LANDSCAPE ARCHAEOLOGY

The Landscape Archaeology course introduces students to the study of the environmental and settlement transformations that mark the complex relationship between humans and the habitat. The course studies anthropized landscapes in different historical periods. The lessons will analyze the archaeological record in its spatial dimension. We will study the dynamics through which landscape occupation, the construction of buildings and settlements, the development of territorial infrastructures, and the production of artefacts are combined with the opportunities and limitations imposed by different habitats and landscapes.
Furthermore, the landscape archaeology course will inspect:
Theoretical foundations and methodologies that are helpful for the debate concerning ongoing climate change.
The diachronic role of "eco-determinism" and "geographical possibilism" in analyzing complex solutions for mitigating human impact;
Sustainable past strategies for the conservation of complex anthropic and historical cultural landscapes.
The course provides the necessary tools for understanding these dynamics through an integrated use of sources: ancient texts, archaeological sources, and physical and human geography. The course will explore established cartographic and topographic analysis (GIS) methodologies and diagnostics (Remote Sensing).
The objective is to provide basic knowledge of the modern territorial archaeological discipline's theory, method, and practice. The lectures illustrate different methods of investigation for reconstructing past landscapes, including surveying and remote sensing techniques. The lessons exemplify the role of "archaeological objects" (settlements, infrastructures, and artefacts) as bearers of meanings and clues, considering them in their material, cultural, and social aspects. The course will provide essential skills on placing an object's history and/or archaeological element within broader contexts, starting from the excavation stratigraphic unit, moving to the site, and, ultimately, the landscape.
The methodologies and tools will be presented with particular attention to the professional world of archaeologists, conservators, and cultural heritage technicians (preventive archaeology, archaeometry, conservation, restoration), emphasizing the techniques available for integrating archaeological discipline with archaeometric disciplines with an integrated use of GIS technologies.

The course offers a comprehensive introduction to the archaeological discipline of landscape, considering its various forms of study and applied methodologies. In particular, students will critically learn basic concepts such as:
The research topics in archaeological and territorial archaeological studies.
The objects and their spatial dimension (not just artefacts) at the core of archaeological examination.
The different approaches to studying archaeological landscapes.
The theoretical and practical foundations of field research and the reconstruction of ancient landscapes.
The characteristics and methods of conservation for major archaeological landscapes and complex archaeological sites.
The notion of "archaeological context" as applicable to both large territories and defined spatial entities.
The use of non-strictly archaeological sources (textual, iconographic, environmental, etc.) for understanding interpretive systems in archaeology.
The ability to recognize workflow and best practices in different phases of archaeological research, from surveying and remote sensing to excavation and post-excavation, through archaeological literature.
The ability to choose the most suitable dating systems based on the needs of archaeological research and the materials/sources found during the research.
Contemporary themes of archaeology as a tool for understanding societies.
The notion of "value" in archaeology and in the conservation practices of archaeological sites and landscapes.
The foundations for approaching a restoration project and the archaeological management of archaeological sites and landscape assets.
These topics will give students a critical understanding of the field, enabling them to effectively engage with archaeological research, analysis, and conservation practices.

The course is an introductory course in Landscape archaeology, and no specific prerequisites are required, except for a basic knowledge of English to access some supplementary educational materials (which are not mandatory).
A portion of the course focuses on GIS technology, which will involve using open-source software (QGIS) and a personal computer.

The course covers five main topics:
Landscape Archaeology: Sources and Methods
Archaeology, Territory, Habitat, and Settlement: Eco-determinism and Possibilism
Scientific Techniques for Acquiring Archaeological Data: Territorial Data Management Systems, GIS, and Cartography
Climate Change and Related Issues to the Conservation of Archaeological Sites and Landscapes
Landscape Archaeology and the Public
The topics are divided as follows:
Lesson 1 (hours 0-2): Introduction to the course and orientation. A brief introduction to archaeological theory, with particular emphasis on spatial aspects from processualism/new archaeology to post-processualism. Test: What do we know about the archaeological discipline and its methods?
Lesson 2 (hours 3-4): What archaeology and landscape archaeology study. The variety of archaeological evidence. Categories of archaeological evidence. Formation processes in archaeology and the landscape arch.
Lesson 3 (hours 5-6): Landscape archaeology: methodologies, procedures, and technologies. Context and landscape archaeology. Ecology in the research of ancient landscapes. Aspects of protection and communication. Historical geography.
Lesson 4 (hours 7-8): Sources for analysing ancient landscapes: ancient literature, inscriptions, coins, archival maps, toponymy, modern literature, iconographic sources, remote sensing, geomorphological and environmental sources, ethnoarchaeological and anthropological sources.
Lesson 5 (hours 9-10): Survey in archaeology: systematic surveys, sites and non-sites, non-systematic surveys and special sites, use of aerial photographs, local traditions and interviews, the concept of reuses, cartography, toponyms, criteria for interpreting sites through the survey.
Lesson 6 (hours 11-12): Analysis of cultural components in landscape archaeology: rural, urban, sacred and funerary landscapes, productive landscapes, fortified landscapes, mountainous and marginal landscapes, pastoral landscapes. Landscapes of populations. Mental landscapes and landscapes of memory.
Lesson 7 (hours 13-14): Scientific methodology of archaeological surveys. Methodologies for reconstructing the ancient environment (geoarchaeology, environmental archaeology, and territorial data).
Lesson 8 (hours 15-16): Remote sensing and aerial archaeology. Reconstructing ancient landscapes through remote sensing and instrumental survey techniques on the ground.
Lesson 9 (hours 17-18): Interpretation in the study of environmental transformations: eco-determinism and possibilism in light of climate change.
Lesson 10 (hours 19-20): Social archaeology: methods of social analysis (settlement analysis, hierarchy, monumentality, ethno-archaeology) and archaeology of the individual and identity (burials, gender archaeology, social inequality, ethnicity, conflicts).
Lesson 11 (hours 21-22): Conservation of environmental and territorial archaeological resources. Vulnerability of archaeological resources.
Lesson 12 (hours 23-24): The concept of "value" in conservation, restoration, and archaeological management. CRM in archaeological sites.
Lesson 13 (hours 25-26): GIS and Landscape Archaeology: Methods and Objectives.
Lesson 14 (hours 27-28): GIS and Landscape Archaeology: Computer tools in cultural heritage management (CRM, Cultural Resource Management) and designing interventions on the territory.
Lesson 15 (hours 29-30): Archaeology and the public. Archaeology and communities. Politics and archaeology. Ethics in archaeology. Archaeology and the narration of archaeology: writing, filmmaking, and playing with archaeology and ancient landscapes.

