Please see also the MPhil in Egyptology for additional Egyptology courses

Co-ordinator: Dr Kate Spence

Other staff teaching on this course:

Dr Hratch Papazian

The Course

This MPhil teaches the historical archaeology of ancient Egypt. The course alternates between years. In 2018–19 the focus will be on the New Kingdom and later periods of Egyptian history (c. 1550 BC–330 BC) while in 2019–20 we will cover the processes of state formation to the beginning of the New Kingdom (c. 3500 BC–1550 BC). Within this chronological framework a series of interlinking topics will be treated including:

• Historical records and frameworks of interpretation
• The nature of political power and its expression
• Interconnections and foreign trade
• Technology, production and exchange
• Society and settlement
• State and private religion
• Mortuary practices
• Knowledge, identity and belief
• Monumental architecture
• Art and material culture

A strong emphasis will be placed on integrating textual, archaeological and artistic records throughout the course. This course option is appropriate both for students new to the subject of Egyptian Archaeology and for students with a background in Egyptology wishing to develop their knowledge of archaeological theory and practice.

The Structure

MPhil modules can either be one term or two terms (1T/2T) long. All students must complete the equivalent of three two-term modules:

(a)  Historical Archaeology of Ancient Egypt I (2T) or Landscapes, Built Environment and Material Culture of Ancient Egypt (2T) - please note that the Landscapes, Built Environment and Material Culture of Ancient Egypt will not be offered in the 2022-23 academic year.

(b)   Archaeological Concepts (1T) plus one other one term module

(c)    Either one two term module or two one term modules offered in the Department of Archaeology, subject to the instructor's consent and the approval of the MPhil co-ordinators

In addition, students take the Research Skills module and write a 15,000 word dissertation on a topic in Egyptian archaeology. The dissertation offers a chance to undertake an independent, original research project under the guidance of academic staff; most will be based on published literature but some may be based on laboratory analyses, fieldwork, studies of museum collections, or analysis of existing databases.

Recent MPhil Dissertations

Some recent MPhil dissertations topics in Egyptian Archaeology include:

• Analysis of the palatial architecture of the early New Kingdom
• Analysis of waterways in the Delta
• Interpretation of ka-chapels at Dakhla oasis

This MPhil option sometimes offers the possibility of practical work with the large Egyptology collections in the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the Fitzwilliam Museum.

For further information contact Dr Kate Spence, co-ordinator for this option.

Co-ordinators:  Dr Susanne Hakenbeck 

The Programme

This MPhil track explores the place of medieval Europe in what was an increasingly yet variably connected world. Its core module spans the period extending from the highly globalised later Roman empire to the demographic crises of the fourteenth century – the Great Famine and the Black Death – prior to the European colonisation of the Americas. Going beyond the traditional boundaries of ‘medieval Europe’, we will explore how globalisation theory may be applicable to medieval archaeology, and how material and ideological factors both shaped socio-economic change. We will consider the interaction between natural and anthropogenic environmental change, in the context of fluctuating demographic and settlement histories. Equal weight will be given to archaeological, environmental and historical evidence. Key themes will include inter-regional communication, mobility, trade and cultural influence. Case studies from Europe will be considered alongside examples drawn from the Eurasian Steppes, East Africa and the Indian Ocean.

The Themes

Medieval archaeology benefits from a wealth of archaeological, scientific and historical sources, ranging from molecular evidence (DNA and isotope data) to entire landscapes best viewed from the air. This track uses the full range of archaeological method and theory, and also fosters interdisciplinary approaches in incorporating the study of history, art history, anthropology, historical geography, literary sources and scientific methods (a rare combination of approaches for which this subject is unusually well suited). There are ample opportunities for fieldwork including group visits, volunteering on established research programmes and independent research.

As a wide-ranging track option the Medieval Archaeology MPhil option is intended for students with a diverse range of educational backgrounds (indeed such diversity enriches the learning environment). Students can come to the Medieval Archaeology MPhil option from previous study in archaeology including medieval or historical archaeology, from related subjects such as history, anthropology or geography or be new to the subject.

