This module offers an introduction to the study of archaeological artefacts and the information they contribute to our understanding of the past. It will introduce a wide range of natural materials and explore the technologies by which they can be worked, shaped and transformed. With its significant practical component, the module offers a chance to gain valuable experience in object handling and to develop your skills in identification, description, analysis and interpretation of both assemblages and artefacts. In the process, you will consider how far it is possible to reconstruct the technologies by which different materials were processed, to determine their origins, and to infer the function of the artefacts they were used to make.
Throughout the course, you will be encouraged to recognise the complex relationships between technology and society and to appreciate the importance of asking meaningful research questions about archaeological artefacts which acknowledge this social context.
ALGY250 is essential for anyone interested in ancient material culture and provides the foundation for further specialisation in archaeological materials research in your final year through ALGY397 and ALGY314.