Course: Archaeological Theory

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Course title Archaeological Theory
Course code KAR/ATE
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Lesson
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Havlín Theodor, Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
The main topics: 1. Introduction into theory in archaeology. 2. Basic terminologies and reference frameworks. 3. Critical thinking, reading and writing of academic texts. 4. The problem of creating theoretical models. 5. The variability of interpretation approaches. 6. The basics of the concept of the past human world (artefacts, ecofacts, social institutions and cultural texts). 7. The basic processes of the creation of the human world (adaptation, specialization, communication, expression). 8. Archaeology of formal variability. 9. Archaeology of spatial structures. 10. Archaeology and time. 11. The basic paradigms in archaeology (the concept of the paradigm, romantic, evolutionary and culture-historical paradigm). 12. The basic paradigms in archaeology (processual and post-processual paradigm).

Learning activities and teaching methods
  • Contact hours - 39 hours per semester
  • Undergraduate study programme term essay (20-40) - 15 hours per semester
  • Preparation for an examination (30-60) - 50 hours per semester
prerequisite
Knowledge
To summarize the importance of archaeology and history for understanding the past
Skills
To understand a scientifically-structured lecture
To read and to understand a scientific text in Czech and English
To use adequate terminology in Czech
To use electronic information sources
Competences
N/A
learning outcomes
Knowledge
To summarize the basics of current archaeological theory and method
To summarize the issues of basic principles of formulating theoretical question and hypotheses
To summarize the issue of creating theoretical models
To explain terminology of archaeological theory and method
To explain the building of archaeological models
To explain the basic paradigms in archaeology
Skills
To be able to create a specific approach towards artefactual, ecofactual and natural resources
To define spatial characteristics of artefacts
To identify structures and events in formal world
To identify structures and events in spatial archaeology
To evaluate information on the subject of study critically
Competences
N/A
teaching methods
Knowledge
Lecture with visual aids
Self-study of literature
Skills
Practicum
Competences
Lecture with visual aids
assessment methods
Knowledge
Oral exam
Seminar work
Skills
Seminar work
Oral exam
Competences
Oral exam
Seminar work
Recommended literature
  • Eco,U. Jak napsat diplomovou práci. Olomouc, 1996.
  • Kristiansen, Kristian. The discipline of archaeology. In: Cunliffe, B. - Gosden, Ch. - Joyce, R. A. (esd.), The Oxford handbook of archaeology. Oxford, 2009. ISBN 9780199271016.
  • Kuna, M. (ed.). Archeologie pravěkých Čech 1. Pravěký svět a jeho poznání.. Praha, 2007.
  • Květina, Petr; Řídký, Jaroslav,; Končelová, Markéta,; Burgert, Pavel,; Šumberová, Radka,; Pavlů, Ivan,; Brzobohatá, Hana,; Trojánková, Olga; Vavrečka, Petr,; Unger, Jiří. Minulost, kterou nikdo nezapsal. 2015. ISBN 978-80-7465-173-1.
  • Neustupný, Evžen. Teorie archeologie. Plzeň : Aleš Čeněk, 2010. ISBN 978-80-7380-244-8.
  • Paitlová, Jitka. Po cestách kritického myšlení. Vydání první. 2015. ISBN 978-80-246-2933-9.
  • Podborský, Vladimír. Úvod do studia archeologie. 1. vydání. 2012. ISBN 978-80-210-7616-7.
  • Renfrew, Colin; Bahn, Paul G. Archaeology : theories methods and practice. London : Thames & Hudson, 2000. ISBN 0-500-28147-5.
  • Sklenář, Karel; Sklenářová, Zuzana. Biografický slovník českých, moravských a slezských archeologů a jejich spolupracovníků z příbuzných oborů. Praha : Libri, 2005. ISBN 80-7277-253-8.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester