This is an introductory class for undergraduate students interested in crafting skills and how they shaped ancient East Asian societies. The class presents how crafting activities involve human labor, skills, and knowledge to transform organic and non-organic materials into working objects. Beyond the human-material entanglement, it also discusses how craft products and the organization of labor in the crafting industry significantly shaped ways of human life and political and economic structures in ancient societies. Each week, we will introduce one popular crafting activity in ancient East Asian societies: pottery and ceramics, lithic, bone, wood, metal, textile and leather, as well as food production. Students will have the opportunity to craft with their own hands to experience the ancient skills in weekly lab sessions. The archaeological materials and case studies introduced in this class will primarily cover, but not be limited to, ancient East Asia. Inclusivity and diversity in regions and eras will be explored to show the general pattern of technological development and its effect worldwide. The main sources are the published archaeological studies on different types of craft technology and the research projects conducted by the two instructors. The lab sessions involve modern materials and processing tools for replicating experiments. No prior background in archaeology, anthropology, or craft skills is required. [Warning: Lab session will involve organic materials collected from animals and plants.]
3-5 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit · GER: WAY-SI
This is an introductory class for undergraduate students interested in crafting skills and how they shaped ancient East Asian societies. The class presents how crafting activities involve human labor, skills, and knowledge to transform organic and non-organic materials into working objects. Beyond the human-material entanglement, it also discusses how craft products and the organization of labor in the crafting industry significantly shaped ways of human life and political and economic structures in ancient societies. Each week, we will introduce one popular crafting activity in ancient East Asian societies: pottery and ceramics, lithic, bone, wood, metal, textile and leather, as well as food production. Students will have the opportunity to craft with their own hands to experience the ancient skills in weekly lab sessions. The archaeological materials and case studies introduced in this class will primarily cover, but not be limited to, ancient East Asia. Inclusivity and diversity in regions and eras will be explored to show the general pattern of technological development and its effect worldwide. The main sources are the published archaeological studies on different types of craft technology and the research projects conducted by the two instructors. The lab sessions involve modern materials and processing tools for replicating experiments. No prior background in archaeology, anthropology, or craft skills is required. [Warning: Lab session will involve organic materials collected from animals and plants.]
Offered in Spring 2027 at Stanford University.