The Structure

MPhil modules can either be one or two terms (1T/2T) long. Students complete the equivalent of three two-term modules:

• Medieval Europe on a Global Canvas (2T). This module is based on weekly seminars and lectures, as well as four practical classes and a fieldtrip to the British Museum. This module is assessed through two essays of not more than 4000 words length (each counting for 50% of the final mark of the module).
• Archaeological Concepts (1T), a seminar-based module shared with other students of the MPhil in Archaeology which reviews fundamental concepts in archaeological theory and practice and provides a shared basis for approaching archaeology.
• Any other Mphil module(s) (totalling 3 terms) taught within the Department of Archaeology, subject to the instructor's consent and the approval of the MPhil co-ordinators.

In addition, you would attend a Research Skills module and write a 15,000 word dissertation on a topic in Medieval Archaeology.

You may also choose to attend lectures offered by Cambridge's Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic.

The MPhil Dissertations

The dissertation offers a chance to undertake an independent, original research project under the guidance of academic staff. Some projects are based on laboratory analyses, fieldwork or studies of museum collections, others on analysis of existing databases or published literature. Specific dissertation supervision expertise at Cambridge includes:

Time, Space and Themes:

• Dr Susanne Hakenbeck (Population Mobility; Identity; Isotopic Analysis; Frontiers of the Roman Empire, 5th-8th centuries AD)
• Dr Anna Gannon (Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic: Art History; Numismatics)
• Dr Sam Lucy (Anglo-Saxon Archaeology, particularly Burial Practices; Archaeologies of Identity; Roman-Saxon Transitions)

Scientific Methods:

• Professor Marcos Martinón-Torres (Archaeological Materials)
• Professor Matthew Collins (Ancient Proteomics)
• Dr Preston Miracle (Mammalian Zooarchaeology)
• Dr Tamsin O'Connell (Isotopic Analysis, Ancient Diet and Climate)
• Dr Susanne Hakenbeck (Isotopic Analysis)

For further information, contact Dr Susanne Hakenbeck, the co-ordinator for this option.

Co-ordinator: Dr Alastair Key

The Course

This MPhil provides a foundation in over 3 million years of the archaeological record. You will learn about all major components of Palaeolithic and Mesolithic archaeology, ground-breaking recent discoveries, the discipline’s colonial history and digital future, and key research areas currently shaping the field. Topics covered include the emerging field of primate archaeology, the technologies, dispersal and diet of Lower and Middle Palaeolithic hominin species, and the material culture, social behaviour, and technological adaptations of Homo sapiens during the Upper Palaeolithic in Eurasia, Later Stone Age in Africa, and Mesolithic/Epipaleolithic/Paleoindian periods. Practical sessions form a major component of your learning. This includes multiple taught flintknapping workshops and a large number of artefact handling sessions using Cambridge’s extensive and internationally important Palaeolithic collections.

The Themes

• Palaeolithic / Mesolithic stone and organic technologies
• Primate archaeology and the Lower Palaeolithic
• Neanderthal and early modern human behaviour
• Hominin dispersals and diet
• Palaeolithic art
• Continuity, change and colonisation after the Ice Age

The Structure

MPhil modules can either be one term or two terms (1T/2T) long. Students must complete the equivalent of three two-term modules:

(a)   Palaeolithic Archaeology (2T)

(b)   Archaeological Concepts (1T) plus one other one term module

(c)   Either one two term module or two one term modules offered in the Department of Archaeology, subject to the instructor's consent and the approval of the MPhil co-ordinators.

In addition, students take the Research Skills module and write a 15,000 word dissertation on a topic in Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Archaeology.

For further information, contact Dr Alastair Key, co-ordinator for this MPhil option.

Co-ordinator: Professor Paul Lane

Other staff teaching on this course: Dr Jane Humphris, Dr Giulio Lucarini

The Course

This MPhil focuses on the later archaeology of sub-Saharan Africa from c. 200,000 BP to the present day, with particular emphasis on the last 10,000 years and the role of archaeology and heritage in contemporary Africa. Its core module provides a general overview of the intersections between archaeological, palaeoecological, palaeogentic and historical linguistic evidence across sub-Saharan Africa from the first appearance of Homo sapiens to the early twentieth century.

