ANTH 324: Warfare, Violence, and Sacrifice in Antiquity

ANTH 324-001: Warfare/Viol/Sacrif-Antiquity
(Spring 2019)

03:00 PM to 04:15 PM TR

David J. King Hall 2084

Section Information for Spring 2019

Are humans innately “violent”? Were our ancestors “noble savages or savage brutes? Is warfare inevitable? Is there any way to tell? And how might archaeology contribute to the debate?

In this course we will examine the issue of conflict in human societies through archaeological evidence. First, we will develop an anthropological perspective on violence and the human condition by examining theories of warfare and human society. Thereafter we will examine human prehistory, from the rise of raiding, war, sacrifice, cannibalism, and even witchcraft. We will look at associations some scholars have made between warfare and the rise of war dead and battlefields, finishing up by discussing the archaeology of 20th century warfare, to put some of our hypotheses into a more familiar context.  

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Examines origin and nature of conflict in human society with an emphasis on the ancient past. Major topics include the possible role of violence in human evolution, cross-cultural studies of conflict in indigenous society, warfare in early states, and sacrifice as a ritual practice. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: ANTH 120, 60 credits, or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

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