Archaeology in Film and Television
ANTH 3822Dr. Susan Johnston
Spring 2016Old Main 312
Textbook:Holtorf, Cornelius. 2007. Archaeology is a Brand! Left Coast Press: Walnut Creek: CA.
ISBN 978-1-59874-179-7
Readings from this book are listed as “Holtorf Ch. #”. All other reading listed is on Blackboard.
Reading:
January13Introduction
15What do archaeologists want people to know about them?
Holtorf Ch. 1
Tallboys 2015, Holtorf 2005
20What is the popular image of archaeology and archaeologists?
Holtorf Ch. 3
McGeough 2006, Baxter 2002, Eddie Izzard video clip
22Does the media have an impact?
Nisbet 2016, Colavito 2015, Rakestraw & Reynolds 2001, Dudo et al
2011, Haynes 2016
27Star Trek: Next Generation, The Chase (S6:E20)
Russell 2002
29Archaeology, science fiction, and what it is we really do
Crichton 1999
February 3The Mummy (1932) (watch on Blackboard before class)
Smith 2007, Hall 2004, New York Times articles on King Tut’s curse
5The most famous of them all…
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) (watch on Blackboard before class)
Pyburn 2008, Holtorf 2008
10Archaeological ethics
McGill 2012, SAA principles of archaeological ethics
SHORT PAPER #1 DUE
12Bones, The Archaeologist in the Cocoon (S8:E11)
17Archaeological ethics on TV
Holtorf Ch. 4
19Archaeology and politics
The Body (2001) (watch on Blackboard before class)
Cline 2007, McGuire 2008 (excerpt)
24Archaeological funding
Timeline (2003) (watch on Blackboard before class)
Doug’s Archaeology, Halotte 2009, Kakissis 2014
SHORT PAPER #2 DUE
26EXAM
March 2Documentaries and archaeology
Holtorf Ch. 6
Taylor 2007, Martin-Stone nd
4Time Team, Saxon Death, Saxon Gold (S18:E2)
Taylor 1998, Time Team retrospective
9Time Team America, Lost Pueblo Village (S2:E4)
Schablitsky and Hetherington 2007
11The Time Team phenomenon
Brittain and Clack 2007
16-18SPRING BREAK!!!!
23Digging for the Truth, City of the Gods (S2:E7)
Holtorf Ch. 5
Bernstein interview
25Extreme archaeology!
Extreme Archaeology, Parys Underground (S1:E4)
watch on Youtube before class (make sure you watch all four parts!)
Kristiansen and Holtorf 2008
SHORT PAPER #3 DUE
30Diggers, Washington’s Camp (S3E:17)
Letters from the AIA and SAA, Pitts 2012, Carter 2012
April 1American Diggers, Unearthing Controversy (S1:E19)
Paynton 2002, Cline, Silberman and Holtorf 2008, SAA brainstorming
report
6Metal detecting and archaeology
Irel:
UK:
US:
8Ancient Aliens, Mysteries of the Sphinx (S7:E2)
Colavito 2014
13Absent archaeologists?
Brewer 2012, Bad Archaeology
15Debate: how should archaeology be involved in alternative TV?
SHORT PAPER #4 DUE
20Other ways to think about archaeology and TV?
Holtorf Ch. 7
Marwick 2010, Holtorf 2010
22Final thoughts
Learning Objectives
* to think about how archaeology and archaeologists are presented in the media
* to think about ways in which to engage with the media
* to think about the impact the media does or doesn’t have on perceptions of archaeology
* to consider whether this really matters to archaeology as a discipline
Course Requirements:
This syllabus represents the basic framework of this class. However, I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE IT IF IT BECOMES NECESSARY. This would only happen if we get behind, or want to pursue a topic for more time than I have allowed for that topic. You will get plenty of warning if I do have to change the syllabus.
There are four movies and one documentary that you will have to watch outside of class. The movies are posted on Blackboard under electronic reserves, and are streamed through the university’s streaming service. All you have to do is click on the film to watch it (and activate Silverlight). The documentary is on Youtube and the link is above. YOU MUST WATCH THESE BEFORE CLASS. All of the other media will be shown in class.
