Historiography and Theories of Archaeology

Teacher(s)

Cavalieri Marco; Vanden Broeck-Parant Jean;

Language

French
> English-friendly

Main themes

Engaging in transitional ecosystemsThe course aims to present the history and evolution of the issues at stake in the discipline of archaeology through the ages. It will be divided into two parts. The first deals with the relationship with the past and the development of archaeology from Antiquity through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the 18th century. The second part will look at the development of archaeology as a scientific discipline, from the 19th century to the present day, tracing the main currents that have run through it, right up to recent approaches and theories. - Building a common world

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

Place the discipline of archaeology in a historical perspective, with an awareness of the successive social and cultural contexts that have produced discourses and points of view on the material past of societies. Adopt a critical and reasoned approach to the various currents (particularly theoretical) that have run through archaeology, with a view to appropriating them and applying them wisely.

Content

The first part of the course looks at the foundations of archaeology and explores the relationship with the past and material culture, beginning with Antiquity and the Middle Ages. With the emergence of humanism in the Renaissance, the course then turns to antiquarians and the development of the first collections, followed in the 17th century by the great travellers and learned societies. Finally, in the 18th century, we look at the first museums, the discovery of major sites (Pompeii, Herculaneum) and the development of art history as a discipline (Winckelmann).

The second part of the course traces the gradual establishment of archaeology as a scientific discipline in the 19th century, and its various developments over the course of the 20th century, in order to understand the debates that drive it today. Starting with processualism and post-processualism as the two foundations of modern archaeology, the various theoretical branches taken by archaeology at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century will be addressed: gender archaeology, feminist and decolonial archaeology, actor-network theory (ANT), cognitive archaeology, etc.

Teaching methods

Lectures combined with interactive sessions based on preparatory readings and requiring an active participation by the students.

Evaluation methods

Continuous assessment based on a discussion between both teachers and each student. Active participation during the interactive sessions is also taken into account for the final grade. 

Bibliography

Une bibliographie se rapportant aux différents cours est fournie aux étudiants, ainsi que les lectures à préparer en vue des séances de discussion. 

Faculty or entity

> EHAC