EUH-3182: MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY

Course description

Historians of the Middle Ages readily acknowledge the advantage that documentary evidence gives them over archaeologists. After all, why would anyone need to dig in the dirt, when so many archives remain unexplored? Why would anyone prefer the drab remains of past material culture to the spiritual and artistic achievements of the Middle Ages? Many view archival material as a control lacking in archaeology. The true task of the archaeologist is thus to discover whether the evidence of material culture properly reflects the documentary record or vice versa. During the last few decades, however, the discipline of medieval archaeology experienced a spectacular growth. It has become clear that the research carried by archaeologists has no direct connections with, or implications for, the question posed of the documentary record by historians. But the medieval history of material culture raises some important issues, all of which are of historical importance. The study of urban history, for example, cannot be conceived today with a solid training in medieval archaeology. Problems of production and distribution, as well as intricate questions of group identity, gender, and social status can now be re-phrased in the light of the archaeological research. Increasingly, medieval archaeology has become a major component of Medieval Studies.

The main goal of this course is to outline some of the most important areas of current archaeological research and to point to major results. From rural settlements to pottery, the impact of medieval archaeology on the study of medieval society cannot be ignored without the risk of serious distortion. Following a topical, rather than chronological, order, we will take a glimpse to life in the Middle Ages through the window opened by archaeologists. We will look at how they gather their sources, analyze them and reached conclusions of historical importance.

TEXTBOOKS

Required

• The Archaeology of Medieval Europe. Ed. by James Graham-Campbell and Magdalena Valor. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, 2007; ISBN: 9788779342903 (pbk.) [hereafter Graham-Campbell and Valor].
• Kevin Greene and Tom Moore. Archaeology. An Introduction, 5th edition. London/New York: Routledge, 2010; ISBN: 9780415496391 [hereafter Greene and Moore]

NOTE: It is essential that you read the assigned sections in the textbook(s) at the time they are due. Class meetings will be organized around a lecture/discussion format and quizzes will necessitate familiarity with the material.

 

Course requirements

There is no attendance policy, but you are responsible for attending all lectures and reading the required texts. Class participation may be taken into account to determine the overall grade. The basis for evaluation of performance will be four quizzes and two exams (Midterm and Final). The unannounced quizzes will consist only of identification or multiple-choice questions (no essay). The Midterm and Final exams will cover everything from lectures and readings. Both Midterm and Final will consist of two parts: an identification and/or multiple-choice part, and a short essay, in which you will be asked to synthesize your knowledge of the topic, dropping in facts to show that you understand the concrete aspects of that topic. Only the Midterm will be cumulative. In other words, the Final examination will cover only the material since the Midterm examination. Please review the University's academic honesty guidelines and the  Disability Resource Center checklist. Make-up Midterm and Final exam will be given for very serious reasons, in which case you will have to produce some official proof. There is no make-up for quizzes. Extra-credit work will be accepted only for students with active participation in class discussions. The format of the extra-credit option shall be discussed with the instructor during regular office hours. The following point-system will be used in determining the final grade:

Quizzes: 40 points
Midterm: 30 points
Final exam: 30 points
Total: 100 points

Grades:

Points	Grade
95-100	A
90-94	A-
87-89	B+
81-86	B
75-80	B-
68-74	C+
61-67	C
55-60	C-
48-54	D+
41-47	D
35-40	D-
under 30	E