ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY

Course objectives

General objectives This modume on experimental archaeology is aimed to introduce and discuss the significance of “experiment, experimental, reference collection through experiments” in archaeology. In recent times, new analyses have complemented the classical and well-established framework defined as archaeometry. These analyses focus on how material culture discovered in the archaeological sites was produced and used. They are defined as technological analysis, use-wear analysis, residues analysis. Their approach is both qualitative and quantitative and is based on the reproduction of and uses of replicas of the archaeological artefacts that form the “reference collection” that allows to the archaeological interpretation. Specific objectives - Knowledge and understanding: The course will present the state of the art of these three analyses through the discussion of cases studies related to different archaeological questions. - The course will be characterized by a broad practical part aimed to organize and carried out experimental sessions for reproducing replicas to be observed and discussed through the observation with optical and digital equipment. Having successfully completed this module, students will be able to demonstrate: - General knowledge of the technological, use-wear analysis and residues analyses; - General knowledge of the experimental approach needed to create reference collection. - Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: General knowledge of how and when to organize an experimental protocol. Basic knowledge of the use of OLM and SEM for technological, use-wear and residues analyses - Critical and judgmental capacities: Skill to document an experimental protocol and to critically evaluate the obtained results in terms of technology, use-wear and residues applied to archaeological contexts. Communication skills - Skill to clearly communicate the results of the analysis of an archaeological context or assemblage through experimental and archaeometric approaches - Skill to communicate the results of the analysis to people not trained in archaeology - Learning skills - Skill to organize and realize an experimental protocols - Skill to apply a preliminary technological and functional analysis of archeological items or replicas of them.

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CRISTINA LEMORINI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
This part of the course is dedicated to the discussion of experimental protocols aimed at reproducing activities with replicas of lithic, osseous, ceramic or metallic tools. The students will learn how to organize an experimental protocol on the bases of the archaeological hypothesis that they want to verify; they will choose the controlled variables crucial to validate all the procedures. The micro-modifications (use-wear) originated by the friction of the tools with the material worked and the micro-residues entrapped in the micro-surface will be documented in detail through macro, meso- and micro-observations with different optical, digital and electron scanning equipment and different noninvasive chemical techniques. As a result, the course will allow the students to learn the principles of the use of experimental archaeology as a proxy for the functional study of the archeological tools. - The course will be characterized by a broad practical part aimed to organize and carry out experimental sessions for reproducing replicas to be observed and discussed through observation with optical and digital equipment. Having successfully completed this module, students will be able to demonstrate: - General knowledge of the technological, use-wear analysis and residues analyses; - General knowledge of the experimental approach needed to create a reference collection. - Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: General knowledge of how and when to organize an experimental protocol. Basic knowledge of the use of OLM and SEM for technological, use-wear and residues analyses - Critical and judgmental capacities: Skill to document an experimental protocol and to critically evaluate the obtained results in terms of technology, use-wear and residues applied to archaeological contexts. Communication skills - Skill to clearly communicate the results of the analysis of an archaeological context or assemblage through experimental and archaeometric approaches - Skill to communicate the results of the analysis to people not trained in archaeology - Learning skills - Skill to organize and realize an experimental protocol - Skill to apply a preliminary technological and functional analysis of archeological items or replicas of them. Organization of the course The course will be characterized by a theoretical session dealing with the fundamentals of the experimental archaeology for building a reference collection (5 h), technological (1 h), use-wear (2 h), residues analysis (2 h) and a broad practical part (20 h) aimed to organize and carried out experimental sessions for reproducing replicas to be observed and discussed through the observation with various equipments.
Prerequisites
No prerequisite
Books
Teaching materials, including handouts, thematic websites and scientific articles will be distributed in class and posted on a dedicated Google classroom page.
Frequency
Not mandatory Attendance is mandatory and strongly recommended
Exam mode
Evaluation To pass the oral exam the student must demonstrate that he/she has acquired a sufficient knowledge of the theoretical principles of the Experimental Archaeology, of the meaning of the experimental protocol definition, of the practical achievement of an experimental protocol to produce a reference collection usable for technological, use-wear and residues analyses.
Lesson mode
Time schedule 15 weeks/4 h per week face-to-face lectures: 30 h Laboratory work: 30 h
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseArchaeological Materials Science
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year2nd year
  • Semester1st semester
  • SSDL-ANT/01
  • CFU6