理论课，2学分，2学时/每周。本课程是针对文、理、工各专业本科生开设的通识教育课程。本课程介绍和讨论世界范围内的一系列考古重大发现，包括非洲奥杜威峡谷人类起源的探索、法国南部冰川时代岩画洞穴（艺术和认知的起源）、土耳其东部哥贝克力石阵（宗教起源）、英国威尔特新时期巨石阵、伊拉克南部乌尔王陵（最早的城市）、古埃及法老图坦卡门墓、中美洲玛雅文明科潘城、北美最早古印第安城市卡基亚、中国的世界奇迹秦始皇兵马俑、意大利庞贝罗马古城、以及南美洲印加帝国的马丘比丘。通过了解这些不同时期和地区的重大考古发现和研究，本课程旨在认识灿烂多元、丰富的古代文物质文化和人类文明发展历史，更好地理解考古发现和研究在当今社会中所扮演的重要角色，以古鑑今，展望未来。本课程以讲座为主，配合与考古发现和研究相关的纪录片。Lecture, 2 credits, 2 hours per week. This course explores a selection of the world’s momentous discoveries in archaeology that have shaped our knowledge of the ancient world, discussing breath-taking finds and the remarkable stories behind the discoveries. The discoveries discussed and examined come from a wide array of different contexts, in terms of places, times and culture (both prehistoric and historic), ranging from ice age cave paintings to Olduvai Gorge, from the volcanic mummified ruins of Pompeii to the great tomb of King Tut, from the terracotta army of the First Emperor in China to Machu Picchu, lost city of the Incas. By learning major archaeological discoveries, students are expected to learn and understand the ways in which archaeology transforms ancient ruins and discarded rubbish into representations of the everyday lives of our ancestors; and to increase their appreciation of the importance of archaeological discoveries in shaping and transforming our understanding of the human past, and the relevance of archaeological knowledge to the contemporary world. The course is primarily in form of lectures, supplemented with selected documentaries, primarily those authoritative and accessible ones produced by PBS NOVA and BBC Horizon programs.