S/PS Aliens, Atlantis and time travelers. How pseudo-archaeology affects the public
Instructors: Dr. Mari YamasakiShortname: S VA Archäologie
Course No.: 07.848.1065
Course Type: Seminar
Requirements / organisational issues
Requirements:Course participants are required to hold a short presentation, to take an active part in the discussion, and to prepare the assigned readings before each session.
Recommended reading list
Reading material, as well as tasks and requirements will be communicated during the first lesson and in the course of the seminar.Contents
Aliens, Atlantis and time travelers. How pseudo-archaeology affects the publicMysterious agents building pyramids in Egypt, ancient knowledge and technologies disappearing under the sea, reliefs showing Assyrian kings wearing wrist watches and strange ‘unexplicable’ devices showing up in the archaeological record. Must be the work of aliens, Atlantians or of an extinct race of superhumans! Claims of superhuman interventions in the past abund. Sounds familiar? Maybe funny? Sometimes ridiculous to most (if not all) archaeologists.
What’s the problem with a bit of archaeologically-themed entertainment? These products fill the bookshelves and even make it into video games and Netflix shows: the public seems to love them. We have all enjoyed our Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider and Star Gate at some point or another. However, fictional archaeologists are often projecting an image of the discipline that is indeed closer to looting and treasure hunting than to scientific work. To make matters worse, certain publications and shows, instead of being correctly distributed as fiction and entertainment, are marketed under the label “documentaries.” Products such as Von Däniken’s Chariots of the Gods and Hancock’s Netflix show Ancient Apocalypse have the (false) pretence of telling facts. To any archaeologist, the absurdity of some assertions is clear, but to the wider public?
In this course, we will explore and discuss a selection of themes connected to archaeology in popular culture, including, but not limited to:
· How are archaeologists represented in the media?
· What are the consequences of pseudoarchaeology in society?
· What are the roles and responsibilities of scholars and students of the discipline?
· What can we do, as archaeologists, to set the record straight?
Additional information
IMPORTANT: THE COURSE WILL BE IN ENGLISHDates
| Date (Day of the week) | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 04/15/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 04/22/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 04/29/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 05/06/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 05/13/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 05/20/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 05/27/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 06/03/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 06/10/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 06/17/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 06/24/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 07/01/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
| 07/08/2026 (Wednesday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 00 309 9133 - Aareon-Gebäude |
