Site Navigation
Welcome
Important Notice and Disclaimer
Academic Schedule
Types of Credentials and Sub-Degree Nomenclature
Undergraduate Degrees with a Major
Combined Degrees
Minor Programs
Student and Campus Services
Admissions
Academic Regulations
Co-operative Education/Internship
Tuition and General Fees
Awards and Financial Assistance
International Foundations Program
Faculty of Arts
Cumming School of Medicine
Faculty of Environmental Design
Faculty of Graduate Studies
Haskayne School of Business
Faculty of Kinesiology
Faculty of Law
Faculty of Nursing
Qatar Faculty
Schulich School of Engineering
Faculty of Science
Faculty of Social Work
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Werklund School of Education
Embedded Certificates
Continuing Education
COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
How to Use
Courses of Instruction by Faculty
Course Descriptions
A
Academic Writing ACWR
Accounting ACCT
Actuarial Science ACSC
African Studies AFST
American Sign Language ASL
Anthropology ANTH
Arabic Language and Muslim Cultures ALMC
Archaeology ARKY
Architectural Studies ARST
Art ART
Art History ARHI
Arts ARTS
Arts and Science Honours Academy ASHA
Astronomy ASTR
Astrophysics ASPH
Athletic Therapy ATTH
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J, K
L
M
N, O
P
R
S
T, U
V, W, Z
About the University of Calgary
Who's Who
Glossary of Terms
Contact Us
Archives
University of Calgary Calendar 2018-2019 COURSES OF INSTRUCTION Course Descriptions A Archaeology ARKY
Archaeology ARKY

Instruction offered by members of the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology in the Faculty of Arts.

Junior Courses
Archaeology 201       Introduction to Archaeology
Basic principles of archaeology. How archaeological remains are located, recovered and interpreted.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-3)
Notes:
A supplementary fee will be assessed to cover additional costs associated with this course.
back to top
Archaeology 205       Ancient Peoples and Places
An overview of Old and New World archaeology; the emergence of humans; development of humans and culture from hunting/gathering to agricultural and ancient urban societies.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Senior Courses
Archaeology 303       Archaeology of North America
Prehistoric cultural developments in North America.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 306       Field Course in Archaeological Techniques
Practical application of modern field techniques in archaeology, including excavation, recording and analysis of sites, artifacts and related materials. (Advanced students are referred to Archaeology 506.)
Course Hours:
6 units; F(0-7)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
Notes:
Normally offered during the Spring and/or Summer Intersession. A supplementary fee will be assessed to cover additional costs associated with this course.
back to top
Archaeology 307       Introduction to Ethnoarchaeology
Theory, method, ethics and the contributions of ethnoarchaeological research to archaeology and other disciplines are explored using worldwide examples.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 317       Archaeology of the Ancient Puebloan Southwest
Survey of the Puebloan archaeology of southwestern North America and their pre-Puebloan ancestors. Topics include changes in hunter-gatherer mobility and economy, the rise of agriculture in the American Southwest, the rise of integrative communities and religious belief systems, as well as responses to violence, disease, climate change, and the immigration of non-Puebloan outsiders.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 317 and 427 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 321       Mammoths to Maize, Medicine Wheels and Warriors: Archaeology of the Canadian Plains
Introduction to Canadian Plains archaeology. Processes of cultural and social change on the northern plains over the last 12,000 years from early hunters of Ice–Age megafauna to tribal level farming societies are explored from a Canadian Plains perspective.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 321 and 421 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 325       Ancient Civilizations
The rise and achievements of the earliest civilizations in both the Old and New Worlds. Emphasis will be placed on the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China, Mesoamerica and the Andes.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 327       Archaeology and Popular Culture

Archaeology is examined in terms of its place in contemporary society. Topics may include the use of archaeological evidence by special interest groups; archaeology as viewed by the media; ethical questions relating to the practice of archaeology.


Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
back to top
Archaeology 329       Fringe Archaeology
Explores popular, fantastic and alternate interpretations of archaeological remains presented in the press and popular media and analyzes the logical flaws in pseudoscientific explanations. Students hone their critical thinking skills and discover the “real story” about our past revealed by the science of archaeology.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 329 and 327.01 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 331       Archaeology and the Media
Explores how the ancient world, human evolution, archaeologists, and archaeology are represented in a range of media (e.g. films, books, video games, websites, newspapers). Examines how archaeologists use digital media and social media sites to conduct research, as well as disseminate information to indigenous communities and the general public.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 331 and 327.02 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 333       Becoming Human
An introduction to human biological and cultural evolution. Brings together Paleolithic, archaeological, biological, geological and Paleoecological evidence to provide a holistic overview of the path to humanity.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 333 and either 327.03 or Anthropology 309 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 335       African Stone Age
Introduction to the African Stone Age, with emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. Major cultural developments are explored through archaeological data, as well as other disciplines, including biogeography and geoarchaeology. Topics include early human origins and the behaviour of early humans during the middle Pleistocene, as well as the Later Stone Age. Focus on major chronological events and the cultural processes that characterize the Paleolithic era on the continent.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 335 and 435 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 341       Ancient Mexico
Ancient cultures of Mexico, excluding the Maya, from their beginnings to the historic period. Emphasis on the civilizations of the Olmecs, Zapotecs, Teotihuacanos, Toltecs and Aztecs.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 343       The Ancient Maya
Ancient Maya, from their beginnings to the historic period. Emphasis on the Classic Maya civilization, from AD 200-900.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 345       The Legacy of Mesoamerica
Traditional native cultures of Middle America. Emphasis is on technology, social organization, economic systems, religions, arts and languages, particularly in the culture centres of Mexico.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 347       Regional Studies in Latin American Archaeology
A general survey of the archaeology of the region and an intensive look at the archaeology of the immediate vicinity, including visits to sites and museums. Content varies according to region in Latin America where course is taught. Individual and group study are interspersed with formal instruction.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
Notes:
Offered only during Spring and/or Summer Intersession.
back to top
Archaeology 351       Archaeology of South America: The Lowlands and the Northern Andes
Prehistoric cultural development in the tropical areas of South America with particular emphasis on the Amazon Basin.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201 or 205.
back to top
Archaeology 353       Archaeology of South America
Reviews the major events and cultural processes in Pre-Columbian South America beginning with the first hunting cultures. Emphasis is on central and Andean and northern lowland South American civilizations.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 355       Native Cultures of the Amazon
A survey of the culture and linguistics of aboriginal South America, with emphasis on the lowland regions.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 357       The Incas and Their Successors
Traditional cultures of the Ecuadorian, Peruvian and Bolivian Andes. Special emphasis is placed on the social, political and economic organizations of the Inca empire.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 395       African Archaeology

African archaeology from the earliest times to the ethnographic present, particularly on Holocene cultures, including hunters and foragers, sedentary farmers, and urban societies.


Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201 or 205.
back to top
Archaeology 399       Ethnohistory of Africa
Examples of African ethnohistory are explored using the techniques found in African historical archaeology including oral history and traditions, ethnoarchaeology, genetics, archaeology, historical records and art history.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 401       Archaeology of the Near East
Survey of the prehistory of the Near East, starting with the earliest traces of human activity up to the Bronze Age. Topics include adaptations to a varied environment, successive human migrations out of Africa, the nature of the Middle-Upper Palaeolithic transition, the agricultural revolution, and the world’s earliest cities and states.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201 or 205.
back to top
Archaeology 411       Mesoamerican Writing Systems
Overview of Mesoamerican writing systems, including Maya hieroglyphics.  Topics include the origin and development of writing in Mesoamerica, as well as the evolution of the calendar and other notational systems.  Introduction to methods of decipherment and current interpretations of the texts.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 341 and 343.
Also known as:
(formerly Archaeology 511)
back to top
Archaeology 413       Soil Characteristics and Formation
Characteristics of soils and the processes and factors of soil formation. Soil development related to geomorphic materials, geomorphic events, anthropogenic sources, and erosional and depositional landscapes.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-2)
Prerequisite(s):
Geography 313.
Also known as:
(Geography 413)
back to top
Archaeology 415       Lithic Technology
Study and analysis of tools and other artifacts, including their forms, methods of manufacture and use.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-3)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201.
Notes:
Preference in enrolment is given to students who have declared a Major in Archaeology.
back to top
Archaeology 417       Zooarchaeology
The study and analysis of osteological remains used in reconstructing the subsistence strategies of past peoples.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-3)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201.
Notes:
Preference in enrolment is given to students who have declared a Major in Archaeology.
back to top
Archaeology 419       Tipi, Buffalo, and Vision: People of the Plains
Explores traditional Plains cultures as recorded in ethnographic accounts and First Nations oral traditions.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 419 and Anthropology 419 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 423       Archaeology of the Arctic
Prehistory/history of N. E. Asia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland. Emphasis will be placed on ecological and ethnographical data.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201 or 205 or 303.
back to top
Archaeology 437       Paleolithic Archaeology in the Old World
A global survey of Old World prehistoric hunter-gatherers with an emphasis on factual data, analytical techniques, and interpretive trends in the study of the Paleolithic era.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201 or 203.
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 437 and 533.14 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 439       African Complex Societies
Ancient African complex societies with an emphasis on state development south of the Sahara. Topics include why these states developed, their participation in internal and international systems of exchange, technological developments, belief systems that supported power structures, and the reasons for their collapse. Time period covered is from the rise of the ancient state of Egypt to the colonial period.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
back to top
Archaeology 443       Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology
An overview of the history of hunter-gatherer studies in anthropology and archaeology. Introduces current theoretical issues in hunter-gatherer research.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201.
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 443 and 531.81 will not be allowed.     
back to top
Archaeology 451       Introduction to Method and Theory
A survey of contemporary approaches to the study of archaeology.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201 and 60 units (10 full-course equivalents).
back to top
Archaeology 453       Fundamentals of Geoarchaeology
Analytical methods used in geoarchaeology. The interpretation of site and regional context, provenance, and paleoenvironment, and the application of dating methods, chemical and isotopic methods, and remote sensing. Case studies and experiential learning through field examples.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-2)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201 or Geography 211 or Geology 201 or Geology 209.
back to top
Archaeology 455       Paleoindian Archaeology
Comprehensive overview of early hunter-gatherer archaeology in North and South America, including the Clovis/pre-Clovis debate, theoretical issues surrounding early hunting and mobility, the migration to the Americas during the last ice age, and cultural ecological dynamics.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201.
back to top
Archaeology 471       Ceramic Analysis
The production of pottery: raw materials and techniques. Form, function and decoration. Ceramic ecology. Field processing and sampling. Classification: a survey of approaches. Ceramics and archaeological inference. Practical exercises.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-2)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201.
back to top
Archaeology 490       Current Topics in Archaeology
Examination of current theoretical, methodological, or topical issues in archaeology.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
back to top
Archaeology 503       Gender in Prehistory
The theoretical background for feminist archaeology and some of the important advances in Old and New World gender studies. Topics include the relationship of gender hierarchy to the rise of the state; contrasts between the ideological representation of gender and culture practice; and an overarching theme of critical analysis relating the present to the past.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 451.
back to top
Archaeology 505       Current Debates
Topics of debate in archaeology and human biology from a perspective that emphasizes philosophical, theoretical and methodological issues. Designed to hone students' critical, analytical, and debating skills, and as preparation for graduate studies.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 451.
Notes:
Archaeology 505 should be taken in the final year of the program.
back to top
Archaeology 506       Advanced Archaeological Field Techniques
Training in the more advanced aspects of field work.
Course Hours:
6 units; F(0-7)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 201 and 306.
Notes:
Normally offered during the Spring and/or Summer Intersession. A supplementary fee will be assessed to cover additional costs associated with this course.
back to top
Archaeology 515       Paleoethnobotany
The study of the uses of plants for food and other purposes such as tools by people in the past through archaeological remains and ethnobotanical research with contemporary people. Macroscopic and microscopic plant remains, such as phytoliths, starch grains, seeds, and charcoal are employed to reconstruct the past environments of ancient people. Theoretical and ethnobotanical issues such as folk taxonomy and ownership of traditional knowledge are explored.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-3)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 515 and 533.26 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 521       Reconstructing Plains Culture
Archaeological plains cultures and the methodological and theoretical issues involved in the use of archaeological reconstructions of the past. Normally, focus will be on the Canadian Plains.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 321.
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 521 and 623 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 523       Human Ecology
Current directions in various subfields of human ecology as they apply to Anthropology, Archaeology, and Geography.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 523 and Geography 523 will not be allowed.
Also known as:
(Anthropology 523
back to top
Archaeology 531       Advanced Topics in Archaeology
Investigation of various theoretical and/or topical issues in archaeology.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
back to top
Archaeology 533       Advanced Topics in Analytical Archaeology
Investigation of various methodological and/or analytical topics in archaeology at an advanced level.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
back to top
Archaeology 537       Topics in Mesoamerican Archaeology
Focus on particular time periods or themes in Mesoamerican archaeology and ethnohistory.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
6 units (1.0 full-course equivalent) from Archaeology 341, 343, 345, 347.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
back to top
Archaeology 555       Human Osteology
Identification and interpretation of human skeletal and dental remains. Emphasis is on functional anatomy and reconstruction of prehistoric lifeways.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-2)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 203 or Anthropology 201 and admission to the Archaeology or Anthropology major.
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 555 and 613 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 591       Landscape Archaeology
Human perceptions and uses of the biophysical and cultural environment. The emphasis is on the act of humanizing the environment by naming places, identifying resources, establishing paths, and modifying the natural landscape thereby creating a tradition of land use that can be accessed archaeologically.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 451.
back to top
Archaeology 593       Household Archaeology
Human perceptions and uses of the built environment, particularly residential architecture. The emphasis is on the structure and symbolism associated with the spatial arrangements of objects, activities, and social interactions.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 451.
back to top
Archaeology 595       Problems in Palaeopathology and Palaeonutrition
Patterns of disease in prehistoric human populations with consideration to the interaction of health and nutrition. Techniques for determining disease and nutrition from prehistoric remains are covered.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Anthropology 201, Archaeology 555 and either Anthropology 350 or Archaeology 203, and admission to the Archaeology or Anthropology major.
back to top
Archaeology 596       Honours Thesis (BSc)
Thesis normally required of Honours BSc students and also open for credit to other undergraduate majors. Students are expected to carry out an analytical research project on a subject acceptable to the Department and to produce a final report written in a professional manner.
Course Hours:
6 units; F(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 597       Independent Reading Course
An independent reading course for archaeology Majors. Each student is required to choose reading in consultation with an advisor.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 598       Honours Thesis (BA)
Thesis normally required of Honours BA students and also open for credit to other undergraduate majors. Students are expected to carry out a research project in a subject acceptable to the Department and to produce a final report written in a professional manner.
Course Hours:
6 units; F(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Graduate Courses

