ANSO 207-01, Becoming Human: Archaeology and the Origins of Culture Fall 2006

Abstract

This course presents students with an intensive review of the development of complex societies in prehistory. This course will be an introduction to the methods and theories of anthropological archaeology as well as a survey course of the origins of complexity of prehistoric societies. As such, this course is divided into three main sections: (1) review of archeological terms, topics, methods, and theories, (2) study of the origins of culture from 7 million years ago to the domestication of plants and animals (approximately 10,000 years ago) and the subsequent increase in social complexity and, (3) a detailed study of the origins of and changes in cultural complexity in several regions of the world, including, but not limited to southwest Asia, Mesoamerica, Egypt and South America.