ARCG 1110a / HSAR 1110a, Introduction to the History of Art: Global Decorative Arts  Staff

Global history of the decorative arts from antiquity to the present. The materials and techniques of ceramics, textiles, metals, furniture, and glass. Consideration of forms, imagery, decoration, and workmanship. Themes linking geography and time, such as trade and exchange, simulation, identity, and symbolic value.  HU  0 Course cr
HTBA

ARCG 1172b / ANTH 1172b, Great Hoaxes and Fantasies in Archaeology  William Honeychurch

Examination of selected archaeological hoaxes, cult theories, and fantasies; demonstration of how archaeology can be manipulated to authenticate nationalistic ideologies, religious causes, and modern stereotypes. Examples of hoaxes and fantasies include the lost continent of Atlantis, Piltdown man, ancient giants roaming the earth, and alien encounters. Evaluation of how, as a social science, archaeology is capable of rejecting such interpretations about the past.  SO
WF 2:30pm-3:45pm

ARCG 2143a / CLCV 1701a / HSAR 3243a, Greek Art and Architecture  Staff

Monuments of Greek art and architecture from the late Geometric period (c. 760 B.C.) to Alexander the Great (c. 323 B.C.). Emphasis on social and historical contexts.  HU  0 Course cr
HTBA

* ARCG 2242b / NELC 2440b, Ancient Egyptian Materials and Techniques: Their Histories and Socio-Economic Implications  Gregory Marouard

This seminar investigates in detail ancient Egyptian materials, techniques, and industries through the scope of archaeology, history, and socioeconomical, textual as well as iconographic data. When possible ethnoarchaeological and experimental approaches of the antique chaine-operatoire are discussed in order to illustrate skills and professions that have now completely disappeared. This class is organized according to various themes within a diachronical approach, from the 4th millennium BC to the Roman Period. Copper and precious metals, construction stones, hard stones and gems, glass and faience production, imported wood or ivory, we explore multiple categories of materials, where and how they were collected or exchanged, the way these products were transported, transformed, refined or assembled and the complex organization of the work involved and administration that was required in order to satisfy the tastes of Egyptian elites or their desires to worship their gods. Some other vernacular savoir-faire linked to the everyday life and the death is explored, through food production and mummification practices. The aim of this seminar is not only to give an overview of the history of techniques for this early civilization but, beyond how things were made, to acquire a more critical view of ancient Egyptian culture through the material culture and as well the strong economic and sociologic implications linked to their objects and constructions–rather than the usual focus on its temples and tombs.  HU
Th 1:30pm-3:20pm

* ARCG 2275a / ANTH 2275a, The Green Hell and the Mother Serpent: Amazonian Archaeology, Ethnography, and Politics  Richard Burger

Survey and seminar discussing the archaeology and ethnography of greater Amazonia, along with the political stakes of this heritage for modern Indigenous communities in the region. Introduces students to the varied geography and ecology of greater Amazonia, before delving into topics such as: the archaeological record of domestication and landscape investment by past Indigenous societies; the ethnographic and historical records of their descendants; the contested spheres of knowledge production in anthropology that underpins both of these records; and the modern political struggles that Indigenous communities face today amid deforestation and the pursuit of economic development.  SO
W 1:30pm-3:20pm

ARCG 2294b / ANTH 2294b, The Ancient Maya  Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos

Introduction to the archaeological study of ancient Maya civilization in southern Mexico and northern Central America. Maya origins and modes of adaptation to a tropical forest environment; political history of the Classic Maya and competing theories about their collapse; overviews of Maya art, calendar, and writing.  SO
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

ARCG 2345a / NELC 2430a, Archaeology of Ancient Egypt - The Age of the Pyramids  Gregory Marouard

This lecture course introduces the archaeology of ancient Egypt, beginning with an overview of the environment, climate, and history of the discipline, as well as the new archaeological methods used in contemporary fieldwork in Egypt. The course then explores ancient Egypt’s origins, starting with the Predynastic and Early Dynastic Periods (5300-2800 BCE) and continuing chronologically to the great pyramids of the Old Kingdom (2800-2055 BCE) and the Middle Kingdom (2055-1700 BCE). It covers the historical framework, the evolution of ancient Egyptian art and architecture, and material culture, and includes specific case studies of important archaeological sites and discoveries. This course is the first of two introductory lecture courses. However, it is not necessary to take both parts, and the order in which you take them does not matter. Discussion sections are included.  HU  0 Course cr
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

* ARCG 2660a / ANTH 2660a, Being Human: The Neanderthal Dilemma  Jessica Thompson and Hannah Keller

