Active Outline

General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
ANTHD004.
Course Title (CB02)
World Prehistory
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
Worldwide patterns of cultural transformation, from the earliest foraging societies to the development of agrarian states. The prehistoric interpretation of these changes based upon the comparison of archaeological evidence from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and Oceania.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course is a major preparation requirement in the discipline of anthropology for at least one CSU or UC. It meets a general education requirement for °®¶¹´«Ã½, CSUGE and IGETC. It is a requirement for an AA-T in anthropology. This course gives the students an opportunity to apply the methods and skills of anthropology to evaluate on-going cultural transformation and discuss the future of humanity.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU
°®¶¹´«Ã½ GEArea(s)StatusDetails
2GDX°®¶¹´«Ã½ GE Area D - Social and Behavioral SciencesApproved
CSU GEArea(s)StatusDetails
CGDYCSU GE Area D - Social SciencesApproved
IGETCArea(s)StatusDetails
IG4XIGETC Area 4 - Social and Behavioral SciencesApproved

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
4.0
Maximum Credit Units
4.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours4.08.0
Laboratory Hours0.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
48.0
Laboratory
0.0
Total
48.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
96.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
96.0

Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

(See general education pages for the requirements this course meets.)

Methods of Instruction

Laboratory and field observation involving data collection and analysis

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

Preparations of museum exhibits

Discussion and problem solving performed in class

Quiz and examination review performed in class

Homework and extended projects

Guest speakers

Collaborative projects

Lecture and multimedia aids

Discussion of assigned reading

Assignments

  1. Verbal
    1. Small group discussions of course content and applied issues
    2. Individual and/or small group presentations on selected topics of course material
    3. In class debates on topical controversies in prehistory and anthropology
    4. Student facilitation of classroom discussions under instructor's supervision
  2. Reading
    1. Synthesis of assigned reading from required texts and other sources
    2. Suggested supplemental readings followed by assignments, discussion and problem solving in class
  3. Writing
    1. A major research paper dealing with the critical analysis of a cultural issue or controversy as revealed through the study of prehistory. Students will conduct independent research using appropriate Internet and library resources, evaluate and select sources, critically analyze data, synthesize information, and formulate conclusions.
    2. Weekly journals and written responses to articles read, current issues, or topics researched; assignments, discussion and problem solving in class; short answers and essay questions
    3. Substantive response papers on cultural issues explored through classroom materials and readings.
  4. Preparation of exhibit material: Students will develop an educational exhibit to apply and teach fellow students about aspects of anthropology and prehistory

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Midterm objective and/or essay examinations and comprehensive final, all of which are composed of concept based questions which will require the student to demonstrate the ability to integrate and summarize facts and translate them into fundamental units of knowledge
  2. Issue-oriented research paper, and working outline for such project, involving summary, synthesis, and critical analysis of data
  3. Participation in and contribution toward classroom discussions and in-class collaborate group written analytical work involving comparative source materials.
  4. In class oral presentations (individually or in groups) that demonstrate ability to present data and data analysis in a logical, engaging oral and visual format.
  5. Reading responses that demonstrate basic comprehension, critique and synthesis of course.
  6. Design and display exhibits which involves collection, preparation and interpretation of materials. They will be assessed based on questionnaires, interviews, surveys and informal conversation with attendees.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • Anthropology lab, artifacts, and Maps

