Classics 490B - Archaeological Methds: Catalog

This course will introduce students to the fundamental methods for cataloging and analyzing ancient pottery. Pottery is one of the most durable and common finds on archaeological excavations and surveys. Due to changes that occurred over time and across regions in production methods, vase shapes, and decorative styles, pots serve as an essential tool for establishing regional chronologies and dating archaeological sites. Pottery assemblages also provide insight into broader theoretical questions related to object production, trade networks, stylistic preferences, and activities in which pots were used, reused, or deposited. By working hands-on with the Philippides Study Collection of ancient Greek vases housed in the Department of Classics, students will learn 1) why and how archaeologists catalog pottery; and 2) how various methods of pottery analysis can be used to address complex research questions. Because the majority of the pots in the Philippides collection date to the Archaic to Hellenistic Periods of Ancient Greece (6th-1st centuries BCE), the course will place par

CLASSICS 300 or 301 Completion of Classics 300 Greek Archaeology or Classics 301 Roman Archaeology. Restricted to Classics majors or instructor approval. Interested Classics Minors should email Professor Hogue.