Who were Neanderthals, and how were they different from us? Since their discovery in 1856, they have fascinated the public with their position as our closest, yet extinct, relatives. For decades Neanderthals were portrayed as nasty, brutish, and passively lacking the talent and innovation that allowed humans to survive and thrive. Recently, they have become celebrated as our close cousins or even just another group of ancient humans. But what does modern science say about Neanderthal life and extinction, and what do Neanderthals tell us about ourselves? By asking the question “were Neanderthals human,” this course examines what it actually means to be human. Students learn the archaeological, fossil, and biomolecular records of Neanderthals, early modern humans, and other contemporaneous human relatives.  They also learn the foundations of human evolutionary science, with a focus on the Middle and Late Pleistocene (770,000 to 11,500 years ago), when the genus Homo diversified into as many as seven species–including our own.   SC, SO
MW 2:30pm-3:45pm

* ARCG 3075b / ANTH 3075b, Anthropology of Mobile Societies  William Honeychurch

The social and cultural significance of the ways that hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads, maritime traders, and members of our own society traverse space. The impact of mobility and transport technologies on subsistence, trade, interaction, and warfare from the first horse riders of five thousand years ago to jet-propulsion tourists of today.  SO
F 9:25am-11:15am

ARCG 3116La / ANTH 3116La, Introduction to Archaeological Laboratory Sciences  Ellery Frahm

Introduction to techniques of archaeological laboratory analysis, with quantitative data styles and statistics appropriate to each. Topics include dating of artifacts, sourcing of ancient materials, remote sensing, and microscopic and biochemical analysis. Specific techniques covered vary from year to year.  SC
W 1:30pm-4:30pm

* ARCG 3136b / ANTH 3136b / EPS 3360b, Geoarchaeology  Ellery Frahm

A survey of the numerous ways in which theories, approaches, techniques, and data from the earth and environmental sciences are used to address archaeological research questions. A range of interfaces between archaeology and the geological sciences are considered. Topics include stratigraphy, geomorphology, site formation processes, climate reconstruction, site location, and dating techniques. Prior introductory coursework in archaeology or geology (or instructor permission) suggested.  SC, SO
W 1:30pm-3:20pm

* ARCG 3185b / ANTH 3185b, Archaeological Ceramics  Anne Underhill

Archaeological methods for analyzing and interpreting ceramics, arguably the most common type of object found in ancient sites. Focus on what different aspects of ceramic vessels reveal about the people who made them and used them.  SO
M 1:30pm-3:20pm

* ARCG 3297a / ANTH 3297a, Archaeology of East Asia  Staff

East and Southeast Asia have increasingly emerged as hotspots for global political, economic, and cultural interactions. What were the roots and social processes that gave rise to such systems? In this seminar, we explore archaeological evidence for the development of social and political organization and religious practices, using selected examples from East and Southeast Asia spanning approximately 5000 BCE to 1500 CE. We examine four key themes: (1) the origins and timing of plant and animal domestication, (2) the emergence and impact of early metallurgy, (3) patterns of interregional interaction, and (4) the rise of sociopolitical complexity. Using a comparative archaeological perspective—focusing on settlement patterns, urbanism, craft production, monumentality, and diverse material culture—we examine how both local factors and long-distance connections shaped these trajectories. We conclude the course with a reflection on the role of archaeology in contemporary society, particularly in countries where the past is actively curated, celebrated, and contested. No background in archaeology or East/Southeast Asian studies is required.   SO
T 9:25am-11:15am

* ARCG 3684b / ANTH 3684b, Zooarchaeology  Jessica Thompson

This course deals with the analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites (“zooarchaeology”). It covers the history and epistemological development of zooarchaeology, its theoretical underpinnings, major debates, approaches, methodological advances, and relationship to sister disciplines (e.g., paleoecology, paleontology). The course includes basic identification of the major groups of animal remains recovered from archaeological sites, with an emphasis on vertebrate bones and teeth. It offers tools and insights from taphonomy–the reconstruction of the processes that occur as organisms transition from living creatures into assemblages of archaeological remains. The first half of the class deals with specific methods in the context of major issues, and the second half examines “big” issues in zooarchaeology: early evidence for human consumption of animal tissues, ancient forager diets and environments, dietary resource intensification and animal domestication, and insights from animal bones into social identity. Discussions are followed by practical components that involves the identification and/or analysis of specimens using microscopic and macroscopic approaches.   WR, SC, SO
W 9:25am-11:15am

* ARCG 4101b / ANTH 4101b / EAST 4101b, Archaeological Plant Remains from East Asia and Beyond  Staff

