Ateneo - UPO

Laboratory of Archaeology

Gian Pietro Brogiolo, Aurora Cagnana, "Archeologia dell’architettura. Metodi e interpretazioni", Sesto Fiorentino 2012

For more details (non-mandatory texts):
“Archeologia dell’Architettura”, XIII, 2008 – Villar de Honnecourt, l’architettura nel Medioevo e i modi di costruire
“Archeologia dell’Architettura”, XVI, 2011 – Miscelare calce – Fondare muri
“Archeologia dell’Architettura”, XVIII, 2013 – Tecniche costruttive e cicli edilizi tra VI e IX secolo, fra Oriente e Occidente

The course aims, at a basic level, to transfer to students the ability:
• (knowledge and understanding): to know the main themes related to the archaeological and stratigraphic approach to ancient masonries; to understand the fundamental principles through which the analysis of a historical masonry is carried out
• (ability to apply knowledge and understanding): to identify the main criteria by which masonry phases are distinguished
• (making judgements): to express a general assessment of construction processes
• (communication skills): to express the required content clearly and through appropriate consequentiality
• (learning skills): to autonomously identify, using what has been learnt during the lessons, the main issues underlying the analysis of a historical masonry

At a more advanced level, students will acquire the ability:
• (knowledge and understanding): to know in greater depth and through specific case studies the methods of analysing historical masonries
• (ability to apply knowledge and understanding): to accurately discern the indicators for the stratigraphic interpretation of historical masonries and apply them to the contexts examined
• (making judgements): to express precise assesments of masonry analysis and construction sequences, using the distinction criteria learnt
• (communication skills): to present the required content in a clear, reasoned manner and with thematic connections between different sites
• (learning skills): to learn, through the lessons and individual study, the complexity of the interaction between theoretical concepts and practical applications in the activity of building analysis

interest in practical activity

Seminar meetings at the University; field work, through practical activities of interpretation of historical masonries, carried out on sites of archaeological interest. The method adopted, due to the very nature of the Laboratory, envisages constant interaction and broad involvement of the students.
Some teaching materials useful for the Laboratory will be available on DIR.

The Laboratory, aimed at undergraduate and master's degree students of “Lettere” and “Filologia moderna classica e comparata” and all interested students, is seminar-based and includes a practical activity on sites of archaeological and architectural interest; regular attendance is therefore highly recommended.
The Laboratory is included in 'Further Activities'. Students whose study plan includes these activities in a year other than 2023-2024 may still follow the Laboratory in this academic year, acquiring the relative credits, by sending advance notice to the Student Secretariat. The Laboratory can also be used to obtain supernumerary credits, especially for those who wish to further their practical work in archaeology.

The Laboratory provides for a final assessment of suitability/non-suitability; suitability is achieved with an 80% pass mark.
The student will be asked to submit a written report on the contents learned during the activity, between 10,000 and 12,000 characters in length, accompanied by appropriate iconographic apparatus. The judgement will be based on: knowledge of the topics covered (30%); ability to frame the sites examined and apply to them the principles of masonry analysis learnt during the meetings at the University (40%); ability to structure the report clearly, organising the text organically (30%).

The Laboratory, tought as a seminar, is aimed at transferring the main topics and methodologies related to the building archaeology, and provides ample opportunities for practical activities, after some lessons aiming at framing the main issues of the discipline.
- didactic unit 1: the building site: organisation and work distribution
- didactic unit 2: building materials. Stone and brick
- didactic unit 3: construction techniques and technological aspects
- didactic unit 4: principles of stratigraphy applied to historical masonries
- didactic unit 5 and 6: experiences on historical sites with practical activities and stratigraphic interpretation exercises

In order to attain the knowledge and skills corresponding to the basic level, the student is asked:
• (knowledge and understanding): to demonstrate knowledge of the main principles of stratigraphic methodology applied to historic masonries;
• (ability to apply knowledge and understanding): to be able to propose a basic archaeological interpretation of the examined masonries
• (making judgements): to be able to assess, in relation to the investigated case studies, the main topics related to the building analysis
• (communication skills): to demonstrate an appropriate use of the language and knowledge of the technical terminology used in building archaeology
• (learning skills): demonstrate assimilation of the fundamental principles of stratigraphic analysis

In order to achieve an advanced level, students are requested:
• (knowledge and understanding): to demonstrate knowledge of the implications of stratigraphic methodology for the historical framing of a built complex
• (ability to apply knowledge and understanding): to be able to distinguish construction phases and to be able to develop coherent reasoning on the construction materials used
• (making judgements): to be able to indicate the criteria according to which the different construction phases of a historical masonry are distinguished and to able to assess their reliability
• (communication skills): to demonstrate an accurate level of exposition and argumentation skills, developing an articulate analysis of the case studies addressed
• (learning skills): to demonstrate the ability to assimilate the procedures involved in masonries analysis and to be able to integrate what has been learnt also with reference to new situations
These learning outcomes are consistent with the provisions of the SUA of the Programme, framework A4.b2 (particularly for the Cultural Heritage Area)