C8949 - Archaeology of Monuments and Memory in Central Asia (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

This course offers the students a broad exploration of how the historic built environment in Central Asia, being monuments, sites or landscapes, reflects historical memory and cultural meaning. Following a brief global introduction to the concepts of memory, commemoration, and place-making, the course will examine how historic structures and landscapes in Central Asia, from ancient sites to contemporary developments, reflect and shape social, political, and cultural narratives. An emphasis will be placed on archaeological and anthropological perspectives, considering how memory is shaped and reshaped through local engagement, conservation practices, and tourism. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically analyze material and visual evidence, and to assess the broader implications of how the built environment functions as carriers of memory and identity.

Course contents

The course explores monumentality and memory in Central Asia from archaeological, anthropological, and historical perspectives. Through case studies ranging from prehistory to the contemporary period, students will develop the ability to understand and critically evaluate the concept of the monument, the different forms of monumentality, and the role of memory in shaping identities, cultural landscapes, and long-term social transformations across the region.

The first part of the course provides the theoretical and methodological framework required for the study of monumentality by introducing its principal concepts, approaches, and interpretative tools.

Main topics include:

• Definitions of monument, monumentality, and memory.
• Origins, functions, perception, symbolism, and impacts of monuments.
• Memory, tradition, and cultural memory.
• Archaeologies of monuments and memory: archaeological, architectural, anthropological, and ethnographic approaches.
• Tangible and intangible cultural heritage, conservation, management, and public valorization.

The second part applies these concepts to Central Asia through a diachronic and multidisciplinary perspective, drawing on both the scholarly literature and the research conducted within the Italian-Uzbek Archaeological Project "Samarkand and Its Territory" (LINK)

Main topics include:

• Geography, environment, and historical development of Central Asia.
• The Silk Roads as networks of material, cultural, and religious exchange.
• Archaeology, monuments, and monumental landscapes from prehistory to the contemporary period.
• Urban, religious, funerary, hydraulic, and infrastructural monumentality.
• Local communities, memory, cultural heritage, ethnoarchaeology, and public archaeology.
• The KALAM Project (LINK).

 

For all communications, students are requested to use exclusively the course coordinator's official university e-mail address (MAIL).

Readings/Bibliography

List of the main bibliographic references discussed during the course and required for the final examination.

Additional bibliographic references, scientific articles, and supplementary reading materials may be provided throughout the course.

References not available online may be accessed through the University Library System (LINK) or requested directly from the Course Coordinator.

 

A) Bibliography for Attending and Non-Attending Students

• First part

1. Assmann, J., 2011. Communicative and Cultural Memory. In P. Meusburger, M. Heffernan, E. Wunder (eds). Cultural Memories: The Geographical Point of View. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 15-27.
2. Bradley, R., 2001. The Significance of Monuments: On the Shaping of Human Experience in Neolithic and Bronze Age Europe. London: Routledge. Selected sections LINK
3. Buccellati, F., 2019. Monumentality: Research Approaches and Methodology. In F. Buccellati, S. Hageneuer, S. van Der Heyden, F. Levenson, Size Matters - Understanding Monumentality Across Ancient Civilizations. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag, 41–63. LINK
4. Jones, S., Russell, L., 2012. Archaeology, Memory and Oral Tradition: An Introduction, International Journal of Historical Archaeology 16, 267–83. LINK
5. Kolb, M.J., 2020. Making Sense of Monuments. Narratives of Time, Movement, and Scale. London and New York: Routledge. Selected sections

• Second part

1. Arapov, A., 2013. Uzbekistan. In M. Mamedov, R. Muradov (eds), The Artistic Culture of Central Asia and Azerbaijan in the 9th-15th centuries. Volume IV. Architecture. Samarkand - Tashkent: International Institute for Central Asian Studies, 159–215. LINK
2. Bregel, Y., 2003. An Historical Atlas of Central Asia. Leiden: Brill. LINK 
3. Mantellini, S., Berdimuradov, A. E., 2026. The Archaeological Map of the Middle Zeravshan Valley. The Southern Sector. Volume I: Samarkand City. Bologna: Bologna University Press. Seleced sections LINK 
4. Pugachenkova, G.A., 2000. Urban Development and Architecture. Part One. Transoxiana and Khurasan. In C.E. Bosworth, M.S. Asimov (eds), History of Civilizations of Central Asia. Volume IV. The Age of Achievement: A.D. 750 to the End of the Fifteenth Century. Part Two: The Achievements. Paris: UNESCO Publishing, 507–56. LINK 
5. Vileikis, O., Mantellini, S. (eds), in press. Journey Through Time and Cultures. Silk Roads. Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor. Samarkand: International Institute for Central Asian Studies. Selected sections

