Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract/Objectives

This course introduces students to modern scientific methods and recent innovations in archaeological science. Archaeological science includes a wide range of techniques and approaches to gathering information from material remains that heavily rely on natural sciences such as physics, chemistry, biology, geology, or computational techniques. The intersection of science and archaeology allows a broader discussion about the human past that can be identified as subfields, such as geoarchaeology, environmental archaeology, bioarchaeology, biomolecular archaeology, etc., with their specific research methods and focuses. The goal of this course is to teach students how scientific techniques are applied to archaeological research and to gain new insights into archaeological topics. We will overview the backgrounds and principles of scientific methods, followed by a discussion of case studies to examine their application to archaeological materials and limitations. This course also reviews current ethical issues associated with archaeological science to stress the importance of ethics in archaeological practices for scientific research.

Results/Contributions

This course enables students to systematically understand the core concepts and methods of Archaeological Science and to grasp the fundamental principles behind the application of various scientific techniques in archaeological research. Through lectures and case study discussions, students learn about geological and environmental analysis methods, applications of microscopic techniques, stable isotope analysis, biomolecular approaches, as well as statistics and data processing techniques. They gain an understanding of how these methods extract information from material remains and how such data can be used to infer past human behavior and sociocultural practices.

In written reports and oral presentations, students actively apply interdisciplinary knowledge, integrating perspectives from fields such as geology and biology to analyze specific archaeological cases, while also evaluating the applicability and limitations of different scientific methods. Most students demonstrate strong abilities in data collection and critical thinking in their final projects, clearly articulating research design, methodological principles, and the interpretive significance of scientific results. In addition, students reflect on ethical issues related to archaeological science and recognize the social responsibilities associated with the application of scientific technologies. Overall, the course effectively enhances students’ professional competence in scientific literacy, data analysis, and interdisciplinary integration.

Keywords

archaeological science, computational techniques, environmental archaeology, biomolecular archaeology

Contact Information

王儷螢
liying@mx.nthu.edu.tw