Settlements and Urbanism in Prehistory
Code: 106880 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Archaeology | OP | 3 |
Contact
- Name:
- Pedro Castro Martínez
- Email:
- pedro.castro@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
There are no special prerequisites.
Objectives and Contextualisation
Classroom will review the social keys of the architectural structuring and the economic and political-ideological configuration of the social spaces in settlements.
Theoretical-methodological bases are aimed at the development of Social Archaeology. Special attention will be paid to the materia expression of social practices, from architectural production (land, materials, technologies and work) to
activities carried out by social groups, and its articulation in architectural units, as well as the organization of spaces in settlements (urbanism).
Some cases of non-literate societies, the subject of prehistoric archaeology studies, will be presented and analyzed to illustrate the topics discussed in different geographies and times.
Learning Outcomes
- CM18 (Competence) Identify social, economic and environmental impact in the past and present of the different processes of change that occurred in prehistory based on a critical evaluation of the archaeological evidence from different periods and geographical areas.
- CM19 (Competence) Expose the participation of women in the prehistoric societies of Africa, Eurasia and America and the social construction of gender relations and the sexual division of labour.
- KM28 (Knowledge) Defend the contributions and implications of the main theoretical proposals of archaeology (traditional, processual, post-processual, feminist, Marxist archaeologies) on the societies of the different periods of the prehistory of Africa, Eurasia and America.
- KM29 (Knowledge) Chronologically arrange the appearance of different architectural types, the main complexes of lithic industry, and the most relevant ceramic, archaeozoological and archaeobotanical assemblages of European prehistory.
- KM30 (Knowledge) Characterise the main historical processes of prehistoric societies in relation to paleoenvironmental and social effects, identifying the contributions of recent archaeological research to previous knowledge.
- KM31 (Knowledge) Recognise androcentric biases in representations and dissemination of prehistory to develop inclusive analyses that recognise the roles of women and sexual division.
- SM30 (Skill) Critically analyse prehistoric societies to identify inference processes, the biases of the different theoretical models and the potential and limitations of existing records.
- SM31 (Skill) Synthesise the contribution of different factors to the processes of social change and environmental impact in the different periods of prehistory, especially European.
- SM32 (Skill) Produce hypotheses about periods of the prehistory of Africa, Eurasia and America from the recognition, critical interpretation and synthesis of records from archaeological projects.
Content
1.-SOCIAL SPACE AND SOCIAL PRACTICES.
-Archaeology of Settlements as Social Archaeology.
-Theories of Social Space.
-Landscapes, Scenarios, Ruins and Monuments.
-Functionality and Efficiency: Systemic of Space.
-Fenomenologies and Social Construction of Space.
-Social Materiality of Space.
-The Social Practices and the Social Space
-Areas of Activity and Social Structures
-Social Spaces vs Settlements
-Temporality: Provisionality, Precariousness, Mobility and Sedentarization.
-Discontinuities of Settlements: Settlement Pattern.
2.-ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDS IN SETTLEMENTS.
-Archaeological Sites and Settlements.
-Formation of Archaeological Sites: Phases (Temporary Sequence) and Conservation Problems.
-Theories of Archaeological Excavation: Record Methodologies. Levels, Strata, Stratigraphic Units and Sets.
-Records: Descriptive Units.
3.-SOCIAL LABOUR AND ARCHITECTURE.
-Architecture: Monuments, Art and Popular Architecture.
-Labour and Architecture
-Terrains and Material
-Basic Matter and Architectural Techniques.
-Architectural Typology of Structures.
-Production of Architectural Maintenance.
4.-SOCIAL PLACES AND SETTLEMENTS.
-The Social Places: Reality of the Social Life.
-Social PLaces: Form, Function, and Use.
-Domestic Units: Domestic Groups, Families and Kinship Groups.
-Singular Places.
-Specialized Places (Economic, Political and Ideological).
-Necropolis: Funerary Places.
-Places ofCirculation, and Places of Meeting.
-Demography and Social Groups.