Only where appropriate to a student's program may graduate credit be received for courses numbered 500-599.

Archaeology 601       Theoretical Foundations
The philosophy of science, the history of anthropological theory, and a survey of contemporary theoretical approaches in anthropology. Throughout, the relevance to and connections with the subdisciplines of archaeology and biological anthropology will be emphasized.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 603       Seminar on Special Topics
Intensive study of special problems of particular interest to Archaeology Department graduate students. Subject matter for any particular year to be left to the discretion of the Department.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
back to top
Archaeology 613       Analysis of Human Skeletal Remains
Methods of analyzing human remains from archaeological contexts with emphasis on identification and description. Lecture, lab and weekly seminar directed to Archaeology graduate students who have not had a previous course in human osteology.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-1T-2)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
Antirequisite(s):
Credit for Archaeology 613 and either 555 or 603.07 will not be allowed.
back to top
Archaeology 615       Topics in Archaeological Theory and Method
The history of archaeological theory and contemporary theoretical and methodological approaches used in archaeological research.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 617       Theory and its Application in Biological Anthropology
Basic issues in the study of human adaptation with a focus on principles of evolutionary biology as they apply to modern studies. Throughout, a bio-cultural approach will be emphasized.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 619       Advanced Topics in Human Osteology
Current developments in interpretation of human skeletal and dental remains. Topics include forensic anthropology, bone biology, and population reconstruction.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Archaeology 555.
back to top
Archaeology 621       Problems in Ethnoarchaeology
Seminar on selected topics relating to ethnoarchaeology.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 625       Hunter-Gatherer Adaptations
Intensive study of contemporary and prehistoric hunter-gatherer social and economic adaptations.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
back to top
Archaeology 627       Origins of Agriculture
Intensive study of the origins of agriculture throughout the world.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
back to top
Archaeology 631       The Development of Complex Societies
The rise, development, and collapse of complex societies throughout the world.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 633       Specialized Analyses of Archaeological Materials
Theory and practice for specialized analyses of the physical and chemical composition of archaeological materials, including microscopic traces of use. Topics will cover procedures used to prepare materials for such specialized analyses and to identify the relevant properties, as well as issues of quantification and interpretation.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-3)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 635       Social Identity
Social identity is a fundamental theoretical and practical concern for archaeologists, physical anthropologists, and paleoanthropologists. Explores how humans use material culture and material practices to interact in a world ordered by social identities. Students will explore how research in their area of interest has addressed social identities.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 637       Mesoamerican Archaeology and History
Ancient history of Mesoamerica, emphasizing a conjunctive approach based on hieroglyphic, historical and ethnohistorical sources as well as on archaeological evidence.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 639       Stable Isotope Methods in Archaeology
Methods and applications of stable isotope analysis to archaeological research. Topics to be covered include the use of light stable isotopes to determine past and present diet, the use of stable isotopes to document residence and migration, analysis of stable carbon isotopes in soils, stable isotope ecology for environmental reconstruction and paleoclimate studies.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
back to top
Archaeology 701       Special Topics in World Archaeology
Archaeology of particular geographical areas such as Circumpolar, North America, Mesoamerica, South America, Africa, Oceania, and Europe and Near East.
Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
back to top
Archaeology 703       Advanced Seminar in Selected Topics

Course Hours:
3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s):
Consent of the Department.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
back to top