RibchesterRevisited,UK
CourseID:ARCHXL159
June14–July17,2017
FIELDSCHOOLDIRECTORS:
DrDuncanSayer,Reader,UniversityofCentralLancashire([email protected])
DrJamesMorris,Lecturer,UniversityofCentralLancashire([email protected])
INTRODUCTION
ThevillageofRibchesterisnestledintheheartofLancashire'sbeautifulRibblevalley,anddatestothe
RomanperiodwhenanauxiliarycavalryfortwasestablishedonthenorthbankoftheriverRibble.It
wasmadefamousbythediscoveryoftheRibchesterHelmet,andassociatedhoard,inthe18thcentury,
oneofonlythreehelmetsofthistypefoundinBritainandtodaytheseobjectscanbeseenintheBritish
Museum.ThefortwasbuiltinapproximatelyAD72-3bymembersofthetwentiethlegion,itwasthen
occupiedbytheAlaIIAsturumaSpanishauxiliaryunit.Inthe2ndcenturythefortwasrebuiltinstone
andaroundAD175itwasgarrisonedbyaSarmatianauxiliarycavalryunit.Fromaresearchperspective
thischangingorigin,changingrecruitmentandrebuildingofthefortisfascinating,andallowsusto
exploreidentity,migrationandtheintergrationofmilitaryandcivilianlife.Controversially,however,
popularcultureidentifiesSarmatianswiththelegendsofKingArthurcitingsimilarlitesbetween
ArthuriantalesandSarmationmyth.
Thegarrisonatthefortwaslocatedinanimportantcrossroadedbetweeneastandwest,northand
southandoversawthefootandrivertraffictomaintainedoversightofthesurroundingarea.Itisoften
assumedthatRomanfortswereorganizedinasimilarway,butRibchesterhasanunusuallylargeVicus
(thetownjustoutside)andimportantlywasalsoaVeteranorumforretiredsolders(knownas
BremetenacumVeteranorum).Unfortunalty,mostofthearchaeologicalfieldworkthathasbeencarried
outinRibchesterwasduringthelatenineteenthandearlytwentiethcentury,withsomefocused
excavationinthe1980sandasmallprojectbyTimeTeaminitsfirstTVseasonintheearly1990s.Our
1|P a g e projectrevisitsRibchesterusingtheexplorationofthepreviousarchaeologicalarchivesandthis
importantcuttingedgeIFRfieldschool.Theexcavationsprimaryobjectiveistoexploretheevolvinguse
oftheinteriorofthefortanditschangingrelationshipwiththeVicus.In2016wefoundourfirst
evidenceofwomenwithinthefort–beadsandbroochesprovinghowinthelatestphasesofactivityit
becameasitenotjustforthearmybutfamiliestoo.
The2017seasonpromisiestobeextremelyexcitingbecausetheprojectwillcontiunetoinvestigatea
large30mby10mtrenchjustinsidethefort’snorthgate,oppositethegranariesandwhereitisbelieved
thebarrackswerelocated.Sofarthetrenchhasrevealedtheremainsofaclayflooredbuilding,with
hearth,kilnfragments,slag,glassworkingandmetalworkingrefusehintingatafabricaorworkshop.At
theendofitslife,thewallsofthisstructurehadbeenpulleddown,scatteringfragmentsofwallplaster
acrosstworoads:theViaSagularis,whichcircumnavigatestheinteriorofthefort,andtheVia
Principalis,leadingtothecenterofthesite.Thisdemolitionacrosstwoimportantroadwayspointsto
deliberatedestruction,butnot,toabandonment.In2016wediscoveredtheguardhouseforthe
northgate,revealinguntouchedinteriorfloorsurfacesthatareyettobeexcavted.Additionally,wealso
identifiedtheterminusoftheouterditchsystemasitmeetsthenorthroad.Thereisastrongpossibility
thatorganicmaterialwillbepresentinthelowerfillsoftheseseconfcenturyditchesandsimilar
featureshavecontainedsignificantquantitiesofworkedleatherincudingshoes,partsoftentsand
leathercuttings.In2017ourprimaryobjectiveswillbetoexcavatetheguardhousefloor,theouter
ditchandtheworkshop,makingthisseasonthemostambitiousandpromisingyet!
