PRECOURSE: ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN

This course addresses the basic methods and themes of the Archaeology of the Mediterranean from the Neolithic to the Late Antique through a survey of the key sites and artefacts. Approaches useful for the interpretation of material evidence and the problems inherent in such interpretation will be explored. Through the study of major sites in chronological sequence, we will survey the development of material culture in the Mediterranean World, placing the artistic production into its social and cultural settings.

Thus, by the end of the preparatory course, you should be able to:

• become aware of the main civilizations and social and political patters defined within the Mediterranean

• identify the broad historical periods of Mediterranean archaeology to place major events and artistic personalities/phenomena within those periods

• discuss selected social, political, economic, and technological issues regarding the ancient Mediterranean world

• identify and describe accurately key artefacts and key sites of the Mediterranean, using appropriate concepts and vocabulary, and place them in their historical, technological, and cultural context

 

Prerequisites

The course is designed for MedArc MA students who have never studied any of the archaeologies of the Mediterranean in their BA. It is considered an introductory course for all archaeology exams in the program. No prerequisites for this course are required as no knowledge of the ancient Mediterranean world is assumed. Please consider that, although no formal exam is planned at the end of the preparatory course, the reading of the suggested texts – combined with attentive participation to classes – will significantly improve your chances of succeeding in the Archaeological courses of the year.