ARK4120 - Hunters and Gatherers and Stone Age Technology
Course content
The course provides a general understanding of lithic (stone) technology and seeks to place the manufacture and use of lithic artefacts in relation to the social contexts of hunters and gatherers. In close combination with knowledge obtained from the ethnographic record and from ethnoarchaeological accounts from various parts of the world, you will learn how lithic specimens were manufactured, how they were used and why we find such an abundance of certain categories of artefacts on Stone Age sites. You will learn to identify humanly struck material, recognize the main stages of lithic production and identify the various types of raw material types used in the manufacture of stone tools. Instruction regarding the essential attributes of flakes, blades, knapping debris, cores and various tool types will be emphasized.
In addition to general lectures, and case studies of hunters and gatherers, the course has weekly laboratory work. It is essential that you attend BOTH. This course has a very prominent practical component where you will put into operation what you have learned in the lectures. In the laboratories prepared bags of selected materials and accompanying work sheets will be distributed. These weekly meetings are meant to be informal and a lively discussion of the selected material, the technology and its social links is encouraged.
Learning outcome
In this course you will develop an understanding of the most important aspects of lithic technology. Through the use of the chaîne opératoire approach, the French method which forms the basis of learning in this course, you will discover that each stage in a technological process is embedded in social discourse. Therefore, the classes will highlight the various stages in lithic technology and technology’s place within the wider society. When you have completed this course you will have the necessary initial foundation information to allow you to work on lithic collections from any stone using period worldwide, and draw valid and defendable conclusions as to production and wider social aspects of manufacture and use of that assemblage.
Admission
Students at UiO must apply for courses in StudentWeb.
International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.
The examination in this course is not available for external candidates. Only students admitted to the course may sit for the examination.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Id does not exist in shared textThe course is available to all students accepted to the master program in archaeology. Masters students in other disciplines can apply to take this course providing it conforms with the requirements for their chosen area of study.
Overlapping courses
10 credits overlap with ARK2010 - Forhistorisk arkeologi - erstattes av ARK2050 f.o.m. høst 08 (discontinued), 10 credits overlap with ARK4160 - Lithic Technology (discontinued) and 10 credits overlap with ARK2120 - Hunters and Gatherers and Stone Age Technology.Teaching
10 lectures and 6 practical laboratory assignments (based on 6 of the lectures).
It is compulsory to attend both the general lectures as well as the weekly labs.
The students have to submit 6 practical assignments during the course (obligatory). Each assignment shall be subject to the approval of the subject teacher and needs to be approved before the students submit their final essay.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
Each student writes a 10 page essay on a related topic. At this level there will be higher expectations and requirements for linking technology and the cultural connections and ramifications.
The students must hand in an Obligatory statement concerning cheating along with the essay.
Examination support material
Id does not exist in shared textLanguage of examination
Id does not exist in shared textGrading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Students can request a clarification of their assigned grade within a week of receiving their grade. The request for clarification is to be sent to arkeologi-student@iakh.uio.no This message must contain a return email address and telephone number. The examiner can choose to deliver the clarification for the assigned grade either in writing or orally.
Fagspesifikke karakterbeskrivelser
Explanations and appeals
Id does not exist in shared textA student may appeal against an awarded grade and/or file a formal complaint about exam procedures
Resit an examination
You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam.
Withdrawal from an examination
A student may sit this exam up to 3 times. If a student wishes to withdraw from the exam, s/he must do so in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the first day of the exam. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit the exam.
Special examination arrangements
If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.
Evaluation
Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.