LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with theoretical and interpretative methodologies and tools to deepen the problems of pre-protohistoric archeology; to make known - in an anthropological perspective - the interactions between man, culture and environment between Paleolithic to Bronze Age.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course will be to illustrate the behavioural and cultural dynamics of the most ancient civilizations, from the bands of the Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers to the first stratified societies along with the analysis of some case-studies; some theoretical and methodological perspectives of prehistoric archaeology will also be discussed. At the end of the course, the student will have a thorough knowledge of the topics related to Palethnology, will be able to express them with clarity and capacity for contextualization and critical analysis, and will finally have a good command of the relative technical-specialist vocabulary. In addition to a good knowledge of the topics covered, a PPT presentation on a previously agreed topic will also be required.

PREREQUISITES

The knowledge of the main periods in which Prehistory has been divided, as well as of the best-known cultural aspects, particularly with regard to Italy and Europe, is warmly requested.

TEACHING METHODS

- Use of PPT, videos and other material.

- Seminar activities on some topics.

- All students (non-attending too) must registered to aul@web.

- Lessons are held in the classroom and can only be attended in person. Attendance, although not mandatory, is recommended

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course is articulated in two modules. In the first one we will discuss about the theoretical aspects of the discipline, from the definition of the term "Prehistory" to the investigation and interpretation tools involved in the study of the contexts, from excavation and dating to the analysis of the archaeological evidence, from the use of theoretical models, including also examples from Ethnography, to the study of techno-economic processes, from cognitive features to Bioarchaeology. In the second one a case study will be analysed, focusing on a specific historical phase or on particular methodological issues.

There is no difference in the programme between attending and non-attending students.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Texts:

- Colin Renfrew, Paul Bahn 2012. Archaeology. Theories, Methods and Practice. Thames & Hudson. (Selected chapters only)

- Daniel Lord Smail, 2007.  On Deep History and the Brain. University of California Press.

- Marshall Sahlins, 2017 - Stone Age Economics. Routledge, London. (First chapter only)

- David Abulafia 2010 - La scoperta dell'umanità - Incontri atlantici nell'età di Colombo. Il Mulino, Bologna.  (First chapter only)

Further bibliography will be indicated during the course.