Landscape II: Themes in the Prehistoric Landscape - ARC00026M

«Back to module search

Module summary

This module adopts a thematic approach to the study of important topics in pre and prehistoric landscapes. While focussing on examples from prehistory, we assess case studies from the Roman period as well. So hopefully, there is something for everyone. Those with interest in later, historical periods have also found the integrated approach useful. The fusion of traditional archaeological data with environmental evidence and the use of historical-ecological frameworks is of interest to many.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Spring Term 2022-23

Module aims

• provide a detailed understanding of key themes within the prehistoric landscape

• engage with the analysis and interpretation of different activities within the cultural landscape and apply theoretical paradigms

• encourage the critical review of published work on a wide variety of landscapes from all over the world

Module learning outcomes

• achieve a critical review of interpretative and theoretical approaches to prehistoric landscapes within the UK and Europe

• To gain an understanding how the landscape has been manipulated over the last ten millennia

• To understand a number of key themes through the exploration of varied landscape types

Module content

This module considers a number of landscape theoretical and methodological questions via examples running from the prehistoric to Roman periods. The module comprises a mixture of lectures and seminars and employs case studies from across the Mediterranean and the UK (with students also encouraged to look for examples from across the world) in the assessment of important themes in landscape archaeology, such as human-environment interaction, ideas of marginality, and the nature of power and ideology in the landscape (including rock art). Please note that many students have taken this module without having taken the autumn term module “Concepts of Landscapes”.

As previous students have noted, the lecturer is always ready to discuss any methods, themes issues that were covered in the first term.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Module feedback

Feedback will be available within 6 weeks

Indicative reading

Bradley, R., 2000. An Archaeology of Natural Places. Routledge, London

David, B. & Thomas, J. (eds.) 2008 Handbook of Landscape Archaeology. California. Left Coast Press.