-Use, Possession and Property of the Space
-The Fallacy of the Private and the Public
-Politics and Coercion in Social Spaces
-Dailyness and Excepcionallity in Social Places.
5.- COMMUNITY, CITY AND URBANISM.
-Campaments, Villages and Cities
-Spaciality and Specialization
-Centralization vs Segmentation
-Jerquization vs. Horizontalization.
-Urbanism, City and State.
6.-CASE STUDIES. PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENTS (Selection).
-IBERIC SOUTH-EAST: HORIZON OF VILLENA (1500-1200 cal ANE).
-MALLORCA: HORIZON OF SON FERRAGUT (700-450 cal ANE).
-SOUTH COAST OF PERU: HORIZONS OF CERRO DE EL TRIGAL (700-100 cal ANE).
-SOUTH COAST OF PERU: HORIZONS OF CAHUACHI (100 cal ANE-400 cal DNE)
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Classroom Practices | 20 | 0.8 | CM18, CM19, KM28, KM29, SM30, CM18 |
| Lectures | 70 | 2.8 | CM18, CM19, KM28, KM29, SM30, SM32, CM18 |
| Visits to Archaeological Sites | 10 | 0.4 | KM29, KM31, SM32, KM29 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Completion of guided learning exercises | 5 | 0.2 | KM28, KM29, SM30, SM32, KM28 |
| Tutorials | 15 | 0.6 | CM18, CM19, KM28, KM29, KM30, KM31, SM30, SM32, CM18 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Research of documentation and comprehensive reading of texts | 20 | 0.8 | CM18, KM28, KM29, KM31, SM30, SM32, CM18 |
| Writing papers and study | 10 | 0.4 | CM18, KM28, KM29, KM31, SM30, SM32, CM18 |
• Lectures and debate sessions.
• Classroom Practice: Course work on cases of architectural structuring and social spaces in settlements.
• Presentation and debate of the results of course work.
• Visit to an archaeological site to learn about the architectural evidence and contexts, as well as experimental archaeology activities and reconstructions.
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 through questionnaires.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field trip to a site | 10 | 0 | 0 | KM28, KM29, KM30, KM31, SM32 |
| Follow-up and participation | 20 | 0 | 0 | CM18, KM28, KM29, KM31, SM30, SM32 |
| Presentation and discussion of course work | 20 | 0 | 0 | CM18, CM19, KM28, KM29, SM30, SM31, SM32 |
| Written course work | 50 | 0 | 0 | CM18, CM19, KM28, KM29, KM31, SM30, SM31, SM32 |
-Participation in discussions, relevant issues, and design in tutorials of the content and script of the Course Work (20%)
-Assistance and commentary on camp activities (10%)
-Class presentation of the Analysis of Social Spaces in a Settlement, self-evaluated by the students (20%)
-Written presentation of the Critical Analysis of the Publication of the Studies of Social Spaces in a Settlement (50%). Reassessable.
At the time of completion/liurament of each evaluable activity, the (Virtual Campus) will be informed of the procedure and data for reviewing the qualifications.
The Non-Assessable qualification will apply as long as no more than 30% of the assessment activities have been completed.
In cases where any irregularity is carried out that could lead to a significant variation in the qualification of an assessment act, it will qualify either this assessment act, regardless of the disciplinary process that it can instruct. In cases where various irregularities occur in the evaluation acts of a subject, the final qualification of that subject will be 0.
Bibliography
Keys and Concepts of the Subject.
CASTRO-MARTINEZ, PV; GONZALEZ MARCEN, P (1989), "El Concepto de Frontera. Impliaciones Teóricas de la Noción de Territorio Político", Arqueología Espacial, 13: 7-18.
CASTRO-MARTÍNEZ, PV; LULL,V; MICO, R. (1993), "Arqueología algo más que Tafonomía", Arqueología Espacial, 16-17. Teruel
CASTRO-MARTÍNEZ, PV et al. (1996), "Teoría de los Conjuntos Arqueológicos", en Proyecto Gatas (1). Sociedad y Economía en el Sudeste de España, c. 2500-900 cal ANE, Consejería de Cultura, Sevilla, "Serie Arqueología-Monografías".
CASTRO-MARTÍNEZ, PV et al (1996), "Teoría de las prácticas sociales", Complutum, extra 6, Homenaje a M. Fernández-Miranda, vol. II, pp. 35-48.
CASTRO-MARTÍNEZ, PV; ESCORIZA MATEU, T; SANAHUJA YLL, ME (2002), "Trabajo y Espacios Sociales en el Ambito Doméstico", Geocrítica-Scripta Nova, VI, 119 (10).
CASTRO-MARTINEZ, PV et al (2002), "¿Qué es una ciudad?", Geocrítica-Scripta Nova, VII.
CASTRO-MARTÍNEZ, PV; ESCORIZA MATEU, T; SANAHUJA YLL, ME (2003), "Trabajo, Reciprocidad y Explotación", en I. Terradas, J.L. Molina y C. Larrea, eds (2003), El Recurso a la Reciprocidad- IX Congreso de Antropología, Barcelona.
CASTRO-MARTÍNEZ, PV, ESCORIZA MATEU, T; SANAHUJA YLL, ME (2004), "A la búsqueda de las mujeres y a los hombres: Sujetos Sociales, Espacios Estructurados y Análisis de Materiales", Avances en Arqueometría 2003, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz.
CASTRO-MARTÍNEZ, PV; ESCORIZA MATEU, T (2005), "Trabajo y Sociedad en Arqueología", Revista Atlántica-Mediterránea de Arqueología Social, 7: 131-147
CASTRO-MARTÍNEZ, PV et al (2005), "Trabajo, Producción y Neolítico", III Congreso delNeolítico en la Península Ibérica, Santander.
CASTRO-MARTÍNEZ, PV et al (2006), Contra la Falsificación del Pasado Prehistórico, Institutode la Mujer, Madrid.
CASTRO-MARTINEZ, PV et al (2009), "Unlike Communities. Domestic Architectural Duality in Late Prehistory of the Western Mediterranean", BAR int. Series, Oxford, 143-152.
CASTRO-MARTINEZ, PV; ESCORIZA MATEU, T (2009), "Lugares Reales y Lugares Ideales. Realidad y Construcción de Ficciones en Arqueología", Cuadernos de Prehistoria de la Universidad de Granada, 19.
Settlemennt Archaeology
BRÜCK, J; GOODMAN, M (1999), Making places in the prehistoric world: themes in settlement archaeology, UCL Press, London.
BURILLO MOZOTA, F (ed) (1984-93), Arqueologia Espacial. Coloquio sobre distribución y relaciones entre los asentamientos, 1-12. Seminario de Arqueologia y Etnologia Turolense-Colegio Universitario de Teruel, Teruel.
BURNHAM, BC; KINGSBURY, J (eds) (1979), Space, hierarchy and society: interdisciplinary studies in social area analysis, BAR Int. Series, 59, Oxford.
CLARKE, DL (1978), Analitycal Archaeology, 2ª ed (Arqueología analítica, 2ª ed., Ed. Bellaterra, Barcelona,1984).
CRIBB, R. (1991), Nomads in archaeology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
GRAEBER, David, & David Wengrow (2021), El amanecer de todo: Una nueva historia de la humanidad, Ariel, Barcelona.
GUIDONI, E (1989), Arquitectura Primitiva. "Historia Universal de la Arquitectura", Ed. Aguilar. Madrid.
HASSAN, FA(ed) (1981): Demographic Archaeology, Academic Press, London
KENT, S. (1990), Domestic Architecture an the Use of Space. An Interdisciplinary crosscultural study. Cambridge University Press
LUMBRERAS, L. G. (2005), Arqueologia y Sociedad, Instituto Estudios Peruanos, Lima
MANZANILLA, L (ed) (1988), Coloquio Childe. Estudiossobre las revoluciones neolítica y urbana, Universidad Autonoma de México, Mexico DF.
