Ateneo - UPO

Fundamentals of Medieval Archaeology

Attending students:
1. "Appunti del corso" and image folders (on DIR)
2. E. DESTEFANIS, Archeologia dei monasteri altomedievali tra acquisizioni raggiunte e nuove prospettive di ricerca, in "Post-Classical Archaeologies", 1, 2011, pp. 349-382. [disponibile su DIR]
3. A. AUGENTI, Archeologia dell’Italia medievale, Roma-Bari 2016. [disponibile anche in e-book]
4. A. MOLINARI – P. ORECCHIONI, La dinamica dei consumi attraverso le fonti archeologiche. secoli VIII-XV, in La crescita economica dell’Occidente medievale. Un tema storico non ancora esaurito, Atti del convegno internazionale, Pistoia, 14-17 maggio 2015, Roma e Pistoia 2017, pp. 255-276 https://www.academia.edu/32768957/MOLINARI_A._-_ORECCHIONI_P._2017._La_dinamica_dei_consumi_in_La_crescita_economica_dell_occidente_medievale._Un_tema_storico_non_ancora_esaurito_Atti_del_convegno_Atti_del_venticinquesimo_Convegno_Internazionale_del_Centro_Italiano_di_Studi_di_Storia_e_d_Arte_di_Pistoia_pp._266-276

Non-attending students: all texts listed above and:
1. "Appunti del corso" and image folders (on DIR)
2. E. DESTEFANIS, Archeologia dei monasteri altomedievali tra acquisizioni raggiunte e nuove prospettive di ricerca, in "Post-Classical Archaeologies", 1, 2011, pp. 349-382. [disponibile su DIR]
3. A. AUGENTI, Archeologia dell’Italia medievale, Roma-Bari 2016. [disponibile anche in e-book]
4. A. MOLINARI – P. ORECCHIONI, La dinamica dei consumi attraverso le fonti archeologiche. secoli VIII-XV, in La crescita economica dell’Occidente medievale. Un tema storico non ancora esaurito, Atti del convegno internazionale, Pistoia, 14-17 maggio 2015, Roma e Pistoia 2017, pp. 255-276 https://www.academia.edu/32768957/MOLINARI_A._-_ORECCHIONI_P._2017._La_dinamica_dei_consumi_in_La_crescita_economica_dell_occidente_medievale._Un_tema_storico_non_ancora_esaurito_Atti_del_convegno_Atti_del_venticinquesimo_Convegno_Internazionale_del_Centro_Italiano_di_Studi_di_Storia_e_d_Arte_di_Pistoia_pp._266-276
5. S. CAROCCI, I tanti incastellamenti italiani, in L’incastellamento: storia e archeologia. A 40 anni da “Les structures” di Pierre Toubert, a cura di A. Augenti e P. Galetti, pp. 513-538. Pagine da studiare per l’esame: 513-528. https://www.academia.edu/39246558/Conclusioni._I_tanti_incastellamenti_italiani_in_L_incastellamento_storia_e_archeologia._A_40_anni_da_Les_structures_di_Pierre_Toubert_a_cura_di_Andrea_Augenti_e_Paola_Galetti_Spoleto_CISAM_2018_pp._513-538

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Students ATTENDING THE MASTER PROGRAMME Filologia moderna classica e comparata will prepare, in addition to the above-mentioned references, the following text:
7. Romedio Schmitz-Esser, The Corpse in the Middle Ages: Embalming, Cremating, and the Cultural Construction of the Dead Body, Turnhout 2021 (Introduction and chapter 1)

