ANTH 323 Learning from the Past: The Relevance of Archaeological Research

From environmental degradation to technological advances that forever change the way we live - many of the themes that characterize our modern society can also be seen in the archaeological record of past societies. This course examines some of the most significant developments that occurred during the early course of human existence, such as the origins of agriculture, the nature and causes of warfare in ancient societies, and issues deriving from early versions of "global politics" and "global economies" in the ancient world. We will conclude by critically evaluating the contribution of archaeological research on past societies to addressing current problems in our own.