Archaeology Major
Major Description
The Major in Archaeology trains students to analyze and reconstruct past societies and their environments through their material remains. Students engage the past in ways that can address modern questions, such as what drives culture change, what creates resilient societies, the role of archaeology in construction of modern identities, and how we can rediscover sustainable technologies meet climate challenges. The major is fundamentally interdisciplinary and hands-on. Faculty specialize in a range of geographic regions and methodologies. Students apply analytical and interpretive frameworks from the humanities, sciences and social sciences, with many courses involving lab or experimental components and the opportunity to work directly with artifacts and eco-facts. Archaeological fieldwork provides experiences in excavation techniques and landscape survey.
Majors may pursue either the standard major or the archaeological science track in which they specialize in a particular analytical method, such as experimental archaeology, archaeological residue analysis, environmental archaeology, zooarchaeology, materials analysis, 3D modeling, or GIS/spatial analysis.
The Archaeology program draws students who are excited by ancient cultures, and who enjoy interdisciplinary research that invites them to apply a variety of methods from the sciences, social sciences, and the humanities to a range of material data. Students enjoy the process of making new discoveries in fieldwork, and the opportunity for extensive hands-on work with ancient objects from archaeological sites or Wesleyan’s own collections. Archaeology students work critically, creatively, and cross-culturally.
The multidisciplinary nature of archaeology ensures that graduates develop the ability to document, research, and interpret both humanistic and scientific data at a high level of detail. Because Archaeology is also community-oriented, connecting people to their pasts, majors learn to translate detailed academic research into human stories that can be widely shared, which makes them strong writers and communicators. The skills they develop prepare them for any career track, but they are often drawn to careers in law, public policy, environmental research, natural resource development, historic preservation, museum curation, education, and cultural heritage management.
Admission to the Major
To apply to become a major in archaeology, a student must have taken or be currently enrolled in a Gateway course and earn a grade of B or better. Students intending to pursue the archaeological science track in the major must identify which scientific method(s) they intend to study and apply to their capstone research. Following electronic application, admission will be determined by a meeting of the ARCP faculty.
Gateway Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARCP201 | Art and Archaeology of the Bronze Age Mediterranean | 1 |
| ARCP203 | The Secrets of Ancient Bones: Discovering Ancient DNA and Archaeology | 1 |
| ARCP204 | Introduction to Archaeology | 1 |
| ARCP214 | Survey of Greek Archaeology and Art | 1 |
| ARCP223 | Survey of Roman Archaeology and Art | 1 |
| ARCP260 | Art and Archaeology of Ancient India | 1 |
Major Requirements
The major in archaeology consists of at least nine different courses numbered 200 and above, in addition to a capstone project (senior essay or thesis).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway Course | 1 | |
| Area Courses (1 course in each area) | 4 | |
| Anthropology | ||
| Art History | ||
| Classical Civilization | ||
| Methods | ||
| Archeological Theory in Action Symposium (two required) * | 1 | |
| Electives (in ARCP or related discipline) ** | 3 | |
| Senior Essay/Thesis | 1-2 | |
| Recommended Fieldwork | ||
| Total Hours | 10-11 | |
- *
recommended junior and senior fall
- **
One course in science or research methods originating outside the ARCP Program may be applied toward the major by those pursuing the archaeological science track, provided the student can demonstrate its application toward their capstone or other archaeological research projects. This course must be declared upon admission to the major.
The archaeology major and minor was revised in spring of 2021. Majors declaring prior to Spring 2022 may opt to follow the old pathway in which the Thinking Through Archaeology requirement was met by a single course with that designation; those declaring in spring 2022 or later will follow the new major.
