Pottery specialist David Pearce from the Yasmina excavation
mends funerary cremation urns.

Surely a course on Pompeii and Herculaneum is unthinkable without the inclusion of Pliny's letters describing the eruption of Vesuvius. Vice versa, a course on Pliny's letters would be incomplete without a visit to the site of Pompeii and a first-hand look at the devastation wrought by the volcano which he describes in his letter. There is, in other words, a symbiotic relationship between the archaeological site or monument and the literary text—a relationship which has been recognized and exploited since archaeology began in classical lands.

Archaeology, however, does much more than simply illuminate ancient texts. It allows us to ask a different set of questions about the ancient world and to arrive at different kinds of conclusions. It is also the quintessential "hands-on" discipline. The best way to learn archaeology is to go out, trowel in hand, and do archaeology, but actual field work on a classical site may not be an option for you. This class attempts to teach archaeology in the classroom in a way that duplicates some of the excitement and sense of discovery inherent in archaeological field work.

A University of Georgia undergraduate and a
Tunisian workman uncover a marble funeary statue
during excavation at Yasmina in 1992.

Physical anthropologist Karen Burns excavates skeleton of a
young child at Yasmina in 1993.

CLAS 2000 interprets "classical archaeology" in its widest possible sense, from describing "how to do" archaeology, to considering how archaeological research affects our understanding and appreciation of the past. It explores different techniques (from traditional excavation, to the latest computer techniques, to the wide array of scientific methods of analysis) and a variety of issues (from the public's love affair with Egypt and "Indiana Jones" to the question of who really owns the past?).

The course introduces students to the complexities of present-day archaeological research and to the central importance of archaeology in creating our images of the past.

Most archaeologists sieve dirt
excavated at the site to recover the maximum amount of information.

Sophie Schliemann wears some of the jewellry excavated by her husband Heinrich at Troy. The gold , dubbed "Priam's treasure" by Schliemann, was excavated and collected by him and lost during WWII. It was recently "rediscovered" in Russia.

The course tackles the difficult issue of collecting and considers the ethics of the antiquity market.

• When, if ever, is it acceptable to collect ancient artefacts?

• What effect does collecting have on our reconstruction of the past?

• Can the archaeologist and the collector really be "friends?"

The course also considers the importance of conservation and site preservation for communicating the importance of the past and of archaeological research to the public at large.

• What kind of preservation is best?

• How much conservation is too much?

• When is it better to reconstruct on paper, rather than on site?

Professional conservator Thomas Roby cleans a tomb monument at the Yasmina Necropolis, Carthage, Tunisia.

Overview of students and workers excavating
the Yasmina Necropolis, Carthage, Tunisia, 1993.

CLAS 2000 focuses on issues particularly relevant to classical archaeology and uses sites from classical antiquity as case studies. Of particular importance is Athens, Greece and the excavation of the Yasmina Necropolis in Carthage, Tunisia, the site of the UGA excavation directed by Prof. Norman from 1992 through 1997.