Welcome to Unit 4: A Survey on Crete: The Sphakia Survey.

Introduction

The Sphakia Survey was conducted in a small region of SW Crete to investigate human interaction between the landscape. This unit introduces you to the evidence collected as part of the Sphakia Survey and helps you to start to examine what this might mean.

The study period for this unit will commence on Monday, 2 December 2002.

Aims

By the end of this unit, you should:

Have a clear understanding of what an archaeological survey is.
Be familiar with the purpose and aims of the Sphakia Survey (see Unit 1 Session 5 Lesson 4 for table).
Be able to list some strengths and weaknesses of an archaeological survey.
Have a clear understanding of the benefits of a survey database.
Understand the sorts of questions archaeologists ask of their evidence.

Required Reading

This unit will be focusing largely on the Sphakia Survey. You will need to be familiar with both the Sphakia Survey Web site and Part 2 of the Sphakia Survey video.

The Sphakia Survey Web site

Begin with the basic information at The Sphakia Survey project page
Then read the three preliminary articles republished on that site, when directed to do so during the unit.

Preliminary report of the Sphakia Survey (1988)
Preliminary report of the Sphakia Survey (1989)
Preliminary report of the Sphakia Survey (1990)

View Sphakia Survey video (50 minutes).

You will also need to read Insight Guide: Crete pp 190-7 on Sphakia

These pages are from a course designed for the Alliance for Lifelong Learning Web site, with an associated online discussion forum, and other functionality, and any references to these should be ignored.