ARC 50 — Silent Stories: The Narratives of Objects from Stanford’s Archaeology Collections
Quarter: Winter
Instructor(s): Danielle Raad
Date(s): Jan 15—Mar 12
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Wednesdays
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 5:30—7:20 pm (PT)
Please Note: No class on February 26
Tuition: $465
Refund Deadline: Jan 17
Unit(s): 1
Enrollment Limit: 60
Status: Registration opens Dec 2, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Winter
Day: Wednesdays
Duration: 8 weeks
Time: 5:30—7:20 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jan 15—Mar 12
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $465
Refund Deadline: Jan 17
Instructor(s): Danielle Raad
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Enrollment Limit: 60
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Dec 2, 8:30 am (PT)
Please Note: No class on February 26
Objects have stories to tell, but only if we slow down long enough to listen. This course, hosted virtually at the Stanford University Archaeology Collections (SUAC), offers a unique opportunity for students to participate in object study. Guided by the curator of SUAC, students will explore the rich narratives of objects such as Paleolithic stone tools, Indigenous ceramics and wood carvings from different parts of the world, and artifacts excavated from the Stanford family mansion. Each class session will focus on a related set of objects, encouraging deep observation, discussion, and analysis. Through this immersive experience, students will explore different cultures and historical periods while also confronting complex ethical issues surrounding artifact collection, such as repatriation and balancing preservation with accessibility. Using state-of-the-art technology, we’ll engage in close-looking sessions enhanced by storytelling, drawing, and poetry, all designed to sharpen your ability to think deeply, creatively, and critically about objects. This course will change how you look at museum collections, revealing the rich stories that objects carry.
No experience in archaeology is required. Students are expected to participate actively in this course.
DANIELLE RAAD
Curator and Assistant Director of Collections, Stanford University Archaeology Collections
Danielle Raad directs the Stanford University Archaeology Collections, overseeing all aspects of operations, exhibitions, acquisitions, collections management, teaching, and research. She was formerly a Fellow in Academic Affairs at the Yale University Art Gallery. Raad received a PhD in anthropology from UMass Amherst, an MS in materials science and engineering from the Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology at MIT, an MA in chemistry from Harvard, and an MEd in secondary education from Lesley University. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.