TheRibchesterprojectalsohasasignificantfocuseonthecommunity.Thesiteisclassifiedasa
monmentatriskbyHistoricEngland,andsothisprojectisanimportantopportunitytoengagewith
heritageinpractice.PartofthereasonRibchesterisatriskistheneglectthatthisimportantsitehas
seen,andsoavaluableaspectofthisprojectincludesoutreach–studentsandprojectpartnersspenda
greatdealoftimecommunicatingwiththelocalpopulationandweexpectthousandsofvisitorswith
around20schoolvisits.The2016seasonsawapproximately2000vistorstotheexcavation.Theproject
isalsoscheduledtotakeplaceduringtheRomanfestival(July),animportanteventinthelocalcalendar
whenareplicacampiserectedandactorsdressedinRomanmilitaryequipmentparadetheirskillsfor
thepublic.In2015/6thetheseaspectprovedverypopular,andtherewillbetheopportunityfor
studentstoexperiencethissideofcommunityarchaeology.
ACADEMICCREDITUNITS&TRANSCRIPTS
CreditUnits:Attendingstudentswillbeawarded12quartercreditunits(equivalentto8semester
units)throughouracademicpartner,UCLAExtension.UCLAisatoprankedresearchuniversityandits
archaeologyprogramisrankedamongstthebestinthecountry.AllIFRfieldschoolsinstructorsand
curriculaareapprovedbothbythecorrespondingacademicdepartmentandtheAcademicSenateat
UCLA.Thisfieldschoolprovidesaminimumof192directinstructionalhours.
Transcripts:TranscriptsareavailablethroughUCLAUnEXandinstructionsfororderingtranscriptsmay
befoundathttp://bit.ly/2bD0Z3E.Gradeswillbepostedandtranscriptavailableusuallywithinsix
weeksaftertheendofthisfieldschool.AllIFRfieldschoolsaredesignatedXLclasses–coursesthatare
equivalenttoundergraduatecoursesofferedbytheUCLAregularsession.AllXLcoursesaretransferable
forunitandsubjectcredittowardtheBachelor'sDegreeatallcampusesoftheUCandCSUsystems.
Classesnumbered100to199areconsideredupperdivision(junior/senior).Formoreinformation,goto
http://bit.ly/2bjAqmy.
UCLAstudents:StudentscantakeclassesthroughUCLAExtensiontocompleterequirements.However
certainconsiderationsmustbetakenintoaccount.Formoreinformation,gotohttp://bit.ly/2bJWeHK.
2|P a g e CreditUnitsTransfer:MostuniversitiesacceptUCLAcreditunits–thereareveryfewexceptions.
Studentsarestronglyencouragedtodiscussthetransferabilityofthecreditunitswithschoolofficials
BEFOREattendingthefieldschool.
COURSEOBJECTIVES
Thiscourseisafieldschool,andprimarilyaimstoprovidestudentswithafoundationinarchaeological
methodology.Particularlytheprojectemploysasinglecontextrecordingsystemdesignedtodealwith
thecomplexintercuttingfeaturesfoundinancienturbansettings.Thismethodallowsarcheologiststo
explorethekeystratigraphicrelationshipsbetweenbuildings,pits,roadsandsoexploreindustriesand
activities,theevolutionofspace,andtheexperiencesandlivesofpeopleinthepast.
Thecoursehasthreeprimaryobjectives–1)tointroducestudentstoarchaeologicalfieldmethods,
includingexcavation,stratigraphicinvestigation,thewrittenrecords,thedrawnrecord,aswellas
providinganopportunityforindividualstoconductsurveyandfindsprocessingactivities.2)To
introducestudentstotheintellectualchallengepresentedinarcheologicalresearch.Namelythe
recognitionandinterpretationofcomplexstratigraphy.Todothisstudentswillbegintheirworkinsmall
teamsprovidingalearningnetworkinwhichparticipantscandeveloptheirskillsandinterprettheirown
features.3)Whyisarchaeologyimportant?Withparticipationinthecommunityheritageaspectsofthe
projectthisprojectistheperfectopportunitytoexplorethevalueofheritageandexplorewhat
archaeologycancontributetomodernsociety.
