2023-04-18 09:39:00
From October 2023, it will be possible to study a new field of study at the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin: geoarchaeology. The program includes courses in in archaeozoology, archaeobotany, geology, hydrography. Students will test the acquired knowledge in practice during field trips. Geoarchaeology is the only such course in Poland.
Contents
- New field of study: geoarchaeology
- What will geoarchaeology studies look like?
Geoarchaeology it is the first such field of study in our country. Interdisciplinary studies in geoarchaeology are to give students the opportunity to gain comprehensive knowledge about the prehistory and early history of Poland and Europe in the context of the then natural and social environment and the mutual relationship between man and the environment. In addition to standard archaeological subjects, a large part will be classes in, for example, geology, geomorphology, hydrography, and climatology.
– The professional title will entitle the graduate to conduct excavation research (of course, after obtaining the statutory internship), but the prefix “geo” is such a clear signal that they will be archaeologists qualified at a natural level higher than the basic one, because archeology students also have classes in geology, stratigraphy and geomorphology, but at a much less detailed level – noted Dr. Marcin Szeliga from the Institute of Archeology of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University.
At the same time, he emphasized that until now geoarchaeology had been known at some Polish universities as one of the subjects taught as part of archaeological studies.
– There is a direction with such a name a complete novelty. We are the first in Poland to create it. In Western Europe, such specialties as archaeochemistry, archaeophysics and bioarchaeology are already developing, which is why we would like to be a Polish response to these trends. It seems to us that for people with interests partly in history and partly in natural sciences, this field of study may be attractive and developmental – assessed Dr.
He noted that the natural knowledge acquired by archaeologists is to provide them with substantive support in their studies of the past.
– It is about studying the relationship between man and the environment over the course of history with the use of modern methods and analytical tools used so far mainly by representatives of the natural sciences, especially earth sciences. In addition, there are subjects such as physical anthropology, archaeozoology, archaeobotany – extremely important in the context of research discovered during excavations of human and animal bone remains and plant macroremains – explained the archaeologist.
According to Dr. Marcin Szeliga, studies in geoarchaeology can be a kind of “springboard” for graduates to find a certain niche in science.
– Currently, such experts are doing very well on the labor market due to the high demand, resulting from, among others, from the interdisciplinary nature of the conducted research. Despite the clear progress in recent years, there is still a shortage of specialists dealing, for example, with palynological or archaeobotanical analyzes of materials obtained during archaeological excavations, or with skills related to the use of non-invasive methods of archaeological search, or digital documentation of finds – noted Dr. Szeliga .
In turn, Dr. Renata Kołodyńska-Gawrysiak from the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University stressed that, apart from scientific competences, great emphasis will be placed on the use of modern research methods as well as the creation of digital databases.
– It is primarily about spatial analyzes using a geographic information system (GIS), but also a whole group of non-invasive research methods related to the acquisition and processing of satellite data, airborne and terrestrial scanning, georadar research, which can be successfully used in archeology and facilitate interpretations from an archaeological point of view – explained the expert.
She noted that students will acquire a number of different practical skills during field trips, because the study program includes a large number of excavation and geoarchaeological exercises.
We want to learn how to use excavation works devices such as georadar, scanner, which allow for a non-invasive search for archaeological objects. Field classes will be aimed at practical application of interdisciplinary knowledge acquired by students at specific archaeological sites. This will allow students to diagnose how individual elements of the environment have influenced human activity throughout history and to what extent man has changed the environment – concluded Dr. Hab. Renata Kołodyńska-Gawrysiak.
Source:
It is happening in Poland and in the world – read on i.pl
Partner promotional materials
#direction #Poland #study #geoarchaeology #Lublin #October #complete #novelty