All of the reading listed in this syllabus is required. You are also responsible for anything that happens in class. It will make this class both more interesting and more useful for you if you will PLEASE DO THE READING. That will make it easier for you to enter discussions, which will be numerous in this class. IF I GET THE SENSE THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF YOU ARE NOT DOING THE READING AND ARE INSTEAD RELYING ON CLASS DISCUSSIONS, I WILL START CALLING ON PEOPLE RANDOMLY FOR YOUR OPINIONS. So be prepared.
I am also going to count participation in class discussions for 10% of your grade. You don’t have to be brilliant every day, but you will need to say something every now and then that indicates that 1) you did the reading and 2) thought about it. At the end of the semester, if I have no idea who you are and you have never said a word in class, I will deduct points accordingly. At that point it will be up to you to convince me that you have indeed participated.
You must also take both exams and turn in the four short papers in order to pass the course. There are two exams, one during the semester and the other during the final exam period. Each will cover the section of the course that precedes it. This includes the second exam that, although held during the final exam period, is not cumulative. Each exam is worth 25% of your grade and each short paper is 10%.
FAILURE TO APPEAR AT AN EXAM WITHOUT LETTING ME KNOW IN ADVANCE, WILL GET YOU AN F ON THAT EXAM. If you must miss an exam, you will have until I hand back the graded exams to make it up. This is usually about a week. If this becomes necessary, please see me as soon as possible to arrange a time. If you are ill, you will need to provide documentation that you saw some kind of health provider. Please note that I WILL VERIFY THAT THE DOCUMENTATION IS REAL.
I DON’T DO EXTRA CREDIT, SO DON’T EVEN ASK! If you are having trouble with the course material, come and see me. THIS SHOULD BE DONE EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER. I am happy to help you succeed in this class, but I can’t do it if I don’t know that you need help, and there will come a point in the semester where it will be too late to do anything. So stay on top of it!
My office is Rm. 203 in 2112 G St. and my extension is 4-6075. You can also reach me by e-mail at . Email is the quickest way to reach me, but I will be available in my office on Wednesday 2:15-4:00 and Friday 11-12:30 if you need to see me in person.
Short Paper Assignments:
There are four short paper for this course, each of which asks to you do a little outside work in terms of the themes discussed in the class on the day the paper is due. Each should be 2-3 pages long, is due in class, and is worth 10% of your grade.
Paper #1 (due February 10):
Go online and read any archaeological code of ethics other than that of the SAA. You could use one from an international association, or the AIA, SHA, or any other one you can fund as long as it’s archaeological. In your essay, discuss whether there are any meaningful differences between the SAA code and the one you are considering. Using at least two different examples from the media you have seen so far, were ethics violated and how bad was the violation?
Paper #2 (due February 24):
Using any organization you can find other than the NSF, read about their funding opportunities for archaeology. You should find out 1) what kind of archaeology they fund and 2) how much money you are allowed to apply for. Then think brieflywhat kind of project that might fund (e.g. large excavation, small excavation, survey project, museum work). Finally, what would you have to produce for the funding agency and when (e.g. reports, summaries, etc.)?
Paper #3 (due March 25):
Why do you think archaeology is so often portrayed as an adventure or an “extreme” undertaking? Is this just about good TV or does it really reflect something archaeologists think about but don’t talk about? Are we really in it for the knowledge or is there an element of adventure in what appeals to professional archaeologists as well? And if it’s about the adventure, then is it fair for archaeologists to protest that TV portrayals that emphasize this aspect are misrepresenting the field?
Paper #4 (due April 15):
Take a position on whether or not archaeologists should be involved in shows like Ancient Aliens or American Diggers. Is it part of the job of an archaeologist to correct ideas the public might have about archaeology, is it pointless, or is there too much risk that we will give these portrayals more attention than they deserve? Is Ancient Aliens better, worse, or pretty much the same as American Diggers? If you were invited to be a talking head on one of these shows, would you accept?
Print References:
Baxter, Jane Eva. 2002. Popular images and popular stereotypes. SAA Archaeological Record 2(4): 16-17, 40.
Brewer, Paul R. 2012. The trappings of science: media messages, scientific authority, and beliefs about paranormal investigators. Science Communication 35(3) 311–333.
