ARCH8153 The Archaeology of Submerged Landscapes

This topic provides students with an appreciation and understanding of the material aspects of archaeology in the coastal, intertidal and underwater environments with a focus on submerged prehistoric landscapes. The temporal scope will mainly focus on the late Pleistocene and early Holocene and emphasis will be placed on inundated terrestrial deposits, marine geoarchaeology and the archaeology of prehistoric and palaeo-indigenous societies. The topic will include core concepts in underwater archaeology and world prehistory, including hunter-gatherer economies, lithic technology, coastal subsistence strategies, cultural identity and art, early seafaring and past human response to environmental change and past sea-level rise.

This topic provides students with an understanding of the principles and theories current in the archaeology of submerged landscapes.

More specificaly the topic aims to:

• Discuss, debate and evaluate the important aspects current in underwater and coastal archaeology with an emphasis on submerged landscapes
• Promote an in-depth understanding of the principles and interdisciplinary practice of submerged prehistoric archaeology
• Help students to understand the importance of building on previous work in the field
• Provide students with the skills of textual analysis through reading and evaluating a number of influential books and articles

1. Read and evaluate critically key texts in archaeology, geoarchaeology and underwater cultural heritage management
2. Demonstrate their ability to present their views to an audience of their peers
3. Identify key issues within the fields of world and underwater archaeology
4. Analyse and evaluate previous archaeological, anthropological and environmental research