Excavation:StudentswillparticipateinsupervisedexcavationswithinalargetrenchexploringRoman
andlaterremains.
Recording:Undersupervisionstudentswillfilloutcontextsheets,plotsmallfinds,drawarchaeological
remainstorecordstratigraphy.Itisexpectedthatbytheendoftheprojectstudentswillbeabletocarry
outinterpretationrecordingthemselves.
Survey:Studentswillhavetheopportunitytoconductgeophysicalsurveyworkwithinthesurrounding
village.
Cataloging:Studentswillparticipateinprocessingandrecordingoffinds,includingpottery,tiles,animal
bonesandmetalfindsandwillbeintroducedtothedatabasemanagementsystem.
Environmental:AkeyaspectofRibchesteristheexcellentpreservationofbiologicalremainsinsome
contexts.Studentswillhavetheopportunitytotake,record,andwetsieveenvironmentalsamplesin
searchofecologicalremainssuchasfishbones,charredseedsandinsectremains.
HeritageOutreach:Scheduledtaskswillincludegivingsitetours,talkingtothepublicand/orschool
groups.Therewillalsobeaseriesofkeyseminarsfocusedonthevalueofarchaeologytomodern
society.
TeachingbeginsonThursday,June15thwithanthreedaylectureandfieldtripseries.Thiswillprovide
studentswiththeculturalandarchaeologicalbackgroundtothefieldworkandwillgivetheman
opportunitytomeettheteam,andexplorethemethodstobeusedbeforeexcavationbegins.Additional
lecturesbyprojectspecialistswillbeofferedperiodicallythroughouttheremainderofthefieldseason.
PREREQUISITES
Therearenoprerequisitesforparticipationinthisfieldschool.Thisishands-on,experientiallearning
andstudentswillstudyon-sitehowtoconductarchaeologicalresearch.Archaeologyinvolvesphysical
workandexposuretotheelementsandthus,requiresameasureofacceptancethatthiswillnotbethe
typicaluniversitylearningenvironment.Youwillgetsweaty,tiredandhavetoworkintheoutdoors.
3|P a g e Studentsarerequiredtocomeequippedwithsufficientexcitementandadequateunderstandingthat
thearchaeologicalendeavorrequiresreal,hardwork–inthesunorrain,onyourfeet,andwithyour
trowel.
DISCLAIMER–PLEASEREADCAREFULLY
Archaeologicalfieldworkinvolvesphysicalworkintheoutdoors.Youshouldbeawarethatconditionsin
thefieldaredifferentthanthoseyouexperienceinyourhome,dormsorcollegetown.Thisprogram
operatesinatypicalEnglishsummer.Duringtheday,temperatureswillbecomfortablebutmay
fluctuatebetween65-800F,intheevenings52-650Fiscommon,soappropriatewarmsleepingmaterial
willhelp.Longerdaylighthoursprovideslovelylongevenings,butthesuncomesupearlyinthemorning
andsowheninatentsomepeopleliketosleepwithaneyemaskorsimilar.Rainandthewetcanbe
persistent,andalthoughwedon’tworkifitistoowetyoumustensureyouhaveawaterproof,and
jumperandthatyourtentandpropertyaredryorelseyouwillbemiserable.Sunburncanbeaproblem
andalthoughtheprojectwillprovidesunprotectionatfactor50,youareresponsibleformakingsure
youarehydratedandprotected.
Ifyouhaveanymedicalconcerns,pleaseconsultwithyourdoctor.Forallotherconcerns,please
consultwiththeprojectdirector–asappropriate.
LEARNINGOUTCOMES
Bytheendoftheprojectstudentswillbeableto:
1) Understandthedifferentelementswhichcontributetoanarchaeologicalfieldprojectandhow
surveydata,recordsandartifactsbetweentheseelements.
2) Applystandardexcavationmethodstoarchaeologicalcontexts.
3) Comfortablyusesinglecontextrecordingtechniquestodocumentexcavationresults.
