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Archaeological Materials Analysis

Code: 106855 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2504611 Archaeology OB 2

Contact

Name:
Joaquim Pera Isern
Email:
joaquim.pera@uab.cat

Teachers

Mateu Riera Rullan

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

No hi ha prerequisits per cursar aquesta assignatura. El nivell és bàsic a l'abast de tots els estudiants sense formació prèvia.


Objectives and Contextualisation

Aquesta assignatura s’emmarca dins els ensenyaments que complementen l’arqueologia de camp. És de caràcter teoricopràctic i capacita els/les estudiants per enfrontar-se amb èxit a la classificació de material ceràmic de les èpoques antiga, medieval i moderna.

 

Els seu objectiu és la formació bàsica dels/les estudiants ens els aspectes essencials de la ceramologia antiga i en la classificació cronotipològica dels materials ceràmics apareguts a les excavacions realitzades a casa nostra, en jaciments que poden abraçar una cronologia des del segle IV aC fins al segle XIX.


Learning Outcomes

  1. CM09 (Competence) Plan the work processes of archaeology, specifically information processing in the field and laboratory analysis activities, organising work teams and distributing different tasks among their members to achieve the expected goals.
  2. KM12 (Knowledge) Analytically classify different movable and immovable archaeological materials and remains.
  3. KM13 (Knowledge) Apply multidisciplinary techniques and methods to the processing and analysis of archaeological records and materials in laboratory and off-site work: analysis of ceramics, industry, archaeozoology, archaeobotany and osteoarchaeology, digital processing and treatment of archaeological images and data, statistics and quantification.
  4. KM14 (Knowledge) Organise different laboratory activities in archaeology and the processing of archaeological information and images based on the characteristics and requirements of the proposed activity.
  5. SM13 (Skill) Apply the main typological classification systems to archaeological materials from different chronologies, taking into account their morphological characteristics, the materials used and the processes of taphonomic alteration and decay.
  6. SM14 (Skill) Apply the main methods, techniques and instruments of analysis in the field of archaeology (obtaining and processing images), and in off-site (digitisation of images, creation of databases) and laboratory work (analysis of different types of archaeological remains).
  7. SM15 (Skill) Use technological equipment in field and laboratory work: total stations, binocular loupes and microscopes and imaging equipment.
  8. SM16 (Skill) Employ the basic procedures for consolidation and preservation of archaeological materials in the laboratory, assessing their suitability and their impact on future analyses of the same materials.
  9. SM17 (Skill) Use the typical digital and computer equipment and tools for research and professional practice in archaeology in order to represent and order archaeological records (total stations, cameras, specialised software) and to perform analyses of different types of materials (binocular loupes and microscopes, calipers and digital scales, specialised software).

Content

1- Technical aspects of ceramics

2- Pottery as an archaeological document

3- Ceramics from the 4th and 3rd centuries BC

4- Black-glazed Roman ceramics

5- Red-glazed ceramics: Italic and Sudgàl-lica sigillata

6- Hispanic S.T. and its problems

7- African S.T.

8- DSP

9- Thin-walled ceramics

10- African and Italic kitchen ceramics

11- The llànties

12- Introduction to amphorae

13- Utilitarian pottery from the 7th-8th centuries. Transition between late antiquity and the early middle ages.

14- Carolingian pottery, 9th-10th centuries.

15- Catalan grey/oxidised kitchen pottery from the 11th-14th centuries.

16.- The reappearance of table ceramics. The so-called archaic earthenware of Barcelona

17- Catalan ceramics decorated with green and manganese (or purple).

18- Common glazed ceramics from the 13th to the 18th centuries.

19-The appearance of decoration in cobalt moratone. The so-called Barcelona blue ware

20- Catalan lustre-painted or gilded ceramics.

21- Catalan blue ceramics, 16th-19th centuries


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
activitat dirigida 70 2.8
Type: Supervised      
Activitat supervisada 20 0.8
Type: Autonomous      
Activitat autonóma 47 1.88

2.- Practical classes in the laboratory: They constitute 30% of the total of the subject. These classes are designed to review, in small groups, the ceramic productions that have been discussed in the theoretical lessons. This format ensures that all students can touch the materials and above all ask about aspects and details that in the classroom, with the whole group, cannot be easily explained.
 
3. Visit to the Archaeology warehouse of the MUHBA: it takes place at the end of the semester  

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.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Class participation and assistance 20% 10 0.4 CM09, KM12, KM13, KM14, SM13, SM14, SM15, SM16, SM17
Witten tests 80% 3 0.12 CM09, KM12, KM13, KM14, SM13, SM14, SM15, SM16, SM17

The evaluation of the knowledge acquired in this subject is done continuously, through the interventions in the theoretical and practical classes. In addition, students are asked to review some of the publications contained in the bibliography provided by the teachers. Finally, an exam on each of the two parts of the subject (ancient times and medieval and modern times), focusing on theoretical knowledge and practical identification, either with fragments or through photographs of the materials studied.

Students who do not hand in anything or who hand in only half of the evidence will be considered as non-assessable. A re-evaluation will take place at the end of the semester. Students who have submitted all the evaluable evidence and have obtained a failing grade will be entitled to a re-evaluation. The re-evaluation will not be used in any case as a second sitting.


Written assignments

Developing skills in the hierarchical structuring and synthesis of information.

Reading and critical analysis of the bibliography

To ensure adequate written expression

Exams

1 for each of the two parts of the course.

This course does not have a single assessment system.


Bibliography

The bibliography of all kinds of ceramic materials studied will be provided through the virtual campus, in the form of lists of bibliographic sheets, links to ad hoc pages, and documents (articles, book chapters, books) in pdf version, exclusively accessible to registered students.


Software

No specific programme is required.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 11 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 12 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed