Departmental Guidelines and Mission Statement

Archaeology is the study of human experience through material remains, and the impact cultural heritage has on the present. Most human experiences have gone unrecorded: because they occurred beyond the reach of written records, because those making records skipped them, or because the records are lost. Archaeology requires a distinctive combination of scientific and humanistic methods to uncover these lost realms of human experience and to ensure that they are preserved for the enrichment of future generations. Cultural heritage is the legacy and communication of that human experience as defined and redefined by those who lay claim to that past. Museums are one of the primary ways that the stories of archaeology and cultural heritage are told and sold to the public."

Faculty

Professor and Chair Rebecca Kennedy

Professors Rebecca Kennedy, Erik W. Klemetti; Associate Professors Veerendra P. Lele, John Soderberg; Assistant Professors Leksa Lee, Ksenia Un, Rhodora Vennarucci

Academic Administrative Assistant

Jackie Forshey

Minor in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage

Archaeology and Cultural Heritage students are required to take a minimum of six courses as follows:

¹

Careers in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage (1 credit): completed preferably in the second year; prerequisite ANTH 203 (previous or concurrent) and declared minor

²

Experience or internship related to archaeology, museums, or cultural heritage management approved by the ARCH committee – this could include specific study abroad courses, internships, or even summer scholar projects.

Descriptions of Specific Requirements:

ARCH 400

Careers in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage (1 credit): Aided in part by professional collaborators (in person or via Zoom), this course will provide students with a common experience and crucial knowledge of the critical issues, theoretical problems, and career pathways in archaeology and cultural heritage management. This course also provides a framework for students to define their academic program and plan their experience/internship requirement (see below). A prerequisite for the course is declared minor and either previous or concurrent enrollment in ANTH 203.

ANTH 203

Introduction to Archaeology (4 credits): The goal of this course is to provide a robust grounding in archaeological ways of knowing. The course is divided into three sections: 1) Development, Aims, and Contractions; 2) Contemporary Techniques; 3) Contemporary Questions. The first section focuses on ways that archaeology and narratives about the past are embroiled in contemporary social dynamics. The middle of the course surveys techniques for learning about human experience from material remains: from stone tools, to pollen grains, to isotopes. Where possible, the course offers hands-on experience with archaeological techniques. The final section of the class explores a sample of key questions in current archaeology. We intend to offer this course every semester and are developing a lab to accompany it.  

Distribution Requirements

As an inherently multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary field, students are required to take courses in at least two of the core departments (AGRS, ANTH, EESC, AHVC and others) represented in the program. In consultation with the program director or through individual advising with a faculty member affiliated with the program, students will select courses from a list approved by the ARCH committee. All courses should speak to one or more aspects of the ARCH Mission Statement and Program Learning Goals. These five courses serve as a path for students to concentrate on specific aspects of archaeology, cultural heritage, and museums that coincide with their academic and career goals. 

ARCH 380-390 Special Topics

As part of the minor, special topics courses cover various topics that do not necessarily rest within the discipline but are nonetheless relevant to the course of study. Examples might include courses focused on Archaeological Site Management, Art Crime and Looting, UNESCO and Global Cultural Heritage Management, Forensic Anthropology.

Experience/Internship Requirement 

Students in this program are required to engage in an internship or research experience outside of standard course offerings. Several features of the curriculum are designed to develop students’ imaginations about how to articulate their experience at Denison with opportunities that emerge after graduation.

Courses