B) Additional Bibliography for Non-Attending Students Only

1. Ashrafyan, K.Z., 1998. Central Asia under Timur. From 1370 to the early fifteenth century. In M.S. Asimov, C.E. Bosworth (eds), History of Civilizations of Central Asia IV. The Age of Achievement: A.D. 750 to the End of the Fifteenth Century. Part One. The Historical, Social and Economic Setting. Paris: UNESCO Publishing, 319–45. LINK 
2. Brysbaert, A., 2018. Constructing monuments, perceiving monumentality: introduction. In A. Brysbaert, V. Klinkenberg, A. Gutiérrez Garcia-Moreno, I. Vikatou (eds), Constructing Monuments, Perceiving Monumentality & the Economics of Building. Theoretical and Methodological Approaches to the Built Environment, eds. Leiden: Sidestone Press, 21–47. LINK 
3. Frye, R.N., 1998. The Heritage of Central Asia. From Antiquity to the Turkish Expansion. Princeton: Markus Wiener Publishers. Selected sections
4. Hageneuer, S., van Der Heyden, S., 2019. Perceiving monumentality. In F. Buccellati, S. Hageneuer, S. van Der Heyden, F. Levenson (eds), Size Matters - Understanding Monumentality Across Ancient Civilizations. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag, 65–89. LINK 
5. Kelly, L., 2015. Knowledge and Power in Prehistoric Societies: Orality, Memory and the Transmission of Culture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Only Chapter 2 (14–35). LINK 
6. Levenson, F. 2019. Monuments and Monumentality. Different Perspectives. In F. Buccellati, S. Hageneuer, S. van Der Heyden, F. Levenson, Size Matters - Understanding Monumentality Across Ancient Civilizations. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag, 17-39. LINK 
7. Lowenthal, D., 2015. The Past Is a Foreign Country. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
8. Mantellini, S., Berdimuradov, A. E., 2019. Evaluating the human impact on the archaeological landscape of Samarkand (Uzbekistan): A diachronic assessment of the Taylak district by remote sensing, field survey, and local knowledge, Archaeological Research in Asia 20, 1–12. LINK
9. Meusburger, P., Heffernan, M., Wunder, E., 2011. Cultural Memories: An Introduction. In P. Meusburger, M. Heffernan, E. Wunder (eds). Cultural Memories: The Geographical Point of View. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 3-14.
10. Osborne, J.F., 2014. Monuments and Monumentality, in J.F. Osborne (ed), Approaching Monumentality in Archaeology. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1–19.
11. Paksoy, H.B. (ed), 1992. Central Asian Monuments. Istanbul: ISIS Press. Only Introduction 2–4. LINK 
12. Smith, L., 2006. Uses of Heritage. London and New York: Routledge. LINK

Teaching methods

The course combines lectures, guided discussions, and the critical analysis of case studies from Central Asia and other historical contexts, integrating the theoretical foundations of monumentality and memory with their archaeological application.

Teaching is supported by extensive visual, cartographic, and multimedia material, together with the analysis of archaeological datasets, historical sources, and the results of recent international research projects, with particular emphasis on the Italian-Uzbek Archaeological Project "Samarkand and Its Territory."

Particular attention is devoted to collective discussion of theoretical issues, the critical evaluation of scholarly literature, and the interdisciplinary interpretation of monuments, cultural landscapes, and tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Students are strongly encouraged to participate actively in classroom discussions by contributing observations, questions, and critical reflections on the topics addressed.

International specialists will be invited to present selected case studies and research methodologies.

The course is taught entirely in English.

Assessment methods

The assessment consists of an oral examination designed to evaluate the knowledge and competences acquired during the course, with particular emphasis on the ability to understand, interpret, and critically evaluate monumentality and memory through archaeological, historical, and contemporary case studies.

Regular attendance will facilitate successful completion of the examination. Students who attend at least 75% of the scheduled classes will be considered attending students.

 

• Attending students

Attending students may choose between two assessment options.

1. Oral examination

The examination will focus on the topics discussed during the lectures, the teaching materials available on the VIRTUALE platform, and the bibliography assigned to attending students.

2. Written essay

Alternatively, students may prepare a written essay on a course-related topic agreed in advance with the course coordinator and prepared in accordance with the template and guidelines available on the VIRTUALE platform. The oral examination will begin with a discussion of the essay and may include further questions on other topics covered during the course.

• Non-attending students

Non-attending students are required to prepare the bibliography assigned to non-attending students. Alternative programmes may be agreed with the course coordinator only in justified circumstances.

Assessment criteria

Final grades (out of 30) will be based on:

• knowledge and understanding of the course topics;
• ability to critically connect theoretical concepts with archaeological case studies;
• clarity of presentation and synthesis;
• appropriate use of scientific terminology;
• ability to formulate rigorous and well-structured arguments;
• ability to interpret monuments and cultural landscapes from archaeological, anthropological, and historical perspectives;
• active participation in classroom discussions (attending students).

The highest grades will be awarded to students demonstrating excellent mastery of the course content, critical thinking, and the ability to discuss and interpret complex issues independently.

For the Academic Year 2026–2027, examination sessions are normally held every two months.

With regard to assessment, the limited, declared, and non-substantive use of artificial intelligence (AI) is permitted for support activities, such as summarising and rephrasing. The substantive use of AI to complete any part of the assessment is not permitted.

Teaching tools

Lectures and seminars delivered by international specialists will be supported by multimedia presentations, images, maps, archaeological documentation, historical sources, spatial datasets, and additional teaching materials made available through the VIRTUALE platform, in accordance with copyright regulations.

A significant proportion of the teaching material derives from ongoing international research projects, particularly the Italian-Uzbek Archaeological Project "Samarkand and Its Territory" and the KALAM Project, enabling students to engage directly with original datasets, archaeological case studies, and current research methodologies.

Additional readings and supplementary materials will be provided throughout the course or made available through the University Library System.

Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) or temporary or permanent disabilities are strongly encouraged to contact the University's designated support office as early as possible (LINK). The office will advise students on any appropriate accommodations, which must be submitted to the Course Coordinator for approval at least 15 days before the examination. The Course Coordinator will assess the proposed accommodations in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Simone Mantellini