4) Describetheprojectobjectivesandinterpretationsinconversationwiththelaycommunityandin
writtenformats.DiscusstherelativevalueofRibchester’sheritage.
5) Beabletooffertheirownpreliminaryinterpretationsofarchaeologicalresultsandexplorethose
withintheboundaryoftheirpersonalproject.
6) Situatefieldworkwithinitsgeographic,periodandresearchframework.
GRADINGMATRIX
Excavation50%:Attendandparticipateeachscheduledday,including:chores,lectures,fieldandfinds
work.Gradesandfeedbackwillbegivenattheendofeachweekandfinalgradewillbeacombination
ofeachweeksmark.Thecriteriaforassessmentinclude-Team-working,Commitment,Excavation,Site
Recording,Drawing,Survey,Finds,OutreachandEnvironmentalwork.Assessorswillconsiderattention
todetail,engagementandunderstanding.Leaningoutcomes1,2,3and4willbeassessedduringthe
excavation.Pleaseseetheassessmentandfeedbackmatrixattheendofthissyllabus.
PersonalProject50%: Itisadvisableforparticipantstokeepafieldnotebookthatcanbeusedasthe
basisofa2,000wordpersonalprojectreportwhichwillbesubmittedbyemailbyAugust21st.This
essaywilldescribeanaspectofthearchaeologicalworkcarriedoutbutthestudent,andhowitfitsinto
thewiderworldofRibchesterorRoman/BritishArchaeology.Aprojectworkshopwillbeprovidedatthe
beginningofthefieldschoolandexamplesofpreviousworkwillbemadeavailable.Thesitedirectors
willadvisestudentstotailortheirprojectandmakerecommendations.Learningoutcomes1,4,5and6
willbeassessedusingthepersonalproject. Pleaseseetheassessmentcriteriaattheendofthissyllabus.
4|P a g e TRAVEL&MEETINGPOINT
TherewillbetwoalternativemeetingpointsonJune14th.Meetingpoint1)ManchesterAirport,
oppositeJoesKitchen,Arrivalsinterminaloneat14:00.StudentsarrivingbytrainwillbemetatPreston
trainstationat16:00–pleasemakeyourwayoutofthetrainstationsideexitbythecarpark(i.e.not
themainentrancewiththeticketmachines)thereisplentyofspacetowaitundertheshelterinthecar
park.
Ifyoumissedyourconnectionoryourflightisdelayed,pleasecall,textoremailaprojectdirector
immediately.Alocalemergencycellphonenumberwillbeprovidedtoallenrolledstudents.
VISAREQUIREMENTS
UScitizensmusthaveavalidpassportforthedurationoftheirstay,avisaisnotrequired.Itis
recommendedthatstudentstaketheirIFRdocumentationtoimmigrationcontroltoprovetheyhavea
placeonanarchaeologicalexcavationfortheperiodoftheirstay.
EQUIPMENTLIST
Thisprojectwillprovidestudentswithexcavationtools.However,studentsmaywishtobringtheirown
4”dropforgedpointingtrowel–eitherWHS/SpearandJacksonorMarshalTown.Studentsmayalso
wishtobringapersonalfirstaidkit,anotebookandaninexpensivecamerafortheirassessmentwork.
Thefollowingaremandatoryitemsthateachstudentmustbringtothisproject:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tent
Sleepingbag
Inflatablemattressorsleepingmat
Flashlight(torch)
Workingboots
Diggingclothes
Eveningclothes
•
•
•
•
•
Waterproofjacket
Suncream
Waterbottle
Somethingwarmlikeajumperorhoodie
Pocketmoneyforsnacksandtreats(there
isavillageshopandapub).
