Archaeobotany – Humans and plants in prehistoric southeastern Europe and eastern Mediterranean
| Title | Αρχαιοβοτανική – Άνθρωποι και Φυτά στην προϊστορική νοτιοανατολική Ευρώπη και την ανατολική Μεσόγειο / Archaeobotany – Humans and plants in prehistoric southeastern Europe and eastern Mediterranean |
| Code | ΑΠΡ 712 |
| Faculty | Philosophy |
| School | History and Archaeology |
| Cycle / Level | 1st / Undergraduate, 2nd / Postgraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter/Spring |
| Common | No |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 600015916 |
Programme of Study: PMS stīn Archaiología, Téchnī kai Politismó 2024-2025
Registered students: 0
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proïstorikī Archaiología | Compulsory Course | Winter/Spring | - | 15 |
| Academic Year | 2023 – 2024 |
| Class Period | Winter |
| Faculty Instructors | |
| Weekly Hours | 3 |
| Total Hours | 39 |
| Class ID | 600245600
|
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600245600
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Learning Outcomes
Students are expected that in the context of the course will
• comprehend the significance of plants in the shaping of prehistoric societies of southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.
• familiarise themselves with various aspects of the methodology of Archaeobotanical research through the bibliography, laboratory sessions and fieldwork.
• familiarise themselves with theorhetical approaches as regards human-plant relationships in prehistory
• comprehend the process and the significance of prehistoric plants towards the formation of the archaeological record and the investigation of agricultural practices, surplus management, spatial organisation on an intra-site as well as a regional scale
• will investigate the role of plants, especially cultivated plants, in understanding prehistoric societies and changes on a spatiotemporal scale.
• inform themselves on methodological and practical issues that may occur through the intervention of the researcher in the specific field of inquiry
• develop skills in the oral and written presentation of their ideas and arguments
General Competences
- Apply knowledge in practice
- Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
- Make decisions
- Work autonomously
- Work in teams
- Work in an interdisciplinary team
- Generate new research ideas
- Appreciate diversity and multiculturality
- Respect natural environment
- Demonstrate social, professional and ethical commitment and sensitivity to gender issues
- Be critical and self-critical
- Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
The seminar focuses on the investigation of the role of plants in the shaping of prehistoric societies of southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. Comparative evidence from other parts of the world is also considered. The course focuses primarily on Archaeobotany and various lines of evidence are discussed such as palynology, anthracology, the study of fruits, nuts, seeds or other plant macro-remains as well as micro-remains (starch grains and phytoliths), to the extent that these contribute towards the investigation of prehistoric human societies. Through a wealth of evidence specific human choices are examined as regards selection of habitation space, the organisation of food production and procurement, management of the natural environment, contact networks between regions, changes through time in economic and social organisation of prehistoric societies. Through plant remains various aspects of past human life in the past are considered, covering a wide range of human activity, daily and of special occasions such as feasting, burial practices, ritual and healing practices. The approach adopted in this course reveals the complexity of human choices that lead to cultural variability in space and time.
Educational Material Types
- Notes
- Slide presentations
- Interactive excersises
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
- Use of ICT in Laboratory Teaching
- Use of ICT in Communication with Students
- Use of ICT in Student Assessment
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 75 | ||||
| Seminars | 20 | ||||
| Laboratory Work | 50 | ||||
| Reading Assigment | 130 | ||||
| Field trips and participation in conferences / seminars / activities | 45 | ||||
| Project | 30 | ||||
| Written assigments | 100 | ||||
| Total | 450 |
Student Assessment
Description
Moreover, students participate in an Archaeobotany laboratory, they undertake the full study of an archaeobotanical sample, one for each student; then they are assigned with the project to collect all the data they have generated and produce a scientific analysis and synthesis of the archaeobotanical evidence. In this way students familiarise themselves with the full range of archaeobotanical study and interpretation, from identifying plant remains in the lab to their analysis, interpretation and discussion.
Student Assessment methods
- Written Assignment (Formative, Summative)
Bibliography
Additional bibliography for study
Pearsal, D. 2016. Palaeoethnobotany, A Handbook of Procedures. Routledge, Oxford.
Chevallier, A., Marinova, E., Pena Chocarro L. 2014. Plants and People: Choices and diversity through time. Oxford, Oxbow.
Jacomet, S., Kreuz, A. 1999. Archäobotanik. Aufgaben, Methoden und Ergebnisse vegetations- und agrargeschichtlicher Forschung.Verlag: Stuttgart, Ulmer.
http://archaeobotany.dept.shef.ac.uk/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Journal: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany (Springer)
Σ.Μ. Βαλαμώτη, 2009, H Αρχαιοβοτανική Έρευνα της Διατροφής στην Προϊστορική Ελλάδα. Θεσσαλονίκη, University Studio Press
Valamoti, SM, Fyntikoglou V, Symponis, K, 2022. Food Crops in Ancient Greek Cuisine: an archaeobotanical and textual study. Θεσσαλονίκη, University Studio Press
Andrew S. Fairbairn και Ehud Weiss (επιμ.) 2009. From Foragers to Farmers: Papers in Honour of Gordon C. Hillman. Oxford, Oxbow Books.
Karen Hardy and Lucy Kubiak-Martens, (επιμ.) 2016. Wild Harvest: Plants in the Hominin and Pre-Agrarian Human Worlds (Studying Scientific Archaeology 2. Oxford & Philadelphia: Oxbow Books.
Last Update
27-03-2023
