From Atlantis to prehistoric extra terrestrials. From the mummy’s curse to psychic archaeology. The public imagination is filled with images of archaeology that range from the incredibly absurd to the downright disturbing. The purpose of this class is to survey and explore the emergence and evolution of these ideas. More importantly, the class will explore both how and why these ideas emerge and take root in popular culture and public consciousness.  In many ways, the critical goal of this class is not only to deconstruct archaeological hoaxes and pseudo mysteries, but to explore how we can truly understand the past through science and rational inquiry. [ read more ]