Bi8611 Palaeoethnology

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2009
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)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Jaroslav Malina, DrSc.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. PhDr. Jiří Svoboda, DrSc.
Timetable
Mon 9:00–10:50 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
there are 10 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
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 area as a case study of the past populations, or actual Siberian 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 religious rituals; analyze the contacts between populations and ethnics (ethnicity issues).
Syllabus
  • 1.Terminological definitions: paleoethnology, 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).
  • 3.Human society in landscape, settlement analysis, seasonality.
  • 4.Nurture, production processes, artifacts
  • 5.Rituals.
  • 6.Ethnicity (contacts, acculturation).
Literature
  • Chang, K. C.: Major Aspects of the Interrelationship between Archaeology and
  • Gould, R.: Living Archaeology. Cambridge University Press, London-New York 1980.
  • David, N. – Kramer, C.: Ethnoarchaeology in Action. Cambridge University Press, New York 2001.
  • Binford, L. R.: Nunamiut Ethnoarchaeology. Academic Press, New York 1978.
  • Jelínek, J.: Střecha nad hlavou. Kořeny nejstarší architektury a bydlení. Vutium, Brno 2006.
  • Barnard A.: Hunter-Gatherers in History, Archaeology and Anthropology. Berg Publishers 2004.
  • SVOBODA, Jiří and Jaroslav MALINA. Panoráma biologické a sociokulturní antropologie 19: Paleolit a mezolit: Pohřební ritus. Editor: Jaroslav Malina. Brno (CZ): Nadace Universitas Masarykiana v Brně, nakladatelství a vydavatelství Nauma v Brně, 2003, 128 pp. Modulové učební texty pro studenty antropologie. ISBN 80-210-3182-4. info
  • SVOBODA, Jiří, V. LOŽEK and E. VLČEK. Hunters between East and West: The Paleolithic of Moravia. New York - London: Plenum, 1996, 307 pp. Interdisciplinary Contribution to Archaeology. ISBN 0-306-45250-2. info
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 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.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2009, recent)
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