30398 - Archaeology of Pre-Islamic Iran

Learning outcomes

The course concentrates on a monographic subject, different every year, treated on the basis of the historical, literary and archaeological sources, with the critical approach typical of scientific research. At the end of the course, the student has acquired the specific knowledge on the monographic subject; has developed autonomous attitude in respect of the large existing bibliography on the archaeology of Ancient Iran; has got the learning capabilities necessary to investigate with well-grounded basis the sources for an archaeological research.

Course contents

The course concerns a single theme of the archaeology of the Iranian pre-Islamic world, studied in a more detailed monographic approach, with a particular concern towards critics and methodology.

The subject of the 2017-18 course is: "The craft of stucco modelling in the Sasanian empire", and concerns one the most common crafts used to decorate architecture during the Arsacid and Sasanian periods. After having briefly illustrated the technical aspects of stucco production and the possible origin in the Arsacid and Roman cultures, the course will examine the most important examples of Sasanian stuccos in a chronological approach. The connection with architecture and the functional aspects linked to the presence of stuccos in certain sectors of architectural complexes will finally be treated.

Readings/Bibliography

The following bibliography is indicated mainly fro the students who cannot attend the course.

Bibliography (also for attending students):

1 - P. Callieri, L'art du stuc à la lumière des trouvailles récentes. In P. Callieri, Architecture et représentations dans l'Iran sassanide (Studia Iranica, Cahier 50), Paris 2014, pp. 103-127;

2 - M. Rahbar, Découverte d'un monument d'époque sassanide à Bandian, Dargaz (Nord-Khorassan), Fouilles 1994 et 1995. Studia Iranica, 27, 1998, pp. 213-250;

3 -M. Azarnoush, The Sasanian Manor House at Hajiabad, Iran (Monografie di Mesopotamia, III), Firenze 1994, pp. 91-166;

4 - J. Kröger, Décor en stuc. In Splendeur des Sassanides, Bruxelles 1993, pp, 63-65.

The teacher will also use:

J. Kröger, Sasanidischer Stuckdekor, Mainz 1982;

D. Thompson, Stucco from Chal Tarkhan-Eshqabad near Rayy, Warminster 1976.

Teaching methods

Lessons with direct and critical examination of the iconographical documents through slide projections and distributions of plans and maps. Aim of the course is introducing the student to the main problems of the research subject proposed. A special stress is put on the methodological approach to research, with the aim of stimulating the critical reflexion of the student.

Assessment methods

Oral examination, with the possibility of having on request control of the various parts of the programme. The oral dialogue has the function to assess the basic knowledges acquired in the field of the Iranian archaeology, regarding both the architectural and artistic evidences and their geographic and historic context. The knowledge of the chrono-geographic setting of the notions will therefore be evaluated.
Specialistic language is not considered a pre-requisite for a BA course, but will be positively evaluated.

The aim of the interview is also to assess the methodological and critical skills acquired by the student. Given the importance of class attendance for an appropriate training process two distinct grading scales are employed: for attending and non-attending students.

Attending students

Attendance and participation to the e-learning forum count for 30% of the final grade.

In particular, it will be assessed the ability of the student to participate actively in class, also using multimedia and collaborative tools provided within the course; such capacity, if combined with the achievement of a coherent framework of the topics developed during the lessons , the application of critical sense and suitable means of expression will be considered and evaluated with the maximum grading = A (27-30 con lode).

Attendance, if joint to a predominantly mnemonic acquisition of course's contents and discontinuous language and logical skills will be assessed in a grading range from good (B = 24-26) to satisfactory (C = 21-23).

Attendance, with a minimum level of knowledge of the course contents, combined with training gaps or inadequate language and logical skills, it will get as grade ‘barely passing' (D = 18-20).

The absence of a minimum level of knowledge of the course contents, combined with inadequate language and logical skills and training gaps, it will produce a fail (E) grading, even in spite of an assiduous attendance.

Non-attending students

Non-attending students will be assessed primarily on the ability to use literature and multimedia tools made available, in order to properly expose the contents of the course. This ability, when combined with the achievement of a coherent framework of the course's themes, the application of critical sense, and suitable means of expression will be considered and evaluated with the maximum grading = A (27-30 con lode).

A predominantly mnemonic acquisition of course's contents along with discontinuous language and logical skills will be assessed in a grading range from good (B = 24-26) to satisfactory (C = 21- 23).

A minimum level of knowledge of the course contents, combined with training gaps or inadequate language and logical skills, it will get as grade ‘barely passing' (D = 18-20).

The absence of a minimum level of knowledge of the course contents, combined with inadequate language and logical skills and training gaps, it will produce a fail (E) grading.

Teaching tools

Slides projection and graphs distribution.

Office hours

See the website of Pierfrancesco Callieri