ANT 275 Syllabus
ANCIENT MYSTERIES
(Ant 275)
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Institution: Cleveland State University Instructor: Dr. Peter S. Dunham
Session/Section: Fall 2013, Sections 050 and 051 Office/Lab: Chester Building 216/220
Days/Times: TTh 4:00 – 5:50 p.m. Office Hours: T Th 3:00 – 3:45 p.m. or
Classroom: MC 201 by appointment
Credit Hours: 4 Email: archaeomeister@yahoo.com
Prerequisites: None Phone: 216-687-2414
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Content: This course examines some of the great mysteries of the human past. We debunk many of the false claims that have been made about our ancestors, like the ancient astronauts assertion, the idea that a number of the world’s prominent civilizations were established by alien visitors to earth. We explore the historical, social, economic, political, religious, racist, and even psychological motives behind these representations. We also examine a broad slate of real wonders from the ancient world, such as the megaliths of Stonehenge. We conclude that virtually everywhere human beings have tread they have left a rich body of archaeological remains attesting to their universal genius.
The material is presented in three parts. The first section introduces students to archaeology and pseudoarchaeology (literally “fake archaeology”), along with the basic concepts of science and anthropology that are necessary for a full understanding of both of these pursuits. In the second part, we apply the lessons of the first section to a series of pseudoarchaeological claims, ranging from the Cardiff Giant and Piltdown hoax to Atlantis and the Crystal Skull. We ask why do people make such claims, and why does the public embrace them? The third part surveys the real marvels of the ancient past, from Easter Island and Machu Picchu to Stonehenge and the Great Zimbabwe. We
(Ant 275)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Institution: Cleveland State University Instructor: Dr. Peter S. Dunham
Session/Section: Fall 2013, Sections 050 and 051 Office/Lab: Chester Building 216/220
Days/Times: TTh 4:00 – 5:50 p.m. Office Hours: T Th 3:00 – 3:45 p.m. or
Classroom: MC 201 by appointment
Credit Hours: 4 Email: archaeomeister@yahoo.com
Prerequisites: None Phone: 216-687-2414
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Content: This course examines some of the great mysteries of the human past. We debunk many of the false claims that have been made about our ancestors, like the ancient astronauts assertion, the idea that a number of the world’s prominent civilizations were established by alien visitors to earth. We explore the historical, social, economic, political, religious, racist, and even psychological motives behind these representations. We also examine a broad slate of real wonders from the ancient world, such as the megaliths of Stonehenge. We conclude that virtually everywhere human beings have tread they have left a rich body of archaeological remains attesting to their universal genius.
The material is presented in three parts. The first section introduces students to archaeology and pseudoarchaeology (literally “fake archaeology”), along with the basic concepts of science and anthropology that are necessary for a full understanding of both of these pursuits. In the second part, we apply the lessons of the first section to a series of pseudoarchaeological claims, ranging from the Cardiff Giant and Piltdown hoax to Atlantis and the Crystal Skull. We ask why do people make such claims, and why does the public embrace them? The third part surveys the real marvels of the ancient past, from Easter Island and Machu Picchu to Stonehenge and the Great Zimbabwe. We