MSc Archaeological Science

Archaeological Science is fundamentally concerned with humanity’s engagement with the material world. The study of archaeological remains through the lens of geology, chemistry, and materials science not only illuminates the early development of technologies that are fundamental to the modern world, it also helps us understand how people thought, how their societies were organised, and how they interacted. The techniques of materials analysis are also vitally important in many cases of forensic importance, especially those involving the illicit antiquities trade and the other heritage crimes.This course is intended to give you a firm grounding in the principles and practice of Archaeological Science research. We cover both the natural science fundamentals necessary for analysing archaeological objects, as well as the research landscape around key archaeological themes relevant to these investigations. Key themes include innovation, technology, exchange, craft production, consumption patterns and interaction.