Brittain, Marcus and Timothy Clack. 2007. In the camera’s lens: an interview with Brian Fagan
and Francis Pryor. Archaeology and the Media. Timothy Clack and Marcus Brittain (eds.) Left Coast Press: Walnut Creek, CA.
Carter, Bill. 2012. TV digs will harm patrimony, scholars say. The New York Times, March 21, 2012.
Cline, Eric H., Neil Asher Silberman, and Cornelius Holtorf. 2008. Forum: Archaeologists and the media. Near Eastern Archaeology 71(3): 172-79.
Crichton, Michael. 1999. Ritual abuse, hot air, and missed opportunities. Science 283(5407): 1461-1463.
Dudo, anthony, Dominique Brossard, James Shanahan, Dietram A. Scheufele1, Michael Morgan, and Nancy Signorielli. 2011. Science on television in the 21st century: recent trends in portrayals and their contributions to public attitudes toward science. Communication Research 38(6): 754–
777.
Hall, Mark A. 2004. Romancing the stones: archaeology in popular cinema. European Journal of Archaeology 7(2): 159–176.
Haynes, Roslynn D. 2016. Whatever happened to the ‘mad, bad’ scientist? Overturning the
stereotype. Public Understanding of Science 25(1) 31–44.
Holtorf, Cornelius. 2005. Chapter 9. Archaeo-appeal. From Stonehenge to Las Vegas. Archaeology as Popular Culture. Altamira Press: Lanham.
Holtorf, Cornelius. 2008. Academic critique and the need for an open mind (a response to Kristiansen). Antiquity 82: 490–492.
Holtorf, Cornelius. 2010. Meta-stories of archaeology. World Archaeology 42(3): 381-393.
Kristiansen, Kristian. 2008. Should archaeology be in the service of ‘popular culture’? A theoretical and political critique of Cornelius Holtorf ’s vision of archaeology. Antiquity 82: 488–490.
Marwick, Ben. 2010. Self-image, the long view and archaeological engagement with film: an animated case study. World Archaeology 42:3, 394-404.
McGeough, Kevin. 2006. Heroes, mummies, and treasure: Near Eastern archaeology in the movies. Near Eastern Archaeology 69(3-4): 174-85.
McGill D., C.Colwell-Chanthaphonh, and J. Hollowell. 2012. Archaeological ethics. Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics, 2nd Ed. Ruth Chadwick (ed). Vol 1. Academic Press: San Diego. pp. 179–188.
McGuire, Randall H. 2008. Chapter 1. Politics. Archaeology as Political Action. University of California Press: Berkeley.
Nesbit, Matt. 2016. The X-Files effect? Skeptical Inquirer 40(1): 33-35.
Paynton, Ceinwen. 2002. Public perception and “pop archaeology”: a survey of current attitudes toward televised archaeology in Britain. SAA Archaeological Record 2(2): 33-36, 44.
Pitts, Mike. 2012. American Digger and archaeology. Anthropology Today 28(3): 1-2.
Pyburn, K. Anne. 2008. Public archaeology, Indiana Jones, and honesty. Archaeologies 4(2): 201-204.
Rakestraw, Tamara and Amy Reynolds. 2001. Archaeology and the public: exploring popular misconceptions. Archaeology and the Public: Exploring Popular Misconceptions. The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal 2: 25–29.
Russell, Lynette. 2002. Archaeology and Star Trek: exploring the past in the future. Digging Holes in Popular Culture. Miles Russell (ed.) Oxbow Books: Oxford.
Schablitsky, Julie M. and Nigel J. Hetherington. 2007. Archaeology on the screen. Archaeology in Society. Marcy Rockman and Joe Flatman (eds.) Springer: New York.
Smith, Stuart Tyson. 2007. Unwrapping the mummy. 2012. Archaeology in Society. Marcy Rockman and Joe Flatman (eds.) Springer: New York.
Society for American Archaeology. 1996. Principles of archaeological ethics. American Antiquity 61(3): 451-2.
Taylor, Timothy. 1998. The production process. Behind the Scenes at Time Team. Channel 4 Books: London.
Taylor, Timothy. 2007. Screening biases. Archaeology and the Media. Timothy Clack and Marcus Brittain (eds.) Left Coast Press: Walnut Creek, CA.