Europe's first millenium

Organised around ongoing research by Leiden University’s Faculty of Archaeology, this course will focus on the archaeology and archaeological practice of north-west Europe during the Roman and Early Medieval periods, providing both an overview of the period(s) as well as advanced insight into the way(s) in which archaeology is practised.

The programme will consist of alternating (guest) lectures and more hands-on seminars in which the students’ own research will be the focus.

The (guest) lectures will provide an introduction to the periods, with thematic focus and alternating between the Roman and Early Medieval periods. During the seminars, students will be engaging with aspects of the archaeological material in a more practical, hands-on or student-led way. This will prepare students for the group work, leading to a group presentation in Block 2 and a final report / essay (team essay for MA-students, and individual essay for RMA-students). Self-study is an important aspect of the module: you will investigate prior research into the area under focus, and you may explore legislative / ethical aspects of how to conduct fieldwork or other archaeological research in NW Europe.

Attention will also be given to the history of the discipline and its links to the socio-political and econo-technical developments of NW Europe.

Area course: West Asia and Eastern Mediterranean

The course will focus on practices of archaeological research in West Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean. Through a series of lectures and assignments we will discuss the 8 steps of research (1: formulating research questions; 2: designing a research project; 3: obtaining funding and permits and building a team; 4: designing and executing fieldwork; 5: laboratory work; 6: data analysis and interpretations; 7: publication; and 8: curation of assemblages and datasets).

The central projects to engage with these research steps are those undertaken by the lecturers in various countries of West Asia (Azerbaijan; Cyprus; Oman); but there will also be guest lectures by Leiden colleagues working in other parts of West Asia. The course will balance substantial readings against practical assignments in which you will work as a team on issues common to archaeological research in West Asia. Examples of practical research issues addressed in this course include the use of remote sensing data in archaeological (desk-based) research; which has become increasingly important in recent years; and work with project archives or archeological assemblages.

The focus is on the practices of research, such as data collection, selection of methodology, interpretation of the available archaeological record, and the preparation of publications. Attention will also be given to current debates around colonialism, identity and heritage threats in the archaeology of West Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Americas

This course explores the field of American Archaeology, focusing on the peoples and cultures of Mesoamerica, the Isthmo-Colombian Area, and the Eastern Caribbean. We will explore the development of many cultures, states, and empires through case studies from these different regions.

Through studying these places and cultures, we will investigate the political organization, economy, and belief systems of these ancient people through their material culture, architecture, and texts. We will also explore how archaeology is practiced in these regions, focusing in particular on the questions and techniques that have shaped our knowledge of these ancient civilizations, while also being mindful and critical of the colonial and imperialist histories of archaeology.