Geoarchaeology and Quaternary Geology
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course consists of two units that intend to train graduating students in the fields of Geoarchaeology and Quaternary Geology, providing them with the necessary cultural and technical basis to carry out research and professional activities in archaeological projects and in the reconstruction of climatic variations in the Quaternary
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to identify the best techniques to deal with survey and archaeological excavation, as well as being able to describe a stratigraphic sequence and to sample it correctly for dating and laboratory analysis. Moreover, they will acquire competence about natural and anthropogenic climate changes during the Quaternary period.
Lesson period: year
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
year
Prerequisites for admission
To follow this course profitably, knowledge of the basic concepts of Earth sciences and of archaeology is recommended.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral discussion that encompasses topics covered in the course, with questions relating to the topics of the lectures, at the end of which a mark expressed out of thirty will be recorded. Honors will be given when the level of preparation is more than excellent. The final evaluation will consider the acquired knowledge (60%) and the ability to organize and illustrate the arguments (30%) and the expository skills (10%).
QUATERNARY GEOLOGY
Course syllabus
Introduction and fundamentals
General introduction and topic preview. The Quaternary as geological period of glacial-interglacial cycles. Methods of investigation: basic principles of geology and the proxy concept. Water cycle, delta O18, oceanic and glacial cores - the MIS. Milankovitch cycles, feedback concept, albedo, greenhouse effect, sunspots and cosmic rays
Geomorphology as a proxy
Processes and forms: Principles, processes/agents, structural geomorphology and volcanism; glaciers, glacial valleys, erratic boulders, gelivation; moraine amphitheatres, varved glaciolacustrine deposits, loess; rivers, conoids, terraces, base level concept, canyon formation; coastlines, cliffs, lagoons, isostatic/eustatic adjustments; genesis of caves and clastic deposits, karst, speleothems record; hot arid environments, concept of Biorhexistasy, soils.
Geopedology and Palaeopedology
Soil: definitions and constituents. Soil profiles and horizons and their characteristics. Pedogenetic processes. Factors of soil development. Soils and time. Paleosols: analytical methods, dating and case studies.
Late Quaternary and the Homo
High-resolution periods: the last glacial maximum, exit from MIS 2 and entry into the Holocene. Role of glacial-interglacial cycles in the migrations of the Homo. Holocene innovations: from scattered groups to settled communities, the Neolithic revolution, towards the modern era.
General introduction and topic preview. The Quaternary as geological period of glacial-interglacial cycles. Methods of investigation: basic principles of geology and the proxy concept. Water cycle, delta O18, oceanic and glacial cores - the MIS. Milankovitch cycles, feedback concept, albedo, greenhouse effect, sunspots and cosmic rays
Geomorphology as a proxy
Processes and forms: Principles, processes/agents, structural geomorphology and volcanism; glaciers, glacial valleys, erratic boulders, gelivation; moraine amphitheatres, varved glaciolacustrine deposits, loess; rivers, conoids, terraces, base level concept, canyon formation; coastlines, cliffs, lagoons, isostatic/eustatic adjustments; genesis of caves and clastic deposits, karst, speleothems record; hot arid environments, concept of Biorhexistasy, soils.
Geopedology and Palaeopedology
Soil: definitions and constituents. Soil profiles and horizons and their characteristics. Pedogenetic processes. Factors of soil development. Soils and time. Paleosols: analytical methods, dating and case studies.
Late Quaternary and the Homo
High-resolution periods: the last glacial maximum, exit from MIS 2 and entry into the Holocene. Role of glacial-interglacial cycles in the migrations of the Homo. Holocene innovations: from scattered groups to settled communities, the Neolithic revolution, towards the modern era.
Teaching methods
Lectures - traditional dispensing.
Teaching Resources
Anderson, Goudie & Parker (2013). Global Environments through the Quaternary: Exploring Environmental Change. 2°Edition, Oxford University Press.
Dramis & Ollier (2016). Genesi ed evoluzione del rilievo terrestre. Fondamenti di geomorfologia. Pitagora Editrice Bologna.
Ruddiman (2014). Earth's climate. Past and future.
Cremaschi M. (2000). Manuale di Geoarcheologia. Laterza.
Dazzi C. (2013). Fondamenti di Pedologia. Le Penseur.
Retallack G.J. (2001). Soils of the past: an introduction to paleopedology. Blackwell.
Dramis & Ollier (2016). Genesi ed evoluzione del rilievo terrestre. Fondamenti di geomorfologia. Pitagora Editrice Bologna.
