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2022/2023

Agrarian Archaeology of the Middle Ages

Code: 100331 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500241 Archaeology OB 3 2
2500501 History OT 4 2

Contact

Name:
Félix Retamero Serralvo
Email:
felix.retamero@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Teachers

Helena Kirchner Granell
Josep Maria Vila Rovira
Jesus Brufal Sucarrat

Prerequisites

Ability to read texts in Catalan and in Spanish. Skills in cartographic or drawing software.

Objectives and Contextualisation

-To discuss the state-of-the-art of archaeological studies on agrarian activities and landscapes

-To put into relationship archaeological research and the main historiographical questions on the agrarian practices, and the medieval and, in general, pre-industrial. peasantries.

-To know the general characteristics of medieval agricultures, as well as the related archaeological and textual records

-To make acquiantance of the techniques to study agrarian areas, mainly of the medieval period.

Competences

    Archaeology
  • Carrying out and managing archaeology fieldwork: excavation and survey.
  • Generating innovative and competitive proposals in research and professional activity.
  • Managing the main methods, techniques and analytic tools in archaeology.
  • Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethic relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
    History
  • Applying specific methods and techniques from other social sciences.
  • Producing innovative and competitive proposals in research and professional activity.
  • Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply spatial relations on different regional scales through the relations between nature and society and through a temporal dimension.
  2. Applying both knowledge and analytical skills to the resolution of problems related to their area of study.
  3. Applying both knowledge and capacity for analysis to the resolution of problems related to the field of study.
  4. Applying implementing protocols of fieldwork and sample collection.
  5. Applying proper techniques and analytical tools in case studies.
  6. Applying the appropriate techniques and analytical tools to the case studies.
  7. Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network.
  8. Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network. Expertly making use of the possibilities of Internet.
  9. Collect data in the field by using some of the basic measurement tools (GPS, total station).
  10. Combining technical resources from similar disciplines.
  11. Describe the main typological characteristics of town centres in Greco-Roman antiquity
  12. Develop and use cartographic representations of real phenomena.
  13. Drawing up conventional graphic documents: planimetry, topography, cartography, explanatory drawing.
  14. Establishing investigation protocols for original research projects.
  15. Establishing research protocols for original research projects.
  16. Identify appropriate technical solutions for practical needs to be resolved.
  17. Identify the theoretical concepts that provide a foundation for technical operations.
  18. Interpret maps and extract knowledge about spatial relations and their effect on material and cultural processes in societies.
  19. Interpreting the archaeological fieldwork results by placing them into their historical context.
  20. Interpreting the results coming from the archaeological fieldwork placing them into their historical context.
  21. Mastering specific techniques and instrumental resources of archaeological laboratory analysis.
  22. Mastering the specific techniques and instrumental resources of the archaeological excavations and surveys.
  23. Mastering the techniques and instrumental resources of the analysis of the archaeological laboratory.
  24. Obtain and organise adequate data for each practical need to be solved.
  25. Practice the different forms of acquisition and management of georeferenced spatial information as an instrument of inventory, analysis and interpretation of the territory and of the communication of observations and spatial knowledge through maps and earth observation images.
  26. Produce and organise cartographic data to resolve cartographic needs in archaeology.
  27. Produce conventional graphic documents: planimetric, topographic, cartographic, illustrative drawing.
  28. Produce maps from digital cartographic data, by using technical knowledge compilation, symbolization and cartographic design.
  29. Recognising and implementing the following teamwork skills: commitment to teamwork, habit of cooperation, ability to participate in the problem solving processes.
  30. Recognising the importance of controlling the quality of the work results and their presentation.
  31. Recognising the importance of controlling the quality of the work's results and its presentation.
  32. Reflecting on their own work and the immediate environment's in order to continuously improve it.
  33. Submitting works in accordance with both individual and small group demands and personal styles.
  34. Transmitting the results of archaeological research and clearly communicating conclusions in oral and written form to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  35. Use software of geographical information system to produce and transform digital cartographic data and creating maps.
  36. Using computing tools, both basics (word processor or databases, for example) and specialised software needed in the professional practice of archaeology.
  37. Using computing tools, both basics (word processor or databases, for example) and specialised software needed in the professional practice.
  38. Using the specific interpretational and technical vocabulary of the discipline.
  39. Using the specific technical and interpretational vocabulary of the discipline.

