Archaeology

Course Descriptions

Some of the major coursework in the suggested program for an A.A. Degree with an emphasis in Archaeology is listed below.  WWCC offers many other practical, student-oriented courses. Check the WWCC official catalog for more information.

ANTH 1100 (29-101)
Introduction to Physical Anthropology
Physical Anthropology covers the development and evolution of both living and fossil man. Included are primate studies, man’s physical variations, genetics, osteology, and early behavior habits. The study of man’s evolution, his distribution, and fossil forms is emphasized.
Prerequisite: None
Lecture/Discussion

ANTH 1200 (29-101)
 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Studied are the structures and functioning of various societies and cultures, including aspects language, warfare, religion, kinship, economics, and political organizations. A number of widely divergent but representative cultures are examined in detail, along with their resultant changes due to industrial contact.
Prerequisite: None
Lecture/Discussion

ANTH 1300 (29-103)
Introduction to Archaeology
Archaeology covers the excavation of man’s past culture, tool traditions, social developments,migration patterns and independent developments of civilization on various continents. Included are dating methods, site analysis, comparative studies, and various archaeological techniques used in the field and laboratory.
Prerequisite: None
Lecture/Discussion/Field Trips (when possible or appropriate)

ANTH 2200 (29-220)
World Ethnography
This course surveys peoples and cultures in various areas around the world. The geographic careers to be considered will be indicated each semester the course is taught. Generally, it is a survey course on the prehistory and culture at the time of contact of the major island groups of the Pacific. The areas concentrated on are New Guinea, Samoa-Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti, Easter Island, and Hawaii. Of lesser importance are discussions of other island groups and the history of contact relations.
Prerequisite: None
Lecture/Discussion

ANTH 2210 (29-210)
North American Indians
A comparative study of North American Indians using the culture-area concept. Major areas covered are the Arctic, Northwest Coast, Northeastern and Southeastern Interior, Plains, Mountains and Basin, Southwest, Mexico, and Yucatan. This includes a brief history of the various groups since European contact.
Prerequisite: None
Lecture/Discussion

ANTH 2311 (29-230)
Prehistoric Archaeological Field Methods
The class will deal directly with several important areas of field archaeology: inventory, site documentation and evaluation, and excavation. Course topics will include appropriate techniques of site identification and recordation, accepted techniques of site testing and evaluation criteria, and research topics for data recovery during large scale excavation projects. Participants will be introduced to site instrument mapping, principles of natural and cultural stratigraphy, proper testing and excavation techniques, and proper methods of recordkeeping and provenience collection.
Prerequisite: None
Field Study
Flex Entry/Flex Exit

ANTH 2312
Historical Archaeological Field Methods
Archaeology is the study of human behavior by means of its material traces through all time in all places. This course will deal with excavation, treatment, cataloguing, and analysis of artifacts excavated from historical sites around southwestern Wyoming, such as South Pass City, Ft. Bridger, stage stations, and other sites of roughly the last 200 years (in Wyoming this means roughly 1790 to the present).
Prerequisite: None
Field Study
Flex Entry/Flex Exit

ANTH 2800
Anthropology Academic Portfolio /Capstone
This course is designed for students who have completed a minimum of 45 credit hours towards graduation. It is geared towards two objectives. The first is to insure the student can effectively prepare a technical report in archaeology. The second is to provide students with the opportunity to prepare a comprehensive electronic Portfolio which may help them transfer to another college or gain employment. In this course, students will gather documentation of their abilities to demonstrate the WWCC Goals for Student Success.
Prerequisite: Students must have completed a minimum of 45 credit hours.
Lecture