Field Methods in Paleoanthropology

3 units

Run as a field school, this course provides a practical, hands-on introduction to the methods of paleoanthropological fieldwork. Instruction will take place at Drimolen Cave, one of the iconic paleoanthropological sites relevant to human evolution in South Africa. The objective of the field school is to give students an introduction to everything they need to know about paleoanthropology in South Africa. This includes practical exposure to excavation and survey methods, nightly lectures on a variety of topics covering paleoanthropology, geology, and archaeology delivered by some of the leading scholars in those disciplines as well as younger researchers in the process of getting their doctoral degrees. Lectures and practical training will be supplemented by four excursions meant to be both educational and entertaining (see below). Students will be expected to keep a daily log of their activities and observations, including details of their excavation records, to be handed in for grading at the end of the season. There will also be three weekly quizzes.