Content

Theory

1. Why an archaeology of medieval peasants and agrarian practices? Agrarian archaeology and the medieval historiography

2. Peasants, agrarian practices and political powers during the High Middle Ages in the Ibeiran peninsula

3. Peasants and agricultural fields in al-Andalus

4. Archaeology and common pool resources in the medieval period

5. Diversifications and specializations in the archaeological record. Agrarian areas and practices before and after the European colonisations (13th-18th c.)

 

Classroom practices: Elaboration of an archaeological research project on medieval agricultural spaces and practices

 

Field practices

Methodology

-Theory: lectures.

-Practical exercises on case-studies; text analysis.

-Work by students: assisting to the lectures; reading, research and analysis of information, assignments. The student must take into account the news and informations published on the Virtual Campus/Moodle. All activities have a deadline that must be met strictly, according to the proposed schedule.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Theory: lectures. Practical exercises on case-studies 40.5 1.62 1, 6, 4, 2, 3, 10, 11, 21, 22, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 31, 30, 38, 39, 37
Type: Supervised      
Tutorial seasons 25 1 5, 6, 10, 12, 21, 23, 22, 14, 15, 25, 16, 24, 9, 33, 26, 29, 31, 30, 32, 38, 39
Type: Autonomous      
Work by students: assisting to the lectures; reading, research and analysis of information, assignments; reports on practical exercises 75 3 5, 6, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, 11, 21, 22, 27, 28, 25, 17, 16, 18, 24, 33, 26, 13, 29, 31, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 35, 36, 37

Assessment

1. One written test (theory): 40 % of the final grade each. 
2. A practical project: 40% of the final grade.

3. A report on the fieldwork practices: 20% of the final grade.

To pass the course a minimum mark 5 will be required.The marks below 3,5 will not add in the calculation of the average nor will allow to participate in the re-avaluation. 
To participate in the re-avaluation process students must have been previously evaluated in a set of activities whose weight equals to a minimum of 60% of the total grade. 

Fieldwork practices cannot be re-avaluated.

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Report fiedwork 20% 3 0.12 1, 5, 6, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 21, 23, 22, 27, 28, 25, 16, 18, 9, 33, 26, 13, 32, 34, 38, 39, 35, 36, 37
Test 1 (theory) 40% 1.5 0.06 1, 5, 6, 2, 3, 10, 11, 21, 22, 17, 19, 20, 18, 34, 38, 39
Test 2 (practical exercise) 40% 5 0.2 1, 5, 6, 4, 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 21, 23, 22, 14, 15, 25, 16, 19, 20, 18, 24, 33, 29, 31, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 37

Bibliography

-Fernández Mier, Margarita (2018) “De la Arqueología del paisaje a la Arqueología Agraria”. Juan Antonio Quirós Ed. Treinta años de arqueología medieval en España. Oxford: Archaeopress, 2018: 225-270.

-Kirchner, Helena (2020)  Arqueología del campesinado en época alto medieval. Reflexiones y propuestas. Imago Temporis Medium Aevum 14: 462-497

-Kirchner, Helena ed. (2010) Por una arqueología agraria. Perspectivas de investigación sobre espacios de cultivo en las sociedades medievales hispánicas, BAR.

-Marston, John M. (June 2011)“Archaeological Markers of Agricultural Risk Management.” Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 30, no. 2, p. 190–205. doi:10.1016/j.jaa.2011.01.002.

-Miret Mestre, Josep (2008) "L'experimentació sobre sitges tradicionals. Aportacions de l'arqueologia i l'agronomia". Revista d'Arqueologia de Ponent, núm.18, pags 217-240

-Morrison, Kathleen D. (1994) “Intensification of Production: Archaeological Perspectives”, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 1-2, p. 111-159

-Oosthuizen, Susan. (2016) “Beyond Hierarchy: Archaeology, Common Rights and Social Identity.” World Archaeology, July, 381– 94. https://doi.org/10.1080/00438243.2016.1180261.

-van der Veen, M. (2005) “Garden and field: tne intensity and scale of food production”, World Archaeology, 37 (2), p. 157-163.

-Quirós, J.A. ed. (2016) Social complexity in Early Medieval rural communities. The North-Western Iberia. Archaeological record, Oxford

-Torró, Josep, Enric Guinot, eds (2012) Hidráulica agraria y sociedad feudal. Prácticas, técnicas, espacios, València.

-Torró, Josep, Enric Guinot, eds (2018), Trigo y ovejas. El impacto de las conquistas en los paisajes andalusíes (siglos XI-XVI). València.

-Vigil, Alfonso et al (2013) Horrea, barns and silos. Storage and incomes in Early Medieval Europe. Bilbao. (Documentos de Arqueologia Medieval, 5).

Software

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