PHOENICIAN-PUNIC ARCHAEOLOGY

This class is part of the archaeological curriculum of the BA degree in Conservation and Management of Cultural Heritage and Performing Arts.
On successful completion of this course, students will have a basic command of the issues, sources and methods that drive Phoenician and (to less extent) Punic Archaeology today. Students will also understand the wider interconnections of Phoenician Archaeology with neighbouring disciplines, including History and Archaeology of the Near East, Egyptology, Biblical Archaeology, Aegean Archaeology and the study of the Graeco-Roman world). Finally, the students will learn to relate the archaeological record of the Phoenician world to wider historical and anthropological issues, such as ethnic identity, migration and colonization, acculturation, the invention of communication technologies, and the mechanisms of exchange networks.

1. Knowledge and understanding (in outlines) of:
- Geography of the Levant
- History of the Levant between 1200 and 600 BC
- sources and methods for the archaeology of the Phoenician world
- great issues and scientific challenges in Phoenician and Punic archaeology

2. Applying knowledge and understanding:
- you can identify ancient cities and major culturally significant geographic features on a map of the Levant
- you can make an informed guess about datings of emblematic Phoenician artefacts
- given a topic discussed in class, you can design a simple research strategy to address it
- you can connect specific issues discussed in class with great topical challenges

3. Making judgements
- you can formulate your own interpretative hypothesis for the classes of artefacs and sources discussed in class
- you can formulate your own critical opinion of the textbooks and articles read in class

4. Communication
- you learn to cooperate in groups to solve archaeological problems
- you exercize your ability to speak appropriatly in front of an audience
- you learn how to write a short scientific essay

5. Lifelong learning skills
- you can quickly scan a scientific article for essential information
- you can study on texts written in a language different than your mother tongue

Active partecipation in class and the reading of propedeutic texts are required. Command of scientific English is a prerequisite.

The class introduces to the history, society, and economy of the Phoenicians through the lens of their material culture. The focus will be on the Levant between the 12th and the 6th centuries BCE. After the first introductory lectures on the historical and geographical outlines, we will work on case-studies, including the analysis of images and key written sources (e.g., "Wen-Amun's Journey"). A detailed syllabus will circulate online on the teacher's page and on the Moodle platform before the beginning of the course.

The successful partecipant is required to show a proactive attitude in class activities, to take a written final exam with open questions (50% of the final grade) and to author a short scientific essay on a topic of her/his choice (50% of the final grade).

Lectures, integrated by discussions and research activities in class. Partecipants are required to prepare recommended readings before the lecture, to engage in class activities, and to cement the learning outcome reading handbook chapters after each lecture.

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