KE520: Archaeometry
Comment
The course is co-read with the corresponding master course KE816 Archaeometry.
Entry requirements
Academic preconditions
Students taking the course are expected to have passed basic courses i general, organic and inorganic chemistry as well as physics and physical chemistry. Furthermore, it is recommended that courses in an environmental chemistry and analytical chemistry have been taken.
Courses in fundamental chemistry (FF503 or KE501), physics (FF502, FY527 or the like), inorganic chemistry (KE528 or KE521) and physical chemistry (KE523) or KE537 Microscopic and macroscopic physical chemistry) are expected. Courses in environmental Chemistry (KE507) and analytical Chemistry (KE530) are recommended.
Course introduction
techniques and dating techniques. The dating techniques include methods
that are used to date materials of archaeological, environmental and
geological interest, including soils, peat, sediments, organic materials
(e.g. bone, wood, and shells). The analytical techniques are used in
dating and in determining provenances e.g. of objects of soils and other
solid materials. To explain the relationship between such measurements
and past environmental parameters and processes in the surrounding
milieu (soil, water, air), including anthropogenic effects.
The
course builds on the knowledge acquired in the courses KE507
Environmental Chemistry and KE530 Quantitative Analytical Chemistry and
constitutes the foundation for conducting a bachelor and master thesis
works.
In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:
- give
skills for the production and analysis of analytical chemical data, as
well as to disseminate such data to peers and to the public.
Expected learning outcome
- apply a selection of chemical analytical techniques, and to interpret the data and their uncertainties
- put environmental chemical data in perspective to the environmental exposures of the past
- demonstrate experience with the formulation and presentation of chemical data
Content
The course deals largely with dating methods (e.g. radiocarbon and thermoluminescence including mass spectrometry and accelerator mass spectrometry), various ways to do provenance determination of soils (e.g. mass spectrometry, AAS and magnetic susceptibility), functional analysis, in situ measurements, and reconstruction of the climate and environmental state of the past. The content of the course builds on general analytical knowledge (provided e.g. in KE530 Analytical Chemistry) and applies several of the environmental principles (presented e.g. in KE507 Environmental Chemistry) including heavy metal pollution of lead and mercury. The course includes a laboratory exercise, where the students solve a practical archaeometric problem.
Literature
Examination regulations
Exam element a)
Timing
Tests
Oral exam
EKA
Assessment
Grading
Identification
Language
Examination aids
To be announced during the course
ECTS value
Additional information
Indicative number of lessons
Teaching Method
The intro phase consists of lectures where dialog is primarily created by stops in the lecture and questions from the students. Here is given an introduction to the topics of the course and it is the way to achieve the competences as a supplement to the scientific papers, which the students are expected to read for themselves.
In the training phase are cultivated competences within the central parts of the course. The EX hours are based on work in study-groups centered on the production of small 10 minute power point shows. In the laboratory the students are working in teams of two with the practical exercises in archaeometry and analytical chemistry.
In the study phase the students are expected to work independently with the scientific papers. Besides this the laboratory reports are central parts of the in the study phase. The students are expected to use part of the study phase to prepare themselves for the oral exam.
The course is expected to have an equal work load during the time it is running.
- Laboratory exercise in the use of XRF
- Laboratory exercise in the use of flame ionisation AAS