C8880 - European Protohistory (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will have learnt the principal historical dynamics that occurred in Europe between the 3rd and the early 1st millennium BC. The module focuses on the transformations of societies and political systems from the lineage-based village communities of the Late Neolithic to the complex urban centres of the Early Iron Age, controlled by emerging elite groups. Great relevance will be given to the study and review of a large body of evidence, from Atlantic regions, to Scandinavia, Iberia and continental Europe, as well as to their relationship with the Mediterranean. Students will also acquire fundamental skills/knowledge of the most innovative methodologies applied to the analysis of sites and materials, environments and archaeological contexts, for the reconstruction of dynamics at a regional and supra-regional scale. By the end of the course, they will be able to design and carry out high-impact research projects on protohistoric contexts, materials and landscapes, as well as to provide high-level dissemination of the research results.

Course contents

The course explores key themes in current European prehistoric research through an integrated approach combining environmental, biological, and archaeological evidence. Particular attention is devoted to Holocene climate fluctuations, economy and production, and the social and political organisation of prehistoric communities from the Late Copper Age to the Early Iron Age.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or temporary or permanent disabilities are advised to contact the relevant University office in good time (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it ). The office will propose any appropriate accommodations for the students concerned. Such accommodations must be submitted to the course instructor for approval at least 15 days in advance. The instructor will assess their suitability, taking into account the learning objectives of the course.

The course is organised around the following topics:

• The end of Prehistory and the dawn of History: the concept of Protohistory.
• Social transformations: from village communities to (proto-)urban centres.
• The spread of steppe ancestry and Proto-Indo-European languages during the Bell Beaker period.
• Demographic, climatic, and economic transformations at the end of the 3rd millennium BCE.
• The Secondary Products Revolution.
• Princely graves and dynastic elites in Continental Europe.
• The revolution of bronze metallurgy: the first “globalised” economy connecting Europe and the Mediterranean.
• Amber routes and long-distance exchange networks.
• Terrestrial, riverine, and maritime networks.
• Conflict, weaponry, and fortifications during the Bronze Age.
• Agriculture, animal husbandry, and surplus production and maintenance.
• The process of synoecism and the emergence of the first urban centres.

 

The course will be taught entirely in English.

Readings/Bibliography

Handobook for the exam:

Fokkens H., Harding A. 2020, The Oxford Handbook of the European Bronze Age, Oxford.

 

Suggested bibliography:

Nicolis F., Kulcsár G., Heyd V. 2025, The Transformation of Europe in the Third Millennium BC, Budapest.

Haselgrove C., Rebay-Salisbury K., Wells P.S. 2018, The Oxford Handbook of the European Iron Age, Oxford.

Cardarelli, A. (2018). Before the city: the last villages and proto-urban centres between the Po and the Tiber Rivers. Origini, 42(2), 359–382.

Cavazzuti, C. (2019). Cosa possono fare aDNA e isotopi per la protostoria italiana? In J. Danckers, C. Cavazzuti, & M. Cattani (Eds.), Facies e culture nell’età del Bronzo italiana? (pp. 295–314). Bruxelles-Roma: Institute Historique Belge de Rome Artes.

Pacciarelli, M. (2000). Dal villaggio alla città. La svolta protourbana del 1000 a.C. nell’Italia tirrenica. Firenze: All’Insegna del Giglio.

Pare, C. F. E. (2000). Metals make the world go round: the supply and circulation of metals in Bronze Age Europe: proceedings of a conference held at the University of Birmingham in June 1997. Oxford: Oxbow Books Limited.

Peroni, R. (1989). Protostoria dell’Italia continentale. La penisola italiana nel’età del bronzo e del ferro. In Popoli e Civiltà dell’Italia antica. 9. Roma.

Radivojević, M., Roberts, B. W., Pernicka, E., Stos-Gale, Z., Martinón-Torres, M., Rehren, T., et al. (2018). The Provenance, Use, and Circulation of Metals in the European Bronze Age: The State of Debate. Journal of Archaeological Research, 27(2), 131–185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10814-018-9123-9

Sabatini, S., & Bergerbrant, S. (2020). The textile revolution in Bronze Age Europe: production, specialisation, consumption. Cambridge University Press.

Teaching methods

Teaching is based on lectures supported by PowerPoint presentations, which constitute an essential component of the course and should be regarded as a key resource for learning. Regular attendance is strongly recommended and will be positively considered in the final assessment.

Students are expected to have a working knowledge of English, particularly reading skills, in order to engage with the international scholarly literature.

Assessment methods

For attending students, assessment consists of an oral examination covering the topics discussed during the lectures and the assigned readings. Attending classes will make passing the exam easier. A student is considered to be attending if they participate in at least 75% of the lessons. Non-attending students are required to contact the instructor to agree on an alternative examination programme.

The assessment evaluates students' understanding of the course topics, their ability to critically engage with the assigned bibliography, and their knowledge of the geographical contexts examined. Outstanding performance will demonstrate a thorough command of the subject matter, the ability to discuss the topics critically, and the appropriate use of disciplinary terminology.

Insufficient knowledge of the chronological, historical, and geographical framework, together with the inappropriate use of technical terminology, will result in a lower assessment.

Grades are awarded on a scale of 30 according to the following criteria:

• 18–19: Knowledge of only a very limited number of the topics covered in the course; analytical skills demonstrated only with the instructor’s guidance; overall appropriate use of academic language.
• 20–24: Knowledge of a limited number of the topics covered in the course; ability to conduct independent analysis only with regard to straightforward procedural issues; appropriate use of academic language.
• 25–29: Knowledge of a broad range of the topics covered in the course; ability to carry out independent critical analysis; sound command of the relevant disciplinary terminology.
• 30–30 cum laude: Thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the topics covered in the course; ability to conduct independent critical analysis and establish meaningful connections across topics; full command of the relevant disciplinary terminology, together with well-developed argumentation and critical self-reflection skills.

Examination sessions will be held once a month throughout the academic year.

With regard to the assessment of learning, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is prohibited. Any use of AI constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Teaching tools

The PowerPoint presentations used during the lectures will be made available through the instructor's online course portal.

Students who require accommodations due to a disability or a specific learning disorder (SLD) should first contact the University's Disability and Specific Learning Disorders Support Office in order to arrange the appropriate support measures.

Office hours

See the website of Claudio Cavazzuti