Course content

Students learn to recognise and document visible cultural remains in various landscapes. Students also learn to assess the probability for the presence of cultural remains when there are no visible signs of remains. Training in documentation techniques, drawing and measuring will be provided. A materials course will also be offered, where students will be given an introduction to the most common artefact categories used in prehistoric time. Central topics will be material type, raw material and typology. An introduction to the laws governing Norwegian preservation management will also be provided.

Learning outcome

The course will give the students an introduction to the methods of field archaeology through lecturers and field exercises. The course emphasises recognition of cultural remains on the landscape and knowledge of the most common material used in different periods, with an emphasis on raw materials, material types, leading artefacts, typology and seriation. The course also provides an introduction to dating-methods.

Learning methods and activities

Students accepted into the bachelor programme in archaeology or cultural heritage management have priority in course participation. The course structure will depend on the exact number of students; students must therefore register for the course by December 1. Normally, instruction will take the form of lectures, seminars, and field trips. In order to be able to sit the exam, the student is required to attend a minimum of 75 percent of the theoretical lectures and 75 percent of the field trips.
Exam questions may be based on obligatory lectures and other activities in addition to the required readings list.

Compulsory assignments

• The students are required to attend a minimum of 75 % of the theoretical lectures and 75 % of the field trips.

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Required previous knowledge

Access to the course requires admission to the bachelor's programme in Archaeology or Cultural Heritage Management.

The course has restricted admission.

Course materials

The required reading list will be available at the beginning of the semester. Students are not allowed to consult any text-books during the 6 hour exam. Students must cover some of the expences related to their own field work and excursions.

Credit reductions