European Later Prehistory
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide a broad framework of knowledge relating to the European Bronze Age Societies. Tje Prehistoric times were divided according to a technological criterion, and therefore we have a Stone Age (Paleolithic and Neolithic) and a Metal Age (Copper, Bronze and Iron Age). The last two periods constitute the field of interest of the so-called Later Prehistory (2nd and 1st millennium BC).
The European Bronze Age is a unique stage for its cultural richness and variety, for the high technological level achieved in metalworking, for the increase in exchanging of raw materials and prestige goods by long-distance relationships. It should be noted that this features took place in a period characterized by a fast socio-economic development of the communities, which nevertheless didn't reached complex organisational forms as the state or the properly urban structure.
The course, after providing a general overview of research history, the methodology, and the archaeological sources, will present a survey of European Bronze Age through the study of several significant themes: environment, settlement, economy, production, exchanges, burials, cult, identity and social organization. The archaeological data will be considered in the perspective of social, ideological and cultural implications as well: metalwork will be emphatized, for the weapons and prestige goods constitute a source for the interpretation of social articulation, power and personal primacy. will deepen the sphere.
If possible, additional activities aimed at a more direct knowledge of finds and material culture are planned (visits to museum collections).
Pratically, the aim is to achieve the capacity to recognize and interpretate the sources, that in addition to the archeological record from inhabited, funerary and cultural sites, include natural remnants as well, usefull to recostruct the palaeo-environment and examine the man - environment relationship.
The European Bronze Age is a unique stage for its cultural richness and variety, for the high technological level achieved in metalworking, for the increase in exchanging of raw materials and prestige goods by long-distance relationships. It should be noted that this features took place in a period characterized by a fast socio-economic development of the communities, which nevertheless didn't reached complex organisational forms as the state or the properly urban structure.
The course, after providing a general overview of research history, the methodology, and the archaeological sources, will present a survey of European Bronze Age through the study of several significant themes: environment, settlement, economy, production, exchanges, burials, cult, identity and social organization. The archaeological data will be considered in the perspective of social, ideological and cultural implications as well: metalwork will be emphatized, for the weapons and prestige goods constitute a source for the interpretation of social articulation, power and personal primacy. will deepen the sphere.
If possible, additional activities aimed at a more direct knowledge of finds and material culture are planned (visits to museum collections).
Pratically, the aim is to achieve the capacity to recognize and interpretate the sources, that in addition to the archeological record from inhabited, funerary and cultural sites, include natural remnants as well, usefull to recostruct the palaeo-environment and examine the man - environment relationship.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge of archeological sources, with particular regard to material culture and productions, settlement pattern, funerary documentation, economy and exchanges.
Knowledge of literature and interpretations that have most significantly contributed to the understanding of the contexts.
Skills in use archeological sources in order to read and interpret the ideological aspects and the social and economic structures. Assessment skills to evaluate open problems and possible divergent opinions.
Knowledge of literature and interpretations that have most significantly contributed to the understanding of the contexts.
Skills in use archeological sources in order to read and interpret the ideological aspects and the social and economic structures. Assessment skills to evaluate open problems and possible divergent opinions.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Prerequisites for admission
Not required
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons (with power-point presentation). Each lesson includes a class discussion in order to stimulate a critical debate and check if the in-progress knowledge is correctly understood and applied.
E-learning material is uploaded and made available on the Ariel platform (figures, tables , open-access articles, bibliography).
Attendance is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended. Non-attending students are kindly requested to contact the professor in order to define the exam programme.
E-learning material is uploaded and made available on the Ariel platform (figures, tables , open-access articles, bibliography).
Attendance is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended. Non-attending students are kindly requested to contact the professor in order to define the exam programme.
Teaching Resources
Unit 1
1. de Marinis R.C., Archeologia e arte antica in Enciclopedia europea, 12, Milano 1984, pp. 559-568.
2. de Marinis R.C., Cultura archeologica, facies archeologica, gruppo culturale e civiltà nella letteratura pre- e protostorica italiana, in Danckers J., Cavazzuti C., Cattani M. (eds.), Facies e culture nell'età del Bronzo italiana? Atti del Convegno di Roma, Institut Historique Belge de Rome, 3-4.12.2015, ARTES 11, pp. 27-39.
Unit 2
1. Rapi M., 2013, "Dall'età del Rame all'età del Bronzo. I primi villaggi palafitticoli e la cultura di Polada", in de Marinis R.C. (ed.), L'età del Rame. La pianura padana e le Alpi al tempo di Ötzi, Roccafranca (Brescia), 525-544.
2. de Marinis R.C., "L'età del Bronzo nella regione benacense e nella pianura padana a nord del Po", in Bernabò Brea M., Cardarelli A. e Cremaschi M. (a c. di), Le Terramare. La più antica civiltà padana, Milano, 1997, pp. 405-419.
3. de Marinis R.C., Il museo civico archeologico Giovanni Rambotti: una introduzione alla preistoria del lago di Garda, Desenzano del Garda, 2000. (Solo capitoli V, VI, VII).
4. Bernabò Brea M., "Le terramare nell'età del Bronzo", in Bernabò Brea M., Cremaschi M. (a c. di), Acqua e civiltà nelle terramare. La vasca votiva di Noceto, Milano, 2009, pp. 5-16.
5. de Marinis R.C., "La protostoria del territorio di Varese" (pp. 11 ss.), "L'età del Bronzo nelle palafitte del lago di Varese" (pp. 124-139), in R.C. de Marinis, M. Pizzo e S. Massa (a c. di), Alle origini di Varese e del suo territorio, Roma, 2009.
6. de Marinis R.C., Il ripostiglio della Cascina Ranza (comune di Milano), NotArchBerg 26, 2018, pp. 27-113.
7. de Marinis R.C., Valzolgher E., "Riti funerari dell'antica età del Bronzo in area padana", in de Marinis R.C., a c. di, L'età del Rame. La pianura padana e l'arco alpino al tempo di Ötzi, Roccafranca, 2013, pp. 545-559.
8. de Marinis R.C., Salzani L., "Le necropoli del Bronzo medio e recente nella Lombardia orientale e nel Veneto occidentale", in Bernabò Brea M., Cardarelli A. e Cremaschi M. (a c. di), Le Terramare. La più antica civiltà padana, Milano, 1997, pp. 705-719.
9. de Marinis R.C., Salzani L. (2005). "Tipologia e cronologia dei materiali", in Salzani L. (a c. di), La necropoli dell'età del Bronzo all'Olmo di Nogara, Memorie del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Verona, pp. 391-448.
Unit 3 Choose 3 readings between the following:
- de Marinis R.C. (2009), L'immagine del guerriero e i segni del potere nell'età del Rame e del Bronzo dell'Italia settentrionale alla luce della documentazione funeraria. Intervento inedito presentato al 12. convegno Les manifestations du pouvoir dans les Alpes, de la Préhistoire au Moyen-Age, 12. Colloque International sur les Alpes dans l'Antiquité, Yenne (Savoia), 2-4 ottobre 2009 tenutosi a Yenne nel 2009 (in Academia.edu)
- Bernabò Brea M., Gambari F.M., Giumlia-Mair A., Note preliminari sulla tazza d'oro da Montecchio Emilia in de Marinis R.C., Le manifestazioni del sacro e l'età del Rame nella regione alpina e nella pianura padana. Atti del Convegno Brescia, 23-24 maggio 2014, Brescia, pp. 321-341.Needham S. 2009, Encompassing the Sea Maritories and Bronze Age maritime interactions in Clark P. (ed.), Bronze Age Connections. Cultural Contact in Prehistoric Europe, Oxford, pp. 12-37.
- David-Elbiali M. (2010). Sous l'agle du genre: analyse de nécropoles de l'âge du Bronze (15e-13e siècle av. J.-C.) d'Italie du Nord et comparaisons avec le nord des Alpes", Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche, LX, 2010, p. 203-256.
- Moedlinger M., Uckelmann M., Mattiews S., eds. (2011). Bronze Age Warfare, BAR IS 2255,: Introduction, (p. 1 ss); Ceremonial or deadly serious? New insight into the function of Irish Early Bronze Age halberds, (p. 39 ss.); Ritual object or powerful weapon - The usage of Central Europe Bronze Age swords (p. 153 ss); The function of Bronze Age shields (p. 187 ss).
- Horn Ch., Danish Journal of Archaeology (2013). Weapons, fighters and combat: spears and swords in Early Bronze Age Scandinavia, Danish Journal of Archaeology, DOI: 10.1080/21662282.2013.838832
- R. Bradley, The Passage of Arms: Archaeological Analysis of Prehistoric Hoards and Votive Deposits, Oxford 1998; oppure A Geography of Offerings: Deposits of Valuables in the Landscapes of Ancient, Oxbow Insights in Archaeology, 3, 2016 Europe ISBN: 9781785704772; oppure Ritual and Domestic Life in Prehistoric Europe, Routledge, 2005 ISBN: 9780415345514.
- Horn Ch., Kristiansen K. (eds.) 2018. Warfare in Bronze age society . Cambridge, 253 pp.
1. de Marinis R.C., Archeologia e arte antica in Enciclopedia europea, 12, Milano 1984, pp. 559-568.
2. de Marinis R.C., Cultura archeologica, facies archeologica, gruppo culturale e civiltà nella letteratura pre- e protostorica italiana, in Danckers J., Cavazzuti C., Cattani M. (eds.), Facies e culture nell'età del Bronzo italiana? Atti del Convegno di Roma, Institut Historique Belge de Rome, 3-4.12.2015, ARTES 11, pp. 27-39.
Unit 2
1. Rapi M., 2013, "Dall'età del Rame all'età del Bronzo. I primi villaggi palafitticoli e la cultura di Polada", in de Marinis R.C. (ed.), L'età del Rame. La pianura padana e le Alpi al tempo di Ötzi, Roccafranca (Brescia), 525-544.
