6 ECTS credits
150 h study time
Offer 2 with catalog number 4021278DNW for working students in the 2nd semester at a (D) Master - preliminary level.
Town archaeology or Urban Archaeology is a strong interdisciplinary concept, wherein work needs to be made of research on the public and private urban space, city landscape, architectural history, and living culture, and of course as well the very complex formation processes that have led to the well-known and impressive urban archaeological stratigraphy. In this course, we will pay attention to the development of urban archaeology as such, starting from the excavations of Winchester and York. Then we will look at the diversity of the research and the research themes, the complexity and diversity of the sources and scientific debates, such as the debates on city walls, guildhalls, urbanization and lots structure, domestic space, etc. We will complete this with a thorough discussion of interesting case studies .
Via discussion papers we want to explore what it means to have an urban centre and community, from the perspective of archaeology, be it in the Early Middle Ages, the Later Middle Ages or today.
During the course, we will do an excursion where we will approach the city’s archaeology from all possible angles.
Every student also has to investigate the urban archaeology of a city of choice OUTSIDE of Flanders and Brussels, applying the points of attention that came forward during the lessons. The results will be presented and discussed in class.
The lectures can include both 'face to face discussion seminars' as distance lectures (i.e. lectures via recordings or via synchronous online contact moments) in the case of a new covid'19 outbreak.
Literature and powerpoints provided by lecturer.
It is possible that the fieldtrips will result in moderate extra costs for the students that are not covered by the university (transport)
The student can analyze and describe
- the urban phenomenon in the historical period between the Roman times and today;
- the research specialisation called 'town archaeology';
- the variety in urban forms, the practices of urban lifestyles and the material culture that goes along;
- the historiography related to town archaeology.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 40% of the final mark.
SELF Practical Assignment determines 60% of the final mark.
Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Within the SELF Practical Assignment category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Application of learning results in a case study, where the student does research on a problem related to the archaeological research of the urban form, and/or urban lifestyle and/or urban material culture. This leads to an essay (1500 to 2000 words) and a ppt-presentation, presented on the oral examination. The content of the paper and ppt is evaluated on criteria regarding:
- understanding of the research context of town archaeology,
- knowledge of the debates and sources and
- formal quality of presentation and essay
Absence at the excursion could lead to the evaluation Absent for the entire course
The assement of the competentces for this course happens according a gradual score model between very bad and very good, on a scale of 1 to 20.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Art Studies and Archaeology: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Urban Studies: Standard track