SYLLABUS
Archaeological Geology GEOL (ANTH) 4700/6700
Instructor: Ervan Garrison
Book: Geological Methods for Archaeology, Herz & Garrison
Time: Period
Format: Lecture & Demonstration – 2 lectures/week
Criteria for Course Grade: All participants, undergraduate and graduate, will be grades on:
(1) performance on written examination;
(2) performances on exercises;
GRADUATES ONLY:
(3) performance on a term paper, a minimum of 10 type-written 1-1.5 spaced pages with references; Topics for the graduate written paper may be of your own choice or taken from a list provided by the instructor. All topics must be approved by Dr. Garrison. The paper is due the last week of class in the semester.
Grades will be on the familiar A-F scale with 90-100 = A; 80-90 = B, etc. Excessive (4 or more) absences will result in a reduction of at least 5 points in the final grade with a total of 4 or more unexcused absences. An excused absence is an illness or personal crisis. Both require written confirmations – Health Center/Physician note; Letter from Office of the VP of Student Affairs.
Topics:
Geoarchaeology – Sediments, Soils and Surface Processes
(Chapters 1, 2 , 3)
Scope of Archaeological Geology
Geology & Antiquity of Man
Geomorphology
Excavation
Stratigraphy
Pedology/Pedogenesis/Sediments in archaeology
Phytoliths
Palynology
Sediment in archaeology
Artifacts &
Archaeological Materials (Chapters 10,12)
Mineralogy & Petrology; Use of stone in prehistory
Ceramics
Clays-properties/characteristics
Ceramic manufacture
Archeometallurgy
Metallic minerals/Mines & mining
Copper-Bronze-Iron Metallurgy
Chemical analytical techniques – Instrumental (Chapters 11, 14)
Exam 1, Oct. 1st regular class period
Archaeological Age
Determination (Chapters 4, 5, 6, & 7)
Typology & Seriation
Chemical Methods
Racemization
Hydration
Cation-ratio
Radioactive Methods
Radioactive Decay:
Radiocarbon Dating
U-disequilibrium series
40Ar/ 40K, 40Ar/ 99Ar
Radiation Damage
Fission Track
Thermoluminescence/OSL
Electron Spin Resonance
Other Methods:
Varves & laminae
Dendrochronology
Archaeomagnetism
Tephrachronology
Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration (Chapters 8 & 9)
Soil Phosphate, chemical surveys
Geophysical Exploration
Resistivity, Electromagnetic
Magnetic Techniques
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
Exam 2, Final Exam Date, Tues. Dec. 17th,
Examination Dates: Exam 1: October 1st
Final: December 17th, Tuesday,
Information: Dr. Garrison’s e-mail: egarriso@uga.edu; phone: 542-1097; Office GG307,
Office hours by appt.
Teaching Assistant:
Nina Serman (Geology), GG 18, nserman@uga.edu