Module overview
The Neolithic period heralds some of the most momentous changes in human history; it is the period when prehistoric people began to live in permanent settlements and adopted agriculture. In Britain, this period is dominated by rich evidence for large monuments and ceremonial and ritual activity. This module discusses the character of evidence from across Britain and Ireland, from southern England to the Northern Isles; from Stonehenge to Skara Brae. The module examines the latest research in Neolithic studies, from dietary and skeletal analysis and radiocarbon dating to the new evidence for settlement across southern Britain and Ireland, providing the evidence and interpretative tools required to understand this exciting period of prehistory.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- the Neolithic of Britain and Ireland, and the social and material changes which occurred over this period. Assessed throughout course, especially in examination.
- general theoretical statements to more specific bodies of evidence. Assessed in Assignment 1.
- the processes by which interpretative statements are made. Assessed in essays and examination.
- the changing historical frameworks of interpretation within which the Neolithic period is discussed. Assessed throughout course, especially in examination.
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- apply a general theoretical argument to a specific body of data
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- read and write imaginatively
- read critically and evaluate data
- participate in, chair and direct seminar discussions
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Recognise and identify Neolithic material culture and monuments
Syllabus
This module deals with the Neolithic period in Britain (4000-2300 BC), a period of which traces of domestic activity are scare, and the archaeological record is dominated by large monuments, burials, formal deposits and complex artefacts which circulated in exchange networks. The module shows how we can come to terms with this kind of evidence, while at the same time demonstrating the specific character of the period under study.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
- Lectures
- Classes
- Written assignments
Learning activities include
- Lectures
- Classes
- Written assignments
- Independent study
Innovative or special features of this module
- Student-led presentations
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 25 |
| Completion of assessment task | 25 |
| Follow-up work | 30 |
| Wider reading or practice | 25 |
| Revision | 25 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 20 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Journal Articles
Thomas, J. (1998). Towards a regional Geography of the Neolithic. Understanding the Neolithic in Northwestern Europe, pp. 37- 61.
Smith, I. (1973). The Neolithic. British Prehistory.
Bayliss, A., Bronk Ramsey, C., van der Plicht, J. and Whittle, A. (2007). Bradshaw and bayes: towards a timetable for the Neolithic. Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 17(1), pp. 1—28.
Bradley, R. (1982). Position and possession: assemblage variation in the British Neolithic. Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 1, pp. 27-38.
Textbooks
Thomas, J. (1999). Understanding the Neolithic (Chapters 1-6). Routledge.
Cooney, G. (1999). Landscapes of the Irish Neolithic. Routledge.
Piggott, S. (1954). Neolithic Cultures of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press.
Bradley, R (2007). The Prehistory of Britain and Ireland. Cambridge University Press.
Cooney, G. and Grogan, E. (1994). Social Perspectives in Irish Prehistory. Wordswell.
Bradley, R. (2000). The Archaeology of Natural Places. Routledge.
Thomas, J. (1991). Rethinking the Neolithic. Cambridge University Press.
Bradley, R. (1998). The Significance of Monuments (Chapters 1-8). Routledge.
Whittle, A. (1996). Europe in the Neolithic: the creation of new worlds (1, 7, l0). Cambridge University Press.
Jones, A. (2007). Memory and Material culture: tracing the past in prehistoric Europe. Cambridge University Press.
Edmonds, M. (1999). Ancestral Geographies of the Neolithic. Routledge.
Whittle, A. (2003). The Archaeology of People: Dimensions of Neolithic Life. Routledge.
Barrett, J.C. (1994). Fragments from Antiquity: an archaeology of Social life in Britain, 2900-1200 BC (Especially chapters 1-4). Blackwell.
Bradley, R. (2005). Ritual and Domestic Life in Prehistoric Europe. Routledge.
Bradley, R. (1991). The Passage of Arms (Chapters 1 and 2 only). Cambridge University Press.
Parker-Pearson, M. (1993). Bronze Age Britain (Chapters 1-3, 7). Batsford.
Bradley, R. (1984). The Social Foundations of Prehistoric Britain (Chapters 1-3). Longman.
Burgess, C. (1980). The Age of Stonehenge. Dent.
Bradley, R. (1993). Altering the Earth: the origins of monuments in Britain and continental Europe (Especially chapters 1-5). Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Monograph No. 8..
Assessment
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 50% |
| Written assignment | 50% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External