ACCOMMODATIONS
FortheinitialfournightsinPrestonstudentswillbeaccommodatedinuniversitydorms.Duringthe
excavationstudents,supervisorsanddirectorscamp50yardsfromsiteintheirowntents.Studentsare
responsibleforkeepingthecampsitetidyatalltimes.Theprojectisveryfortunatetohaveaccesstothe
VillageHallforuseduringthedayasthefindsprocessingfacilityorsiteofficeandintheeveningsit
providesshelterandacommunalfocus.Thisincludesafullyequippedkitchenwithcutleryandcrockery,
fridges,ovenandtwosinks.Thereisaccesstoawashingmachineduringtheproject.Showersarehired
inonatrailerandaregoodqualityfacilitiespoweredfromthemainselectricsandbottledgas.Everyday
(exceptMondaywhichisthedayoff)foodisprovidedintheeveningsfromalocalcateringbusiness,and
theirshop,whichisfiveminwalkfromsite,providestheopportunityforpeopletopurchaseexcellent
baconsandwichesduringresttimesifrequired.
Studentsontheprojectareorganizedintorotasandeachdayasmallteamwillpreparelunch,do
cleaning,tidying(campsiteandgrounds)andwashingup.Participationinthisismandatoryandwillbe
organizedfairlyandequallyamongsttheparticipants.Thisisstrictlymaintainedandparticipationis
consideredpartoftheassessmentprocess.Thismeansthatthesiteandfacilitiesarekepttoahigh
standardwhichisimportantsinceweareinformallymonitoredbytheparishcouncilandthe
community.
COURSESCHEDULE
Week1(June14-June18):
5|P a g e Wednesday
14:00 PickupfromManchesterairport
16:00 PickupfromPrestonrailwaystation
18:00 MeettheteamBBQatUCLan
Thursday
9:00 MeetinArchaeologyLab–InformaldiscussionaboutacclimatizingtotheUK
9:30 MorningLecture1HistoryofLancashireandoverviewofarchaeologicaltime
periods
11:00 MorningLecture2introductiontoRomanBritain
12:30Lunch
13:00 IntroductiontoRomanartifacts
15:30 HistoryofRibchester
18:30 TeamDinner
Friday 9:00 MorningexcursiontoRibchesterwithtaughtRecordingandPlanningexercises
12:30Lunch
13.30 AfternoonLecture1AnoverviewofBritishArchaeologyfromCRMtoResearch
16:00 AfternoonLecture2Contexts,Planningandusingarchaeologicalequipment
18:30 FilmandPizzanight
Saturday
9:00
Sunday
FieldTriptoNorthWales.Visitingarchaeologicalexcavationandhistoricsites
includingConwayCastle
Freetoreviewtwodayslearning,readandexplore.
Week2-5(June19thtoJuly17th):
Monday
10:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
16:00
Meetatminibus,packequipmentandtools
ArriveatRibchester,introductiontofacilities,setupcamp,organizetools
Lunch
TourofRibchesterVillageandMuseum
Preparetrenchforfieldwork
Dailyscheduleforthefourweeksoffieldwork,TuesdaythroughSaturday
7:30-8:15
8:15-8:30
10:30-11:00
13:00-13:45
15:30-16:00
18:00 19:00 Breakfast
Collecttools,excavationbegins
Morningtea
LunchStop
Afternoontea
EndofExcavation
DinnerArrives
SundaySchedule
8:00-8:45
8:45-9:00
12:30-13:30
13:30-16:00
19:00 Breakfast
Collecttools,excavationbegins*
LunchStop
Afternoonexcavation
DinnerArrives
6|P a g e (*Sundayserviceisopentoallat10:30am-12:00aminthelocalchurch)
OnWednesdaythe5thJulytherewillbeafieldtriptoHadrian’swallandHousestead’sFort
ProjectEnd17thJuly
Monday
7:30-8:15
8:30 12:00 12:45 13:30
Breakfast
Packupcamp,tidy,cleanhall
MinibusleavesforPreston
Unpacktools
LiftstoPrestonStationandManchesterAirportforreturnhomeor
continuedtravelinUKandEuropeonyourown(a7:00amliftis
available).
EveryThursdayat8:30amthereisaweeklydirector’ssitetour,approximately1hour.
EveryFridayafternoon,groupsofstudentswillattendafindsroundupseminar.
RomanFestivalistheweekendofthe8-9July.Occasionallectureswilltakeplaceduringtheday,orin
theearlyeveningdependingontheschedule.Thisscheduleoflectureswillbeproducedatthe
beginningoftheprojectbutmaybesubjecttochangedependingontheweather.
