Archaeology

ALESSANDRA TEN

The aim of the course is to equip students with the critical skills necessary for the reading and interpretation of archaeological structures, as well as the methods and field strategies aimed at deciphering structural systems for the correct virtual reconstruction.

The course is preferably aimed at students who have not studied the subject during their bachelor's degree.

The course is aimed at the critical study of ancient buildings. Topics will cover methods and tools for the analytical reading and structural interpretation of remains. Construction materials and building techniques: natural characteristics and variations in strength; methods of procurement, processing, and installation. The equilibrium of buildings: principles of elementary statics. The construction process, from design to the construction site: natural constraints and the influences of site morphology on architectural configurations. The deciphering of ancient remains: from literary sources to the reading of wall palimpsests through surveying and the interpretation of crack patterns. Examples of issues related to the correct interpretation of ancient structures will be provided both in the classroom, with image projections, and during site visits to archaeological areas with well-preserved architectural remains.

C.F. Giuliani, L'edilizia nell'antichità, Roma 2019
Scientific papers related to specific topics in ancient architecture will be provided during the course.

The course includes lectures with image projections related to the topics discussed. Site visits to archaeological areas will be organized for direct verification of the issues addressed in class.
Starting from Monday, October 6, the lessons will be held as follows:
Monday 4:00-6:00 PM - Auletta di archeologia
Tuesday 12:00-2:00 PM -Auletta di archeologia

Starting from Monday, October 6, the lessons will be held as follows:
Monday 4:00-6:00 PM - Auletta di archeologia
Tuesday 12:00-2:00 PM -Auletta di archeologia

The assessment of learning will focus on the topics addressed during the lectures concerning structural statics, building techniques, and the interpretation of the architectural context carried out through surveying. Discussions will also take place during the evaluation of the drawings produced during field activities—an integral part of the course—both with regard to methodological aspects and to the critical interpretation of building techniques and structural components.

The exam will focus on the topics covered during the course and on the identification of structural and construction systems based on images.

• 18 hours of classroom instruction covering the course introduction, the contextualization of the topic within archaeological studies, and the principles of structural statics.
  • Books: C.F. Giuliani, L'edilizia nell'antichità, pp. 13-140. Selected brief excerpts from S. Di Pasquale, L'arte di costruire. Tra conoscenza e scienza.


• 14 hours of classroom instruction focusing on special building techniques related to roofs, elevations, and terracing systems, as well as the critical analysis of archaeological contexts within these categories.
  • Books: Scientific articles directly related to the topics covered will be provided and discussed during lectures.


• 8 hours of classroom instruction on direct and indirect survey theory, planning methods, traditional instruments, and technologies, including contextualization of the site and its distinctive architectural features.
  • Books: Recommended readings for the historical and topographical contextualization of the archaeological area under survey.


• 26 hours of instruction on surveying archaeological structures for interpretation and virtual reconstruction. The archaeological area for this part of the course will be announced at the beginning of the course.
  • Books: C.F. Giuliani’s L’edilizia nell’antichità will be studied in full, focusing on all aspects identifiable in the surveyed remains.


• 18 hours of classroom instruction for digital processing of field survey data and three-dimensional modeling.