Archaeology of Complex Societies

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

170 hours

Admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth year honours in classics or classical studies and archaeology.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This seminar examines the concept of complexity from an archaeological perspective. It surveys various cultural traditions, focusing on issues associated with the emergence and development of social, economic and political complexity such as the advent of sedentism, early villages, the evolution of urban, literate societies, city-states and incipient supra-regional polities, and ancient "world empires". Students should complete the subject with a critical understanding of historical and contemporary theoretical issues in archaeological research and interpretation concerned with complexity, and have a knowledge of various methodologies utilised toward these interpretative ends.

Students who successfully complete this subject should

• possess a critical understanding of historical and contemporary theoretical issues in archaeological research and interpretation concerned with complexity.
• have a knowledge of various methodologies utilised toward these interpretation concerned with complexity.

A 2500 word seminar report 40% (due during the semester), presentation of seminar report 20% (due during the semester), and a 2500 word essay 40% (due during the examination period).

Hurdle Requirement: Students are required to attend a minimum of 75% of classes in order to pass this subject. Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 2% per working day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Subject readings will be available on line

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.