Eveningactivities:
EachTuesdayeveningis‘pubquiz’nightinthehallafterdinner.EachThursdayisPizzaandfilmnightin
thehall.
ThelocalbellringinggroupisopentointerestedpartiesonWednesdaynightsat19:30,thechoirmeets
onThursdaynights.
OrganizedsportsactivitiesareavailableonFridaysandSaturdaysevenings.Inthepastthesehave
includingcricket,roundersandfootball.
Therearethreepubsinthevillage,theRibchesterArms,alocalfavoritewithfoodavailable.TheWhite
Bull,abeautifulbuildingwithRomanpillars,agardenandfood,roomsareavailableforvisitors.The
BlackBullisabeeronlypubwithapooltableandagoodMondaynightpubquiz.Thereisalocalsmall
supermarketandpostoffice.
MANDATORYREADINGS
Edwards,B.J.N.TheRomansatRibchesterDiscoveryandExcavation.Lancaster:UniversityofLancaster
Green,KandMoore,T.2002.Archaeology:anIntroduction.London:Routledge.(Chapter3).
Mattingly,D.2007.AnImperialPossession:BritainintheRomanEmpire,54BC-AD409.London:Penguin
(Chapters1to6)
MuseumofLondonArchaeologyService.1994.ArchaeologicalSiteManual.London:Museumof
London.(Chapter1,2.1,and3)Availablefrom:
http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/files/1413/7243/1495/MoLASManual94.pdf
Petts,D.2013.Militaryandcivilian:reconfiguringtheendofRomanBritainintheNorth.European
JournalofArchaeology.16.3,314-335
7|P a g e RECOMMENDEDREADINGS
Allason-Jones,L.1999.Whatisamilitaryassemblage?JournalofRomanMilitaryEquipmentStudies,vol.
10:1-4
Allison,P.M.2006.MappingforGender:InterpretingartefactdistributioninRomanmilitaryfortsin
Germany.ArchaeologicalDialogues13.1,1-48
Bidwell,P.2007.RomanFortsinBritain.London:Batsford/EnglishHeritage.
Breeze,D.J.2014.TwoRomanBritain’s.ArchaeologicalJournal.171.1,97-110Availablefrom:
https://www.academia.edu/9432152/Two_Roman_Britains
Buxton,KandHoward-Davis,C.2001.Bremetenacum:excavationsatRomanribchester1980,1989-90.
Lancaster:UniversityofLancaster
Crow,J.2004.TheNorthernfrontierofBritainfromTrajantoAntoninusPius:RomanBuildersand
NativeBritons.In.Todd,M.(ed.).ACompaniontoRomanBritain.Oxford:Blackwell.114-135
DelaBédoyère,G.2013.RomanBritain:anewhistory.London:Thames&Hudson
EnglishHeritage.2011.RomanFortsandFortresses.London:EnglishHeritage
Availablefrom:http://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/iha-roman-forts-fortresses/
Gardner,A.2007.AnArchaeologyofIdentity:soldiersandsocietyinlateRomanBritain.WalnutCreek:
LeftCoastPress
Gardner,A.2013.ThinkingaboutRomanimperialism:postcolonialism,globalizationandbeyond?
Britannia,44,1-25
Millett,M.1990.TheRomanizationofBritain:anessayinarchaeologicalinterpretation.Cambridge:
CambridgeUniversityPress
Millett,MandJames,S.2001.BritonsandRomans:advancinganarchaeologicalagenda.York:Council
forBritishArchaeologyReportNo.125.Availablefrom:
http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/cba_rr/rr125.cfm
Pitts,M.2008.GlobalizingthelocalinRomanBritain:ananthropologicalapproachtosocialchange.
JournalofAnthropologicalArchaeology,27,493-506
Rushworth,A.2009.HousesteadsRomanFort-theGrandestStation:Excavationandsurveyat
Housesteads,1954-95.London:EnglishHeritageAvailablefrom:
http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/eh_monographs_2014/contents.cfm?mono=108908
6
Southern,P.2004.TheArmyinlateRomanBritain.In.Todd,M.(ed.).ACompaniontoRomanBritain.
