Bi8611 Palaeoethnology

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2012
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Jiří Svoboda, DrSc. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Sandra Sázelová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Martin Holub (lecturer)
Mgr. Martin Novák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Jaroslav Malina, DrSc.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. PhDr. Jiří Svoboda, DrSc.
Supplier department: Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Mon 10:00–11:50 Bp1
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 main objectives of this course and the related research line is to define the theoretical bases of reconstructing past human societies, with emphasis on the hunter-gatherers. Our approach combines the anthropological, environmental, experimental, and ethnological records. In detail, we focus on interdisciplinary analysis and interpretation of selected "model areas" such as the Dolní Věstonice - Pavlov - Milovice area and Northern Bohemia as case studies of the past populations, or actual Siberian, Tierra del Fuego and Ethiopia evidence as an example of the living populations. At the end of the course the students should be able to: distinguish between and define the main disciplines - paleoethnology, ethography, ethnoarcheology; recognize and interpret the trails of society in the landscape; analyze the settlement and settlement complex distribution; interpret the preserved artifacts in the context of industrial processes and livelihood acquirement; describe symbolism and religious rituals; analyze the contacts between populations and ethnics (ethnicity and territoriality issues).
Syllabus
  • • Binford, L. R. 1978: Nunamiut Ethnoarchaeology. New York: Academic Press. 1.Terminological definitions: paleoethnology, ethnology/ethnography, ethnoarchaeology.
  • 2.History of research (19th century, intermediary period, impact of procesualism, actual state of research), models (continuous, discontinuous), methods (fieldwork, literary studies, collections, experiment).
  • 3-4. Experimental approach (theoretical and practical frame
  • 5.-6. Human society in landscape, settlement analysis, seasonality, territoriality, orientation in the landscapes, ´cognitive map´ construction .
  • 7.-8.Nurture, production processes, artifacts
  • 9. Symbolism and Rituals.
  • 10.Ethnicity (self-identification, contacts, cultural changes, acculturation).
  • 11.-12. Ethnoarchaeology in practise: Selected examples
Literature
    required literature
  • Jelínek, J. 2006: Střecha nad hlavou. Kořeny nejstarší architektury a bydlení. Brno: Vutium.
  • Svoboda, Jiří, Ložek, V., Vlček, E. 1996: Hunters between East and West: The Paleolithic of Moravia. New York – London: Plenum.
  • Svoboda, J. 1999: Čas lovců. Brno: Archeologický ústav Brno AVČR.
  • Svoboda, J., Sázelová, S., Kosintsev, P. A., Jankovská, V., Holub, M. 2011: Resources and spatial analysis at actual Nenets campsites: Ethnoarchaeological implications. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 30 (1), 30 – 43.
    recommended literature
  • Binford, L. R. 1978: Nunamiut Ethnoarchaeology. New York: Academic Press
  • David, N., Kramer, C. 2001: Ethnoarchaeology in Action. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Gould, R. 1980: Living Archaeology. London – NewYork: Cambridge University Press.
  • Johnson, S. (ed.) 2012: Indigenous knowledge. Cambridge: The White Horse Press.
  • Krupnik, I. 1993: Arctic adaptations: Native whalers and reindeer herders of Northern Eurasia. Hanover – London: University press of New England.
  • Willerslev, R. 2007: Soul Hunters. Hunting, animism, and personhood among the Siberian Yukhagirs. Berkley – Los Angeles – London: University of California Press.
Teaching methods
Theoretical preparation in form of lectures complemented with class discussion.
Assessment methods
The course is concluded with an oral exam.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2010 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2012, recent)
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