93145 - Archaeology of Monuments and Memory (Lm)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will have a general understanding of the information potential provided by monuments of the past and many other forms of material culture. They will be familiar with some key archaeological contexts regarding transmission of the social and cultural memory of groups and communities, in different time frames. By the end of the course students will possess the knowledge and appropriate theoretical and methodological tools to identify and deal with theoretical contexts rich in significance, whether monuments or material culture in general.

Course contents

This course explores the meaning of monumentality and memory from an archaeological and anthropological perspective. A variety of case studies, both historical and contemporary, will be used to critically examine the concept of the “monument” and to better understand the social, cultural, and economic factors that shape our perception of monumentality.

The first part of the course introduces the concepts of monument, monumentality, and memory, approached within a broader framework that considers these works as integral elements of the landscape and in connection with past and present socio-economic contexts.

The first part of the course introduces the concepts of monument, monumentality, and memory, which will be addressed from a broader perspective that considers these forms as integral elements of the landscape and as connected to both past and present socio-economic contexts.

Main topics covered include:

• Definitions of monument, monumentality, and memory
• Monuments and monumentality: origins, functions, perception, and impact
• Memory: persistence and tradition between past and present
• Cultural memory
• Excavating monuments and memory: archaeology, architecture, anthropology, and ethnography
• Institutions and policies for the management of monuments and tangible and intangible heritage

The second part of the course is dedicated to monumentality in Central Asia, using both case studies from the literature and materials from the Italian-Uzbek Archaeological Project "Samarkand and Its Territory".

Main topics covered include:

• Geographical and historical introduction to Central Asia
• Archaeology and monumentality in Central Asia
• Archaeological sites and monuments in the historical period
• “Unusual monuments”
• Local communities and memory
• Samarkand and the Italian-Uzbek Archaeological Project LINK
•  The KALAM Project LINK

To be considered an attending student, at least 75% of the classes must be attended.

For any communication, please use only the teacher’s email address MAIL

Readings/Bibliography

List of Main Readings Discussed During Lectures and to Be Prepared for the Final Exam

For texts not available online, students are advised to check the Sistema Bibliotecario di Ateneo LINK or contact the teacher directly.

A) Bibliography for Attending and Non-Attending Students

1. Arapov, A. 2013. “Uzbekistan.” In Architecture, edited by B Glaudinov, 159–215. The Artistic Culture of Central Asia and Azerbaijan in the 9th-15th Centuries, IV. Samarkand-Tashkent: International Institute for Central Asian Studies. LINK
2. Assmann, J. 2011. “Communicative and Cultural Memory.” Edited by P. Meusburger, M. Heffernan, and E. Wunder. Cultural Memories: The Geographical Point of View. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.
3. Brysbaeret, A. 2018. “Constructing Monuments, Perceiving Monumentality: Introduction.” In Constructing Monuments, Perceiving Monumentality & the Economics of Building. Theoretical and Methodological Approaches to the Built Environment, edited by A. Brysbaert, V. Klinkenberg, A. Gutiérrez Garcia-Moreno, and I. Vikatou, 21–47. Leiden: Sidestone Press. LINK
4. Buccellati, F. 2019. “Monumentality: Research Approaches and Methodology.” In Size Matters - Understanding Monumentality Across Ancient Civilizations, edited by F. Buccellati, S. Hageneuer, S. van Der Heyden, and F. Levenson, 1st ed., 41–63. Histoire 146. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag. LINK 
5. Jones, S., and L. Russell. 2012. “Archaeology, Memory and Oral Tradition: An Introduction.” International Journal of Historical Archaeology 16: 267–83. LINK
6. Kelly, L. 2015. “Knowledge and Power in Oral Cultures.” In Knowledge and Power in Prehistoric Societies: Orality, Memory and the Transmission of Culture, 1st ed., 14–35. Cambridge University Press. LINK
7. Levenson, F. 2019. “Monuments and Monumentality – Different Perspectives.” In Size Matters - Understanding Monumentality Across Ancient Civilizations, edited by F. Buccellati, S. Hageneuer, S. van Der Heyden, and F. Levenson, 1st ed., 17–39. Histoire 146. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag. LINK
8. Mantellini, S., and A. E. Berdimuradov. 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. Osborne, J. F. 2014. “Monuments and Monumentality.” In Approaching Monumentality in Archaeology, edited by J. F. Osborne, 1–19. Albany: State University of New York Press.