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Chazan M. World Prehistory and Archaeology: Pathways Through Time. 4th Ed. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. 2017
Fagan, Brian M. and Durrani, Nadia. World Prehisory : A Brief Introduction.9th ed.. Routledge. 2017
Fagan B and Durrani N. People of the Earth: An Introduction to World Prehistory. 15th Ed. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. 2019.
Feder, Kenneth. "The Past in Perspective": An Introduction to Human Prehistory. 7th ed. Oxford University Press. 2016
Olszewski, Deborah I. Archaeology and Humanity's Story: A Brief Introduction to World Prehistory. Oxford University Press. 2015.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Bradley J. Adams and Pam J. Crabtree. 2008. Comparative Skeletal Anatomy: A Photographic Atlas for Medical Examiners, Forensic Anthropologists, and Archaeologists. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press.
Barber, Elizabeth Wayland. "Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth, and Society in Ancient Times." W. W. Norton & Company, 1995.
Crabtree, P.J., Campana, D.V. "Exploring Prehistory: How Archaeology reveals our Past". McGraw Hill. 2nd ed. 2006
Fagan B and Durrani N. In the Beginning: An Introduction to Archaeology. 13th Ed. Prentice Hall. 2013.
Feinman, Gary M. and Joyce Marcus, Eds. "Archaic States." School of American Research Press, 1998
Harris, David. R., ed. "The Origins and Spread of Agriculture and Pastoralism in Eurasia." Smithsonian Institution Press, 1996.
Hodder, Ian. Reading the Past: Current Approaches to Interpretation in Archaeology. 3rd Ed. Cambridge University Press. 2004.
Johnson, Allen W. and Timothy Earle. "The Evolution of Human Societies: From Foraging Group to Agrarian State." 2nd ed. Stanford University Press, 2000.
Johnson, Matthew. "Archaeological Theory." Wiley Blackwell, 1999.
Kirch PV. On the Road of the Winds: An Archaeological History of the Pacific Islands before European Contact. (Rev. Ed). University of California Press. 2002.
Nelson, Sarah Millege and Miriam Rosen Ayalon, eds. "In Pursuit of Gender: Worldwide Archaeological Approaches." AltaMira Press, 2002
Panter-Brick, Catherine, Robert H. Layton, Peter Rowley-Conwey. "Hunter-Gatherers: An Interdisciplinary Perspective." Cambridge University Press, 2001
Rice, Patricia and Moloney, Norah. "Biological Anhropology and Prehistory". Allyn and Bacon. Second edition. 2007
Richards, Janet, and Mary Van Buren. "Order, Legitimacy, and Wealth in Ancient States." Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Renfrew, Colin. "Loot, Legitimacy, and Ownership: The Ethical Crisis in Archaeology." Duckworth Publishers, 2007
Renfrew C and Bahn P. Archaeology: Theory, Methods, and Practice. 7th Ed. Thames & Hudson. 2016.
Wenke, Robert, Olszewski, Deborah. "Patterns in Prehistory: Humankind's first Three Million Years". Oxford University Press. 5th edition. 2007.
American Anthropologists
American Antiquity
American Journal of Archeology
Current Anthropologist
Journal of Archeological Research
Journal of Archeological Science
Journal of Field Archeology
Journal of World Prehistory

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Recognize anthropology as a multifaceted discipline and identify the interrelationships between its subdisciplines including biological, cultural, archaeology, linguistics and applied anthropology.
  • Evaluate the historical development of anthropology
  • Examine the conceptual framework of anthropology
  • Describe and appraise the basic processes of cultural transformation
  • Differentiate between paleontological, archeological, and geological data, and interpret and assess data from these three major sources of prehistoric evidence
  • Identify cultural transformations in human societies along the geologic/archaeological timeline
  • Use the conceptual perspective of prehistory to evaluate on-going cultural transformation and discuss the future of humanity
  • Develop the role and responsibility of archaeology and archaeologists in the modern world.

CSLOs

  • Develop an appreciation of the range and diversity of past human societies, as well as analyze and evaluate the reasons why other cultures have developed their particular beliefs, practices and institutions.

  • Demonstrate an ability to investigate the relationship between culture and material culture, including how to hypothesize and build a model of past behavior from archeological evidence.

  • Illustrate and explain the processes of culture change, and recognize the patterns of past processes in present day society.

