Unearthing the Past: An Introduction to Archaeology

Name: Unearthing the Past: An Introduction to Archaeology
Rating: 4.7 (5 reviews)

Discover how archaeologists uncover, interpret, and preserve the past through hands-on methods and global case studies.

Created byDr Thea Ravasi

Last updated 2/2026

English

What you'll learn

Students will be able to explain what archaeology is, describe its goals, and articulate why the discipline matters for understanding human history and culture.
Recognise core field and lab techniques and understand how these methods help uncover and interpret the past
Evaluate the cultural and ethical dimensions of archaeology, including issues of heritage, ownership, and public engagement.
Read a simple stratigraphy and practise how layers, contexts, and sequences are recorded using basic archaeological conventions and documentation methods.

Course content

5 sections • 10 lectures • 2h 4m total length

What Archaeology Is (and Isn't)5:00
What is archaeology, and why does it matter? This video introduces you to the course Unearthing the Past: An Introduction to Archaeology. Together, we’ll explore the fascinating world of archaeology — from ancient aqueducts and sewers to buried artefacts and digital reconstructions. We’ll uncover how people shaped their environments, beliefs, and lives through the material traces they left behind. Whether it’s Ötzi’s axe or a Roman child’s footprint in clay, every discovery has a story to tell. Join us as we peel back the layers of history and begin our journey into the science, stories, and surprises of archaeology.
Unearthing the Past: What Is Archaeology Really About?
Branches of Archaeology15:08
This video introduces you to some of the key fields that make up archaeological research — from the study of prehistory to historical archaeology, and from environmental analysis to digital technologies and scientific techniques. You'll discover how different specialists work together to uncover the many layers of the human past.
Branches of Archaeology: What Do Archaeologists Study?
How Environmental Archaeology shaped research at Star Carr

Survey and Site Discovery10:49
How Do Archaeologists Find Sites? In today’s talk, we explore how archaeological sites are discovered and surveyed. From landscape analysis to fieldwalking and remote sensing, this session breaks down the methods archaeologists use to locate and document sites before any digging begins. This video sets the foundation for understanding archaeological research in practice. What you’ll learn in this video:
How archaeologists identify potential sites
Common survey techniques used in archaeology
Why survey work is critical before excavation
Survey and Site Discovery: Finding Archaeological Sites
Excavation Techniques7:45
This presentation explores how archaeologists excavate and record sites, from initial setup to final documentation. It covers excavation tools, the ideas of context and stratigraphy, and modern recording methods such as drawing, photography, and 3D modelling. It also stresses that excavation is a destructive process, making careful and accurate recording essential to understanding the past.
Discovering a Roman Landscape at Vindolanda (Britain)

Artefacts, Ecofacts, and Features6:12
Archaeology isn’t just about digging things up — it’s about learning how to read what’s left behind. In this video, we explore the three main categories of evidence archaeologists find in the ground: artefacts, ecofacts, and features. Using real examples from prehistoric sites and the Roman world, we show how objects, environmental remains, and buried structures help archaeologists reconstruct past activities, economies, and everyday life. From amphorae and shell middens to floors, post-holes, and entire kitchens, this video explains why these distinctions matter — and how archaeologists turn fragments in the soil into meaningful stories about the past.
Reconstructing past lives8:36
How do archaeologists move from broken objects and scattered traces to real stories about people in the past? In this video, we explore how archaeologists reconstruct past lives by interpreting material evidence from archaeological sites. From houses and settlements to food remains, tools, burials, and ritual objects, the lesson shows how different types of evidence help answer big questions: Who lived here? How did they survive? What did they believe? And how did life change from childhood to old age?
Test yourself on artefacts and ecofacts

Relative Dating Methods15:20
In this video, I introduce the main dating methods used in archaeology, explaining how archaeologists work out when things happened — and what different types of dates can (and cannot) tell us. The video explores the distinction between relative dating and absolute dating. It explains how archaeologists use stratigraphy, typology and sequence to establish relative chronologies, and how scientific techniques such as radiocarbon dating, dendrochronology and other absolute methods provide calendar dates.
How to record stratigraphy9:56
Test yourself at stratigraphic analysis

Requirements

This course is designed to be accessible to beginners, and there are no formal prerequisites.

Description

Explore the fascinating world of archaeology and learn how experts uncover and interpret the stories hidden beneath the earth. This engaging and accessible introductory course offers a comprehensive overview of the discipline, guiding you through the core methods and approaches that archaeologists use to investigate past human societies across time and space. From surveying and excavation to artefact analysis and dating techniques, each section provides practical insights into the processes that bring ancient worlds to life and connect us to our shared human heritage.

You’ll learn how archaeologists build narratives from fragments—artefacts, ecofacts, and features—and how these are used to reconstruct daily life, cultural practices, belief systems, social change, and long-term human-environment interactions. The course also explores some of the world’s most iconic archaeological discoveries, offering global perspectives on material heritage, cross-cultural exchange, and the interpretation of ancient evidence.

Beyond the field and lab, you’ll engage with contemporary debates, including the ethical challenges of excavation, ownership, preservation, and the role of archaeology in a rapidly changing world shaped by technology and climate change.

No prior experience is needed—this course is ideal for teachers wishing to expand their subject knowledge and classroom resources but also students considering archaeology as a field of study, lifelong learners, or anyone passionate about the past.

Who this course is for:

This course is designed for primary and secondary school teachers who use archaeology to explain historical evidence and how sources are interpreted. No prior knowledge of archaeology is required. It is particularly suitable for: Secondary school or college students considering further study in archaeology, history, anthropology, or heritage Adult learners interested in ancient cultures, excavation techniques, or major discoveries Educators seeking to expand their subject knowledge or develop classroom resources Museum and heritage volunteers looking to gain a clearer understanding of archaeological practice Whether you are considering a future in archaeology or are simply curious about how we reconstruct the past, this course offers a simple and accessible introduction to interpreting material evidence.

Unearthing the Past: An Introduction to Archaeology

What you'll learn

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Course content

What Is Archaeology?2 lectures • 20min

How Archaeologists Work2 lectures • 19min

Interpreting the Past2 lectures • 15min

Dating the Past2 lectures • 25min

Archaeology Today and Tomorrow2 lectures • 45min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: