Bi3170 Anthropology of prehistory

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
RNDr. Robin Pěnička, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
RNDr. Robin Pěnička, Ph.D.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: RNDr. Robin Pěnička, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Thu 9:00–10:50 Bp1,01007
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
Students of this course will learn about the archaeological periodization and the development of prehistoric settlement in territory of Central Europe. Emphasis is placed on the way of life in individual periods of prehistory, biological and cultural diversity, and the basic features of the funeral rite. At the end of the course the student should be able to define the individual phases of prehistory; assign to the individual phases the predominant cultural types; explain how revolutionary discoveries in technological processes have changed the lives of individuals and society; apply theoretical knowledge in communication and cooperation with archaeological institutions.
Learning outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the ability to identify and summarize important features of the biological and cultural differences of prehistoric society in Central Europe is assumed; description of the life of people in individual prehistoric periods and cultures based on the bioarchaeological approach; orientation in basic archeological-anthropological issues.
Syllabus
1. Introduction to prehistory, archaeological anthropology and bioarchaeology. Periodization of prehistory, basic paradigms, terms, relationship between anthropology and archaeology. 2. How to study human past? Man, culture and socity in the past. 3. + 4. The oldest human past; cultures of hunters and gatherers (Paleolithic, Mesolithic). 5. + 6. The earliest farmers and the first metal-using cultures (Neolithic, Eneolithic). Bio-cultural diversity of the oldest agricultural cultures. Case: the ice man Ötzi. 7. + 8. The bronze and the human society, beginnings of social inequality (Bronze Age). Anthropology of the Bronze Age, ethnicity and the oldest ethnics in Europe. 9. + 10. The era of iron in human society (Hallstatt culture period, La Tène culture period). First attempts of civilization, anthropological and cultural unification. Case: The Celts. 11. + 12. The Romans, the Germanic people and the great migrations (Roman period and Migration period). Biological and cultural storm, the disruption of civilization and the beginnings of the medieval European society. 13. Current trends in the study of human prehistory, bioarchaeology (molecular biology, migration, social inequality, etc.).
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Sklenář K. ad.: Encyklopedie pravěku v~Čechách, na Moravě a ve Slezsku, Praha 2002.
    not specified
  • SVOBODA, Jiří and Miloš MACHOLÁN. Předkové. Evoluce člověka (Ancestors. Human Evolution). 2nd ed. Praha: Academia, 2017, 480 pp. ISBN 978-80-200-2750-4. info
  • SVOBODA, Jiří. Gravettian populations and lifestyles: Combining the evidence. In Piotr Wojtal, Jaroslaw Wilczynski. 2nd Conference World of Gravettian Hunters. 1st ed. Krakow: Polish Academy of Science, 2016, p. 73. ISBN 978-83-61358-76-3. info
  • FU, Qiaomei; Cosimo POSTH; Mateja HAJDINIAK; Martin PETR; Swapan MALLICK; Daniel FERNANDES; Anja FURTWANGLER; Wolfgang HAAK; Matthias MEYER; Alissa MITTNIK; Birgit NICKEL; Alexander PELTZER; Nadin ROHLAND; Viviane SLON; Sahra TALAMO; Iosif LAZARIDIS; Mark LIPSON; Ian MATHIESON; Stephan SCHIFFELS; Pontus SKOGLUND; Anatoly DEREVIANKO; Nikolai DROZDOV; Vyacheslav SLAVINSKY; Alexander TSYBANKOV; Renata CREMONESI; Francesco MALLEGNI; Bernard GÉLY; Eligio VACCA; Manuel GONZÁLES MORALES; Lawrence STRAUSS; Christine NEUGEBAUER MARESCH; Maria TESCHLER NICOLA; Silviu CONSTANTIN; Oana MOLDOVAN; Stefano BENAZZI; Marco PERESANI; Donato COPPOLA; Martina LARI; Stefano RICCI; Annamaria RONCHITELLI; Frédérique VALENTIN; Corinne THEVENET; Kurt WEHRBERGER; Dan GRIGORESCU; Hélene ROUGIER; Isabelle CREVECOEUR; Damien FLAS; Patrick SEMAL; Marcello MANNINO; Christophe CUPILLARD; Hervé BOCHERENS; Nicholas CONARD; Katerina HARVATI; Vyacheslav MOISEYEV; Dorothée DRUCKER; Jiří SVOBODA; Michael RICHARDS; David CARAMELLI; Ron PINHASI; Janet KELSO; Nick PETTERSON; Johannes KRAUSE; Svante PAABO and David REICH. The genetic history of Ice Age Europe. Nature. 2016, vol. 534, No 7606, p. 200-215. ISSN 0028-0836. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature17993. info
  • NEUSTUPNÝ, Evžen. Archeologie pravěkých Čech – Svazek 4: Eneolit. Praha: Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Praha, v.v.i., 2008, 185 pp. ISBN 978-80-86124-77-3. info
  • JIRÁŇ, Luboš. Archeologie pravěkých Čech – Svazek 5: Doba bronzová. Praha: Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Praha, v.v.i., 2008, 265 pp. ISBN 978-80-86124-78-0. info
  • VENCLOVÁ, Natalie. Archeologie pravěkých Čech – Svazek 6: Doba halštatská. Praha: Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Praha, v.v.i., 2008, 173 pp. ISBN 978-80-86124-79-7. info
  • VENCLOVÁ, Natalie. Archeologie pravěkých Čech – Svazek 7: Doba laténská. Praha: Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Praha, v.v.i., 2008, 164 pp. ISBN 978-80-86124-80-3. info
  • SALAČ, Vladimír. Archeologie pravěkých Čech – Svazek 8: Doba římská a stěhování národů. Praha: Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Praha, v.v.i., 2008, 214 pp. ISBN 978-80-86124-81-0. info
  • KUNA, Martin. Archeologie pravěkých Čech – Svazek 1: Pravěký svět a jeho poznání. Praha: Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Praha, v.v.i., 2007. ISBN 978-80-86124-75-9. info
  • VENCL, Slavomil and Jan FRIDRICH. Archeologie pravěkých Čech – Svazek 2: Paleolit a mezolit. Praha: Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Praha, v.v.i., 2007, 164 pp. ISBN 978-80-86124-76-6. info
  • PAVLŮ, Ivan and Marie ZÁPOTOCKÁ. Archeologie pravěkých Čech – Svazek 3: Neolit. Praha: Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Praha, v.v.i., 2007, 118 pp. ISBN 978-80-86124-71-1. info
Teaching methods
Theoretical preparation in the form of full-time teaching - lectures; team work and discussion on the chosen topic.
Assessment methods
The course ends with an oral examination - discussion on the chosen topic.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Autumn 2010 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
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