Introduction to Archaeology/Simulated Dig

Teaching students about archaeology allows for the development of significant analytical and interpretive skills. Especially as the world/s rich cultural resources are destroyed and impacted by globalization and development, students should develop an appreciation of how material culture and peoples of the past offer us insights about the present. In teaching my Introduction to Archaeology class I typically spend a number of days on a simulated dig. Because of budgetary limitations, I have had to use creative pedagogical design to make the activity both meaningful and accurate. The simulated dig involves all phases of archaeological process, including survey, excavation, cataloging, analysis and interpretation. By involving my students in a hands-on activity, I can better prepare them for more complex understandings of case studies, techniques and controversies in archaeology.

Introduction to Archaeology/Student Experiments

As the hands-on archaeological dig activity illustrates, integrating interactive forms of pedagogy in anthropology enables students to better grasp materials and to get more excited about our discipline. In one case a student was inspired by a project on my class webpage for archaeology and developed her own experiment related to the site of Vindolanda. The student combined a descriptive analysis of the site with an experimental archaeological focus in which she created her own versions of artifacts found at Vindolanda. She also illustrated principles of wear and patina as they related to the site and its material culture. Her approach demonstrated how students of anthropology can excite one another and develop their own approaches to the discipline.