Scuola di Specializzazione in Beni Archeologici

The course aims to provide an advanced knowledge of the cultural landscape of the ancient Mediterranean, with a particular focus on the role of cultural mediators carried out by the Phoenicians, both in the pre- and post-classical eras. During the classes, the student will acquire the skills the methodology to critically evaluate the issues dealt with, developing autonomous judgments, ideas, problems, and original reflections.
The course deals with the definition of the concept of "cultural identity" shared among the populations living along the coasts of the Ancient Mediterranean from the first millennium BC. to the Roman age. Retracing the route of the Great Islands traveled by the Minoans, the Mycenaeans and the Levantine sailors since the middle of the second millennium BC, we follow the stages of the settlement of Levantine people in the central and western Mediterranean. The diachronic analysis of some representative archaeological sites, such as Carthage, Motya, Lilibaeum, Karalis, Cadiz, allow us to define times and modalities of the interaction between newcomers and local populations, and allow us to identify the peculiar cultural aspects as the result of the fruitful relations between the Mediterranean populations, which last almost unchanged until the Islamic conquest.
The first part of the course introduces to the problem of defining the construction of a Mediterranean culture of identity and shared, starting from the historical-geographical aspects and the question of chronology, particularly relevant and debated for the period in question, and from the sources. The archaeological evidence relating to the protagonists of this complex process will also be examined and illustrated, the Phoenicians of the Levant and Cyprus in the light of the most recent archaeological discoveries in Syria and Lebanon, Cyprus, Malta, North Africa, southern Italy and islands, Iberian Peninsula.
The second part of the course includes seminars (about 30 minutes) held by the students on topics agreed with the teacher. The choice of the topic favors the aspects most like the areas of interest and study of each participant.
The seminars will be matter of evaluation.