Maritime and Historical Archaeology

In this course we will focus on the growth and development of Maritime and Historical Archaeology as academic disciplines in the United States since the 1950s. Using a multidisciplinary framework, we will examine different methods and theories for interpreting 16th-18th century terrestrial sites and historic shipwrecks. Case studies will include Colonial town sites, Spanish treasure galleons, Revolutionary War shipwrecks, and Lake Champlain military sites. The objective of the course is to examine the relationship between cultural material remains and the written record, using both field archaeology and documentary history.