Two central threads throughout the course are how archaeological discoveries and research have challenged preconceptions of Africa’s diverse pasts, and how researchers have sought to combine multiple strands of evidence and data type in reconstructing technological, socio-cultural, economic, population and landscape histories of the deep past. Key topics include ‘becoming human’, ‘hunter-gatherer diversity’, ‘multiple pathways to food production’, ‘metals, society and symbolism’, ‘urbanism and trans-continental exchange networks’, ‘archaeologies of enslavement, colonialism and conversion’, and ‘usable African pasts for future sustainability and cultural resilience’. The module aims to 'decolonise' the traditional curriculum by highlighting the diverse experiences of Africa’s populations over millennia and their contributions to global processes and events.

The Themes

One of the enduring reasons for study the archaeology of Africa is the opportunity it provides to explore multiple narratives about the past from the perspective of different lines of evidence – from material records to genetic signatures, linguistic cues to palaeoenvironmental proxies. At times many of these lines of evidence intersect, and align also with the oral histories African societies have produced and/or the written record. Yet, it is also common for different sources to tell rather different stories about the same set of historical events or processes. How should scholars deal with this dissonance between sources? Why are there gaps in these diverse records, what do these ‘silences’ tell us about the task and process of ‘history making’, and how might they (or should they?) be filled? What are the political and contemporary implications of favouring one interpretation over another? Does the material record provide a more objective account, or a more democratic one? And, who has the authority to generate these narratives and decide on how Africa’s multiple pasts should be represented, displayed and protected? These are among the recurrent questions tackled in this course, through lectures, seminars, group work and independent research projects.

Students from a diverse range of educational backgrounds and interests are welcome, whether coming from previous study in archaeology (including historical archaeology), archaeological science, or from related subjects such as history, anthropology or geography, or are new to the subject. Whether you aspire to apply the skills and analytical frames of archaeological science to answering questions about Africa’s past, or are interested in undertaking a study of a specific time period of class of artefact, or are more fascinated by learning more about how Africa’s heritage can be enabled, the course has something to offer everyone.

The Structure

MPhil modules can either be one term or two terms (1T/2T) long. All students must complete the equivalent of three two-term modules:

(a)   The Archaeology of Africa (2T)

(b)   Archaeological Concepts (1T) plus one other one term module

(c)   Either one two term module or two one term modules offered in the Department of Archaeology, subject to the instructor's consent and the approval of the MPhil co-ordinators.

In addition, you would attend a Research Skills module and write a 15,000 word dissertation on a topic in African Archaeology and Heritage.

The MPhil Dissertations

The dissertation offers a chance to undertake an independent, original research project under the guidance of academic staff. Some projects are based on laboratory analyses, fieldwork or studies of museum collections, others on analysis of existing databases or published literature. Specific dissertation supervision expertise at Cambridge in Africa topics includes:

African Quaternary Archaeology & Hominin Palaeoecology

• Dr Nikhil Chaudhary (hunter-gatherer ecology)
• Professor Rob Foley (hominin evolution, evolution of behaviour, origins of modern humans)
• Professor Marta Mirazon Lahr (evolution of modern humans and their diversity, human biology and palaeobiology, evolutionary genetics and adaptation, Stone Age archaeology)

African Holocene Archaeology

• Professor Paul Lane (transitions to food production, archaeology of pastoralism, historical archaeology, historical ecology, maritime archaeology, eastern and southern Africa)
• Dr Kate Spence (Ancient Egypt and Sudan)

African Heritage

• Professor Paul Lane (archaeological heritage management, archaeology and sustainable development, archaeological ethics)
• Professor Charly French (landscape historical ecology and sustainability)
• Dr Dacia Viejo Rose (cultural heritage and the politics of the past)

Analytical Approaches in African Archaeology

• Professor Matthew Collins (palaeoproteomics)
• Professor Marcos Martinón-Torres (material culture and technology, archaeometallurgy)
• Professor Charly French (geoarchaeology)
• Dr Tamsin O’Connell (isotopic analysis, ancient diet and climate)

For further information, contact Professor Paul Lane, the co-ordinator for this option.