Key facts
UNE unit code: ARPA302
*You are viewing the 2024 version of this unit which may be subject to change in future.
- Not offered in 2024
- Armidale Campus
- Yes
- No
- No
- 6
Unit information
From the expanses of inland deserts and coastal rainforests to the walls of ancient caves, Australia is home to a vast array of sites with great archaeological and cultural significance. This unit explores the Indigenous history of the Australian continent before the arrival of Europeans, as told through diverse archaeological evidence. You will begin with the first colonisation of Australia in the world-wide context of human expansion out of Africa more than 50,000 years ago. You will then turn to human responses to major upheavals such as rising sea levels, droughts lasting millennia, and ameliorations in climate in the last 10,000 years.
The unit concludes by exploring how societies differentiated to produce the diverse Aboriginal peoples of modern-day Australia.
Intensive schools
There are no intensive schools required for this unit.
Enrolment rules
Notes
Please refer to the student handbook for current details on this unit.
Unit coordinator(s)
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
- understand and apply appropriate scholarly, theoretical and scientific principles and concepts to archaeological problems;
- describe in broad and comparative terms the archaeology of a number of chronological periods in Greater Australia;
- interpret human behaviour across space at a variety of scales, including within sites (through excavation or survey data) and across landscapes (between sites);
- understand the cultural values and sensitivities of archaeological materials for different cultural groups;
- exhibit an understanding of the historical, social, cultural, political and economic contexts of archaeology and archaeological practice in Australia; and
- demonstrate well-developed research and writing skills in the planning and execution of an essay.
Assessment information
Assessments are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
| Title | Must Complete | Weight | Offerings | Assessment Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 | Yes | 25% | All offerings | Multiple choice quiz No. Words: 1000 |
| Assessment 2 | Yes | 25% | All offerings | Multiple choice quiz No. Words: 1000 |
| Assessment 3 | Yes | 50% | All offerings | Essay No. Words: 3000 |
Learning resources
Textbooks are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
The Archaeology of Ancient Australia
ISBN: 9780415338110
Hiscock, P., Macmillan 2007
Text refers to: All offerings
Note: Recommended material is held in the University Library — purchase is optional.
Deep Time Dreaming: Uncovering Ancient Australia
ISBN: 9781760640446
Griffiths, B., Black Inc. 2018
Text refers to: All offerings
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