ARCHKRA040 Basics of landscape environmental research and molecular anthropology

Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava
Winter 2023
Extent and Intensity
2/2/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Dana Fialová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Peter Kováčik, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Dana Fialová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Peter Kováčik, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Peter Kováčik, Ph.D.
Institute of Historical Sciences – Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava
Timetable
Tue 15:35–17:10 H7
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
ARCHKRA040/A: Tue 17:15–18:50 H9, D. Fialová, P. Kováčik
Prerequisites
For undergraduate students
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The task of the course (lecture/seminar) is to acquaint students with a wide range of biological methods of environmental landscape research with an emphasis on molecular anthropology, the use of which in archeology is experiencing a current boom associated with, among other things, with rapid technological development in the field of information technology. The goal is for the students to be able to at the end of the course to think about suitable methods even before the actual research, or be able to choose optimal methods during research. To do this, they need to identify and collect various environmental samples for various types of analysis, including molecular genetic ones. Graduates of the course will be equipped with knowledge about what information can be obtained from analyses, what is theirs advantages, disadvantages and pitfalls, and therefore the best way to assess the finding situation so that it is possible to obtain as efficiently as possible required information.
Learning outcomes
Students will be familiar with a wide variety of biological methods of landscape environmental research with an emphasis on molecular anthropology.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction, history of research 2. Palynology 3. Archaeobotany1 – anthracology, analyzes of macroremains, dendrochronology 4. Archaeobotany2 5. Malacofauna and entomology 6. Archaeozoology1 7. Archaeozoology2 8. Introduction to molecular and biological anthropology (history of research, sample characteristics, workplace) 9. Molecular anthropology: Microscopic, biological, molecular and other types of analysis, their advantages and disadvantages and limitations 10. Molecular anthropology: basic characterization of people and appearance (phenotyping) 11. Molecular Anthropology: Migration and Kinship 12. Molecular anthropology: Diet, habits of people and characteristics of the environment 13. Molecular anthropology: Genetically determined diseases, infections and other pathologies, the study of microorganisms and other options.
Literature
    required literature
  • Bojsová, K.: Mých prvních 54 000 let. Nejnovější poznatky z evoluční genetiky a archeologie, Praha 2018.
  • Krištuf, P. – Zíková, T.et al.: Výzkum krajiny: vybrané antropologické a archeologické metody. Plzeň 2015.
  • Beneš, J. – Pokorný, P.(eds.): Bioarcheologie v České republice / Bioarcheology in the Czech Republic. České Budějovice 2014.
    recommended literature
  • Behringer, W.: Kulturní dějiny klimatu: od doby ledové po globální oteplování. Praha 2010.
  • Beneš, J.: Počátky zemědělství ve starém světě. České Budějovice 2018.
  • Cílek, V. et al.: Obraz krajiny: pohled ze středních Čech. Praha 2011.
  • Brown, T. – Brown, K.: Biomolecular Archaeology: An Introduction. Malden – Oxford – Chichester 2011.
Teaching methods
Lecture, seminar
Assessment methods
Oral exam
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Winter 2022, Winter 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Winter 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.slu.cz/course/fpf/winter2023/ARCHKRA040