Mediterranean Archaeology

For the understanding and interpretation of the Greek and Roman past, the imagery of those cultures has always been an important source of information, besides the written sources (if at all available) and the ever-richer archaeological material. The classical research developed a broad range of analytical methods to address the topic of the image in the past, from the ‘positivistic’ classification to the ‘structuralist’ contextualisation. However, these studies started gradually giving way to the more anthropological, social and natural science approaches since the late 1970s. It was only in the last decade that the interest in visual aspect of the material remains arouse again under the new categories of image science and visual culture studies. Therefore, the primary aim of the course will be to address all the possible facets of the visual culture of the ancient world, from the Geometric period to the Late Antiquity. While the commonly used means of iconography, iconology and reception will be discussed, the course aims at exploring whether and how the contemporary approaches to the visual culture – the natural sciences inclusive – can contribute to the study of ancient societies; we seek to discuss the semantic level of the use of specific themes in distinct contexts, the variations in the depiction schemes and their evolvement depending on external influences. These and further questions should allow us to understand the visual culture as an inherent part of the ancient world relating to its functional, chronological and social context. Therefore we will approach the debate on visual culture from two viewpoints: the first is the presentation of the concept, and the second is the proposal for its development based on the association between image and material culture. In this sense, we will discuss two basic elements in the archaeological treatment of images, based on the notion of material culture: the concepts of support and context. Finally, considering the previous theoretical debate, we will present some case studies. At the end of the course the student will be provided with appropriate bibliographical references, proper and updated methodological instruments to interpret the language of images created in the Ancient Greek and Roman world. Reading of methodological essays and the analysis of iconographic series, as well as specific figurative programs, are aimed to understand the meaning of Greek and Roman world images, with their reception in culturally related contexts. In addition, there will be references to the way in which this legacy of classical imagery has played its role in postclassical European figurative culture.