fandomhigh | Anthropology 101, 6th Period

Daniel smiles at his small class. "Welcome to Anthropology. I'm Dr. Jackson.

Today, I just wanted to talk to you about what this class is going to entail, and also, have you introduce yourselves and discuss why you took this class.

The first thing is that I will be expecting interaction. As there's only four of you, that means you might have to do more work... so you could try and persuade your friends to add this," he grins.

"We'll start by looking at what is anthropology, and what it's subdisciples are this week. Next week, we'll be starting with physical, or, as it is sometimes called, biological anthropology. Next lesson, I'll have a handout for you with a run down of the class syllabus, and a suggestion of books. Oh, and I also need a TA, so if anyone's interested in the job, just come see me after class and we'll talk.

But today, I just want to get to know you. So, I'll start, then we'll go clockwise around the room. Tell me why you've decided to take this class and something else about yourself, and then we'll go around again, and I want you to tell me what you think anthropology is

I'm Daniel Jackson, I'm the teacher and I like coffee. I'm not going to say what I think anthropology is, because I know. As a hint, I'm going to tell you that it comes from the Greek. Let's go, guys."

[[Your final grade will be reflecting participation. Obviously if RL happens, then that's not your fault and a simple X was here and did Y will do. But I won't take that every lesson. Of course, you don't need to actually write the essays that he sets, but something would be nice.

I'm in GMT (mostly), so might not be around to discuss things with in class, but you can always talk with each other. I'll respond when I can. Monday's class will close just before I post Wednesday's class, and Wednesday's class will close around midday (GMT) on Saturday.

Any problems? Talk to me IC or OOC. Both Daniel and I are very harmless - honestly!

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Kiki smiles and says, "My name is Kiki Takayama, and I decided to take this class because I am interested in people and civilizations. I'm a traditionally-raised witch, and many of our customs have very ancient roots, gathered from all over the globe and passed down through the generations. I'm really interested in learning about other cultures and how the current customs I know are related to, or may have come from, other groups."

Daniel smiles. "We'll hopefully be touching upon magic and witchcraft in anthropology during the second half of the semester," he says. "I hope you'll be able to share some of your culture's customs with us at some point, Kiki."

"Great," Kiki answers. "I'm really interested to see if what we think we know of ancient customs corresponds to what we practice today."

"It may surprise you," Daniel replies. "Anthropologists will use data collected from cultures still in the world today to extrapolate what extinct cultures might have experienced."

"I see," Kiki nods. "I was just thinking - we make all these guesses as to how people in past civilizations lived, but we can't ever be sure. I mean, say a future civilization found the remains of our culture, and found that we had thousands of small altars along our roads - as if to gods of safe passage or transportation, perhaps - that we make offerings to. That's a completely valid interpretation of a part of our culture, but to us, it's just a parking meter."

Daniel hides a grin. "That is true. It's also why documental sources are also important when looking at extinct cultures. Cuniform, which developed in Mesopotamia, was the basis for some of the earliest writing, and was originally used in economics and trade."

"Cuniform isn't so extinct, sir," Han says rolling up his left sleeve. The tattooed bracelet (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/valarltd/persiantat.jpg) above his elbow is indeed in cuniform.

"My boyfriend was Persian, from the court of Al'skander," he adds by way of explanation.

"But surely," Kiki continues, her brow furrowing in thought, "there must be some aspects about which nothing is written - things that were considered so mundane and part of everyday life that they were not considered important enough to bother recording, like trade and political matters. Without a written context, how can those be interpreted except by most reasonable hypothesis?"

Anthropology 101, 6th Period

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