Lecture Notes

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This page presents a set of vocabulary sheets that outline the key terms, concepts and characters covered in lectures, plus assorted handouts. Note that some vocabulary sheets are used for several lectures in a row.

 

SES # TOPICS VOCABULARY SHEETS HANDOUTS
Introduction
Lec1 Introductory Remarks - Overview and Class and Lab Logistics Sheet 1 (PDF)  
Lec2 Archaeology: Nature and Goals; Historical Development as a Discipline Sheet 2 (PDF)  
Unit 1 - Earlier Prehistory: A Brief Overview
Lec3 Becoming Human: Early Hominids and the Earliest Technology Sheet 3 (PDF)

Humanness (PDF)

Early Site Formation Models (PDF)

Synoptic Overview of Pleistocene Prehistory in the Old World (PDF)

Lec4 Becoming Human: Early Humans and Emerging Cultural Behavior Sheet 4 (PDF)  
Lec5 Becoming Human: Modern Humans and the Advent of Modern Behaviors Sheet 4 (cont.)  
Unit 2 - The Near East Case Study
Lec6 Theoretical Perspectives; Variables to be Considered in Comparative Studies. The Environmental Setting for Domestication and the Evolution of Social Complexity in the Near East Sheet 5 (PDF - 2.1 MB) The Path to Social Complexity (PDF)
Lec7 Pre-Neolithic Adaptations and the Natufian in the Near East Sheet 5 (cont.)

Classification of Social Organization (PDF)

Developments Immediately Preceding the "Agricultural Revolution" (PDF)

Map of Major Topographic Units in the Middle East (PDF)

Maps of Near East Vegetation and Environmental Zones: Figures 2-3 and 2-4 in Buy at Amazon Redman, C. L. The Rise of Civilization: From Early Farming to Urban Society in the Ancient Near East. New York, NY: W. H. Freeman, 1979. ISBN: 9780716700555.

Lec8 Domestication: Recognition, Processes and Impact Sheet 5 (cont.) The Domestication Process (PDF)
Lec9 Origins and Expansion of Agriculture and Pastoralism in the Near East Context Sheet 6 (PDF)  
Lec10 Early Village Farming Communities: Geographic Expansion, Emerging Class Stratification and Centralization of Religion Sheet 6 (cont.)  
Lec11 The Earliest Stages of Urbanization: Ubaid and Eridu Sheet 7 (PDF)  
Lec12 Urbanization and City States: Uruk, Civilization and Writing Sheet 7 (cont.)  
Lec13 Urbanization and City States: Ur Political and Social Environments, Material Achievements, the Critical Factors Interacting in the Development of Stratified Society in the Near East Sheet 8 (PDF)  
Lec14 Refocusing on the Comparative Theme: Eurasia - The Americas Sheet 8 (cont.)  
Unit 3 - The Mesoamerica Case Study
Lec15 Peopling of The Americas. The Mesoamerican Environmental Setting: Lowlands and Highlands Sheet 9 (PDF)  
Lec16 Plant and Animal Domestication and the Emergence of Settled Village Life: Tehuacan and Oaxaca Sheet 10 (PDF) Wave Model of Peopling the New World (PDF)
Lec17 Plant and Animal Domestication and the Emergence of Settled Village Life: Comparing Processes in Mesoamerica and the Near East Sheet 10 (cont.) Tehuacan Valley Sequence (PDF)
Lec18 The Emergence of the Olmec and Early Lowland Civilization - La Venta Sheet 11 (PDF)  
Lec19 Olmec Accomplishments Sheet 11 (cont.) Notes on Recently Discovered Olmec Writing (PDF)
Lec20 The Maya: The Rise of Tropical Rain Forest City-states Sheet 12 (PDF)  
Lec21 Maya Achievements and the Decline of the Classic Maya Sheet 12 (cont.)  
Lec22 Prof. Dorothy Hosler: West Mexican Metallurgy and its Importance in Interregional Contact    
Lec23 Teotihuacan: The Rise and Fall of a Highland State: its Social Consequences    
Unit 4 - Decline and Collapse
Lec24 Decline of Early Civilizations - Social, Political, Economic - An Examination of Potential Causes in Mesopotamia and Mesoamerica   Notes on Societal Collapse: Maya and Sumer (PDF)
Lec25 Decline of Early Civilizations (cont.)