Archaeology of Complex Societies

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

Admission to fourth-year Honours or Graduate Diploma (Advanced) in Ancient World Studies, or Classics; or admission to Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, or Graduate Certificate (Advanced) in Classical Studies and Archaeology; or, permission of the subject coordinator.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://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 due during the semester (40%);
• A presentation of the seminar report due during the semester (20%);
• A 2500 word essay due during the end of semester examination period (40%).

Hurdle Requirement:

• Students are required to attend a minimum of 75% of classes in order to pass this subject.
• All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Note: 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.

Subject readings will be available on line

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.