ARCHAEOLOGY - 106125

courses
ID:
106125
Dettaglio:
SSD: Christian and Mediaeval Archeology Duration: 36 CFU: 6
Located in:
BERGAMO
Url:
PHILOSOPHY - 106-R/SCIENZE STORICHE E FILOSOFICHE Year: 1
Year:
2025

Overview

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (23/09/2025 - 20/12/2025)

Syllabus

Course Objectives

This course aims to:

  • provide a general understanding of archaeology as a historical and scientific discipline;
  • introduce the main fieldwork and laboratory methods used in archaeology;
  • present tools for the interpretation of archaeological contexts and materials;
  • encourage critical reflection on the role of archaeology in contemporary society, including issues of protection, heritage management, and public participation;
  • offer a first overview of different chronological and thematic areas within archaeology (prehistoric, classical, late antique and medieval, post-medieval, landscape archaeology, urban archaeology).



Course Prerequisites

None. This is an introductory course and does not require previous knowledge of archaeology or art history. Some familiarity with ancient and medieval history or art history may be helpful but is not required.


Teaching Methods

The course includes lectures with visual materials, hands-on exercises, and classroom discussions. Seminars with guest scholars and educational visits to museums or excavation sites may also be offered, depending on availability.


Assessment Methods

Final assessment consists of an oral exam testing students’ understanding of core concepts and their ability to think critically. Attending students may complete optional individual or group assignments. Active participation in class will be positively considered in the final evaluation.


Contents

  1. What is archaeology? – a brief history of the discipline and its connections with the historical and natural sciences.
  2. Sources of archaeology – objects, structures, environments, as well as written texts, images, and oral testimonies.
  3. How excavation works – fieldwork methods, stratigraphic reading, recording, and documentation.
  4. Measuring time – relative and absolute dating, typological sequences, material indicators.
  5. The concept of context – from isolated finds to sites, and from sites to landscapes.
  6. Different branches of archaeology – urban, funerary, architectural, landscape, environmental, archaeobotanical.
  7. Contemporary research topics – resource archaeology, marginal landscapes, climate change, public and community archaeology.
  8. Interdisciplinary case studies – examples from the ancient world to the late Middle Ages, with a focus on recent projects in northern Italy and the Alpine region.



Online Resources

Degrees

Degrees

PHILOSOPHY - 106-R 
Bachelor's Degree
3 years
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People

Other

Main module

ARCHAEOLOGY