Full Time Archaeology

Archaeology

Why choose Archaeology?
Have you ever wondered what happened before history began? Interested in the earthworks on the golf course? Archaeology is the subject that studies the latter in order to provide answers to the former. It is the subject that has taken the story of mankind back to the Ice Age and beyond using simply what people left behind whether it is their skeletons, temples, or knives and forks.
We teach the course by looking at a huge range of periods and sites. British prehistory is covered, everything from the Palaeolithic all the way through to the Middle Ages. There is the unfamiliar such as the Neolithic village of Skara Brae up in Orkney; Glastonbury Lake village from the Iron Age; and the deserted medieval village of Wharram Percy in Lincolnshire. And, of course, there is familiar such as Stonehenge, Hadrian's Wall and Sutton Hoo. But we also look further afield. We study not only Pompeii but also the Mayan village of Ceren in El Salvador that was also buried by volcanic ash. We look at the wonderful Palaeolithic cave paintings from Spain and France and the remarkable excavations at Abu Hureyra in Syria that has told us so much about the origins of agriculture. There is even an entire unit on the Ancient Egyptians
Key Features of Archaeology at Hills Road:
· Balance of assessment including examinations and coursework.
· Wide variety of skills developed. including IT. and essay/report writing.
· Huge variety of periods and sites covered.
· Fieldwork and trips to sites and museums, for instance, a day out with our local field unit; trips to West Stow and to Sutton Hoo, the Anglo-Saxon burial ground; and visits to Hadstock, the Roman tombs of Bartlow Towers and Saffron Walden.
· A dedicated teaching room and a variety of teaching methods including debates and independent research.
· Visiting speakers, e.g. Dr Sally-Ann Ashton from The Fitzwilliam Museum.
· Experienced and enthusiastic staff.
Course Outline - (Awarding body: AQA) AS Level Units
Unit 1: The nature of the religions and rituals of past societies with a special study of the culture of Ancient Egypt.
Unit 2: How archaeologists go about their work. This includes a study of the techniques used in surveying and excavation as well as those related to the post-excavation process, such as dating.
Advanced (A2) Level Units
Unit 3: A study of various themes from world archaeology, namely, how people settled landscapes; the development of societies; and past economies and material culture.
Unit 4: An archaeological investigation ? a personal study of your own choice.
A level results for Archaeology
Resources and Facilities
· Text books and workbooks for each student
· Excellent collection of books in the library
· Archaeology intranet website
· Access to a range of I.T. and audio-visual equipment
· Very good links with the local Archaeology Field Unit