How do historians and archaeologists learn about civilizations without any written records that they can understand?  Either in societies that did not develop writing systems or in societies with writing systems that historians can't yet understand- it can seem difficult to learn about these cultures in a meaningful way.  Fortunately, through material culture- the human-made objects left behind, we can gather a surprising amount of insight and information!  In this class, we will delve into the material culture from ancient civilizations all over the world with one thing in common: no understandable written records.  By thinking like archaeologists, we can learn what these ancient people were like- how they lived, worked, played, and died- all from the artifacts they left for us to discover.  From the earliest human settlements to vast medieval empires, we will examine artifacts from eight different countries and six different continents.  The ancient and medieval civilizations we cover include:

- Stone Age Peoples (Global):  We will examine some of the oldest man-made objects in the world to determine the lifestyles and cultures of our earliest ancestors.  

- Minoans (Greece):  We will explore the lost Minoan civilization, the precursor to the more famous Greek city-states, gave Europe its first paved roads and running water along with art that reveals a rich and mysterious culture.

- Incas (Peru):  Next, we'll check out the Incas of South America are considered among the mightiest civilizations in the Americas.  Their amazing architecture, art, and achievements tell us a fascinating story about their rise and fall as an empire. 

- Indus Valley Civilization (India):  The ancient Indian cities of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro contain some of the greatest technological achievements of their time, with elaborate running water systems and a mysterious and still indecipherable writing system that puzzles historians to this day.

- Great Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe):  We will take a look at the medieval African castles of Great Zimbabwe, whose feats of architecture and art amazed the world and showed the might and power of ancient Africa.

- Celts (Ireland):  We'll see how the earliest inhabitants of Ireland left behind many puzzles for archaeologists to solve, including massive monuments and Europe's most famous mummies- the Irish bog bodies, which give us clues to the elaborate and sometimes bloody rituals of the ancient Celts.

- Cahokians (USA):  Next, we head to the USA where the medieval city of Cahokia remains in the Mississippi Valley, with gigantic mounds and a hidden city that shows the elaborate art and culture of the first Americans.

- Aboriginal Peoples (Australia):  Australia is home to some of the oldest known human settlements in the world.  These ancient humans lived in what many Indigenous religions call the Dreamtime- when great heroes of legend roamed the earth.  We'll explore the ancient Kakadu archaeological site to unearth some of the clues the ancient Australians left behind.