As an archive of archaeological documents and supporting data, tDAR is uniquely situated to make a significant contribution to the teaching of archaeology. While the educational potential extends from K-12 through graduate-level course work and beyond, our emphasis at this time is on the college and graduate students that will soon contribute to the discipline themselves.
A variety of content in tDAR, from raw data to field notes and final reports, can be marshaled for a range of teaching-related tasks.
- Find documents to extend course readings.
- Find documents for background research and assignments.
- Find raw data for assignments or research projects.
- Include images and maps in Powerpoint presentations.
Archaeological methods courses or lectures
Field methods
Use tDAR to find a range of methods-related documents, including field manuals and many examples of reports explaining survey and excavation methods adopted for specific projects.
- Sample Assignment: Final project assignment, archaeological field methods course.
- Search Results: An example site that was used for the assignment.
Raw data for assignments and projects
Data sets in tDAR range in size and complexity, covering nearly all types of archaeological data.
- Example ornamental objects data from SW Colorado: Dolores Archaeological Program Ornamental Objects Dataset
- Example faunal data from Tanzania: Fauna from Mumba Rock Shelter, Unit 8, Separated by Level
Quantitative methods
Use tDAR to host raw data for statistics lessons, identify data for assignments, and find examples in the literature where specific quantitative methods were used in analyses.
Analysis examples
tDAR is full of summary reports and data from analyses of many classes of archaeological materials. Locate laboratory analysis methods papers on topics including faunal, pottery, paleoethnobotanical, groundstone, and many other materials from around the world.
- Example report from central Arizona: Specialized Studies in the Economy, Environment and Culture of La Ciudad Parts I and II is a volume with several analysis chapters.
Ethics, history, legal topical courses or lectures
- tDAR contains significant background materials for teaching courses on all aspects of the history of archaeology: from the earliest archaeology in the United States, to major investigations in the 20th century, to significant documentation of major court cases like Kennewick Man. Browse the timeline below to take a closer look.
- Take advantage of the reference materials in the Guides to Good Practice for digital archiving of archaeological information, especially useful in discussions of data management and digital preservation.
Regional survey courses, specific rich cases
Although tDAR contains resources from all 7 continents, some areas stand out for their depth and breadth of resources. To highlight just a few, take a look at the following regions.
- Southwest Archaeology: Phoenix Area Basin
- Maya archaeology: Blue Creek
- Chesapeake Colonial Period: Archaeological Study of Colonial Chesapeake Culture Collection