ARCHAEOZOOLOGY

Laboratory of ARCHEOZOOLOGY (2 CFU) - didactic activity of the ARCHAEOLOGICAL LABORATORY SP. - is part of the training and guidance internships for the archaeological orientation of the Master' degree in Ancient Civilisation: Literature, History and Archeology.
The aim of the course is providing the basilar skills to identify animal remains from archaeological excavations, in order to understand management and exploitation of animal resources in the past.

1. Knowledge and understanding.
- knowing the main methodologies of collection and documentation of the finds during the archaeological excavation.
- knowing the specific terminology for the bones' description that make up the mammals' skeleton.
- knowing knowledge for taxonomic identification, determination of the age of death and sex of the main domestic mammals, identification and interpretation of traces on bone surface, as well as knowledge of the main methodologies of data interpretation.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding.
- knowing how to apply methodologies and knowledge acquired during the course to a faunistic sample coming from an archaeological excavation.

No prior knowledge is required.

Archeozoology: definition and brief history of the discipline. Relations with other fields.
Materials studied.
Identify animal remains: osteology basis. The comparison collections. The estimation of age and sex: methods of estimating the age of death by dentition and fusion of long bones. Determination of sex through morphological and osteometric criteria.
Osteometry: study methods and objectives.
Taphonomy basis. Excavation methods, relief and recovery of the archeozoological remains. Traces of anthropic and natural origin.
Quantification: calculation of the number of remains (NR) and of the minimum number of individuals (NMI).
Data processing models to define the use of animals.

Notes from the lessons and teaching material provided by the teacher.
Material for further study:
DE GROSSI MAZZORIN J. 2008, Archeozoologia. Lo studio dei resti animali in archeologia, Roma-Bari.
CILLI C., MALERBA G., GIACOBINI G. 2000, Le modificazioni di superficie dei reperti in materia dura animale provenienti da siti archeologici. Aspetti metodologici e considerazioni tafonomiche, in "Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona", 24(2000), pp. 73-98.

The learning assessment consists of a practical test aimed to verify the understanding of the topics presented in class.

The course will be divided into theoretical lectures with projections of Power Point presentations and in a practical part, during which the students will work on osteological materials.

Italian

TO ORGANIZE THE CAPACITY OF THE CLASSROOMS, IT IS REQUIRED TO REGISTER TO THE ARCHAEOZOOLOGY WORKSHOP BY NO LATER THAN THE END OF OCTOBER, BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO THE TEACHER. THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION

For information the student can contact the professor at her e-mail address.

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