2. de Marinis R.C., "L'età del Bronzo nella regione benacense e nella pianura padana a nord del Po", in Bernabò Brea M., Cardarelli A. e Cremaschi M. (a c. di), Le Terramare. La più antica civiltà padana, Milano, 1997, pp. 405-419.
3. de Marinis R.C., Il museo civico archeologico Giovanni Rambotti: una introduzione alla preistoria del lago di Garda, Desenzano del Garda, 2000. (Solo capitoli V, VI, VII).
4. Bernabò Brea M., "Le terramare nell'età del Bronzo", in Bernabò Brea M., Cremaschi M. (a c. di), Acqua e civiltà nelle terramare. La vasca votiva di Noceto, Milano, 2009, pp. 5-16.
5. de Marinis R.C., "La protostoria del territorio di Varese" (pp. 11 ss.), "L'età del Bronzo nelle palafitte del lago di Varese" (pp. 124-139), in R.C. de Marinis, M. Pizzo e S. Massa (a c. di), Alle origini di Varese e del suo territorio, Roma, 2009.
6. de Marinis R.C., Il ripostiglio della Cascina Ranza (comune di Milano), NotArchBerg 26, 2018, pp. 27-113.
7. de Marinis R.C., Valzolgher E., "Riti funerari dell'antica età del Bronzo in area padana", in de Marinis R.C., a c. di, L'età del Rame. La pianura padana e l'arco alpino al tempo di Ötzi, Roccafranca, 2013, pp. 545-559.
8. de Marinis R.C., Salzani L., "Le necropoli del Bronzo medio e recente nella Lombardia orientale e nel Veneto occidentale", in Bernabò Brea M., Cardarelli A. e Cremaschi M. (a c. di), Le Terramare. La più antica civiltà padana, Milano, 1997, pp. 705-719.
9. de Marinis R.C., Salzani L. (2005). "Tipologia e cronologia dei materiali", in Salzani L. (a c. di), La necropoli dell'età del Bronzo all'Olmo di Nogara, Memorie del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Verona, pp. 391-448.
Unit 3 Choose 3 readings between the following:
- de Marinis R.C. (2009), L'immagine del guerriero e i segni del potere nell'età del Rame e del Bronzo dell'Italia settentrionale alla luce della documentazione funeraria. Intervento inedito presentato al 12. convegno Les manifestations du pouvoir dans les Alpes, de la Préhistoire au Moyen-Age, 12. Colloque International sur les Alpes dans l'Antiquité, Yenne (Savoia), 2-4 ottobre 2009 tenutosi a Yenne nel 2009 (in Academia.edu)
- Bernabò Brea M., Gambari F.M., Giumlia-Mair A., Note preliminari sulla tazza d'oro da Montecchio Emilia in de Marinis R.C., Le manifestazioni del sacro e l'età del Rame nella regione alpina e nella pianura padana. Atti del Convegno Brescia, 23-24 maggio 2014, Brescia, pp. 321-341.Needham S. 2009, Encompassing the Sea Maritories and Bronze Age maritime interactions in Clark P. (ed.), Bronze Age Connections. Cultural Contact in Prehistoric Europe, Oxford, pp. 12-37.
- David-Elbiali M. (2010). Sous l'agle du genre: analyse de nécropoles de l'âge du Bronze (15e-13e siècle av. J.-C.) d'Italie du Nord et comparaisons avec le nord des Alpes", Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche, LX, 2010, p. 203-256.
- Moedlinger M., Uckelmann M., Mattiews S., eds. (2011). Bronze Age Warfare, BAR IS 2255,: Introduction, (p. 1 ss); Ceremonial or deadly serious? New insight into the function of Irish Early Bronze Age halberds, (p. 39 ss.); Ritual object or powerful weapon - The usage of Central Europe Bronze Age swords (p. 153 ss); The function of Bronze Age shields (p. 187 ss).
- Horn Ch., Danish Journal of Archaeology (2013). Weapons, fighters and combat: spears and swords in Early Bronze Age Scandinavia, Danish Journal of Archaeology, DOI: 10.1080/21662282.2013.838832
- R. Bradley, The Passage of Arms: Archaeological Analysis of Prehistoric Hoards and Votive Deposits, Oxford 1998; oppure A Geography of Offerings: Deposits of Valuables in the Landscapes of Ancient, Oxbow Insights in Archaeology, 3, 2016 Europe ISBN: 9781785704772; oppure Ritual and Domestic Life in Prehistoric Europe, Routledge, 2005 ISBN: 9780415345514.
- Horn Ch., Kristiansen K. (eds.) 2018. Warfare in Bronze age society . Cambridge, 253 pp.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The assessment consists in an oral examination related to the topics listed in the teaching programme (2 teaching units = 6 ECTS, 3 teaching units= 9 ECTS), and include identification and description of finds and sites, which should be correctly placed in their spatial and temporal framework. The evaluation (from a minimum of 18 to a maximum of 30/30 cum laude) considers the following criteria: knowledge of the topics, completeness and clarity in presentation, argumentation and critical capacity, use of the specific and technical archaeological terminology.
L-ANT/01 - PREHISTORY AND EARLY HISTORY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Rapi Marta Roberta Matelda
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