----------------------------------------------------

Students attending the master programme Filologia moderna classica e comparata who had ALREADY TAKEN THE Medieval Archaeology A EXAM during their bachelor's programme will prepare the following texts:
1. Paesaggi, comunità, villaggi medievali, a cura di P. Galetti, Spoleto 2012 (contributi dal vol. I: P. Galetti, Paesaggi. comunità, villaggi nell'Europa medievale, pp. 1-22; A.A. Settia, "una preda in fuga":morfologia del villaggio nelle fonti scritte, pp. 283-292; E. Micheletto, Villaggi nel Piemonte altomedievale: un aggiornamento archeologico, pp. 293-308).
2. Edilizia residenziale tra IX-X secolo. Storia e archeologia, a cura di P. Galetti, Firenze 2010 (contributi di S. Gelichi, M. Librenti, Edilizia abitativa tra IX e X secolo nell'Italia settentrionale:stato della questione, pp. 15-30; A. Cagnana, Materiali da costruzione e cicli produttivi fra IX e X secolo, pp. 171-197).
3. Romedio Schmitz-Esser, The Corpse in the Middle Ages: Embalming, Cremating, and the Cultural Construction of the Dead Body, Turnhout 2021 (Introduction e capp. 1, 2, 3).
----------------------------------

Further (non mandatory) texts, to deepen topics dealt with during the lessons:
Letture di approfondimento (non obbligatorie):
"Writing Names in Medieval Sacred Spaces. Inscriptions in the West, from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages", Estelle Ingrand-Varenne, Elisa Pallotini, Janneke Raaijmakers † (eds), Brepols, Turnhout 2023;
“Archeologia dell’Architettura”, XXVI, 2021 – Il paesaggio pietrificato. La storia sociale dell’Europa tra X e XII secolo attraverso l’archeologia del costruito
"Archeologia dell’Architettura", XXVII.2, 2022 – La città e le case. Normative, funzioni e spazi (XII-XIV secolo) Atti del convegno internazionale di studi (Soriano nel Cimino, 7-10 aprile 2021)
Roberta Gilchrist, "Medieval Life: Archaeology and the Life Course", Woodbridge 2012
"L’archeologia della produzione a Roma (secoli V-XV)", a cura di Alessandra Molinari, Riccardo Santangeli Valenzani e Lucrezia Spera, Bari 2016

The course aims, at a basic level, to transfer to students:
- the basic knowledge related to the history, methodologies and the main topics of the discipline(transformation in urban and rural areas, the dynamics in the settlement organisation, rites and funerary practices, productions and trade in the medieval age);
- the ability to frame the main phenomena dealt with during the course, in spatial and chronological terms, as well as to correctly identify sites and artefacts;
- the ability to analyse the various historiographical positions presented in class and illustrated in the handouts/essays included in the examination programme, to summarise, with clarity of exposition, the state of knowledge on a given topic;
At a more advanced level, the aim of the course is to acquire:
- an in-depth and full knowledge of the most relevant topics of Medieval archaeology;
- the ability to place the artefacts and material structures dealt with in a wider historical, religious and cultural context;
- the ability to express critical judgements on the topics discussed, also as the result of a personal re-elaboration; to illustrate the characteristics of the medieval world on the basis of the material evidence through a fluent and precise presentation, using the specific terminology learnt.

In order to develop a whole comprehension of the arguments and to pass the exam, a basic knowledge of medieval history, acquired as usually expected in the secondary school , is strongly requested, in order to frame the topics illustrated during the course in a right chronological and historical context.

Lectures, study visits to museums and sites, individual study. The study visits are functional to the application of the acquired knowledge, through direct contact with sites and artefacts. Supporting materials prepared by the teacher (handouts) and all images of sites and artefacts on which the course focuses are available on the DIR platform. Non-attending students must also refer to these materials.
The texts include differentiated materials: the handouts and the related images are an accurate support to the course, resuming in written form what has been illustrated in the lessons; the texts indicated in the bibliography are materials for the scientific community, which are useful to the student to deepen specific issues, but also to compare with the specialised literature, analyse and recognise the argumentative process, identify contexts of application of disciplinary terminology, in order to achieve the objectives of the course at a more advanced level.
During the lessons there will be moments of collective discussion on the topics dealt with, in order to facilitate, through the direct involvement of the students, the recognition of the main themes, the critical reflection and the acquisition of adequate presentation methods.
During the lessons, the teacher will also focus on the specific terminology used for the individual topics dealt with, in order to facilitate correct understanding and assimilation.

The course substitutes "Medieval Archaeology IM".

The exam is oral and will be organized as follows: 1) checking the acquired knowledge on topics treated during the course, in relation to specific themes concerning the material culture in the Middle Ages (example of question: “which are the main productions in the Middle Ages?”); 2) check of the ability to apply knowledge and its understanding, by contextualizing the main examined phenomena , in time, space and in an appropriate historical framework (example of question: “what about the widespread of the urban graves, in what period do you frame this phenomenon and why it appears very innovative with respect to the classical antiquity?” or “when arose the “incastellamento” and what is the contribution of Medieval Archaeology to understanding the factual reasons leading to fortifications development?”); 3) check of the ability in expressing critical assessments about the historiography considered and the bibliography proposed (example of question: do you think that in the essay “X” the issue of the transformation of the funerary rituals is exhaustively treated?”); 4) check of the ability in communicating acquired knowledge and in organizing a synthetic presentation of the main problems (example of question: “would you give a synthetic presentation of the main issues about the towns’ transformation in the Early Middle Ages?”).
During the exam, at least 3 questions will be posed; the identification and critical comment of images concerning sites/contexts/artefacts analyzed during the course will be considered as an important part of the exam.
The grades are given in thirtieths, according to the following parameters:
1) knowledge and understanding of the basic notions and contexts treated in the course and their clear exposition: 18 points out of 30 (sufficiency);
2) adequate skill in acknowledging images and in making comments on them, as well as in contextualizing them, from an historical, archaeological and historiographical perspective: 6 points out of 30;
3) adequate skill in connecting subjects and methodological approaches as well as in using scientific terminology associated to the discipline: 6 points out of 30.

The course will provide basic knowledge on main topics and methods of the discipline (the transformations of the town and country, settlement dynamics, architecture and building techniques, production and trade, funerary rituals and cultural studies throughout the evidence of material culture), particularly in the Early Middle Ages.
Learning unit 1: Introduction to Medieval Archaeology
Learning unit 2: Towns and their transformations until the Carolingian Age
Learning unit 3: Countries until the Carolingian Age
Learning unit 4: Towns from Carolingian Age up to the High Middle Ages
Learning unit 5: Countries from Carolingian Age up to the High Middle Ages; the “incastellamento”
Learning unit 6: Production and trade
Learning unit 7: Funerary rituals

In order to attain the knowledge and skills corresponding to the basic level, the student is asked to demonstrate to:
- (knowledge and understanding): to have acquired the knowledge of the fundamental aspects related to the history and methodology of the discipline, as well as its key themes ;
- (applying knowledge and understanding): to be able to recognise, through the images shown in the exam, the site/ artefact and to provide a commentary that highlights its characteristics and specificity, with a correct chronology;
- (making judgements): to be able to discuss the main historiographic positions presented (for example the idea of ‘incastellamento’ and its assumptions on the basis of the contributions of medieval archaeology to the interpretation of the phenomenon), pointing out their limits;
- (communication skills): to be able to present, with clear formulation, relevant considerations on artefacts, sites and problems related to the main themes of Medieval archaeology;
- (learning skills): to be able to use the methodological tools provided in the lessons (for those attending) and making use of the handouts available on DIR and the essays included in the bibliography of the exam (for all), in order to identify the fundamental key topics.
In order to achieve an advanced level, students are requested to show:
- (knowledge and understanding): an in-depth knowledge of all the topics covered in class, as well as the interpretations of sites and classes of artefacts;
- (ability to apply knowledge and understanding): to be able to place the sites or artefacts dealt with during the course in a broad topographical/production, historical and cultural context, recognising affinities and specificities and establishing connections with what has been learnt during the lessons and from the reading of the bibliography;
- (making judgements): to be able to discuss all the historiographic positions presented and demonstrating that one has fully understood their importance for the historical reconstruction;
- (communication skills): to organise the presentation of the required topic in a coherent and organic way, demonstrating the ability to synthesise using the appropriate terminology, including the specialistic one;
- (learning skills): to be able to making connections autonomously, for example between architectural solutions or with reference to building techniques, as well as to develop personal deepening.