Module overview
Fieldwork is an integral part of the archaeological process and we want all our students to experience directly the generation of primary data by means of field and related practical activities. At the core of this module, therefore, is participation in at least three weeks of fieldwork and/or related activities, by means of a field school, research projects in the UK and/or overseas, and in certain cases post-excavation or similar activities. By these means, you will master the key skills of field and practical archaeology, and understand how new insights into past societies are generated 'at the trowel's edge'. You will be asked to consider the relationship between research designs for projects, and the methods they/you employ, and to put these skills to use in the design of a project of your own.
It is a requirement of all Archaeology degrees at Southampton, both single and joint honours, that you participate in at least three weeks of archaeological fieldwork, normally on a project organised by the University of Southampton. The objective of the fieldwork requirement is to ensure that you gain direct experience of the primary archaeological record, how it is discovered and recorded. At the same time, we expect that you will gain a range of transferable skills from your participation in a fieldwork project and will develop your personal skills in areas such as problem solving, decision making, teamwork and personal responsibility.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- design appropriate strategies for planning and implementing a field-based or related practical archaeological project;
- define appropriate methodologies for generating primary data relevant to a specific research question or questions.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- reflect on your own contribution and building your personal development as part of a collaborative whole.
- work in small dedicated teams with a diverse range of participants to complete a complex multi-tasking project;
- resolve unexpected developments or solving problems when events divert from what was planned;
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- the key principles of research design as it relates to the relationship between field-based or related data generation and research planning and outcomes;
- the geographical, chronological and cultural contexts of the sites, landscapes and/or collections with which you are working.
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- take responsibility for good professional practice, including safeguarding the safety of all participants and acting appropriately towards the archaeological resource;
- mastery of diverse professional archaeological skills related to survey, excavation and/or post-excavation.
Syllabus
The majority of the teaching and learning on this module will take place in the field. Skills with which students will become familiar include a number of the following: archaeological excavation, test-pitting, topographic and/or geophysical survey and recording, surface survey and field-walking, environmental and geo-archaeological approaches and sampling, recording methods such as drawing, photography, feature survey and/or laser scanning, post-excavation processing and recording of artefacts, archival work, and related practical activities. These skills will vary depending on the aims and objectives, and planned activities, of each project, but in all cases will include important elements relating to the generation of primary data through archaeological field and related practice. In the classroom, sessions will be dedicated to practical organisation and planning, health and safety, and the relationship between planned project activities and research outcomes. After the completion of the fieldwork task(s), teaching and learning activities will develop your understanding of the generation and use of new data for research purposes by means of sessions initiating the development of a research project of your own, skills which will ultimately support you in the design of your dissertation, whether in Archaeology or a combining discipline.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Orientation meetings and project briefings will prepare you for the fieldwork, including a presentation of the research agenda of the project(s) to which you will be attached.
Fieldwork and/or related practical activities comprise supervised practice in small-group lessons, and impromptu "show and tell" sessions during work time.
You should learn about your project and its broader context through tours, discussions, site visits or lectures during the field season, with project leaders presenting and discussing results at the end of the season.
The development of understanding of the relationship between data and research will take place by means of small-group discussion classes or supervisions.
Note that the External Repeat option is only available where students have already completed the practical/fieldwork component of the module.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Assessment tasks | 40 |
| Fieldwork | 90 |
| Teaching | 20 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Carver, M. (2009). Archaeological Investigation. London: Routledge.
Hester, T., Shafer, H.J. and Feder, K.L. (1997). Field Methods in Archaeology. USA: Mayfield Publishing Co..
Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P. (2016). Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. London: Thames and Hudson.
Barker, P. (1993). Techniques of Archaeological Excavation. London: Routledge.
Drewett, P. (2000). Field Archaeology. London: UCL Press.
Greene, K. (1995). Archaeology: An Introduction. London: Routledge.
Assessment
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Research Design Proposal | 50% |
| Fieldwork report | 50% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Coursework | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External