BA Archaeology and Anthropology

Year of entry: 2023

Course unit details:
The Archaeology of Ritual

Course unit fact file
Unit code CAHE20992
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 2
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Offered by Archaeology
Available as a free choice unit? Yes

Overview

Life is constituted of innumerable rituals, that is a set of established or prescribed actions that structure religious and other rites. This course explores the physical evidence, visual cues and behavioural practices bound up in ritual activities and explores their underlying meaning. We will investigate the nature of ritual and its relationship with religion, before looking at surviving locational, stratigraphic, architectural, artefactual and iconographic evidence to help us determine the precise nature of the rituals enacted at sites. This course makes use of detailed case studies from the ancient world and ethnographic examples drawn from a wide range of periods and geographical regions.

Aims

1.      To familiarise students with key thinkers and concepts in relation to the study of ritual.

2.      To develop a basic understanding of the main developments in the study of ritual across different disciplines.

3.      To understand key aspects of rituals through the use of diverse case studies drawn from ancient and modern                  examples and diverse regions.

4.      To appreciate the interpretative potential of difference evidence types.

5.     To engage with these thinkers and concepts through the analysis of a ritual object or object group of the student’s           choice.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course unit, students will have:

Syllabus

 

 

Knowledge and understanding

1.      Gained foundational familiarity with key thinkers and concepts in relation to the study of ritual.

2.      Gained a basic understanding of the main developments in the study of ritual across different disciplines.

3.      Developed understanding of material and performative aspects of rituals through the use of diverse case studies drawn from ancient and modern examples and diverse regions.

4.     Developed awareness of the interpretative potential of difference evidence types.

Intellectual skills

5.      Demonstrated an awareness to evaluate and reflect critically upon different theoretical approaches and                 evidence  types.

6.      Acquired experience in summarizing ones intellectual position coherently verbally and in writing.

7.      Acquired experience in marshalling the evidence to support ones own argument.

Practical skills

8.      Acquired experience in presenting and reflecting upon evidence orally in a group context.

9.      Demonstrated an ability to utilize Blackboard.

10.    Demonstrated an ability to research a topic using library and internet resources.

11.    Demonstrated an ability to apply appropriate academic conventions for presentation of written arguments.

12.    Demonstrated an ability to describe an archaeological object in writing, making use of appropriate terminology, and to place it into its wider socio-political context.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

13.      Gained practice in managing time and working to deadlines.

14.      Acquired experience in contributing to group discussions.

15.      Demonstrated an ability to communicate effectively in written work.

16.      Developed experience in a critical use of the Internet to retrieve information.

17.      Gained experience in utilizing computer word processing software.

18.      Gained experience in presenting an archaeological object with relevant photos and illustrations.

Employability skills

Analytical skills
Cognitive Skills: critical thinking skills, the evaluation of arguments, interrogation of cultural phenomena
Project management
Personal Capabilities: ability to work without supervision, willingness to reflect upon your academic performance and improve your skill-set further, ability to respond positively to changing arguments and evidence
Written communication
Generic Competencies: ability to access different sources, the recognition of key points of arguments, ability to `deconstruct¿ a text or object, explaining your viewpoint orally and in writing
Other
Practical and Professional Skills: appreciation of the diversity of cultures and human behaviour, ability to use writing software, work constructively with others on a common task, to work effectively whilst meeting deadlines

Assessment methods

ASSESSMENT METHODS

 

Assessment task

Weighting within unit (if summative)

Object Essay: analyse the role of an object or object group within the context of a ritual

50%

Exam

50%

 

Feedback methods

Feedback method

Formative or Summative

Written feedback

Students will receive summative and formative feedback on their Object Essay and Exam.

Oral feedback

The seminars are a place for directed discussion and thus provide verbal formative feedback on the development and presentation of argument and interpretation on a weekly basis. In advance of submitting the Essay, students are encouraged to discuss their object choice and Essay plan with the course convenor who will provide formative feedback.

 

Recommended reading

Dietler, M. and Hayden, B., 2010. Feasts: archaeological and ethnographic perspectives on food, politics, and power. University of Alabama Press.

Dietler, M., 2006. Alcohol: Anthropological/archaeological perspectives. Annu. Rev. Anthropol.35, pp.229-249.

Fogelin, L., 2007. The archaeology of religious ritual. Annu. Rev. Anthropol.,36, 55-71.

Inomata, T. and Coben, L.S. eds., 2006. Archaeology of performance: theaters of power, community, and politics. Rowman Altamira.

Gell, A. The Technology of Enchantment and the enchantment of technology. In: The Art of Anthropology: Essays and Diagrams, edited by E. Hirsch, pp. 159–86. Oxford: Berg.

Insoll, T. 2004 Archaeology, ritual, religion. Psychology Press.

Insoll, T., 2011. The Oxford handbook of the archaeology of ritual and religion. Oxford University Press.

Kyriakidis, E., 2007. The archaeology of ritual. Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, University of California.

Laneri, N., 2007. An archaeology of funerary rituals. Oriental Inst Publications Sales.

Malone, C. and Barrowclough, D., 2010. Cult in Context: Reconsidering Ritual in Archaeology. Oxbow books.

Pearson, M.P. and Pearson, M.P., 1999. The archaeology of death and burial. Phoenix Mill, UK: Sutton.

Renfrew, C. 1985. The Archaeology of Cult. London: Thames & Hudson.

Rowan, Y.M., 2011. Beyond Belief: The Archaeology of Religion and Ritual. Archeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association21(1), pp.1-10.

Van Gennep, A. 1960. Rites of Passage. London. Routledge & Keegan Paul.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 22
Seminars 11
Independent study hours
Independent study 167

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Ina Berg Unit coordinator

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