RENFREW, C; BAHN, P (1991),Archaeology. Theories, Methods and Practice, Thames and Hudson, Londres. (Arqueología. Teoría, Métodos y Práctica, Akal, Madrid, 1993).
SPRIGGS, M (ed) (1978), Social organisation and settlement, BAR Int. Series, 47, Oxford.
UCKO, PJ; TRINGHAM, R; DIMBLEDY, GW (eds) (1972), Man, Settlement and Urbanism, Duckwort, London.
TRIGGER, BG (1967), "Settlement Archaeology-Its Goals and Promise", American Antiquity, 32-149-160.
AA.VV. (2002), Arqueología de la Arquitectura. Actas del Seminario Internacional de Arqueología de la Arquitectura: Vitoria-Gasteiz, 18-21 de febrero de 2002, 1.
Sociology of Social Space Production
AUGE, M. (1992) Los No Lugares. Espacios del Anonimato. Una Antropología de la Sobremodernidad, Gedisa, Barcelona.
BOURDIEU, P (2003), Las Estructuras Sociales de la Economía, Anagrama, Barcelona.
CHILDE, VG (1954), Los orígenes de la civilización, F.C.E., México.
FOUCAULT, M (1975), Vigilar y Castigar, Siglo XXI, Madrid.
KENT, S (ed) (1990), Domestic architecture and the use of space. An interdiscipinary crosscultural study,Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, "New directions in Archaeology".
LEFEBVRE, H (1962), Critique de la vie quotidienne, Arché Editeur, Paris, "Le Sens de la Marche" (Crítica de la vida cotidiana, México, FCE, 1979)
LEFEBVRE, H (1976), "La producción del espacio" en Espacio y política, el derecho a la ciudad ll Península, Barcelona.
SAMSON, R (ed) (1990), The Social Archaeology of Houses, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
SANCHEZ, JE (1992), Geografía Política, Ed. Síntesis, Madrid.
Archaeological Records.
BATE, LF (1993), Del registro estático al pasado dinámico: entre un salto mortal y un milagro dialéctico, Arqueología Espacial, 18: 1-21.
BINFORD, LR (1981), "Behavioral archaeology and the Pompeii premise", Journal of Anthropological Research, 37:3: 195-208
CARANDINI, A (1997), Historias en la Tierra. Manual de excavación arqueológica. Crítica, Barcelona..
HARRIS, EC (1991), Principios de estratigrafía arquológica. Crítica, Barcelona.
ROSKAMS, S. (2001), Excavation, Press Syndicate of the Univeristy Press (Teoría y Práctica de la excavación, Crítica, Barcelona, 2003).
WHEELER, M. (1956), Archaeology from the Earth (Arqueología de Campo, FCE, México, 1961).
"Spatial Anallysis" in Archaeology
CLARKE, DL (ed) (1977), Spatial archaeology, Academic Press, Londres.
CONOLLY, J; LAKE, M (2009), Sistemas de Información Geográfica aplicados a la Arqueología, Bellaterra, Barcelona "Arqueología"
HIETALA, H (ed) (1984): Intrasite Spatial Archaeology. Cambridge Univ. Press.
HODDER, I; ORTON, C (1990), Análisis espacial en arqueología. Crítica, Barcelona.
KINTIGH, KW; AMMERMAN, A (1982): "Heuristic Approaches to spatial analysis in archaeology". American Antiquity, 47, 1: 31-63.
WHALLON, R (1973), "Spatial analysis of ocupation floors I: application of dimensional analysis of variance".American Antiquity, 38,3: 266-278.
WHALLON, R (1974), "Spatial analysis of ocupation floors II: the aplication of nearest neighbor analysis". American Antiquity, 39,1: 16-34.
WÜNSCH, G. (1989), "La organización interna de los asentamientos de comunidades cazadoras-recolectoras". Trabajos de Prehistoria, 46: 13-33.
Software
Word, Power Point, PDF reader, internet browser
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Spanish | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PCAM) Field practices | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Spanish | second semester | morning-mixed |