AR2AOB: Ancient Objects: Materials and Meanings

Module code: AR2AOB

Module provider: Archaeology; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: 5

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Hella Eckardt , email: h.eckardt@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 3 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to provide you with a broad-based understanding of the skills, techniques and interpretive frameworks specific to the study of artefacts: i.e. how artefacts are recorded, analysed and interpreted as a cornerstone of archaeological practice. The module will expose you to a wide range of artefacts covering at least two different chronological periods (e.g. prehistoric, Roman and/or medieval), grounded in hands-on teaching and assessment techniques, based around the Department’s teaching collections. There are also options covering methodological aspects (e.g. the illustration of artefacts and/or the application of cutting-edge scientific techniques to record and interpret ancient objects). In addition to developing your expertise in the handling, recording and analysis of artefacts, the module will challenge you to think about how the study of artefacts can contribute to an understanding of fundamental archaeological themes such as social identity, cultural interaction, technology and trading systems in the past. In addition, the module will help you to prepare for the analysis of data in your dissertations. This module includes a museum field trip.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Identify and make informed observations about a variety of artefactual data;
2. Prepare archaeological illustrations of artefacts and/or summarise artefact data using standard visualisation techniques (e.g. graphs);
3. Produce reports on objects, assemblage compositions and their archaeological implications;
4. Demonstrate an awareness of how scientific techniques contribute to the archaeological interpretation of artefacts.

Module content

This module introduces you to a wide variety of archaeological materials from different periods. You will choose two out of a number of practical options: each option is taught in a four week block. These option blocks may include prehistoric lithics, small finds and/or pottery, the illustration of objects (including hand-drawn and digital techniques) and/or the application of scientific techniques to reconstruct the composition, technology and biography of ancient artefacts. Data analysis is covered in a module-wide session, and the challenges of using artefacts for museum displays, education and/or outreach are covered in a museum-based field trip. All elements will involve the practise of core techniques of observation, description, recording, measurement, analysis and interpretation of primary archaeological data.

The module will also give you broad experience in problem-solving through exercises in illustrating, analysing and interpreting artefactual material. Team-working skills will be developed through practical classes, and experience will be obtained in writing laboratory reports. Numeracy will be enhanced through data gathering, measurement, and/or statistical analysis in the artefactual practicals, through exercises in measurement, scale, and geometry provided by the illustration classes, and in a data analysis session. Skills in visual analysis and data visualisation will also be developed, as will knowledge of analytical techniques and the challenges of using artefacts for museum displays, education and/or outreach.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module is taught through a mixture of module-wide sessions and small group practical blocks: