39985 - Etruscan and Italic Civilization (1)

Learning outcomes

The course intends to offer a basic knowledge of Etruscan culture and of its relations with the other cultures of ancient Italy during about equivalent to the first millennium B.C. Because of the almost complete absence of written sources, only a careful and correct reading of the archaeological evidence allows to reconstruct historical sequence, social changes and cultural features of the Etruscans and of their cities between the tenth and the first Century B.C.

 

Course contents

The Etruscans in the Po Valley and their relationships.

Expansion of the Etruscans out of Etruria. The Etruscan Po Valley: origin, social and economical reasons of the Etruscan presence in the Po Valley. The Cities of the Etruscan Po Valley, their integrated economy and their structure as “political” confederation. Bologna and Verucchio, Marzabotto, Spina and Mantova. Relationships with the Venetic area and the Golasecca region and commercial exchanges with the transalpine Celts. Descent of the Gauls and ending of the Etruscan Po Valley. Visits to Museums and archaeological sites: conducted tours to the main Museums of the region (Bologna, Reggio Emilia, Ferrara, Verucchio) and to the archaeological site of Marzabotto.

Readings/Bibliography

AA.VV, Bologna etrusca, in "Storia di Bologna 1. Bologna nell'antichità" (a cura di G. Sassatelli-A. Donati), Bologna 2005, pp. 117-338; G. Sassatelli,  La situazione in Etruria padana, in "Crise et transformation des sociétés archaiques de l'Italie antiques au V siècle av. J. C."  (Actes de la table ronde - École Française de Rome, 1987), Rome 1990, pp.51-100; G.Sassatelli, La funzione economica e produttiva: merci, scambi, artigianato, in 'Spina. Storia di una città tra Greci ed Etruschi' (Catalogo della Mostra), Ferrara 1993, pp.179-217; G. Sassatelli, Verucchio, centro etrusco di frontiera, in "Ocnus. Quaderni della Scuola di Specializzazione in Archeologia", IV, 1996, pp.247-268; E.Govi (a cura di), Marzabotto. Una città etrusca, Bologna 2007; G. Sassatelli, Gli Etruschi nella Valle del Po. Riflessioni, problemi e prospettive di ricerca, in “Annali Faina” 15, 2008, pp. 71-114.

(Students attending the course are expected to read at least 4 papers among wich the first and the laste aare obligatory. Students not attending the course are expected to read all the papers listed above.

Teaching methods

During the lessons visual aids will be widely used, especially slides and projections from computer. Explanatory paper materials, concerning specific subjects of the course, will be handed out in classroom.

Assessment methods

Final test consists of an oral examination only. The examination consists in three general questions that are the starting point of a more detailed discussion.  In case of integrated course (12 cfu) the vote of Introduction to Etruscology (Prof. Govi) is average with that of Etruscology and italic archaeology (Prof. Sassatelli).

Teaching tools

Teaching methods consist in lessons, seminars on specific parts and visits to Museums and archaeological sites of the Region. All those students who may be concerned will have the chance to supplement the lectures of the course with laboratory practice among the didactic proposals of the Department of Archaeology relatively in particular to the opportunity of excavating the Etruscan site of Marzabotto and of studying, cataloguing and drawing archaeological items.

Office hours

See the website of Giuseppe Sassatelli