Zooarchaeology is the discipline that studies the remains of animal species found in archaeological excavations, re-reading the history of animal remains.
Its ultimate purpose is to determine the animal species with which man has interacted from prehistoric times to the recent past, reconstructing their use as food, or in the social and ritual fields.
The course of Archeozoology covers the study and the identification of animal remains in an archeological context
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1 – describe the definitions of species, phylogeny and taxonomy.
2 - describe basically the animal taxonomy, with a focus on groups that are archeologically interesting (e.g. mollusks, vertebrates).
3 - describe basically the structure and the chemical composition of animal tissues and secretions of interest (e.g. shells, skeletons, skin appendages).
4 - describe, using appropriate language, the skeleton of vertebrates, with a focus on birds and mammals and invertebrates.
5 - apply the acquired knowledge to analyse and identify skeletal parts from domestic or from local fauna mammals.
6 – apply morphometric and statistical techniques used to characterize animal remains found in an archaeological context.
7 – understand the range of use of 3D analytical techniques, such as tomography and photogrammetric reconstruction, applied to skeletal remains.
No prerequisite is required
The course is constituted by 40 hours of frontal theoretical lessons, delivered through multimedia presentations, and by 8 hours of practical activities, such as remains recognition and morphometric analysis. Lesson attending is not mandatory, although it’s strongly recommended. No field activity is planned.
The course is in presence. News and variations, due to possible sanitary and epidemiological situation, will be communicated through AulaWeb.
The course syllabus regards the following subjects:
No specific textbook is needed. All the material necessary for learning is contained in the Power Point presentations that will be provided during the course. However, we indicate as supplementary material the following text books:
Jacopo de Grossi Mazzorin (2008) Archeozoologia. Lo studio dei resti animali in archeologia. Editori Laterza.
Juliet Clutton Brock (2017) Storia naturale della domesticazione dei mammiferi. Bollati Boringhieri.
Ricevimento: Students can book appointments with the professor
SARA FERRANDO (President)
STEFANO SCHIAPARELLI (President Substitute)
March 27, 2023
The exam is oral and consists in a series of questions that will be aimed at assessing the student’s knowledge regarding the basic elements of the matter, the ability to connect different topics, the knowledge and recognition of animal remains.
News and variations, due to sanitary and epidemiological situation, will be communicated through AulaWeb.
Details on how to prepare for the exam and the amount of details required for each topic are provided during the lessons. The oral exam will focus on the topics covered during the lectures. The ability of the candidate in presenting arguments clearly and with correct terminology will also be assessed.
Regular course attending is strongly recommended
