Vilnius University is the oldest institution of higher education in Lithuania, founded in 1579. Since 1940’ies, the teaching of archaeology has started. At present, at the Department of Archaeology of the Faculty of History, the studies of archaeology are organized in three cycles: undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate.
Teaching of experimental archaeology for students of archaeology was started more than ten years ago. Students get acquainted with some basics of experimental archaeology during the first year of their undergraduate studies. A full course of experimental archaeology (6 ECTS credits) is taught during the first year of archaeology graduate’s programme. The course consists of theory of experimental archaeology, discussions and numerous workshops. The workshops are lead by experimental archaeologists and ancient technology experts, in cooperation with craft and experimental archaeology organizations (workshop gallery “Amatų gildija”, workshop-living museum “Senųjų amatų dirbtuvės”, club for craft reconstruction “Dvaro meistrai”, experimental archaeology club “Pajauta”), as well as some museums (Archaeological and Historical Museum of Kernavė, Open-Air Museum of Lithuania at Rumšiškės). The studied periods vary from Stone Age to Late Middle Ages, so thus wide is the range of materials: bone/antler, flint, stone, fibres, plants, textiles, leather, food, non-ferrous metals, ceramics, etc. The course ends up with an exam, which contains a presentation of a particular committed archaeological experiment. Actual topics do vary each year, according to the interests of the students, and usually are related with their MA theses. Usually, this course is chosen by a group of 8-15 students.
As the result, students get both theoretical knowledge and some basic practical skills for using experimental archaeology as a research method in their MA theses or, later, in their doctoral dissertations. Also they use their skills at their work as ancient technologists and educators at living archaeology events and historical museums.
Author - Rimkutė, Virginija, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
Co-author(s) - Luchtanas, Aleksiejus, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania (Presenting author)
23 окт 2024
