Temaomtale ARK125

This course is not offered fall 2023.

This course is taught in collaboration between AHKR and the University Museum’s Natural History Department. The majority of the course is held at the Natural History Department’s lecture and laboratory facilities in Realfagbygget. 

Lectures aim to introduce and expose students to the fields of Zooarchaeology and Archaeobotany/Palynology. Special emphasis is placed on teaching students basic mammalian, bird and fish anatomy. The course further includes an archaeobotany and palynology laboratory component. Students will have guided access to the Zoology Laboratories and the comparative osteological collections to help with learning animal bone anatomy.

The course not only introduces students to animal bone and plant remains from Norwegian excavation sites, but also to bone biology, the role the museum has played in the curation of archaeo-osteological remains, and the different methods that can be utilized for osteological analysis. Goal of this course is to make students aware of the great resources organic remains provide to archaeological interpretation. Not only will students learn about various Western Norwegian sites where bone material is well preserved. They will also gain a basic understanding of the methods needed to interpret osteological and plant materials as part of the archaeological context. Students will give oral presentations based on a topic provided during the course.