ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

Aim of the course, which is included among the obligatory courses for the archaeological curriculum and among the "caratterizzanti" courses for the economic curriculum of the degree in Conservazione e Gestione dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali, is to offer the principles, the methodological and technical bases of the archaeological research (with a focus on the underwater field) useful to carry out research, safeguard and valorization in the sector of archaeology. The course allows to the students of the Egart curriculum to have an idea on the nature and on the methodology of archaeology which will complete his basic knowledges on the numerous subcategories of the Cultural Heritage.

Basic knowledge of the methodological aspects of the modern archaeological research, starting from the theoretical premises to arrive to the technical aspects (with a focus to the filed of the underwater research). Knowledges useful to a correct methodological approach in the setting of a research or safeguard project in archaeology: survey on the landscape, stratigraphical excavation, acquisition and interpretation of data and communication of results of the research.

Nothing although basic notions of history of antiquity and of the MiddleAge.

The main contents of the course will be: definition of the discipline and main tendencies of theoretical character (with particulat focus on the discussion between processualists and post-processualists); history of the archaeological research; natural and cultural formations processes of the archaeological record; dating techniques; archaeometrical techniques for the analysis of the materials; archaeology of the production and experimental archaeology; archaeology of the distribution; methods, sources and techniques in landscape archaeology; techniques of the stratigraphical excavation and concepts of stratigraphy; methods and techniques in underwater and naval archaeology.
The course is linked to the Laboratori di Archeologia.

Main reading list:

- Renfrew, C., Bahn, P., 2009, L'essenziale di archeologia. Teoria - metodi - pratiche, Milano (chapters 5, 8 e 10 discretionary). In alternative: Renfrew, C., Bahn, P., 2018, Archeologia. Teoria, metodi e pratica, Milano (chapters. 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 discretionary).

- Carandini, A., 1991, Storie dalla terra. Manuale di scavo archeologico (fino p. 220, ossia esclusa la parte: Stratigrafia e cultura degli indizi), Torino.

Reading list for not attending students:

- Cambi, F., 2003, Archeologia dei paesaggi antichi: fonti e diagnostica, Roma.

- Bowens, A., ed., 2009, Underwater Archaeology. The NAS guide to principles and practice, Portsmouth (solo i capitoli: 2, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15).

The test of the learning consists in a written text with some questions on specific arguments. Aim of the test is to verify the level of comprehension of the arguments exposed during the lessons and of the texts suggested and to verify the mastery of an adequate base of archaeological methodology and of an adequate technical terminology.

Traditional frontal lessons with projections of Power Point presentations. The slides of the lessons will be available on Moodle.

Italian

The attendance of the course is strongly suggested.

The professor will offer to selected students to partecipate to projects of maritime archaeology on the filed both in Italy and abroad.

For this information the student can ask the professor during the office hours or he can contact him to the e-mail address.

An agreement between the Rari Nantes diving club and the Atheneum allows discounts on the cost of the courses to take a diving license.

For any information, the students can find the professor in the office hours, can meet him after the lessons or they can contact him by e-mail.

written and oral