METHODS AND TECHNIQUES FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Academic year and teacher
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2021/2022
- Teacher
- FEDERICA FONTANA
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
- SSD
- L-ANT/01
Training objectives
- The course aims at providing the theoretical knowledge and practical tools for a correct approach to the application of methods and techniques for archaeological research: from invasive and non-invasive field investigation, to the analysis of the archeological record and its interpretation. At the end of the course the student should demonstrate to be able to plan an archeological research and to describe how carry out an archeological research on the field and in the lab. He should also be able to organize and interpret the results of an archaeological research in the context of a coherent theoretical framework.
Prerequisites
- Basic knowledge of scientific disciplines (chemistry, physics and natural sciences) and humanities with special reference to historical and philosophical aspects.
Course programme
- Introduction to the discipline: definition of archaeology, typologies of evidence: territory, sites, structures, artefacts and ecofacts. Preservation of the archaeological record.
Regional surveys: surface investigation, aerial reconnaissance and remote sensing.
Geophysical methods in archaeology: an introduction (magnetometry, georadar and ecletric resistivity/tomography)
Principles of archaeological stratigraphy: origin and development of the concept of stratigraphy in archaeology; agents and actions, natural and anthropic strata; basin of deposition and Stratigraphic Unit (S.U.), positive and negative interface; the stratigraphic sequence and the Harris matrix.
Strategies of archaeological excavation: definition of the investigated area, organization of the excavation yard; the large area excavation technique.
Recording of the archaeological evidence: the Stratigraphic Units forms, archaeological plans and cumulative sections, photographs, use total station, photogrammetry.
Formation processes of the archaeological record: natural and cultural formation processes; systemic vs archaeological context; methods of analysis (formal, frequency, spatial and relational analysis). GIS systems for field and intra-site spatial data recording and analysis.
Interpreting the archaeological evidence: main historical approaches to the interpretation of the archaeological evidence; the contribution of ethnoarchaeology and experimentation.
Interpretation in prehistoric archaeology: technology and exchanges, subsistence, settlement strategies and mobility, social organisation. Didactic methods
- Lectures; visits to a prehistoric archaeological site and analysis of the stratigraphic sequence and archaeological documentation. Exercise of mapping of the evidence with the total station. Critical analysis of scientific papers.
Learning assessment procedures
- Oral examination consisting of two main questions, one of which focusing on the technical-practical aspects of archaeological investigation and the other on theoretical and interpretative topics, and PPT presentation (in the classroom) of a scientific paper suggested by the teacher. Students who will not present the paper in the classroom are requested to present a PPT presentation at the exam (please contact the teacher for paper definition).
Reference texts
- 1) C. Renfrew, P. Bahn, 2018. "Archeologia - Teorie, Metodi, Pratica", Zanichelli.
2) Choose one book from the following list:
E.C. Harris, 1983. "Principi di stratigrafia archeologica", Nuova Italia Scientifica.
oppure
- A. Carandini, 1991 e 1996. "Storie dalla terra. Manuale di scavo archeologico", Einaudi.
oppure
- C. Tronchetti, 2003. "Metodo e strategie dello scavo archeologico" Carocci
3) CHOOSE ONE BOOK FROM THE FOLLOWING LIST:
- E. Giannichedda, 2002, 2006. Archeologia teorica. Le Bussole, Carocci editore.
- L. R. Binford, 1990. "Preistoria dell'Uomo - La nuova archeologia", Rusconi editore.
- M. Vidale, 2004. Che cos'è l'etnoarcheologia. Le Bussole, Carocci editore.
- M. B. Schiffer 1987, 1996. Formation processes of the archaeological record. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.
4) PPT presentation of a scientific paper proposed by the teacher (students who do not attend lectures are asked to get in touch with the teacher)
