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Instructors: Dr. Olivier Bonnerot
Event type:
Seminar
Displayed in timetable as:
Deutsch
Hours per week:
2
Credits:
6,0
Language of instruction:
English
Min. | Max. participants:
- | 10
Comments/contents:
This course introduces practical aspects of material analysis of ancient artifacts, such as choosing relevant techniques and devices, understanding their limits, setting up material analysis, recording, managing, interpreting, and comparing datasets.
The aim of this seminar is to enable students with no or little scientific background to acquire the basic knowledge they need to conduct research in archaeometry through a hands-on approach. It will familiarize students with the tools and methods used by material scientists when dealing with cultural artifacts. Although the seminar is designed to complement other courses on archaeometry, students who have not taken these courses can also attend, as basic material properties and common techniques will be reviewed. The course introduces the tools in the logical order of an archaeometry project, starting from the conception of the project with the definition of the questions that can be addressed by material analysis, to the interpretation of results.
The course will start with a brief introduction to archaeometry and recap of the most common techniques, and their limitations. Students will then learn how to set up material analysis and choose the relevant device(s) for specific questions. They will also get familiar with the tools used to keep records of what is analysed and of analytical conditions, and how to manage datasets and databases. In a second stage, the course will introduce students to data analysis: what are the results measured? How precise are they? What is the error margin? How can results be converted to other units (introduction to dimensional analysis)? How can two or more sets of data be compared (including from the literature)? Students will get acquainted with basic statistical and chemometrical tools (average, standard deviation, principal component analysis, normal distribution, t-tests).
The course will be illustrated with practical examples at every step. These will be chosen according to the students' research interests whenever possible. After the course, students will be familiar with a versatile set of tools that can be useful not only in the field of archaeometry, but also when dealing with other kinds of analysis and data. At the end of the course, a few case studies will be presented in more detail to review the different methods and tools learned.
Learning objectives:
ability to plan experimental research by understanding the different steps of a material analysis survey; understanding of the possibilities and limitations of material analysis, and of some specific techniques and devices; ability to manage, understand, compare, and interpret analytical results.
Additional examination information:
Written term paper within the framework of the seminar or equivalent written work in accordance with the requirements set forth in Section 13 subsection 5. The specific type of examination will be announced by the instructor at the beginning of the course.
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