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The course is divided into two distinct parts that are designed to offer on one hand an overview of acquisitions that archaeological research on the Middle Ages has made, with regard to the material culture, the economy and the living conditions of the various social groups; on the other hand the course provides a survey of the evolution of artistic production in the Middle Ages.
More specifically, the first part aims to provide a basic knowledge of medieval archaeology by presenting: the history of the discipline, the development and application of research topics and results, the methodological problems, some case-studies, and the contacts with other disciplines (for example urban archeaology and restoration).
The second part aims to give students a basic understanding of artistic production in Italy and Europe from the 4th to the 13th cent. and to provide basic methodological skills that will help them to understand the work of art in all its aspects (formal and stylistic, iconographical, technical), placing it in its appropriate historical and cultural context. |
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This course has no prerequisites. However, notions of medieval history are welcome. |
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The course can serve as foundation to get orientated and to acquire basic skills about the development of Medieval Archaeology (particularly in Italy) and about Medieval Art History |
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First part (medieval archaeology): the course treats the history of the discipline from the 18th to the 20th century. This theme will be illustrated by reference to Italian and European case studies, who have contributed to the definition of the characters proper to contemporary medieval archaeology. The course also provides an overview of the main themes addressed by medieval archaeology: transformations of settlement between Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages (the countryside and the city), ecclesiastical organization, production, circulation and consumption, classes of artifacts.
Second part (medieval art history): a survey of Early Christian and Medieval Art in Italy and Western Europe from its origins in the Late Roman Empire through Gothic (styles, artists and craftsmen, artworks, patrons), analyzing the socio-political and economic context, the historiographical issues and critical debate on some of the addressed themes. |
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First part: S. Gelichi, Introduzione all’archeologia medievale, Roma, NIS, 1998
Second part: P. De Vecchi, E. Cerchiari, Arte nel Tempo. Dalla preistoria al Medioevo, Bompiani editore, Milano 1995 (o ristampe successive), Vol. I (volume I: chapters IV e V; volume II: part III all chapters; part IV chapters 1 e 2). |