AR3P22: The First Europeans: The Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology of the Lower Palaeolithic

Module code: AR3P22

Module provider: Archaeology; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Rob Hosfield, email: r.hosfield@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to provide you with an understanding and knowledge of the Lower Palaeolithic period in Europe, including key aspects of hominins (e.g. skeletal morphology, encephalisation and new life history stages), their behaviour (e.g. technologies and subsistence strategies), Pleistocene chronologies (e.g. the earliest occupation of Europe), landscapes and geology (e.g. the formation of Lower Palaeolithic 'sites'), environments (e.g. the nature of Middle Pleistocene landscapes and habitats), and the techniques used to investigate the period (including anthropological perspectives from recent hunter-gatherers). 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. To analyse and present Lower Palaeolithic sites and/or data; 
2. To critically assess the nature and quality of archaeological and/or palaeoanthropological evidence for the European Lower Palaeolithic; 
3. To develop knowledge and understanding of topics introduced in lectures and seminars through further independent study and learning, and demonstrate understanding through written coursework and screencast presentation; 
4. To critically select and present archaeological and/or palaeoanthropological evidence appropriate for different, non-academic, audiences. 

Module content

The module focuses upon themes relevant to the current study of Lower Palaeolithic archaeology and hominins in Europe (technology, subsistence, life history, settlement histories, spatial structuring of behaviour). In outlining these themes the module also emphasises the varied geological contexts of the available archaeological evidence, and the relationships between the structure of the data and the questions which can be realistically answered. Regional and site-based data and specific examples from Europe (e.g. Soucy, Schöningen and Bilzingsleben, Atapuerca, Boxgrove and Swanscombe) will support the presentation and discussion of these themes. 

Archaeological (e.g. lithic and zooarchaeological assemblages), palaeoanthropological (e.g. hominin fossil specimens) and geological/environmental (e.g. landscape fragments and biological proxies) evidence are presented throughout the module, alongside methodological and theoretical frameworks (e.g. the short vs. long chronology for the earliest European occupation; life history modelling) and anthropological perspectives from recent hunter-gatherers which have influenced the interpretation of the data. 

The module also adopts a site-based and regional approach to the examination of the earliest period of European colonisation - the Lower Palaeolithic. The archaeology of the Palaeolithic period is characterised by a mixture of short-lived primary context archaeology (e.g. individual lithic scatters) and large-scale spatial and chronological data palimpsests. The impacts of these contrasting scales of analysis upon behavioural models and research methods are emphasised, e.g. with reference to the value of site-based approaches in understanding tool-making, raw material exploitation and subsistence strategies, and to the importance of regional data in the study of hominin colonisation patterns and settlement histories. Spatial scales of analysis will therefore vary from the individual site to inter-regional comparisons. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, seminars with structured discussions based upon prepared reading, and practical, artefact-based, sessions. Field trips will be to a museum to view British Lower Palaeolithic artefact collections and/or to view Middle Pleistocene landscape remnants. Individual coursework feedback sessions will be offered. 

The coursework assessments will develop your research and presentational skills, including communicating with different, non-academic, audiences. 

As a 20 credit module, The First Europeans: The Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology of the Lower Palaeolithic should involve 200 hours of study time: attending lectures, seminars, practical sessions and field trips; general background reading; preparing for seminars; and reading for, and writing/presenting your coursework (essay and screencast presentation). You should therefore expect the following sort of workload: 

• 30 hours: Contact hours in formal teaching sessions (lectures, seminars, practicals and field trips); 
• 65 hours: General background reading and note-taking from key texts for each week’s topic(s) - i.e. c. 6 hours per week; 
• 45 hours: Reading for, preparation of, and writing your essay; 
• 30 hours: Reading, note-taking, and preparation of your screencast presentation; 
• 30 hours: Reading and note-taking for seminar topics - i.e. 3 hours per seminar. 

Preparatory reading: 

• McNabb, J. The British Lower Palaeolithic: Stones in Contention. Abingdon: Routledge. Chapters 1-2. 
• Hosfield, R. 2020. The Earliest Europeans – A Year in the Life: Seasonal survival strategies in the Lower Palaeolithic. Oxbow Books: Oxford (Open access copy at: https://books.casematepublishers.com/The_Earliest_Europeans.pdf). Chapter 2. 
• Pettitt, P. & White, M.J. 2012. The British Palaeolithic: Human Societies at the Edge of the Pleistocene World. London: Routledge. Chapter 1. 
• Stringer, C. 2006. Homo Britannicus: The Incredible Story of Human Life in Britain. London: Penguin. Introduction & Chapters 1-3. 
• Wymer, J.J. 1999. The Lower Palaeolithic Occupation of Britain. Salisbury: Wessex Archaeology & English Heritage. Chapters 1 & 2. 

Study hours

At least 32 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative feedback on general seminar contributions will be provided during the discussion seminars. 

Reassessment

Additional costs