Digging into Archaeology: A Brief OER Introduction to Archaeology with Activities
Amanda Walcott Paskey, Cosumnes River College
AnnMarie Beasley Cisneros, American River College in Sacramento, California
Copyright Year:
Publisher: Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
Language: English
Formats Available
Conditions of Use
Attribution-NonCommercial
CC BY-NC
Reviews
There are brief mentions of most terms, but little elaboration. So, while the terms are listed at the end of each chapter, I do not think enough discussion and examples are provided in the chapters. read more
There are brief mentions of most terms, but little elaboration. So, while the terms are listed at the end of each chapter, I do not think enough discussion and examples are provided in the chapters.
This is hard to assess as the information is very basic and there are not outside references for support of most of the material in the basic chapters, only for the exercises. That said, the definitions of terminology are accurate.
There is a significant lack of current material from the field. It is mostly a series of worksheets, so there would be little to update.
The explanations are clear but dry and lack relevance to students and current field examples. The exercises, such as on the cars and garbage are insightful.
There are gaps in areas such as burials, ethics, stone tools and the sections on analysis and subsistence are weak. There is a lack of discussion on many fascinating multidisciplinary inroads in our discipline and new digital techniques.
Yes, it is what seems to be a series of work sheets and activities.
Uneven in content. Follows the progression of most texts, but the coverage is not clear and logical.
Pages upon pages of materials for activities that seem dated and not well presented.
I did not see any errors that jumped out at me. Lack of outside support and interactive materials on media.
Limited reference to ethics, and cultural appropriation.
Lack of visuals and digital sources. Seems like somewhat dated worksheets and extensive exercises/discussion questions instead of an integrated text that keeps the students interest and is up to date with current trends in the field and techniques. Definitions are correct, but no discussion and examples to facilitate their understanding. Uneven in coverage and relevant examples from the field today.
Table of Contents
- 1: Introduction to Anthropological Archaeology
- 2: History (up until the 1960s)
- 3: History (the 1960s and beyond)
- 4: The Archaeological Record and Site Formation Processes
- 5: Artifact Preservation
- 6: How to Find Archaeological Sites
- 7: Excavation
- 8: Dating Methods – Relative and Absolute Dating
- 9: Artifact Analysis
- 10: Reconstructing Environments and Subsistence Patterns
- 11: Social Archaeology
- 12: Bioarchaeology
- 13: Archaeological Interpretation and Application of Theory
- 14: Historical Archaeology
- 15: New Frontiers in Archaeology
- 16: Legal and Ethical Considerations in Archaeology
Ancillary Material
Submit ancillary resourceAbout the Book
This book is intended for use in a variety of introductory archaeology settings, such as in lectures and lab courses. This text can complement an existing traditional text or completely replace a standard text. It can be used for its activities or as a study resource. When we wrote this text, we designed the chapters to be brief, providing concise and to-the-point information. This book is not intended to replace lectures or direct instruction from an instructor; rather, it supports learning in a variety of settings and formats. The book can be printed in whole, read digitally, or used piecemeal in either format. However you use this text, we hope that you find it serves as an instructive learning tool and that you dig archaeology as much as we do!
About the Contributors
Authors
Amanda Wolcott Paskey is an anthropology professor at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, California. She earned her B.A. and M.A. in anthropology from the University of California, Davis. Her focus inanthropology is archaeology; however, she was trained in a holistic program and regularly teaches cultural and biological anthropology courses as well as archaeology. She has worked on archaeological projects throughout northern California and the Great Basin. She and a colleague founded the Cosumnes River Archaeological Working Laboratory (CRAWL), which is an archaeological laboratory primarily focused on historical archaeology and completes contract work for California State Parks. CRAWL’s current project is analyzing a post-Gold-Rush-era archaeological site in the heart of Old Sacramento. This has given her many opportunities to engage in sharing archaeology with a public audience, including local school children and Sacramentans interested in local history. She is passionate about teaching, especially online education, and providing all students with a high-quality learning environment that meets the needs of all students, not just the most prepared for college. She has been named
the Society for Anthropology in Community College’s (SACC’s) Teacher of the Year (2014) and has been awarded Cosumnes River College’s Crystal Apple award (2017) and the Hayward Award for Excellence in Education given by the Board of Governors for the California Community Colleges and the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (2017).
Additionally, with her departmental colleagues, she was awarded the Stanback-Stroud Diversity Award (2015).
AnnMarie Beasley Cisneros is an anthropology professor at American River College in Sacramento, California. Trained as a four-field anthropologist, she earned her B.A. and M.A. in anthropology from California State University, Sacramento. Her research focuses on immigration and immigrant populations. She regularly teaches archaeology, Native Peoples of North America, and American Indians of California, among other courses. She is passionate about education and innovating to support all students in achieving their academic and life goals. She is currently engaged in applied anthropology work in
community development with historically underserved communities. Most recently, she has particularly enjoyed facilitating her students’ involvement in projects serving Sacramento’s Latino and immigrant Mexican populations through Día de los Muertos Oak Park, a month-long series of arts and culture events that educate the public about this Mexican tradition and build ties between groups within the community, culminating in an authentic observance of Día de los Muertos attended by
more than 10,000 people.