| CODE | ARC5012 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Archaeological Fieldwork Design, Management and Reporting | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Classics and Archaeology | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Excavation is a small part of a larger multi-disciplinary framework of archaeological practice. It includes pre-excavation fieldwork design and post-excavation analysis, that incorporate budgeting and desk-based research with practical work that may involve watching briefs (or monitoring), limited excavation (often part of an operation carried out for non-archaeological reasons), and the production of standardized records and other documentation, including interim and final reports; the whole procedure is carried out within legal restrictions and terms of reference issued by state regulatory bodies. The study-unit is designed to equip students with the knowledge of the procedure to follow from project conception to reporting and publication, and will consider professional obligations, including issues of Health and Safety and risk assessments. Study-Unit Aims: The broad aim of the study-unit is to provide students with a sound framework to design and implement archaeological fieldwork. More specifically, this is achieved by addressing the following aims: - To familiarise students with key cultural heritage legislation and operating procedures affecting archaeological fieldwork, with reference to the Maltese and international context; - To allow students to design archaeological fieldwork operations, that include human resources, budget requirements, and equipment, according to different scenarios. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - describe the legal systems and frameworks regulating archaeological practice; - research and analyse the principal operating standards for archaeological practice; - identify key roles in fieldwork operations and the communication strategies employed between parties; - identify the type of health and safety regulations, indemnity, and risk assessment that is applicable for archaeological fieldwork. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - design an archaeological field project that goes from pre-fieldwork to dissemination of results; - prepare progress and other technical reports; - read and comprehend architectural plans and development permits; - draw up a budget for an archaeological field project; - draw up a risk assessment for an archaeological field project; - adapt and apply ideas, principles and approaches learnt to a variety of situations. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Mifsud Bonnici, U. 2008. An Introduction to Cultural Heritage Law. Malta: Midsea Books. - Operating Procedures and Standards for Archaeology Services (OPSAS). 2013. Malta: Superintendence of Cultural Heritage. - Cultural Heritage Act (2002). - Chartered Institute for Field Archaeologists (UK) - CIfA Regulations, Standards and Guidelines. - Tassie, G., Owens, J., Steward, L. 2010. Standards of archaeological excavation: a field guide to the methodology, recording techniques and conventions. Egyptian Cultural Heritage Organisation. |
|||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
|
|||||||||
| LECTURER/S | ||||||||||
|
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
||||||||||