Ancient Astronauts
1.
Specific topic:
Pick an archaeological site where claims of extra-terrestrial technology have been used to support the argument for ancient astronauts. Describe and evaluate these claims
2.
References and in-text citations must be
formatted according to the Society for American Archaeology Style Guide.
In this assignment you have the opportunity to explore a topic related to fantastic
archaeology in more detail. You can explore an artifact, concept, site, or theme that we
have already cov ered . You can also study something that is listed on the syllabus that we
have not yet discussed. You may also choose another topic that is not addressed in the
course. If you need ideas, consult the attached list of suggested topic s compiled by
archaeologist, Jeffrey Behm, of the University of Wisconsin, Osh Kosh.
Paper s must be 5 -6 pages in length (double-spaced, 1 -1.25 inch margins, and 12 point
font) . You may reference the textbook and assigned readings, but you must also include
at least five (5) additional outside sources. References and in-text citations must be
formatted according to the So ciety for American Archaeology Style Guide. The SAA
Style Guide is available as a PDF under the “Assignments” tab and “Paper ” folder on our
blackboard page or https://monkessays.com/write-my-essay/saa.org/StyleGuideText/tabid/985/Default.aspx
Papers will be graded based on the following criteria :
• Structure and Organization (25%): Characteristics include a strong thesis
statement, strong topic sentences at beginnings of paragraphs and linking
sentences at ends, coherent flow of ideas, and clear presence of an introduction,
body, and conclusion.
• Content (25%): Characteristics of content relate to how well the paper addresses
a specific topic in fantastic archaeology. Does the author address a specific
concept, site, artifact, culture area, etc. Does the author use ample evidence from
both scholarly texts and “fantastic” publications to support her/his arguments Is
the evidence relevant and reliable in regard to the author’s argument Does the
author not rely on concrete examples but instead on vague, generalizing, and
homogenizing statements How well does the writer relate larger concepts
discussed in class to her/his specific research topic
• Clarity of Expression (25%): Does the author have ample mastery of English
language and grammar Does the author follow SAA reference formats While
points will not be taken off for specific grammatical errors, the writer must
demonstrate clear articulation and expression of his/her thoughts.
• Creativity (25%): How novel is the author’s approach to the paper Does the
author offer original and creative insight or simply regurgitate information from
lectures and assigned readings
Submit a brief statement (a few sentences) describing your paper topic by Upload your topics as word documents to the assignment on our blackboard
page. Name the file your last name and “topic” (i.e., “callaghantopic”).
Suggested Topics for Research Paper
The following is a list of possible topics for research papers appropriate for this course. You are not limited to
these topics. If you have a suggestion for another topic, feel free to discuss it with me. If none of these topics
interests you see me for additional suggestions.
General Category Specific Topic
Ancient Astronauts • Pick an archaeological site where claims of extra-terrestrial
technology have been used to support the argument for ancient
astronauts. Describe and evaluate these claims.
• Describe and discuss
Antiquity of Humanity • Examine the claims of archaeological and paleontological
evidence for the presence of humans (either modern or pre-modern forms) much earlier than generally accepted.
Curses • Any and/or all of the curses associated with disturbing ancient
burials, temples, or other sites – there are two many
subcategories to list separately.
Extraterrestrial “Archaeology” • Describe and discuss the claims for bridges on the Moon.
• Describe and discuss the claims for canals on Mars.
• Describe and discuss the claims for the Face on Mars.
Fictional Accounts (“Popular Culture”) • How has archaeology and archaeologists been portrayed in
popular entertainment What patterns can you identify
• How have claims of fantastic archaeology been portrayed in
popular culture Pick one topic (ancient astronauts, sunken
continents, lost races, lost civilizations, Pre-Columbian
exploration and/or colonization of the New World, “Face on
Mars”, etc.) and examine the phenomenon.
Initial Colonization of North America • The date, location, and manner of human colonization of the
Western Hemisphere has long attracted researchers and has been
subject to acrimonious debate. Examine and summarize this
debate.
• Several New World locations have been proposed as evidence of
extreme antiquity of humanity, measured in hundreds of
thousands of years (or more). Select one of these locations (e.g,,
Calico Hills, California; Valsequio Basin, Mexico; etc.) and
evaluate the evidence.
• Investigate and evaluate the claims of Afrocentrism.
Lost Civilizations • How long have complex societies existed on Earth Is there
evidence of such societies well before the accepted dates of ca.
5500 years ago
• Evaluate the claims of greater than accepted age for a specific
large structures (e.g., Great Pyramids of Egypt, Sphinx, etc.).
Some of these claims would make the structure several times
older that current dating.
Lost Continents • Examine and evaluate the evidence for Atlantis. What is the
source of the idea Because of the large number, often
contradictory versions of the Atlantis story, you may want to
focus on a single version.
-16-
• Examine and evaluate the evidence for Lemuria.
• Examine and evaluate the claims of James Churchward for the
lost continent of Mu.
Lost Races • What is the history of the Mound Builder Hypothesis (or Myth)
• How has the 19
th
century Mound Builder Myth been transformed
for the 21
st
century
Ooparts (Out–of-Place Artifacts) • Describe and discuss the Baghdad Battery. What are the
implications of this artifact
• There have been numerous reports of human-made artifacts from
geological contexts that suggest great antiquity, well before this
technology is thought to have emerged.
Politics and Archaeology • How did the Nazis employ archaeology and German mythology
in seeking their political goals Why Evaluate their motives
and success(es).
• How has archaeology been employed by ethnic groups and/or
nation states to make claims on territory What is your response
to these actions
Pre-Columbian Exploration/Colonization • Examine the case for Norse (i.e., “Viking”) exploration and/or
colonization of North America.
• Examine the case for Phoenician exploration and/or colonization
of the Western Hemisphere.
• Examine the case for prehistoric Asian and/or Oceania contact
with the Western Hemisphere.
• Burrows Cave (in southern Illinois) – I won’t even try to describe
this phenomenon. Instead, I invite you to do a web search.
Pseudo-Science • Compare and contrast the phenomenon of Fantastic Archaeology
with similar non-orthodox ideas in another area (e.g., Cold
Fusion in Physics, Cryptozoology, Flood Geology, Young Earth
Geology, etc.)
• A variety of innovative archaeological survey and site evaluation
techniques have been proposed (or used) based on a variety of
extra-sensory techniques – dowsing (or dousing), remote
viewing, etc. Select one technique and evaluate the claims.
•
Religion and Archaeology • Many claims have been made for archaeological evidence for
various events of the Bible (e.g., Noah’s Ark, the Ark of the
Covenant, etc.). Select one example and evaluate these claims.
• Compare and contrast the fundamentalist response of various
religions to the claims of modern archaeology, biology, and/or
history. Are the responses of Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity,
Islam, etc., similar
• Mormonism has made numerous specific claims about the
history and archaeology of the Western Hemisphere. Select one
example (a single site, a time period, etc.) and evaluate it.
Traditional Knowledge & Archaeology • Examine the intersection of traditional knowledge (also known as
oral tradition and/or oral history) and modern archaeology and
biology.
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