery of an essay. The topic of the essay has to be previously agreed.

Positives qualifications obtained during the continuous assestment system will be consider in the extraordinary call.

If a face-to-face exam is not possible, the students have to deliver the singular tasks proposed in the remote lecturers.

Some useful resources would be available in the egeladigital platform

Basic bibliography

Bahn P., 1989, Bluff your way in archaeology, London, C-49718

Bahn P., 2012, Archaeology: A very short introduction, Oxford University Press, Oxford (2nd ed)

Balme J., Paternson A., 2014. Archaeology in Practice. A Student Guide to Archaeological Analysis, Wiley Blackwell, Chichester 902.3 ARC

Bentley R. A., Maschner H. D. G., Chippindale C., 2007, Handbook of Archaeological Theories, Altamira Press, Lanham-New York-Toronto

Carver M., 2009, Archaeological Investigation, Routledge, London and New York 902.3 CAR

Fagan B. M., Durrani B., 2016, A brief history of Archaeology. Classical times to the twenty-first century, Routledge, London and New York (2nd ed) 902 FAG

Gamble C., 2015, Archaeology. The basics, London and New York (3rd ed)

Grant J., Gorin S., Fleming N., 2015, The Archaeology coursebook. An introduction to themes, sites, methods and skills, Routledge, London and New York (4th ed) 902 GRA

Greene K., Moore T., 2012, Archaeology: An Introduction, Routledge, London and New York (5th ed) 902 GRE

Harris O. J. T., Cipolla C., 2017, Archaeological Theory in the New Millennium: Introducing Current Perspectives, Routledge, London and New York 902 ARC

Johnson M., 2010, Archaeological Theory: An introduction, Wiley (2nd ed) 902 JOH

Kelly R. L., Thomas D. H., 2010, Archaeology. International Student Edition, Wadsworth (5th ed)

Renfrew C., Bahn P., 2016, Archaeology. Theories, Methods and Practice, Thames & Hudson (7th ed) 902.3 REN

Rippon S., 2012, Historic landscape Analysis. Deciphering the countryside, Council for British Archaeology, York

Trigger B. G., 2006, A History of Archaeological Thought, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2nd ed)

In-depth bibliography

Alcock S. E., Osborne R., 2012, Classical Archaeology, Wiley-Blackwell (2nd ed)
Bintliff J., 2004, Survey archaeology in Greek Aegean World, C. Smith, Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, New York, 7139-7146
Buchli V., Lucas G., 2001, Archaeologies of the Contemporary Past, Routledge, London and New York 904"654" BUC
Carver M., Kláp¿tē J., 2011, The Archaeology of Medieval Europe, vol 2. Twelfth to Sixteenth Centuries, Aarhus University Press, Aarhus (arriving)
González Ruibal A., 2019, An Archaeology of the Contemporary Era, Routledge, London and New York
Graham-Campbell J., Valor M., 2007, The Archaeology of Medieval Europe, vol 1. Eighth to Twelfth Centuries AD, Aarhus University Press, Aarhus
Orser C. E., 2017, Historical Archaeology, Routledge, London and New York (3rd ed) 902 ORS
Hall M. and Silliman S. W., 2006, Historical Archaeology, Blackwell, Malden, 902 HIS
Hicks D. and Beaydry M. C. ed., The Cambridge companion to historical archaeology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 902 CAM
Majewski T. and Gaimster D. R. M., 2009, International handbook of historical archaeology, London and New York
Noah Harari Y., 2014, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, London

Journals

American Journal of Archaeology
Archeologia Medievale
Archivo Español de Arqueología
Arkeoikuska
Arqueología de la Arquitectura
Arqueología y Territorio Medieval
Espacio, Tiempo y Forma
Hispania Antiqua
Munibe
Postmedieval Archaeology
Public Archaeology

Web addresses

Arqueología Medieval http://www.arqueologiamedieval.com/
Basque Cultural Heritagehttp://www.euskadi.eus/app/ondarea-patrimonio-cultural-vasco/
Biblioarqueología http://www.biblioarqueologia.com/
Geoeuskadi http://www.geo.euskadi.net/s69-bisorea/es/x72aGeoeuskadiWAR/index.jsp,
Harris Matrix http://harrismatrix.com/
Museum of London https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london
The UK Oak Project https://www.oak-research.co.uk/
Time Team http://www.timeteamdigital.com/
York Viking Center https://www.jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk/