Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2005-2006 (archived)
Module ARCH3491: ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYING
Department: ARCHAEOLOGY
ARCH3491: ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYING
| Type | Tied | Level | 3 | Credits | 20 | Availability | Available in 2005/06 | Module Cap | 19. | Location | Durham |
|---|
| Tied to | CFG0 |
|---|---|
| Tied to | F400 |
| Tied to | F402 |
| Tied to | LF64 |
| Tied to | LMV0 |
| Tied to | VF14 |
Prerequisites
- Archaeological Method and Theory (ARCH2121) OR Applied Archaeological Science (ARCH2041) OR Professional Training (Techniques of Archaeological Fieldwork) (ARCH2102).
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combination of Modules
- None.
Aims
- To introduce students to the theory and application of the most frequently-used types of instrumental surface-based archaeological site investigation, i.e. geophysical survey (principally electrical resistivity and fluxgate gradiometry), and topographic surveying of visible remains using electronic total stations and GPS equipment.
- Analysis and presentation of results will be carried out using industry-standard dedicated software packages.
Content
- The module will begin with an introduction to basic survey principles, and the operation of electronic survey instruments, followed by digital mapping using Ordnance Survey data sets.
- Students will then have the opportunity to undertake a topographic survey of an archaeological site using these techniques and instruments, and produce a publication-quality report of the results.
- The second half of the module will examine the place of geophysical prospection in the location of sub-surface structures, using the electrical and magnetic techniques which have become standard tools in professional archaeology.
- Again there will be a survey of an archaeological site, the results of which will be processed using dedicated software, and used as the basis of an interpretive report.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge:
- By the end of the module students will be able to, i) undertake topographic surveys of an archaeological site and produce computer-generated drawings, integrating their own survey data with Ordnance Survey or other digital data sets, ii) carry out a geophysical survey, process and interpret the resulting data.
Subject-specific Skills:
- Core skills in topographic and geophysical surveying of archaeological sites.
- Application of key skills listed below.
Key Skills:
- Access to WWW resources (for OS data)
- Imaging numerical data
- Computer-based mapping
- preparation of data in graphical form
- Electronic methods of data collection
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- TEACHING & LEARNING: Lectures; practicals; fieldwork; self-guided study
- ASSESSMENT: Portfolio
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total/Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 6 | 3 in Term 1, 3 in Term 2 | 1 Hour | 6 | |
| Practicals | 8 | 5 in Term 1, 3 in Term 2 | 2 Hours | 16 | |
| Fieldwork | 2 | 1 Per Term | 4 Hours | 8 | |
| Preparation and Reading | 170 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component: Portfolio | Component Weighting: 100% | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Element | Length / duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
| Map based on OS data | 10% | ||
| Written description of electronic surveying instruments | 30% | ||
| Topographic map of an archaeological site | 15% | ||
| Plots of the results of a geo-physical survey | 15% | ||
| Archaeological interpretation of the geophysical survey | 30% | ||
Formative Assessment:
None.
■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University