精东传媒app

General knowledge about the Pre-European past of the Australian continent is often ill-conceived or based on socio-cultural evolutionary stereotypes. This course introduces students to the complexity and diversity of the Pre-European past, placing Aboriginal cultural adaptations among the most successful in human history. Fundamental to an understanding of Aboriginal culture is an awareness of its past. From an understanding of the human past through archaeology, students are in a position to assess the extraordinary achievements of Pre-European hunter-gatherers on the Australian continent.

This course will address the major issues and examine the archaeological evidence relating to Australian "prehistoric" archaeology, including initial colonisation of the continent, environmental history, the pattern of Pleistocene adaptations and late Holocene Change. The course will also address theoretical approaches as case studies and deal with the problems associated with the practice of archaeology as it relates to "living cultures". It is felt that this course will provide an essential background for those interested in pursuing an archaeology career as a sub-discipline within anthropology or for those with a general interest in Australia's human past.

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. demonstrate an understanding of current scientific knowledge as it related to the Pre-European past in Australia;
2. demonstrate a knowledge of basic archaeological theory and its practical application;
3. understand the relevance of archaeological knowledge to contemporary Australian society.