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 The Age of Achievement: A.D. 750 to the End of the Fifteenth Century. Part One. The Historical, Social and Economic Setting, edited by M S Asimov and C E Bosworth, 319–45. History of Civilizations of Central Asia, IV. Paris: UNESCO Publishing. LINK
2. Buccellati, F., S. Hageneuer, S. van Der Heyden, and F. Levenson. 2019. “Introduction.” In Size Matters - Understanding Monumentality Across Ancient Civilizations, edited by F. Buccellati, S. Hageneuer, S. van Der Heyden, and F. Levenson, 1st ed., 11–14. Histoire 146. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag. LINK
3. Hageneuer, S., and S. van Der Heyden. 2019. “Perceiving Monumentality.” In Size Matters - Understanding Monumentality Across Ancient Civilizations, edited by F. Buccellati, S. Hageneuer, S. van Der Heyden, and F. Levenson, 1st ed., 65–89. Histoire 146. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag. LINK
4. Meusburger, P., M. Heffernan, and E. Wunder. 2011. “Cultural Memories: An Introduction.” Edited by P. Meusburger, M. Heffernan, and E. Wunder. Cultural Memories: The Geographical Point of View. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.
5. Paksoy, H. B. 1992. “Central Asian Monuments. Introduction.” In Central Asian Monuments, edited by H. B. Paksoy, 2–4. Istanbul: ISIS Press. LINK
6. Pugachenkova, G. A. 2000. “Urban Development and Architecture. Part One. Transoxiana and Khurasan.” In The Age of Achievement: A.D. 750 to the End of the Fifteenth Century. Part Two: The Achievements, edited by C. E. Bosworth and M. S. Asimov, UNESCO Publishing, 507–56. History of Civilizations of Central Asia, IV. Paris. LINK

 

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures and collective discussions based on the assigned readings and topics covered in class.

Students are strongly encouraged to participate actively in class discussions.

International specialists will be invited to present specific topics and case studies.

The course and lectures taught entirely in English.

Assessment methods

The exam is oral and consists of an assessment of the knowledge acquired during the course through the student's ability to present the course topics in a clear, concise, and critical manner.

A) Attending students may choose between two options:

1. Oral presentation based on:
   i) the topics covered and teaching materials provided during the lectures;
   ii) the exam bibliography for attending students (see above: READINGS/BIBLIOGRAPHY items 1–9).
2. Written essay on topics discussed during the course. The oral exam will focus on the content of the essay.
   The topic must be agreed in advance with the teacher and submitted at least two weeks before the scheduled exam date.
   Students are encouraged to follow the template and guidelines available on the VIRTUALE platform.

B) Non-attending students are required to prepare the full list of readings indicated (see above: READINGS/BIBLIOGRAPHY items 1–18).
Students with specific needs may contact the teacher at the beginning of the course to arrange an alternative programme.

The grading system (out of 30) will be the same for attending and non-attending students and will be based on the following criteria:

• knowledge of the topics
• clarity of presentation
• ability to summarize complex concepts
• correct use of terminology
• ability to develop and articulate critical, well-structured arguments
• active participation in class discussions (for attending students)

A high level of proficiency in all of the above will be required in order to achieve an excellent grade.

Teaching tools

Lectures and seminars by invited specialists will be accompanied by slides, images, and documents made available to the class on the course’s VIRTUALE platform, along with the bibliography for both attending and non-attending students, in accordance with copyright regulations. Additional readings may be available online or through the Sistema Bibliotecario di Ateneo LINK.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible LINK as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Simone Mantellini