CHRISTIAN AND MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY

The course aims to provide the student with the basic knowledge on the monumental contexts, the architectural heritage, the themes of figurative art and documents of material culture related to the Mediterranean world in the Late Antiquity and in the Middle Ages, with reference to the evaluation of historical, cultural and artistic results and in relation to the development and organization of the Christian communities and the transformation phenomena of late antiquity. There will be seminars, guided tours in the catacombs of Syracuse and in the main buildings of Christian and Medieval Catania. In addition, 2 workshops will be held, one regarding the corpus of Christian symbols in the epigraphical documentation, the other on the archaeological heritage and its digital communication.

The course aims to provide the student with the basic knowledge on the monumental contexts, the architectural heritage, the themes of figurative art and documents of material culture related to the Mediterranean world in the Late Antiquity and in the Middle Ages, with reference to the evaluation of historical, cultural and artistic results and in relation to the development and organization of the Christian communities and the transformation phenomena of late antiquity. There will be seminars, guided tours in the catacombs of Syracuse and in the main buildings of Christian and Medieval Catania. In addition, 2 workshops will be held, one regarding the corpus of Christian symbols in the epigraphical documentation, the other on the archaeological heritage and its digital communication.

- Introduction. Definition, area and history of the studies. The written sources.

- The origins. First attestations of Christian monuments in the cities and suburbs (domus ecclesiae, burial areas). Origin and development of the basilica, forms and functions. Development of cemeteries and ritual spaces, and the cult of the martyrs, the decorative programs.

- The elaboration of a specific figurative language: classical tradition and artistic transformations in late antiquity, the artistic production with particular reference to painting and sculpture; notes on material culture.

- The main processes of transformation of the settlement: cities, suburbs and territory.

- F. Bisconti - O. Brandt (a cura di), Lezioni di Archeologia Cristiana (Sussidi allo studio delle antichità cristiane, 27), Pontificio Istituto di Archeologia Cristiana, Città del Vaticano 2014, pp. 1-636 (to study in full).

Additional bibliography will be provided on Studium during the course.

Please remember that in compliance with art 171 L22.04.1941, n. 633 and its amendments, it is illegal to copy entire books or journals, only 15% of their content can be copied.

For further information on sanctions and regulations concerning photocopying please refer to the regulations on copyright (Linee Guida sulla Gestione dei Diritti d’Autore) provided by AIDRO - Associazione Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle opere dell’ingegno (the Italian Association on Copyright).

All the books listed in the programs can be consulted in the Library.