ARMUMA: Becoming Urban in the Middle Ages

Module code: ARMUMA

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

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Brandon Fathy, email: b.h.fathy@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 reviews the archaeological approaches to understanding the emergence and evolution of urbanism in the Middle Ages. The module aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the contribution of archaeology to understanding medieval towns and urban life.  

The first part of the module follows the transformation of towns from post-Roman times through to the emergence of medieval towns, and from the socioeconomic complexities of urban centres to the effects of the Black Death. The remaining majority of the module is organised thematically, comparing themes such as topography, social stratification, economy, religious practice, disease and sanitation, and ecology across regions and eras. Finally, the module will investigate the implications of developer-led archaeology on urban archaeology in the 21st century.

The aims of the module are to:

• Develop a nuanced understanding of the origins, transformations, and abandonment of medieval towns.
• Develop a systematic understanding of the range of sources used by medieval archaeologists: features, artefacts, maps, written records, and environmental data.
• Use primary data to explore key aspects of urban life: social stratification, trade, markets, crafts, religious practices, sanitation, public health, and defence.
• investigate urban archaeology methods and techniques, including the character of developer-lead archaeology in the UK today.

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Provide a critical assessment of the main issues and histories of medieval urbanism
2. Critically evaluate the character and quality of archaeological data associated with medieval urbanism, including contemporary urban archaeology methods and techniques
3. Develop independent interpretations of material through self-directed research
4. Provide a critical reading of course material, and to debate their conclusions in class discussions

Module content

The module explores both the history of urbanism in the Middle Ages, and the many avenues by which archaeologists study medieval towns and urban life. Starting from the counter-urbanisation that coincided with the decline of the Western Roman Empire, the module investigates the factors that led to the development of medieval towns and the transition from rural to urban living across various historical contexts: survival from the Roman period, northern emporia in 7th and 8th centuries, Viking settlements, castle towns from the 11th century onwards, and cathedral cities. Drawing on specific case studies, This module explores how the layout and topography of towns transformed physically (street patterns, fortifications, houses, and civic structures) and socially (guilds, merchants, artisans, labour) across towns and eras. One week of lessons will dedicated to each of the following themes

• Poverty and consumption
• Trade, markets, and crafts
• Religion: churches, monasteries, and religious practice
• Urban ecology: pests, pets, and parasites
• Urban challenges: sanitation health, and defence
• Urban Archaeology methods and techniques today

One week will be dedicated to the understanding the character of urban archaeology today, particularly the impact of developer-led archaeology on UK cities, and urban archaeology’s relationship to the public.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will be taught through 2-hour introductory lectures and 1-hour seminars at which students will be expected to contribute by presenting the results of set reading. Lectures will be used to introduce complex topics and individual tutorials provided to discuss essays.  

As a formative assessment in the first week, each student will choose a town or city that was mapped in John Speed’s 1610 Atlas and then write a commentary on its plan (monuments, features) and on which features might survive or be lost from the Middle Ages.

The module will also incorporate an instructive fieldtrip to Oxford and London to allow students to experience these places directly

The summative assessment will comprise one 5000-word essay and one 15-minute oral presentation that foster the students’ content knowledge, independent research, critical thinking, and communication skills. 

Study hours

At least 36 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 50% 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.

Each student will choose a town or city that was mapped in John Speed’s 1610 Atlas and then write a commentary on its plan (monuments, features) and on which features might survive or be lost from the Middle Ages.

Reassessment

Additional costs