BIOL 3426: BIOARCHAEOLOGY SYLLABUS, 2008

Bioarchaeology is the study of the biotic portion of pre-modern human ecology. The course is designed to present a basic background in bioarchaeology to students who may be ignorant in college-level biology, archaeology, or both. Following the course, a diligent student should have an appreciation of the methods, difficulties, biases, and utility of bioarchaeology to the point that the student may continue to increase competency by self-study according to will.

Presentation is by lecture and these web pages, assigned readings, and laboratory materials. The 2 hours of lecture per week in conjunction with these web pages will introduce the student to theory and example; the 3 hours per week of laboratory will give the student the opportunity to become skillful in practice. The amount and difficulty of material assumes that an average student will put in about 2 hours of out-of-class study time for each hour of lecture and take full advantage of the laboratory in order to achieve a grade of "C" (this is fairly standard for college-level courses). The student is expected to have studied the pertinent web pages and any reading assignments prior to class and be ready to discuss them.

Use the menu at the top of the page to maneuver to various parts of the course website.

Grades will be based on at least two examinations directly on lecture and web material, outside assigned readings, and class discussion (50%) and by laboratory work, including a final report on an archaeological fauna (provided by the instructor) that requires identification, interpretation, and presentation in proper written form (50%). Other subjects for the report may be chosen by mutual agreement, but must require similar skills. A draft of the final report will be due on 27 November; the final report itself will be due on 4 December. Criteria for grading of the final report will include correctness of identifications and interpretations, use of the literature, adherence to the format of a scientific paper, and professional-level presentation in terms of grammar and spelling (general shortcomings will be pointed out on the draft without grade penalty unless it is clear that little effort went into the draft preparation).

The last day to drop a class without a W is 10 September; the course drop deadline with a W (requires a passing grade and permission of the professor and the College of Science) is 31 October. Withdrawal from the university may be done through 4 December, with a grade of W or F determined by the grade earned at the time of withdrawal. Final Exam (comprehensive) is 10 Dec 1:00-3:45 p.m.

Office Hours (BIOL. Rm. 217): MWF 9:30-10:30, TTh 3:30-4:00 (you are welcome to try your luck at other times—however, I may be unable to accommodate you if I have other obligations). Also, I am available through e-mail (click on the e-mail address at the bottom of this page); please put "bioarch" as the subject to insure my looking at the message (I frequently get junk or list e-mail that I delete without reading).

COURSE OUTLINE

Introduction

Materials

Plant

Macro

Micro

Animal

Bones and teeth

Shell

Feces, hair, and feathers

Miscellaneous

Recovery

Methods

"Sight"

Screening and washing

Flotation

Biases

Differential deposition

Differential preservation

Differential recovery

Identification ease

Record keeping

Laboratory pretreatment

Preservation

Reconstruction

Identification

Literature

Comparative materials

Computer techniques

Outside experts

Interpretation

General principles

Paleoecology

Vegetation

Climate

Ethnobiology

Use of natural resources

Artifacts

Food, clothing, shelter

Special cases

Early man in North America

The Southwest

Other areas of the western hemisphere

Telephone: (915) 747-6895

Fax: (915) 747-6194

E-mail: aharris@utep.edu