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Module content

This is a palaeontological field module co-organised with , Director of the National Centre for the Study of Human Evolution () in Burgos, Spain.

The module includes two main elements of teaching:

1) Knowledge of the contribution of the Atapuerca sites to the understanding of the evolutionary scenario of human populations in Europe. Students will gain familiarity with the Atapuerca Early to Middle Pleistocene hominin fossils and related discussions about their taxonomy, phylogeny, behaviour and general geo-chronological and paleo-environmental context.

2) An introduction to the practical aspects of paleontological/archaeological fieldwork by participating in the excavation of the Atapuerca Pleistocene sites (a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Burgos, Spain); students will gain a general understanding of the principles and methods by which archaeological and paleontological data are acquired, recorded and used to reconstruct the past.

Upon completion of this course, students should be familiar with the hominin fossil record recovered at the Atapuerca sites and their contribution to the debate about the origin, dispersals and evolution of the Early and Middle Pleistocene populations of Europe. Through practical work, students will learn a range of basic fieldwork techniques as well as acquire a broad knowledge of the range and varied nature of the data recovered in the field for studying the past.

Teaching Delivery

Lectures: One day of preparatory lectures including information on logistics and the academic background to the Atapuerca sites and their contributions to our understanding of human evolution in the Pleistocene.

Fieldwork: Approximately 11 days of excavation at Atapuerca, including daily post-excavation processing lab work.

Learning outcomes:

UG L6:

Having completed the module, students will have:

- knowledge of the anatomy and palaeobiology of the hominin fossils recovered at the Atapuerca sites and the similarities/differences with the Early and Middle Pleistocene fossil record from Europe, Africa and Asia;

- knowledge and critical understanding of the different models debate about the origin of Neanderthals, with a focus on the data obtained by the study of the Middle Pleistocene population from Sima de los Huesos at Atapuerca;

- knowledge and critical understanding of the different models explaining the first settlement of Europe, with a focus on the data obtained from the study of the Early Pleistocene sites of Sima del Elefante and Gran Dolina at Atapuerca;

- an understanding of the environmental context for the origin, dispersals and interactions of the Early and Middle Pleistocene first inhabitants of Europe;

- a general understanding of the behaviour and culture of the Early and Middle Pleistocene populations of Europe;

- gained practical experience of excavation, and other practical skills and tasks, giving a broad understanding of archaeological field techniques and methods;

- gained an awareness of the interdisciplinarity of human evolutionary studies, and the importance of recording not only the fossil findings, but also their context;

- the ability to keep a careful record of fieldwork activities for future reference.

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UG L7:

Having completed the module, students will have:

- knowledge of the anatomy and palaeobiology of the hominin fossils recovered at the Atapuerca sites and the similarities/differences with the Early and Middle Pleistocene fossil record from Europe, Africa and Asia;

- knowledge and critical understanding of the different models debate about the origin of Neanderthals, with a focus on the data obtained by the study of the Middle Pleistocene population from Sima de los Huesos at Atapuerca;

- knowledge and critical understanding of the different models explaining the first settlement of Europe, with a focus on the data obtained from the study of the Early Pleistocene sites of Sima del Elefante and Gran Dolina at Atapuerca;

- an understanding of the environmental context for the origin, dispersals and interactions of the Early and Middle Pleistocene first inhabitants of Europe;

- a general understanding of the behaviour and culture of the Early and Middle Pleistocene populations of Europe;

- gained practical experience of excavation, and other practical skills and tasks, giving a broad understanding of archaeological field techniques and methods;

- gained an awareness of the interdisciplinarity of human evolutionary studies, and the importance of recording not only the fossil findings, but also their context;

- the ability to keep a careful record of fieldwork activities for future reference;

- gained the ability to critically assess fieldwork and post-excavation processing techniques and to contextualise the knowledge gained from the Atapuerca project in the broader framework of Pleistocene human evolution in and beyond Europe.

Please note that this module is taught in the summer preceding the academic session towards which it contributes to. Interested students must therefore communicate their interest to the module convener during their 2nd year (3rd year for students on 4-year programmes).