The exam texts will be fully available on Moodle and consist of a combination of excerpts from textbooks, articles, and lecture notes (presentations). The reference texts for the course are:
F. Cambi, "Manuale di archeologia dei paesaggi: metodologie, fonti, contesti", Carrocci, Roma, 2011
F. Cambi, "Archeologia dei paesaggi antichi: fonti e diagnostica", Carrocci, Roma, 2003
L. Quilici, S. Quilici Gigli, Introduzione alla Topografia Antica, ed. Il Mulino, Bologna 2004
E. Farinetti, "I paesaggi in archeologia: analisi e interpretazione", Carrocci, Roma, 2012
C. Renfrew, P. Bahn, "L'essenziale in Archeologia. Teorie, metodi, pratiche", Zanichelli, Bologna, 2016.
A. Carandini, Storie della Terra. Manuale di scavo archeologico, Einaudi, 1996
R. Francovich, D. Manacorda, Dizionario di archeologia, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2000. Voci: Diagnostica archeologica, Ricognizione archeologica.
S. Sullivan, R. Mackay (eds.), "Archaeological sites: conservation and management" (Readings in conservation, The Getty Conservation Institute), Getty Publications, Los Angeles, 2012
G.P. Brogiolo, la tutela dei paesaggi storici tra archeologia preventiva e archeologia di emergenza, in G. Volpe, P. Favia, V congresso nazionale di archeologia medievale, 2009.
These texts will serve as references for the course and will be available on Moodle for students to access and study from.

The final exam for the course is an oral examination. The exam aims to assess the acquisition of fundamental knowledge in the discipline. Additionally, it seeks to evaluate the ability to present arguments and synthesize information and the mastery of scientific vocabulary. The final grade is determined by averaging the scores obtained in individual questions.
Online intermediate tests are also planned, although they will not be formally counted towards the final grade. These tests are designed to assess ongoing learning progress.
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Regarding the grading scale, the following criteria are noted:
A. Scores in the range of 18-22 will be awarded when:
Sufficient knowledge and understanding is demonstrated in relation to the programme.
Limited ability to collect and/or interpret data, formulating independent judgments.
Sufficient communication skills.
B. Scores in the range of 23-26 will be awarded when:
Reasonable knowledge and understanding is demonstrated in relation to the programme.
Reasonable ability to collect and/or interpret data, formulating independent judgments.
Adequate communication skills, particularly concerning the use of the specific language of Cultural Heritage.
C. Scores in the range of 27-30 will be awarded when:
Good or excellent knowledge and understanding is demonstrated in relation to the programme.
Good or excellent ability to collect and/or interpret data, formulating independent judgments.
Fully appropriate communication skills, particularly concerning the use of the specific language of Cultural Heritage.
D. Honours will be awarded when knowledge and understanding related to the programme, judgment capacity, and communication skills are excellent.

The course will include the following teaching methods and materials:

In-class presentations with lectures, supported by images and text (presentations).
Class discussions on specific topics.
Multimedia tests conducted in class.
All teaching materials will be available on Moodle, an online learning management system.
These methods and materials aim to provide a comprehensive and interactive learning experience for students.

Italian

All teaching materials will be uploaded to the Moodle platform. Accessing and using Moodle is necessary to track study progress, access the course program, and take written tests for learning assessment.
This program will include in-depth monographic studies related to the Regio Venetia et Histria territorial aspects.

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