ANTH 611 – Nautical Archaeology
Fall Semester 2009: Syllabus
Download Word Document file of this Syllabus
Tuesday and Thursday, 2:20-3:35
Anthropology Building – Classroom 130
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00-5:00
Instructor: Dr. Cemal Pulak
Office: Anthropology Building, Room 128, Tel: 845-6697
This course is intended to give entering graduate students in the Nautical Archaeology Program a thorough introduction to the history and theoretical basics of nautical archaeology as a discipline, to fundamental concepts in nautical science relevant to the study of the history of seafaring, and to expose them to key developments in the history of ancient seafaring.
The course is taught in lecture format, with grading based on two mid-term examinations and a final examination, each of which counts for a third of the final grade. The final examination is not cumulative. Extra credit assignments will NOT be offered.
Grading will be assigned as follows:
90% to 100% - “A”
80% to 89% - “B”
70% to 79% - “C”
60% to 69% - “D”
59% and below – “F”
The basic readings below for this course will be on reserve in the Nautical Archaeology Program Library:
G.F. Bass, Beneath the Seven Seas. Thames and Hudson: London, 2005.
G.F. Bass, A History of Seafaring Based on Underwater Archaeology. Thames and Hudson: London, 1972.
Crumlin-Pedersen, O. and O. Olsen. The Skuldelev Ships I, 97-304. The Viking Ship Museum: Roskilde, 2002
Crumlin-Pedersen, O. and A. Trakadas. Hjortspring, 11-53; 187-233. The Viking Ship Museum: Roskilde, 2003.
J. Delgado, Encyclopedia of Underwater and Maritime Archaeology. Yale University Press: New Haven and London, 1997.
R.A. Gould, Archaeology and the Social History of Ships. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 2000.
J.S. Illsley, An Indexed Bibliography of Underwater Archaeology and Related Topics. International Maritime Archaeology Series, Vol. III. University of Oxford: Towbridge, 1996.
K. Muckelroy, Archaeology Under Water, An Atlas of the World’s Submerged Sites. New York and London, 1980.
P. Throckmorton, The Sea Remembers, Shipwrecks and Archaeology from Homer’s Greece to the Rediscovery of the Titanic. Weidenfeld and Nicolson: New York, 1987.
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Tentative Lecture Schedule
I. Nautical Archaeology: Discipline, Techniques and Technology
Week 1
September 1 Introduction
September 3 Survey, excavation, and mapping techniques
II. Ships and Seafaring in the Bronze Age Mediterranean
Week 2
September 8 Conservation, reconstruction, and analysis
September 10 Predynastic Egyptian ships and seafaring
Week 3
September 15 Khufu’s, Dashur and Lisht boats
September 17 Bronze-Age Mediterranean ships and seafaring
Week 4
September 22 The Thera Frescoes
September 24 Late Bronze Age shipwrecks, Cape Gelidonya and Uluburun shipwrecks
Week 5
September 29 The Uluburun shipwreck (continued)
III. Ships and Seafaring during the Archaic and Classical Periods
October 1 Bon Porté, Giglio, and Porticello shipwrecks
Week 6
October 6 First examination
October 8 Ma’agan Michael and Kyrenia shipwrecks
Week 7
October 13 Early Mediterranean warships, ancient anchors
IV. Roman Ships and Seafaring
October 15 Roman harbors, Roman merchantmen, Madrague de Giens shipwreck
V. Early Medieval Ships and Seafaring in the Mediterranean
Week 8
October 20 Byzantine ships and shipwrecks
October 22 The Yassıada 7th-century shipwreck
VI. Late Medieval Ships and Seafaring in the Mediterranean
Week 9
October 27 Middle-Late Byzantine shipwrecks
October 29 The Serçe Limanı shipwreck
Week 10
November 3 The Serçe Limanı shipwreck
November 5 Second examination
Week 11
November 10 Early Scandinavian ships. Hjortspring, Nydam, Sutton Hoo
VII. Scandinavian and Early Medieval Ships and Seafaring in Northern Europe
November 12 Early Viking ships; Kvalsund, Oseberg, Gokstadt
Week 12
November 17 Skuldelev ships
November 19 Cogs and Hulks
VIII. Late Medieval Ships and Seafaring in Northern Europe
Week 13
November 24 Late Medieval ships and Medieval warships
November 26 Thanksgiving holiday
Week 14
December 1 Late Medieval ships and Medieval
December 3 Carracks; Mary Rose
Week 15
December 8 Catch up day, questions and final exam preparation
December 10 Reading Day, no classes
Wednesday, December 16 1:00 – 3:00: Final Examination
Missing exams and classes
Material will be covered in class lectures that is not in the basic reading – class attendance is very important. You are responsible for being prepared for each exam. Absence from exams will be accepted for students who have legitimate excuses as defined in the Texas A&M University Handbook for Regulations. These include:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Life, Services for Students with Disabilities in Room 126 of the Koldus Building, or call 845-1637.
TAMU Plagiarism Policy
The handouts used in this course are copyrighted. By "handouts," I mean all materials generated for this class, which include but are not limited to syllabi, quizzes, exams, lab problems, in class materials, review sheets, and additional problem sets. Because these materials are copyrighted, you do not have the right to copy the handouts, unless I expressly grant permission. As commonly defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as one's own the ideas, words, writings, etc., which belong to another. In accordance with this definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own, even if you should have the permission of that person. Plagiarism is one of the worst academic sins, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without which research cannot be safely communicated. If you have any questions regarding plagiarism, please consult the latest issue of the Texas A&M University Student Rules, under the section “Scholastic Dishonesty.” The Student Rules are available on-line: http://student.rules.tamu.edu.
Academic Integrity Statement
Aggie Honor Code: “An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do.” The Honor Council Rules and Procedures can be found on the website of the Office of the Aggie Honor System: http://www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor.