METHODS AND TECHNIQUES FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Academic year and teacher
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- FEDERICA FONTANA
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Secondo Semestre
- SSD
- L-ANT/10
Training objectives
- The course aims at providing the theoretical knowledge and practical tools for a correct approach to 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 be able to plan and 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 contents.
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
- WRITTEN exam organised as follows: a) two long open questions, one of which related to technical aspects and one to theoretical aspects; b) two short open questions; c) drawing of a short Harris matrix.
To apply for the written exam the student is required to have prepared and ORALLY exposed (the date will be communicated by the teacher), a power point PRESENTATION (in presence and only exceptionally online) focused on a the critical review of a scientific paper selected after agreement with the teacher. Instructions for the PPT preparation will be uploaded in the Classroom. You are asked to present your PPT in 10 minutes. 5 minutes will be dedicated to the discussion.
The students who will not be able to present the scientific paper in the predefined dates will present it (EXCEPTIONALLY) the day of the written exam (please contact the teacher for agreement on the paper selection). 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)
