Please note that we will be on a field trip from
​Sunday 30 April until Friday evening 5 May 2017. 

The secluded cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde and the stunning architecture of Chaco Canyon beg the questions: “Who built and lived in these places? What were their lives like?” This course investigates the ancient peoples and places of the North American Southwest—one of the most archaeologically studied places on earth.  The focus of our investigations is the period of dramatically increasing settlement, diversity, movement, and change from 500 to 1500 C.E.  In addition to close attention to the archaeological record, we will rely on ethnographies and comparative research to enrich our understanding of the past and present peoples of the Southwest. 

Previous coursework in archaeology or anthropology is not required for this course. All majors welcome!

Textbooks  - Additional readings are posted on Canvas (Finalized for Block 8, Spring 2017)

Living Histories: Native Americans and Southwestern Archaeology
By Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh
ISBN: 978-0759111967
New, used, electronic edition okay. 

Archaeology: A Very Short Introduction
By Paul Bahn
Second edition: 978-0199657438
​New, used, electronic edition okay.

In Search of the Old Ones by David Roberts
Simon and Schuster, 1997
First Edition (there is no Second Edition)
ISBN:  978-0684832128

We'll read the book while on the field trip and especially on the bus.  If you have difficulty reading in a vehicle, consider getting an audio book to listen to it on the trip. New, used, electronic, any edition okay.