Exploring Landscapes (ARCM502)
| Lecturer(s) | Professor Stephen Rippon |
|---|---|
| Credit Value | 15 |
| ECTS Value | 7.50 |
| Pre-requisites | none |
| Co-requisites | none |
| Duration of Module | 1 term |
| Total Student Study Time | 150 hours |
Module aims
To provide an introduction to the historiography of landscape archaeology in Britain, and an understanding of the sources and methodologies used in the analysis and interpretation of the historic landscape including archaeological fieldwork, documentary and cartographic sources, place- and field-names, and the technique of 'Historic Landscape Characterisation'.
Intended learning outcomes
Module-specific skills
Demonstrate a developed understanding of the techniques available to the landscape archaeologist working within the historic period
Know where to gain further information about specific methodologies
Discipline-specific skills
Select techniques most appropriate for studying the historic-period landscape in a variety of circumstances.
Personal and key skills
Deal with complex questions systematically and imaginatively
Show initiative and originality in tackling and solving problems
Learn to ask pertinent questions and receive constructive criticism
Organise work efficiently with respect to deadlines
Learning and teaching methods
There are ten units of material available on WebCT that includes text and illustrations introducing key topics, with PDFs of articles/papers/book chapters and links to websites to provide additional, more in-depth reading. Tutorial support will be offer via e-mail and at specified times by phone.
Assignments
One essay (2,000 words) and one project (2,000 words)
Assessment
One essay (2,000 words) exploring the use of particular techniques of landscape research in a specified region; and one project (2,000 words) outlining a proposed scheme of research to explore a particular aspect of landscape history for a specified region.
Syllabus plan
Unit 1 - Defining landscapes and landscape studies
Unit 2 - Changing approaches to landscape
Unit 3 - Principles of project design in landscape archaeology
Unit 4 - Aerial photography and ground survey
Unit 5 - Fieldwalking and field survey strategies
Unit 6 - Below-ground prospection in the landscape
Unit 7 - Documentary sources and landscape archaeology
Unit 8 - Place-names as a source for landscape reconstruction
Unit 9 - Historic maps
Unit 10 - Characterising the historic landscape and GIS
Indicative basic reading list
Aston, M. (1985) Interpreting the Landscape. London: Batsford.
Bowden, M. 1999: Unravelling the Landscape. Stroud.
Muir, R. (2000) A New Reading the Landscape. Exeter: Exeter University Press.
Rippon, S. (2004) Historic landscape Analysis. York: Council for British Archaeology.
