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Assessed Seminar: Prehistoric Funerary - ARC00095H

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  • Department: Archaeology
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Aimee Little
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module summary

This module will provide you with a broad overview of early burial practices in Europe - commencing with the earliest known evidence for burials in the Palaeolithic, right up until the start of the Neolithic. You will become familiar with a broad range of funerary behaviours and traditions, upskilling in funerary terminology, gaining confidence in discussing important chronological events in the human funerary record. Diverse types of empirical evidence, such as body treatment, pathology, landscape, grave goods and animal remains will form the basis of debates about prehistoric hunter-gatherer mortuary behaviours.

Related modules

A directed option - students must pick an Assessed Seminar module and have a choice of which to take

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24

Module aims

Assessed Seminars seek to develop an understanding of a specialist topic (particularly a critical understanding of the key themes, approaches and opinions). In doing so students should be able to improve their knowledge of the subject area (through reading and preparation for their own seminar, their seminar contributions and involvement in the seminars) and also have the opportunity to develop their skills in chairing a seminar, presenting material and being involved in discussion (including thinking on their feet about the topic being discussed, how to engage interest in the topic and stimulate debate).

Specifically this module aims to:

  • Develop knowledge and understanding of the varied sources of evidence for European Palaeolithic and Mesolithic funerary archaeology
  • Develop a critical perspective on interpretations of prehistoric funerary archaeology from an interdisciplinary perspective and through study of a range of problems in the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic of Europe and areas of the archaeological record

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Demonstrate that they are familiar with the literature on prehistoric funerary archaeology
  • Exhibit a firm understanding of the theoretical, ethical and methodological issues in prehistoric funerary archaeology
  • Explore a range of case studies and the interpretations of them
  • Prepare a worksheet which sets out key reading and issues for presentation, debate and discussion
  • Chair a seminar, engage interest in a topic, stimulate debate and structure discussion
  • Present on other subjects within the general theme and contribute informed ideas and information to the other seminars

Module content

In a series of lectures and workshops, students will become familiar with the theme of the module. Students will then choose a topic around which they will design and chair a seminar. Seminars and class discussion will encourage a critical approach to the literature and provide preparation for chairing and presenting.

Throughout prehistory, variation in people’s attitudes and behaviours towards burying their dead provides insights into the diverse cultural traditions that existed and helps inform our own sense of humanity. In this module we will explore some of the earliest evidence for burials in Europe - taking in a broad expanse of time, from the Early Palaeolithic right through to the start of the Neolithic. During the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic we see the earliest evidence for ritual funerary behaviour and the so-called emergence of cemeteries. Evidence for Neanderthal burials has been contested, making this another important subject to explore in-depth. You will draw on diverse types of archaeological evidence, including burial location (e.g. caves, waterways etc) the treatment of the body (inhumation, disarticulation, cannibalism, cremation etc), grave goods (e.g. tools, pendants, figurines) and the inclusion of animal remains (as complete skeletons, specific body parts, as structural or grave good elements etc).

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Chairing		 1 hours 25
Essay/coursework
Contribution to seminars		 N/A 10
Essay/coursework
Presentation 1		 0.17 hours 20
Essay/coursework
Presentation 2		 0.17 hours 20
Essay/coursework
Worksheet		 N/A 25

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

Students will hand in worksheets before consolidation week (in Week 5) so staff can work out a schedule for students chairing and delivering presentations. Students will need to hand in presentation slides by week 8, either with pre-recorded narration or without if they opt to do it live. Student-run seminars will run from Week 9 to Week 11 where students will chair a 1hr session. Within these seminars, contributions from students will be assessed.

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Pre-recorded presentation 1		 0.17 hours 25
Essay/coursework
Pre-recorded presentation 2		 0.17 hours 25
Essay/coursework
Short report on best practice in chairing		 N/A 25
Essay/coursework
Worksheet		 N/A 25

Module feedback

Formative: oral feedback from module leaders in class

Summative: written feedback within the University's turnaround policy

Indicative reading

Bello, S.M. et al. (2015) ‘Upper Palaeolithic ritualistic cannibalism at Gough’s Cave (Somerset, UK): The human remains from head to toe’, Journal of human evolution, 82, pp. 170–189.

Gravel-Miguel, C. et al. (2017) ‘The Breaking of Ochred Pebble Tools as Part of Funerary Ritual in the Arene Candide Epigravettian Cemetery’, Cambridge Archaeological Journal, pp. 1–20.

Pettitt, P. (2013) The Palaeolithic origins of human burial. Routledge.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.