Geoarchaeology

Catalog description

Class Hours: 3 Lab/Discussion: 0 Credits: 3 Prerequisite: ANTH 244 or GEOS 200 , or instructor permission Description: Surveys geological methods and techniques used to investigate archaeologi­cal research questions. Includes sedimentary and geomorphic processes affecting the formation and preservation of archaeological sites; methods of paleoenvironment and paleoclimate reconstruction, and radiometric dating techniques. Illustrates the importance for archaeologists to understand the geological processes that affect archaeological sites—before, during, and after people have been there. Understanding these processes is crucial to accurately reconstructing the dynamics of human behavior.