Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module will explore the archaeology of Britain from the beginning of the Roman period to the 20th century. The lectures will provide a survey of the character of the archaeology of Roman Britain, the medieval period, and the post-medieval period, and will illustrate the ways in which this material has been interpreted. Taught components will also be used to support students with their writing skills (e.g. grammar, style, presentation, structure, referencing), and help students to develop a clear understanding of best practice in the preparation and presentation of written work at degree level. The seminars will investigate specific topics and themes in greater depth, and build upon the knowledge and understanding developed during lectures.

The aims of this module are therefore to:
- introduce the Roman, early medieval, late medieval and post-medieval archaeology of Britain
- introduce the interpretation of the historical periods through landscapes, monuments and material culture
- improve and enhance student writing skills

Outline Of Syllabus

The archaeology of Roman Britain
The early medieval period in Britain
The later medieval period in Britain
Post-medieval and modern archaeology: industry and consumption

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

1. a basic knowledge of the most common categories of Roman, early medieval, late medieval and post-medieval archaeological evidence from Britain;
2. a basic understanding of certain key themes in the historical archaeology of Britain

Intended Skill Outcomes

1. a basic ability to recognise a wide range of Roman, medieval, and later sites, landscapes, and material culture;
2. the ability to identify and use specialised archaeological publications including fieldwork and excavation reports and periodicals;
3. the ability to analyse and relate archaeological data from the historical periods to specific key themes or questions;
4. the ability to recognise common basic stylistic, grammatical, structural and presentational faults in undergraduate writing, and to self-correct written work accordingly.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The period-based lectures provide basic information and overviews. The writing skills lectures furnish students with key skills required to produce degree level written work. Eleven small-group seminars (on aspects of the four main syllabus areas) will provide opportunities for in-depth discussion and analysis.

The fieldtrip provides practical experience of the observation and study of physical remains of past societies, and in conjunction with classroom based-learning allows the student to gain experience with the diverse sources of evidence used in Archaeology and build links between class-room based learning and application of knowledge in the field, including building a responsible attitude to the study, interpretation, preservation, and presentation of archaeological remains. The field trip for this module comprises a visit to Jesmond Old Cemetery, incurring no additional expenditure.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Two essays will test written communication skills and students' ability to relate their knowledge to some of the main themes in the archaeology of historic periods in Britain. Submitted work tests intended knowledge and skills outcomes, and develops key skills in research, reading and writing. The first summative assessment will feed forward into the second, by continued assessment of students' ability to integrate archaeological evidence with documentary material and other sources.

General Notes

N/A