1. Home
  2. NOVA School of Social Sciences and Humanities
  3. Postgraduate Course in Bioanthropology and Archaeology
  4. Fieldwork Methodologies

Fieldwork Methodologies

Objectives

  1. To obtain a current and broad-band knowledge on landscape and site surveys and on archaeological excavation methods.
  2. To initiate the student on past landscape modelling and territorial exploitations by former Human communities and their evolution.
  3. To obtain basic information on archaeological stratigraphy and its problematics.
  4. To obtain elementary theoretical knowledge on the various context type-specific problematics (long sequences, funerary environments, architectural reading, wetland and extremely dry environments).
  5. Acquire theoretical knowledge on field technics of sampling collection after allowing absolute dating, archaeometry studies and paleoenvironmental ones.

General characterization

Code

02107812

Credits

10.0

Responsible teacher

Sara Maria Sena Esteves Prata

Hours

Weekly - Available soon

Total - 280

Teaching language

Portuguese

Prerequisites

Available soon

Bibliography

Bicho, N. F., Manual de Arqueologia Pré-Histórica, Lisboa, Edições 70, 2006.
AAVV, Almadan, II Série, n.º 5, A Arqueologia e as outras ciências, Almada, Centro de Arqueologia de Almada, 1996.
Harris, E.C., Princípios de Estratigrafía Arqueológica, Barcelona, Crítica, Colección Crítica Arqueologia, 1993.
Renfrew, C. e Bahn, P., Arqueology: Theories, Methods and Practice, Londres,Thames and Hudson,1991
Barker, P., Techniques of archaeological excavation (2ª Ed.), Londres, Batsford, 1982.

Teaching method

Theoretical classes with visual information. Practical classes handling archaeological instruments and tools, as well as geographical and archaeological data (cartography and GIS). Visits to museums and archaeological sites.

Evaluation method

Evaluation Method -
Report of a seminar or field trip(100%)

Subject matter

  1. Archaeological Survey. The territory survey: written historical evidence, ethnographic, cartography, toponymy and remote sensing. Field methods and practice on a landscape scale. Site survey: topography, site catchment analysis, remote sensing.
  2. Archaeological stratigraphy principles and the evolution of its understanding. Stratigraphy as a dating method: general principles; typology; contexts; artefact frequency; assemblage.
  3. Archaeological Excavation. Excavation principles and methodologies and their theoretical background: grid-method or Wheeler-Kenyon, "german method" or "predetermined plans" and “open area” or Barker-Harris. Special reference to the Portuguese case.

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: