PřF:Bi8611 Palaeoethnology - Course Information

Bi8611 Palaeoethnology

Extent and Intensity

2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Taught in person.

Teacher(s)

doc. Mgr. Petr Květina, Ph.D. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

doc. Mgr. Petr Květina, Ph.D.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. Mgr. Petr Květina, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science

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

• Anthropology (programme PřF, N-ANT)

Course objectives

The aim of the course is to delineate the theoretical foundations for reconstructing past social systems and the evolution of human behavior, with an emphasis on archaic societies existing beyond the scope of written sources. It draws from the principles of anthropology, ethology, archaeology, and ethnoarchaeology, which represent certain interpretative models. In detail, it focuses on the analysis of selected areas related to the world of archaic cultures. Students are guided to perceive vanished societies without anthropocentrism and with respect for the cultural diversity of "the others."

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students should be able to: Grasp the disciplinary potential and limitations of history, anthropology, and archaeology. Understand the essence of archaic societies and their fundamental differences from Western society. Comprehend the complexity of their social world and multi-layered identity. Perceive the inseparable connection between everyday life and the world of the sacred.

Syllabus

• The relationship between archaeology, history, and anthropology. The latter. Film Herzog, W. 1989: Wodaabe – Die Hirten der Sonne (Herdsmen of the Sun) (49 min).
• Concept of cultural time. Individual time. Social time. First contact. Film Connolly, B. - Anderson, R. 1987: First contact: New Guinea's Highlanders Encounter the Outside World. New York: Viking. (52 min).
• Geographic time - longue durée. The Noble Savage. Film Flaherty, R. 1922: Nanook of the North (64 min).
• Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Anthropological culture.
• Archaeological culture. Keep to the right of the river. Film Shapiro, D. - Shapiro, L. G. 2000. Keep the River on Your Right: A Modern Cannibal Tale. N. W.: IFC Films. (93 min).
• Formation of archaeological material.
• Subsistence: Hunter-gatherers, herders, garden farmers, agriculturists. Film Marshall, J. 1957. The Hunters. Documentary Educational Resources. (70 min).
• Ethnicity, tribes, war. Film Gardner, R. 1963. Dead birds: CRM Films distributor. (93 min).
• Rituals and secret societies. Film Pierre-Dominique Gaisseau, P.-D. 1961: Sky Above and Mud Beneath (87 min).
• Trade and exchange. Gift institutions. Kula. Moka. Potlatch. Ongka's Big Moka. 1974. (60 min).
• Ethnoarchaeology. Origin, personalities, and research topics. Critique of the concept. Film Huysecom, E., B. Augustoni, A. Godel, and B. Saparelli. 1997. Inagina: The Last House of Iron. Movie 52 mins. Watertown, MA: Documentary Educational Resources.

Literature

required literature
• KVĚTINA, Petr, Jaroslav ŘÍDKÝ, Markéta KONČELOVÁ, Pavel BURGERT, Radka ŠUMBEROVÁ, Ivan PAVLŮ, Hana BRZOBOHATÁ, Olga TROJÁNKOVÁ, Petr VAVREČKA and Jiří UNGER. Minulost, kterou nikdo nezapsal. Online. Červený Kostelec: Pavel Mervart, 2015. 656 stran. ISBN 9788074651731. [citováno 2024-04-23] info
• SOUKUP, Martin. Základy kulturní antropologie. Online. 2. rozšířené vydání. Červený Kostelec: Pavel Mervart, 2015. 273 stran. ISBN 9788074651861. [citováno 2024-04-23] info
• DIAMOND, Jared M. Svět, který skončil včera : co se můžeme naučit od tradičních společností?. Online. Vyd. 1. Brno: Jan Melvil, 2014. 488 s. ISBN 9788087270974. [citováno 2024-04-23] URL info
• LÉVI-STRAUSS, Claude. Smutné tropy. Online. Translated by Jiří Pechar. Vyd. 2. V Praze: Rybka, 2011. 478 s. ISBN 9788087067116. [citováno 2024-04-23] info
• KOTTAK, Conrad Phillip. Mirror for humanity : a concise introduction to cultural anthropology. Online. 2nd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill College, 1999. xxi, 314. ISBN 0072901713. [citováno 2024-04-23] info

recommended literature
• PLOMIN, Robert. Kód života : jak z nás DNA dělá to, kým jsme. Online. Translated by Filip Drlík. Vydání první. V Brně: Jan Melvil Publishing, 2020. 312 stran. ISBN 9788075550927. [citováno 2024-04-23] URL info
• REICH, David. Who we are and how we got here : ancient DNA and the new science of the human past. Online. First published. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018. xxxi, 335. ISBN 9780198821267. [citováno 2024-04-23] info
• O původu kultury : biologické, antropologické a historické koncepce kulturní evoluce. Online. Edited by Lenka Ovčáčková. Vydání 1. Praha: Academia, 2017. 437 stran. ISBN 9788020027511. [citováno 2024-04-23] info
• FLEGR, Jaroslav. Zamrzlá evoluce, aneb, Je to jinak, pane Darwin. Online. Vydání 2., rozšířené. Praha: Academia, 2016. 339 stran. ISBN 9788020025289. [citováno 2024-04-23] info
• HARRIS, Marvin. The rise of anthropological theory : a history of theories of culture. Online. New York: Crowell, 1968. 806 s. [citováno 2024-04-23] info

Teaching methods

Theoretical preparation in the form of lectures accompanied by discussion with students.

Assessment methods

The course is concluded by an accreditation, which consists of composing an essay on a given topic.

Language of instruction

Czech

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every other week.

Teacher's information

The classes will be held in person once every 14 days on Tuesdays during odd weeks from 12:00 to 15:50. BUT PLEASE NOTE: we will start on October 10th! The following lectures will be scheduled on these dates: October 24th, November 7th, November 21st, December 5th, December 19th.

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2024, recent)
  
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