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ARCHAEOZOOLOGY

CODE 65091
ACADEMIC YEAR 2022/2023
CREDITS
  • 6 cfu during the 2nd year of 8453 CONSERVAZIONE DEI BENI CULTURALI (L-1) - GENOVA
  • SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR BIO/05
    LANGUAGE Italian
    TEACHING LOCATION
  • GENOVA
  • SEMESTER 1° Semester
    TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB

    OVERVIEW

    The aim of Archaeozoology (or Zooarchaeology) is the study of animal finds (vertebrates and invertebrates) from archaeological excavations from prehistory to the current day. This illustrates and defines relations between man and the animal worldand therefore the relations between human and animal communities, closely connected in economic, ritual and social activities

    AIMS AND CONTENT

    LEARNING OUTCOMES

    The Archaeozoology course aims to give the fundamental indications to be able to recognise and contextualise osseous finds with particular attention to animal bones.

    AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

    At the end of the course the student must be able to:

    • Recognize the bones that make up the skeleton of vertebrates, distinguishing between bones of carnivores and herbivores and knowing the specific terminology for the description of bones
    • Know the basics of taxonomic determination of vertebrates and the main animal finds from archaeological excavations
    • Know the basics of determining the age of death and sex of selected mammals
    • Identify and interpret traces found on the bone surface, whether natural or man-made
    • Correctly interpret the data derived from archeozoological analysis

    TEACHING METHODS

    The lessons will be held in person

    SYLLABUS/CONTENT

    The course includes the following topics:

    • Archaeozoology: definition and applications; the main materials; excavation, documentation and recovery of fossil remains in the archaeological excavation.
    • Fossils and fossilization: definitions and usefulness; palaeontology and archaeozoology; zoological nomenclature and the concept of species.
    • The skeleton of vertebrates: histology and anatomy; terminology; anatomical and taxonomic determination; osteometry; estimation of the age of death and recognition of sex.
    • Quantification of bone remains: Minimum Number of Individuals (NMI) and Number of Identifiable Remains (NISP).
    • Taphonomy: biostratinomy and fossildiagenesis; the main natural modifications of bones (weathering, predation, pitting, trampling, transport, abrasion, fracturing, oxidation); changes induced by anthropogenic activity (combustion, cutmarks, breakage, traces of use and processing).
    • Taphonomy of karst contexts.
    • Other animal materials from archaeological excavations: recognition and determination.
    • Human-animal relationship: hunting, domestication, breeding.

    • How to study a collection: from excavation to publication of data

     

    RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

    • Course notes and related ppt
    • DE GROSSI MAZZORIN J. (2008) - Archeozoologia. Lo studio dei resti animali in archeologia. Manuali Laterza. Editori
    • CHIAX L.& MENIEL P. (2001) - L'archeozoologie. Ed. Errance , Paris
    • RAFFI & SERPAGLI () – Introduzione alla paleontologia. UTET, cap. 2
    • CILLI C., MALERBA G., GIACOBINI G. 2000 -.Le modificazioni di superficie dei reperti in materia dura animale. Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona, 24, pp. 73-98.

     

    TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

    Exam Board

    MARTA ZUNINO (President)

    FABIO NEGRINO

    LESSONS

    LESSONS START

    end of September-beginning of October 2022

    Class schedule

    ARCHAEOZOOLOGY

    EXAMS

    EXAM DESCRIPTION

    oral exam

    ASSESSMENT METHODS

    direct questions on the general programme as well as on specific topics

    Exam schedule

    Date Time Location Type Notes
    13/12/2022 11:00 GENOVA Orale
    17/01/2023 11:00 GENOVA Orale
    07/02/2023 11:00 GENOVA Orale
    09/05/2023 11:00 GENOVA Orale
    23/05/2023 11:00 GENOVA Orale
    13/06/2023 11:00 GENOVA Orale
    18/07/2023 11:00 GENOVA Orale
    15/09/2023 11:00 GENOVA Orale