Bi2424 Field research methods

Faculty of Science
Spring 2021
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Daniel Angelo Gaudio, PhD (lecturer)
Mgr. Mikoláš Jurda, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Tomáš Mořkovský (lecturer)
Mgr. Martin Novák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
RNDr. Robin Pěnička, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Mikoláš Jurda, Ph.D.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: Mgr. Mikoláš Jurda, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Mon 1. 3. to Fri 14. 5. Mon 14:00–15:50 online_B4
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The goal is to theoretically prepare the students for active participation in the anthropological field research. The student will be introduced to the field survey in terms of legislative and ethic framework, planning and practical realization together with the golden standard documenting and analytical methods including the interpretation of the obtained results. Relation between the research context and available methods and employment of the up-to-date 3D digital methods will be emphasized.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, students should be able to: understand the legislative framework necessary in the field research and depositing of osteological remains and archaeological findings;
participate in the field research organisation and realization understand the specifics of the field research in different stages of human history from the Paleolithic to present;
comprehend the principles of a direct and indirect dating, geophysical survey, assessment of the findings and taphonomy analyses and interpret the achieved results;
perform standard documentation of the uncovered findings in various contexts and to understand advanced methods of 3D digital documentation;
describe the laboratory processing of the findings with respect to current practice and preservation
Syllabus
  • 1. Legal and ethical aspects of field research and manipulation with human and animal skeletal remains and archaeological findings. (Tomáš Mořkovský)
  • 2. Field research of paleolithic and mesolithic (history of methodical approaches, specifics, and problems, artifacts/ecofacts/naturfacts, archaeological locality, methods of surface area research, multilayer sites in loess/cave and under an overhang, basic documentation of finds and finding situations). (Martin Novák)
  • 3. Methods of field research from the neolithic to the modern period (history of methodological approaches, specifics, modern approaches, geophysical measurement/imaging). (Robin Pěnička)
  • 4. Evaluation of finding data (planographic documentation, the density of findings, and their spatial distribution in the site, GIS). (Martin Novák)
  • 5. Basic field documentation of osteological findings. (Robin Pěnička)
  • 6. Advanced field documentation of osteological findings (photogrammetry, aeronautical archaeology, and documentation, 3D documentation of the finding situation, documentation outside the visible spectrum). (Mikoláš Jurda)
  • 7. Dating of Pleistocene and Holocene findings (basic methods of indirect dating: stratigraphy/biostratigraphy, climatic indicators; basic methods of direct dating: isotopic dating, thermoluminescence, etc.). (Martin Novák)
  • 8. Taphonomy of Paleolithic and Mesolithic osteological material (fossilization, influence of basic abiotic and biotic agents on paleoanthropological and archeozoological material). (Daniel Angelo Gaudio)
  • 9. Taphonomy of skeletal findings from the Neolithic to the present, man as a significant taphonomic agent, taphonomy of funerals and unusual finding situations. (Daniel Angelo Gaudio)
  • 10. Complex analysis of the finding situation, in situ analytical sampling and bioarcheology (virtual taphonomy, sampling). (Mikoláš Jurda)
  • 11. Preparation, documentation and archiving of osteological material. (Tomáš Mořkovský)
Literature
    required literature
  • Binford, L. R. 1964: A consideration of archaeological research design. American Antiquity 29, 425-441.
  • Lyman, R. L. 1994: Vertebrate taphonomy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Svoboda, J. A. 2014: Předkové. Evoluce člověka. Praha: Academia.
  • Šída, P. 2012: Metody terénního výzkumu a vyhodnocení paleolitických a mezolitických situací. Hradec Králové: Filozofická fakulta.
    recommended literature
  • Cziesla, E. 1990: Siedlungsdynamik auf Steinzeitlichen Fundplätzen. Holos, Bonn.
  • Kroll, E.M., Price, T.D. (eds.) 1991: The Interpretation of Archaeological Spatial Patterning. Plenum Press, New York – London.
  • Binford, L. R. 1981: Bones: Ancient men and modern myths. New York: Academic Press.
Teaching methods
Theoretical preparation in the form of lectures accompanied by discussion with students. The course is mostly taught in Czech, some lectures are in English. The theoretical part of each lecture will be recorded through recording in Microsoft Teams. The record will be available to students of the subject in the Study Materials in the IS for the lesson period specified in the Interactive syllabus.
Assessment methods
The course is concluded with a written test. The test consists of 30 questions with 1-4 correct answers, determining the level of knowledge acquired throughout the semester. For each correct answer, the relative score is added (0.25–1, depending on the number of correct answers in the given question). For each selected wrong answer, one-third of a point is deducted. This means that the whole point for one question will be awarded only for choosing all the correct answers and only them. A minimum of 20 points is required to pass the test. Depending on a current situation, testing will take place either in distant form or in person.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
General note: Předmět je vyučován převážně česky, některé přednášky jsou v angličtině.
Teacher's information
The course is mostly taught in Czech, some lectures are in English.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2021/Bi2424