Anthropology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARCP203 | The Secrets of Ancient Bones: Discovering Ancient DNA and Archaeology | 1 |
| ARCP204 | Introduction to Archaeology | 1 |
| ARCP257 | Environmental Archaeology | 1 |
| ARCP267 | Museum Collections: Ethical Considerations and Practical Applications | 1 |
| ARCP291 | East Asian Archaeology | 1 |
Art History
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARCP260 | Art and Archaeology of Ancient India | 1 |
| ARCP380 | Relic and Image: The Archaeology and Social History of Indian Buddhism | 1 |
| ARCP382 | Numismatics and the Archaeology of Money | 1 |
| ARCP385 | The Indian Temple | 1 |
Classical Studies
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARCP201 | Art and Archaeology of the Bronze Age Mediterranean | 1 |
| ARCP214 | Survey of Greek Archaeology and Art | 1 |
| ARCP223 | Survey of Roman Archaeology and Art | 1 |
| ARCP234 | Art and Society in Ancient Pompeii | 1 |
| ARCP255 | The Archaeology of Identities in the Ancient Mediterranean and Beyond | 1 |
| ARCP285 | Off with its Pedestal! The Greek Vase as Art and Artifact | 1 |
| CLST244 | Pyramids and Funeral Pyres: Death and the Afterlife in Greece and Egypt | 1 |
| CLST390 | Making Rome: Monuments of Life in Ancient Rome | 1 |
Methods
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARCP257 | Environmental Archaeology | 1 |
| ARCP267 | Museum Collections: Ethical Considerations and Practical Applications | 1 |
| ARCP350 | Animals in Archaeology | 1 |
| ARCP352 | Ancient Medicine: Potions, Poisons, and Phytochemistry in the Ancient Mediterranean | 1 |
| ARCP382 | Numismatics and the Archaeology of Money | 1 |
| ARCP285 | Off with its Pedestal! The Greek Vase as Art and Artifact | 1 |
Fieldwork
Archaeological fieldwork, typically carried out over the summer, is an excellent way to acquire hands-on experience and training in archaeological methods and excavation techniques. It also allows students to explore the history and material culture of a region in greater depth and, in some cases, even to conduct research on primary materials from a site that can then serve as the basis for a senior thesis or capstone project.
Fieldwork opportunities are offered both by our Wesleyan faculty as well as through a number of programs worldwide. For more information and a list of archaeological field programs, visit wesleyan.edu/archprog/fieldwork/. Excavation experience is strongly encouraged, and completion of an approved archaeological field school program may be substituted for the methods and theory requirement.
Courses for Non-Majors
Since there are no ARCP courses with prerequisites, all of our courses are suitable for non-majors.
Student Learning Goals
Archaeology is the discipline most directly concerned with the understanding and explanation of past societies through the study of their material remains. Archaeology majors are expected to master four of seven themes or topics:
- History and theory of the discipline
- The nature of archaeological evidence
- The construction of archaeological arguments
- Chronology
- The materiality of social, political, and economic organization
- The intersection of archaeological evidence with past and present identities
- Scientific approaches to archaeological analysis
Majors are also required to take at least one course in each of the departments that contribute to the archaeology program (anthropology, art history, classical civilization) in order to expose them to different disciplinary approaches to the study of material culture.
Study Abroad
Study abroad is possible at a number of institutions with well-established archaeology programs, some of which include tours of archaeological sites in addition to coursework. Wesleyan students have recently participated in semesters abroad at these institutions:
- University College London (UK)
- St. Andrews University (Scotland, UK)
- Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome (Italy)
- College Year in Athens (Greece)
Interested students should consult the Office of Study Abroad for details about transferable credit.
Additional Information
- We encourage students to take the Gateway courses first as these provide the best entry points into the discipline. However, as we have no prerequisites for entry to archaeology courses, it is possible for students to complete the requirements in variable order.
- With prior approval from the chair of the archaeology program, the methods and theory requirement may be fulfilled by academic credit from a field school program. We strongly encourage minors to gain fieldwork experience in archaeology.
- Upon the discretion of the archaeology chair, one non-fieldwork archaeology credit may be transferred in to cover a Gateway or area requirement.
- No more than two courses cross-listed with the student’s major will be counted toward the archaeology minor.
Honors
See Capstone Experience below.
Capstone Experience
In their senior year, ARCP majors are required to undertake an original research project culminating in either a one-semester essay ARCP403 or two-semester thesis project ARCP409 - ARCP410. These projects should be centered upon the analysis and interpretation of material remains, and may include work on objects in the archaeology and anthropology collections, materials tied to field projects of a Wesleyan faculty member, or experimental approaches to archaeological data. Students should begin planning their research focus together with their faculty tutor during their junior year, and should plan to have fully defined their data set by the summer prior to their senior year.
Students pursuing honors both in archaeology and in a second major are required to take at least one of their two required thesis tutorials in the archaeology program (i.e., either ARCP409 or ARCP410).
Honors Evaluation
In order to be considered for Honors, each thesis will be evaluated by two ARCP readers, of whom one may be the tutor. In circumstances where a student is submitting the thesis for multiple majors, or is drawing on techniques or methods which require expertise from outside ARCP faculty, a third reader from outside the department shall be included in addition to the two from within ARCP. Readers will be determined by the tutor in consultation with the student by the beginning of spring semester of senior year.
Readers shall write a short evaluation of the work, and offer an estimation of its merit in the form No Honors/Honors/High Honors. In cases where there is a disagreement between Readers about whether a work merits Honors, a third ARCP Reader will serve as a tie-breaker.