Introduction to Archaeological Science

Archaeological science is an intersection of natural sciences and cultural heritage that covers a wide range of examples of interdisciplinary scientific applications to archaeological and cultural heritage questions. This subject will introduce students to the key knowledge and theoretical frameworks essential for archaeological science studies and form the foundation for further studies in the area. Key geoscience-based areas to be discussed include dating and chronometry methods, compositional analysis, analytical approaches, provenance, isotopic analysis, and experimental archaeology. The cultural focus will be on Indigenous and Australian archaeology, as well as input from related studies from world archaeological science. The subject will also examine the relationship of past societies to current societies.