Archaeology asks who we are, and how did humanity get to where it is today. This course explores the subfield of archaeobotany that is dedicated to understanding the same questions through the analysis of plant remains from archaeological sites. Students gain foundational knowledge of archaeobotanical methods, the kinds of plant remain studied, and key research themes including climate and ecology, subsistence economies, plant domestication and spread, and non-food plant uses. There is a long history of research on archaeological plant remains in East Asia. We examine how ancient peoples interacted with their environments mainly through macro plant evidence, i.e. seeds and fruits. We discuss the social impact of choices people made about different kinds of domesticated and wild plants for foods and for production of objects for daily life. The course also highlights contemporary advancements in theories and methodologies within the discipline, supported by case studies from around the globe, with a particular emphasis on East Asia.  SO
HTBA

* ARCG 4150a / ANTH 4150a, Analysis of Lithic Technology  Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos

Introduction to the analysis of chipped and ground stone tools, including instruction in manufacturing chipped stone tools from obsidian. Review of the development of stone tool technology from earliest tools to those of historical periods; relevance of this technology to subsistence, craft specialization, and trade. Discussion of the recording, analysis, and drawing of artifacts, and of related studies such as sourcing and use-wear analysis.  SO
M 1:30pm-3:20pm

* ARCG 4217a / ANTH 4217a, Maya Hieroglyphic Writing  Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos

Introduction to the ancient Maya writing system. Contents of the extant corpus, including nametags, royal and ritual commemorations, dynastic and political subjects, and religious and augural subjects; principles and methods of decipherment; overview of the Maya calendar; comparison with related writing systems in Mesoamerica and elsewhere in the ancient world.  SO
Th 9:25am-11:15am

* ARCG 4292b / ANTH 4292b / NELC 3210b, Imaging Ancient Worlds in Museum Collections  Klaus Wagensonner and Agnete Lassen

What is Digitization of Cultural Heritage? What are its merits, challenges, and best practices? The course highlighst the documentation and interpretation of archaeological artifacts, in particular artifacts from Western Asia. The primary goal of the course is the use of new technologies in computer graphics, including 3D imaging, to support current research in archaeology and anthropology. The course does put particular emphasis on the best practices of digitizing artifacts in collections. The prime study subjects are the artifacts housed in the Yale Babylonian Collection (https://babylonian-collection.yale.edu). For some background information on the Collection see here. Students engage directly with the artifacts while practicing the various imaging techniques.  HU  0 Course cr
T 1:30pm-3:20pm

* ARCG 4471a or b and ARCG 4472a or b, Directed Reading and Research in Archaeology  Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos

Qualified students may pursue special reading or research under the guidance of an instructor. A written statement of the proposed research must be submitted to the director of undergraduate studies for approval.
HTBA

* ARCG 4491a or b, Senior Research Project in Archaeology  Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos

Required of all students majoring in Archaeological Studies. Supervised investigation of some archaeological topic in depth. The course requirement is a long essay to be submitted as the student's senior essay. The student should present a prospectus and bibliography to the director of undergraduate studies no later than the third week of the term. Written approval from the faculty member who will direct the reading and writing for the course must accompany the prospectus.
HTBA

ARCG 4564a or b / ANTH 4564a or b / E&EB 4564 / EEB 3464a or b, Human Osteology  Eric Sargis

A lecture and laboratory course focusing on the characteristics of the human skeleton and its use in studies of functional morphology, paleodemography, and paleopathology. Laboratories familiarize students with skeletal parts; lectures focus on the nature of bone tissue, its biomechanical modification, sexing, aging, and interpretation of lesions.  SC, SO  0 Course cr
HTBA

* ARCG 4669b / ANTH 4669b, Evolution of Human Diet  Jessica Thompson

This seminar examines human nutrition and subsistence behavior from an evolutionary perspective. It begins with human nutritional literature and discussions of our biological requirements, then moves into comparison of modern human dietary ecology with those of other primates, especially our closest living relatives, the great apes. We then turn to literature that demonstrates the methods and theoretical approaches that are currently used to reconstruct past diets. As we begin to follow the evidence for changes in subsistence in the hominin lineage, case studies using these methods are integrated into discussions of how we know what we do about past nutrition. The course spends time on key issues and debates such as changes from closed-habitat to open-habitat foraging, the origins of meat-eating, the role of extractive foraging in human social systems, variation in hunter-forager subsistence systems, the origins of domestication, and the phenomenon of fad diets in industrialized nations. Prerequisite: one of ANTH 061, ANTH 267, ANTH 116, or by instructor permission.  WR, SC, SO
W 1:30pm-3:20pm