Students

BHIX1002 – Digging up the Past

2026 – Session 1, Online-flexible

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Senior Lecturer & Unit Convenor
Dr Karin Sowada
karin.sowada@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
Room 167, Level 1, 25B WW
By appointment
Tutor
Dr Samantha Mills
samantha.mills@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
BHIS1002
Unit description Unit description

This unit serves as a broad introduction to archaeology, where students become familiar with its fundamental concepts, methods, and theoretical approaches. Students will study the emergence of archaeology as a discipline, tracing the development of its purposes and aims over time. This unit will provide students with a foundation in the various methods and analytical techniques used to study archaeological evidence by using a combination of practical case studies drawn from all periods of archaeology. Students will be trained in and then implement for themselves the methods used to handle, document, and describe archaeological artefacts, acquiring thereby the foundational skills necessary for the interpretation of human cultures through their material remains.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Identify foundational developments, theoretical approaches, and key figures of the archaeological discipline.
  • ULO2: Demonstrate knowledge of the methods and scientific analyses employed in archaeological investigations and the interpretation of material culture.
  • ULO3: Handle, document, and analyse artefacts.
  • ULO4: Discuss the principles of formulating research projects designed to investigate archaeological questions.
  • ULO5: Demonstrate critical thinking in reading of archaeological literature and an awareness of competing interpretations.

General Assessment Information

IMPORTANT PENALTIES TO BE APPLIED

Rubrics and other guidance for the Assessments will be posted on our iLearn site and discussed in class. To complete the unit successfully you will need a minimum mark of 50% overall, and you will have to attempt all the assessments. F / FA: 0-49% P: 50-64% CR: 65-74% D: 75-84% HD: 85-100%

LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT TASKS Please always let one of us know ahead of time if you are having difficulty completing an assessment or if you will not be able to attend class or complete the online tutorial task. It's just good for us to know what is going on with you -- it is not necessary to give specifics of your situation -- but it helps to hear from you, partly because Special Considerations get be delayed in busy times.

Most importantly though, please make sure to apply for a Special Consideration if you are not able to submit a task on time. That will help us to help you. I highly recommend that you become familiar with the procedure before you are in the position of having to use it - so that it does not become another challenging hurdle when you are already experiencing difficulties.

Here is the link to the webpage that will talk you through the requirements and process of Special Considerations.

http://connect.mq.edu.au

LATE ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION PENALTY: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. 

This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the Unit Convenor in a Special Consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic. 

IMPORTANT NOTE ON MARKS Grading decisions for each assessment task will be moderated against the set criteria and standards before task results are released.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Artefact study 35% No 2026-04-13 Individual No Open
Problem sets 30% No 2026-05-17 Individual No Open
Final Exam 35% No Exam period to be advised Individual No Observed

Artefact study

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 2026-04-13
Weighting: 35%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

Describe, analyse and document an artefact.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Handle, document, and analyse artefacts.
  • Discuss the principles of formulating research projects designed to investigate archaeological questions.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking in reading of archaeological literature and an awareness of competing interpretations.

Problem sets

Assessment Type 1: Problem-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 2026-05-17
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

Short answer questions that aim to allow students to reflect on and consolidate their learning.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify foundational developments, theoretical approaches, and key figures of the archaeological discipline.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the methods and scientific analyses employed in archaeological investigations and the interpretation of material culture.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking in reading of archaeological literature and an awareness of competing interpretations.

Final Exam

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Exam period to be advised
Weighting: 35%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed

A two-hour examination on all course content.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify foundational developments, theoretical approaches, and key figures of the archaeological discipline.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the methods and scientific analyses employed in archaeological investigations and the interpretation of material culture.
  • Discuss the principles of formulating research projects designed to investigate archaeological questions.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking in reading of archaeological literature and an awareness of competing interpretations.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • Academic Success for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

DELIVERY

Lectures will be delivered in person. I like to have some discussion during the lecture, so please come along to class, I will be very happy to see you there! You will also be able to access the lectures on the Echo360 platform via our iLearn site. Lecture and Tutorial slides will be posted after the respective classes.

Tutorials for Internal students will be held face-to-face.  The tutorials will often build on our discussions from the lecture, so make sure to engage with the lectures before coming to your tutorial.

Online forums, which will replicate as far as is possible the content that we cover during the in-person tutorials, will be held each week for Online/Flexible (External) students. Please post to the forums by the Wednesday of that week's lecture.  I look forward to reading your posts.

Please note that quiz questions and essay questions for the Final Exam will be taken from the readings, the lectures, and the tutorial materials.

Required Text

The unit readings will largely be based on this required text book. It is best if you own your own copy: Renfrew, C., Bahn,P. and De Marrais, E. 2024. Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice, 9th ed. London, Thames and Hudson.

Recommended Texts

You will find these texts helpful for this class and for those you take in the future. The Encyclopedias are good places to start your research for assessemnts and they are easily available through our library on MultiSearch:

Bahn, P., 2012. Archaeology: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Gamble, C., 2015. Archaeology. The Basics, 3rd ed. London, New York, Routledge•

Pearsall, D. M., 2008. Encyclopedia of Archaeology, San Diego, Elsevier.

Smith, C., 2014. Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, New York, Springer.

Supplemental Readings

We will also assign or recommend supplemental readings whenever we find an article or chapter that particularly supports what we are doing in the lecture and tutorial. Please note that all readings for class should be completed before the lecture, and must be completed before attending the tutorials. Real learning, which is based on independent, active learning, depends on coming to the tutorials prepared to discuss the material from the lecture and the readings.

UNIT WEBPAGE AND TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

This unit will use the iLearn system (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/) to communicate with the students, so you will need access to a computer and a good internet connection. Basic computer and word-processing skills are also required.

Unit Schedule

The Unit Schedule is available on the Unit iLearn site.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2026.04 of the Handbook