In this course you will learn the various ways archaeologists use whole and broken pottery pieces to reconstruct the past. We will survey some of the most interesting recent findings and learn how to analyze pottery using museum collections. Topics we will cover include how archaeologists classify pottery, how pottery is used to date archaeological sites, how archaeologists reconstruct pottery production and exchange, what pottery designs can teach us about past social life and belief systems, and what the use of ceramics in present-day societies can teach us about the pottery found at archaeological sites. The course includes two hours laboratory practicum per week.
Professor Scott Ortman
See the University Catalog for specifics, recommendations, and prerequisites.
