AR3S20: The Archaeology and Anthropology of Food

Module code: AR3S20

Module provider: Archaeology; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Gundula M£ldner, email: g.h.mueldner@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Food is not only a biological necessity but also a highly social commodity which pervades all aspects of the human experience. This module provides an understanding how investigations of foodways are contributing to wider archaeological and anthropological research questions and understanding of human populations in various cultural and chronological settings. Sessions include “Human Evolution”, “Feasting”, “Cannibalism”, “Gender”, “Migration and Colonialism”, among others. The module encourages you to critically appraise key debates in the field and to provide you with an advanced understanding of the relationship between evidence and interpretation.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Outline key research questions and debates relating to human food and foodways and their links with health, development, economy, culture and social identify in anthropology and archaeology.
2. Compare and critically evaluate the different types of evidence and information used by anthropologists and archaeologist and the interpretations based on them.
3. Research, select and present relevant information in the form of well-formulated and structured arguments, in writing and in seminar discussions.

Module content

This module explores how archaeological and anthropological investigations of past and present foodways contribute to key questions about the human condition in the past and present. The module includes sessions on: diet and human evolution, large-scale subsistence change, feasting, cannibalism, gender, religion and taboos, migration and colonialism, social status and identity.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

After an introductory lecture covering key concepts and the history of the subject, weekly sessions take the form of guided seminar discussions based on prepared reading, directed and independent research. Students will be called upon to contribute to the class on a weekly basis from the perspective of their individually assigned reading. A series of tutorials will introduce students to possible topics for their self-directed anthropology assignment.

Study hours

At least 28 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Weekly seminar discussions based on individually assigned reading will provide students with regular feedback on their learning.

Reassessment

Additional costs