Oxford:Blackwell.393-408
Todd,M.2004.TheClaudianConquestanditsconsequences.In.Todd,M.(ed.).ACompaniontoRoman
Britain.Oxford:Blackwell.42-59
VanDerVeen,M.2008.Foodasembodiedmaterialculture–diversityandchangeinplantfood
consumptioninRomanBritain.JournalofRomanArchaeology21,83-110
Wilmott,T.1999.Birdoswald:ExcavationsofaRomanfortonHadrian'sWallanditssuccessor
settlements,1987-1992.London:EnglishHeritageAvailablefrom:
8|P a g e http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/eh_monographs_2014/contents.cfm?mono=108901
8
Woolf,G.2004.ThepresentstateandfuturescopeofRomanarchaeology:acomment.American
JournalofArchaeology,108.3,417-428.
CriteriaforassessingRibchesterRevisitedWrittenWork
A+
(85-100%)
A
(70-84%)
B
(60-69%)
C
(50-59%)
D
(40-49%)
COMPENSA-TABLE
FAIL
(35-39%)
FAIL
(20-34%)
FAIL
(0-19%)
Writtenworkisdirectlyrelevanttothetitle.Thestudentdemonstrates
exceptionalknowledgeandunderstandingwhichisthoroughandshowsabilityto
criticallycontextualiseknowledgeandapplyitinarelevantwaysoastosustainan
argument.Presentationiscrisp,unclutteredandhighlysophisticatedandinan
appropriateformat.
Writtenworkisdirectlyrelevanttothetitle.Thestudentdemonstratesexcellent
knowledgeandunderstandingwhichisthoroughandshowsabilitytocritically
contextualiseknowledgeandapplyitinarelevantwaysoastosustainan
argument.Presentationiscrisp,unclutteredandsophisticatedandinan
appropriateformat.
Writtenworkisdirectlyrelevanttothetitle.Theknowledgebaseisjudgedsound
andrelevant.Thestudentdemonstratesanunderstandingofconceptsandof
theirinter-relationship,butconclusionsaresometimesreachedonthebasisof
insufficientfactualmaterial.Materialiswellpresentedandinanacceptable
format.
Writtenworkisrelevantbut(inlowerranges)reflectssomeconceptualconfusion
andarelianceondescriptionasasubstituteforanalysis.Syntaxandgrammar
sometimesunsound.Competentpresentationandanacceptableformat,although
somedeficienciesareapparent.
Somesignificantdegreeofirrelevancetothetitleiscommon.Basicunderstanding
ofalimitedrangeofmaterialandgraspofconceptsissuperficial.Writtenmaterial
lacksfocus,andispronetosweepingunsubstantiatedassertion.Evidenceof
reading,butthestudentisunabletoriseabovedescription.Significant
deficienciesinexpression,formatorbibliographicaldetail.
Atleastonethirdofmaterialpresentedisrelevantbuttheremaybelimited
referencetothequestion.Agenerallypoorbutcompensatableanswerwith
extensiveerrorsandomissions,orasubstantialansweronthegeneraltopicin
whichthespecific,centralquestionismisinterpretedoravoided,oraverygood
essayinnoteform.Presentationispoorandsometimesinarticulate.
Lessthanonethirdofmaterialpresentedisrelevant.Averyweakanswerwith
extensiveerrorsandomissions,oraninsubstantialansweronthegeneraltopicin
whichthespecific,centralquestionisseriouslymisinterpretedoravoided,ora
weakessayinnoteform.Thereisonlypartialunderstandingdemonstrated.
Presentationispoor,ofteninarticulateandsometimesincomprehensible
Anexceptionallypooranswerwithextensiveerrorsandomissionsandonlyahint
ofrelevantknowledge,oraveryweakessayinnoteform,orananswerthat
ignoresthequestiontoanextentthathardlyanyofthecontentcanbeconstrued
asbeingrelevanttothegeneraltopicofthequestion.Presentationisverypoor,
ofteninarticulateandincomprehensible.
9|P a g e