Ruddiman (2014). Earth's climate. Past and future.
Cremaschi M. (2000). Manuale di Geoarcheologia. Laterza.
Dazzi C. (2013). Fondamenti di Pedologia. Le Penseur.
Retallack G.J. (2001). Soils of the past: an introduction to paleopedology. Blackwell.
GEOARCHAEOLOGY
Course syllabus
An history of Geoarchaeology
The Archaeological research in the field: the stratigraphic excavation, the survey.
The tools of the geoarchaeology: soils, continental deposits, landscapes in environmental archaeology. Geognostic in geoarchaeology, survey, aerial photographs, remote sensing, core drilling, test pits,
Site forming processes: laboratory analyses, grain size, routine chimica analyses, soil micromorphology for an archaeological context
Dating the evidence: typological sequence for lithics and pottery. Incremetal and radiometric methods.
Geoarchaeology and Archeological research
Earth Sciences and the interpretation of the archaeological record. Evidence of human activities in the geological record: syndepositional and postdepositional processes. Geoarchaeology and the history of the human impact on the environment.
Geoarchaeology of the archeological sites
Poorly preseved sites: sites in which postpedositional processes dominated: Palaeolithic sites in the loes of Northern Italy. The Mesolithic sites of the Tosco-emilian Appennines.
Well preserved archives: Geoarchaeology of the sedimentary fills in late Pleistocene caves and rock shelters at middle latitudes.
Villages and proto-urban centres built up in wood. Geoarchoeology of pile-dwellings and terramare
The towns . Archaeological urban centres: The tells of the Near East. Geoarcheology ed Urban Archaeology: Archaeological heritage of the cities along via Aemilia.
Geoarcheology of the soil use.
Deforestation and early agricolture (case studies from the Neolithic and the Chalcolithic in the Po plain)
Geoarcheology of over exploitation (agricultural practices and irrigation in Mesopotamia ed in the Po plain during the Bronze age)
Geoarchaeology of Pastoralism (The case study of the Holocene sediments in caves and rock-shelters)
Geoarcheologia of arid zones
Climatic changes and strategies of adaptation. Oasis and caravan routes.
Consequence of the human impact on landscape development, the relationship between human activities and climate change, historical and archaeological perspectives
Sourcing.
Archaeometric and geoarchaeological aspect of identification of the source of raw material used during Antiquity.
The Archaeological research in the field: the stratigraphic excavation, the survey.
The tools of the geoarchaeology: soils, continental deposits, landscapes in environmental archaeology. Geognostic in geoarchaeology, survey, aerial photographs, remote sensing, core drilling, test pits,
Site forming processes: laboratory analyses, grain size, routine chimica analyses, soil micromorphology for an archaeological context
Dating the evidence: typological sequence for lithics and pottery. Incremetal and radiometric methods.
Geoarchaeology and Archeological research
Earth Sciences and the interpretation of the archaeological record. Evidence of human activities in the geological record: syndepositional and postdepositional processes. Geoarchaeology and the history of the human impact on the environment.
Geoarchaeology of the archeological sites
Poorly preseved sites: sites in which postpedositional processes dominated: Palaeolithic sites in the loes of Northern Italy. The Mesolithic sites of the Tosco-emilian Appennines.
Well preserved archives: Geoarchaeology of the sedimentary fills in late Pleistocene caves and rock shelters at middle latitudes.
Villages and proto-urban centres built up in wood. Geoarchoeology of pile-dwellings and terramare
The towns . Archaeological urban centres: The tells of the Near East. Geoarcheology ed Urban Archaeology: Archaeological heritage of the cities along via Aemilia.
Geoarcheology of the soil use.
Deforestation and early agricolture (case studies from the Neolithic and the Chalcolithic in the Po plain)
Geoarcheology of over exploitation (agricultural practices and irrigation in Mesopotamia ed in the Po plain during the Bronze age)
Geoarchaeology of Pastoralism (The case study of the Holocene sediments in caves and rock-shelters)
Geoarcheologia of arid zones
Climatic changes and strategies of adaptation. Oasis and caravan routes.
Consequence of the human impact on landscape development, the relationship between human activities and climate change, historical and archaeological perspectives
Sourcing.
Archaeometric and geoarchaeological aspect of identification of the source of raw material used during Antiquity.
Teaching methods
Lectures - traditional dispensing.
Teaching Resources
Slides and books on specific topics
GEOARCHAEOLOGY
GEO/04 - PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours
QUATERNARY GEOLOGY
GEO/04 - PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours