A tomb revealed: life and death in the Near East
Step back to the Bronze Age in this excavation which will challenge students to interpret archaeological material and force them to grapple with some of the ethical dilemmas faced by field archaeologists. Students excavate a site which contains a single-interment burial and it's associated features and grave goods. Outside the burial itself, but associated with it, is a hearth with an ashy lens of charcoal and animal and fish bones. During the course of the excavation, students will unearth complete skeletal remains (replica), beads, bronze and copper objects, pottery, shells, pigment shells, imported figurines and pottery, stamp seals, ostrich egg vessels, botanical remains, charcoal, animal bones and modern middle eastern refuse. This varied mix of material culture gives students the opportunity to experience the different ways and states in which artefacts are found and recovered from the archaeological record.
The burial itself is a simple, stone-lined semi-subterranean grave, with minimal architectural features on the surface to indicate the size and shape of the tomb. Tombs in the Near East can often be found as stand alone monuments, sometimes associated with, but not directly within, a settlement. They can often have architectural elements visible at modern ground level (hence their identification in the first place), and thus may not have stratigraphic deposits either above or below them. This can give rise to a relatively straightforward stratigraphic sequence, and this was deemed ideal for a simulated site where students would be experiencing archaeology for the first time, and the basic concepts of excavating and recording could be introduced without overcomplication.
No direct site or culture is replicated in this simulation. Rather, the culture is a carefully chosen combination of generic regional similarities in the Arabian Gulf region during the Bronze Age (eg. specific bead types and materials, regional shell species, bronze and copper jewellery styles and commonly found trade goods from the Indus Valley). The local pottery styles represented are fictitious with no direct regional links.
One of the most important pedagogical advantages of creating a burial site is that it becomes the perfect vehicle for a comprehensive discussion of the ethical considerations in the treatment of human remains. These ethical questions are specifically outlined in the NSW BOS Stage 6 Ancient History syllabus, both in the Preliminary Course, and also for the Core Study of Pompeii and Herculaneum. During the simulation, students will have to grapple with these ethical decisions themselves: what kind of analysis (if any) should be carried out on the skeletal remains? How will the excavation and recording of the burial be conducted in a respectful way? How will the human remains be stored after analysis? Should they be re-interred? Are there any circumstances under which human remains should be displayed for the public?
This learning activity will be stimulating and challenging to students of any age. If you would like any further information about this program, contact Melissa using the Contacts page on the site.
The burial itself is a simple, stone-lined semi-subterranean grave, with minimal architectural features on the surface to indicate the size and shape of the tomb. Tombs in the Near East can often be found as stand alone monuments, sometimes associated with, but not directly within, a settlement. They can often have architectural elements visible at modern ground level (hence their identification in the first place), and thus may not have stratigraphic deposits either above or below them. This can give rise to a relatively straightforward stratigraphic sequence, and this was deemed ideal for a simulated site where students would be experiencing archaeology for the first time, and the basic concepts of excavating and recording could be introduced without overcomplication.
No direct site or culture is replicated in this simulation. Rather, the culture is a carefully chosen combination of generic regional similarities in the Arabian Gulf region during the Bronze Age (eg. specific bead types and materials, regional shell species, bronze and copper jewellery styles and commonly found trade goods from the Indus Valley). The local pottery styles represented are fictitious with no direct regional links.
One of the most important pedagogical advantages of creating a burial site is that it becomes the perfect vehicle for a comprehensive discussion of the ethical considerations in the treatment of human remains. These ethical questions are specifically outlined in the NSW BOS Stage 6 Ancient History syllabus, both in the Preliminary Course, and also for the Core Study of Pompeii and Herculaneum. During the simulation, students will have to grapple with these ethical decisions themselves: what kind of analysis (if any) should be carried out on the skeletal remains? How will the excavation and recording of the burial be conducted in a respectful way? How will the human remains be stored after analysis? Should they be re-interred? Are there any circumstances under which human remains should be displayed for the public?
This learning activity will be stimulating and challenging to students of any age. If you would like any further information about this program, contact Melissa using the Contacts page on the site.