Outline

  1. Recognize anthropology as a multifaceted discipline and identify the interrelationships between its subdisciplines including biological, cultural, archaeology, linguistics and applied anthropology.
    1. Apply anthropology to vital issues and new challenges facing humans today
    2. Identify and describe the major fields within anthropology
    3. Demonstrate anthropology as a science and a humanistic discipline; understand its breadth, especially its interest in global diversity.
  2. Evaluate the historical development of anthropology
    1. Examine the historical development of the discpline as part of the Western academic tradition
    2. Examine the develpment of the study of prehistory as part of anthropology
    3. Explore the significance of women pre-historians' perspectives
    4. Understand the increasing contributions by pre-historians who are people of color and/or are from the non-Western world
  3. Examine the conceptual framework of anthropology
    1. Show how the scientific basis of anthropology places an emphasis on the empirical process of gaining knowledge
    2. Explore the impact of ethnocentrism in interpreting human prehistory
    3. Introduce and demostrate the utility of the practice of cultural relativism in interpreting prehistory
    4. Introduce and explore the utility of studying cultures holistically
    5. Establish the importance of addresing ethical questions: e.g., "who owns the past?" as a key component of anthroplogy
  4. Describe and appraise the basic processes of cultural transformation
    1. Learn the major components of the geologic/archaeological timeline
    2. Describe the impact of environmental resources on the course of human prehistory
    3. Describe the shifts in human population size and density through time and examine probable causes
    4. Appraise the procees of major technological development and its impact on the trajectory of human prehistory through time
    5. Examine the innovation and diffusion of major culture traits thoughout human prehistory
  5. Differentiate between paleontological, archeological, and geological data, and interpret and assess data from these three major sources of prehistoric evidence
    1. Learn the field techniques used in archaeological and paleoanthropological excavation
    2. Learn the techniques used in the analysis of homminid fossils and material culture artifacts
    3. Examine how anthroplogist recreat prehistoric lifeways from archaeological and fossil evidence
    4. Evaluate the importance of the interpretation of evidence utilising comparative approaches in prehistory
    5. Assess cultural transformation patterns from the unique vantage point of the multidimensional foundations of archaeology and of prehistory
    6. Apply the scientific method to archaeological research, particularly with respect to the use of hypothesis testing and multiple working hypotheses in assessing interpretations of prehistory through archaeological evidence
  6. Identify cultural transformations in human societies along the geologic/archaeological timeline
    1. Discuss the origin and evolution of Australopithecines and Homo erectus
      1. Identify the geographic locations and the range of environments inhabited by Australopithecus and Homo erectus
      2. Examine the fossil evidence available for Australopithecys and Homo erectus and evaluate the morphology of the two genera
      3. Review the tool traditions and technological development attributed to Australopithecus and Homo erectus
      4. Compare the projected cultural traits and lifeways of Australopithecus and Homo erectus
    2. Describe the origin and expansion of early Homo
      1. Assess the evidence of the origins and diversification of early Homo in Africa
      2. Outline the dispersal of early Homo from Africa to Europe and Asia
      3. Outline changes in morphology, behavior and material culture of early Homo
      4. Evaluate hypotheses about migratory routes out of Africa to the rest of the world and causal explanations of migration
    3. Examine the origins and evolution of Homo sapiens
      1. Examine the unique morphological features that define Homo sapiens
      2. Identify the geological age and locations of the earliest fossil evidence of Homo sapiens
      3. Assess the continuity and replacement models of human origins
      4. Establish the role of molecular biological evidence in assessing species origin and tracking population migrations
      5. Discuss the fate of the Neandertals in Eurasia and Flores hominids in Indonesia
    4. Describe the Middle and Upper Paleolithic peoples
      1. Identify the geographic locations and types of environments inhabited by humans in the middle pleistocene
      2. Evaluate available fossil evidence of modern humans in Africa, Asia, and Europe
      3. Examine the relationships between modern humans and the Neanderthals
      4. Compare tool traditions and technological development in Africa and Eurasia
      5. Evaluate the evidence of the development of art and religion in the old word
      6. Examine the evidence for the development of socio-political organization
      7. Track the migrations of humans into the Americas and Australia
    5. Describe the Mesolithic and early Neolithic peoples
      1. Examine the evidence for the transition from food collecting to food-producing societies
      2. Evaluate theories put forward to explain the origins of food-production
      3. Review evidence for the origin of domestication of plants and animals
      4. Compare and contrast the earliest farmers of Africa, Asia, and Europe
      5. Examine the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in Europe and the evidence for their transition to farming
      6. Track the migration routes and the timing of migrations into Oceania
      7. Look at the process of the development of farming in the Americas
      8. Reconstruct the cultural life patterns of the early farmers
    6. Establish the timing and the location of the development of state-level societies
      1. Evaluate the standard definition of 'civilization' in comparison to alternate views
      2. Evaluate theories that seek to explain the origins of the state
      3. Compare the development of the early states of Africa, the Middle East and Mediterranean areas, India, China, and the Americas
      4. Examine craft-production and specialization, long-distance trade, land ownership, hereditary elites, wealth accumulation, and rise of warfare
      5. Examine the processes and patterns of centralization of power, commerce, and religion in cities, city-states, and empires in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas
  7. Use the conceptual perspective of prehistory to evaluate on-going cultural transformation and discuss the future of humanity
    1. Assess the status of the foraging peoples in the contemporary world in light of the continuing impact of globalization
      1. Explain why foragers are found in marginal environments and look at the prospects of their continued survival in such places
      2. Compare and contrast the life patterns of modern foragers with that of the prehistoric hunter-gatherers
      3. Assess possible insights to learn from their lifestyle applicable to current existance
      4. Assess the viability of our survival as a species based on knowledge of collapse of past civilizations and the long survival of foraging socities
    2. Examine the tribal gardeners and herders in the contemporary world
      1. Evaluate the types of environments in which contemporary pastrolists and subsitance farmers operate
      2. Describe the similarities to and differences between contemporary herders and farmers, and their Neolithic counterparts
      3. Assess possible insights from the lifestyles of herders and farmers that could be useful for human survival in general
      4. Assess the long time viability of pastrolistism and subsistance agriculture in light of the current globalization impacts
    3. Outline humanity's continuing cultural transformations
      1. Discuss the loss of cultural diversity and the homogenizating effect of globalization on cultures
      2. Examine the role of archaeology and study of prehistory in preservation of evidence and education about past diversity and cultural evolution
      3. Examine the role archaeology and study of prehistory ought to play in understanding the future of humanity
      4. Discuss the obligations of Archaeologists and Prehistorians to diverse populations of the world to promote sensitivity to multiple perspectives and interpretations of the past
      5. Establish the siginificance of heritage Preservation, Museums, Antiquities laws and illegal trade in antiquities as contemporary ethical and cultural issues
  8. Develop the role and responsibility of archaeology and archaeologists in the modern world.
    1. Establish the role of archeologists as custodians of cultural heritage and interpreters of the past for diverse cultures and world views
    2. Discuss archeologists' ethical obligations toward the material culture they discover, excavate, research, and curate.
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