ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDING

Academic Year 2026/2027 - Teacher: MARIANNA FIGUERA

Expected Learning Outcomes

1) Knowledge and understanding

To provide students with knowledge of the main methodologies and traditional and digital tools used for direct and indirect surveying in archaeology.

The course aims to provide students with the tools to carry out surveys independently, allowing them to practise the techniques covered in lectures during practical sessions.

Through the selection of significant case studies, the course will also offer a general overview of current methodological approaches, taking into account the constantly evolving relationship between archaeology and information technology.

2) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding

To enable students to apply the tools and skills acquired by independently undertaking archaeological surveying in its various forms and applications; to navigate independently in locating and consulting research sources and tools, as well as in the operational procedures for carrying out the survey of a monument or archaeological context.

3) Independent judgement

To develop in students a critical approach to texts and survey methodologies, encouraging them to undertake independent research and comparisons, and fostering their ability to formulate and defend hypotheses, as well as to analyse and evaluate the methodological approaches applied and the scientific results of the selected case studies.

4) Communication skills

To equip students with the basic technical language and specialist vocabulary of the discipline, enabling them to communicate their scientific knowledge effectively and using appropriate terminology. To foster the ability to distinguish between strictly scientific and popularised modes of communication.

5) Learning skills

To develop the ability to independently identify the most representative scientific texts and understand them adequately; to be able to critically consult bibliographic resources useful for in-depth analysis and sector-specific studies; to be able to independently process data and survey techniques using tools (including software) and the methodological approaches acquired.

Course Structure

The course uses lectures to impart general theoretical knowledge, such as the main methodologies and the traditional and digital tools used for direct and indirect surveying in archaeology.

To enable students to carry out surveying work independently, practical sessions involving direct surveying and exercises utilising information technology for cultural heritage will be organised.

Attendance of Lessons

Attendance is not compulsory

Detailed Course Content

The course is divided into three modules.

The first module provides a general overview of the discipline of archaeological surveying.

The second module addresses methodological issues relating to the surveying of various types of archaeological contexts, covering aspects of the main methodologies used, traditional and digital tools, and direct and indirect surveying techniques. Through practical direct surveying activities, students will have the opportunity to experiment with different methods and techniques.

In the third module, partly through the selection of significant case studies, the issue of digitisation will be explored in depth, focusing on the processing and management of 2D and 3D data. Laboratory exercises will be carried out using CAD and GIS.

Textbook Information

MODULE I – Framing the discipline (1 ECTS)

E. Giorgi, Introduzione al rilievo per l’archeologia. in: E. Giorgi (ed.), In profondità senza scavare. Metodologie di indagine non invasiva e diagnostica per l'archeologia, Groma 2, Bologna BraDypUS 2009, pp. 29-68. (40 pp.) https://books.bradypus.net/groma2.html

                                                                             

MODULE II – Survey in Archaeology (2 ECTS)

M. Bianchini, Manuale di rilievo e documentazione digitale in archeologia, Roma: Aracne Editrice 2008, pp. 23-167.

[186 pp. https://www.academia.edu/42698823/Manuale_di_rilievo_e_di_documentazione_digitale_in_archeologia]

 

In alternativa

M. Medri, Manuale di rilievo archeologico, Bari: Laterza 2025. [317 pp. Volume cartaceo]

 

MODULE III – Data management and technologies for documentation (3 ECTS)

M. Bianchini, Manuale di rilievo e documentazione digitale in archeologia, Roma 2008, pp. 169-355.

[128 pp. https://www.academia.edu/42698823/Manuale_di_rilievo_e_di_documentazione_digitale_in_archeologia]

 

J. Bogdani, Archeologia e tecnologie di rete: metodi strumenti e risorse digitali, Roma 2019, pp. 89-121 (Capitolo 4: GIS e webGIS tra archiviazione, analisi e pubblicazione dei dati geografici) [33 pp. https://books.bradypus.net/archeologia_e_tecnologie_di_rete.html]

 

J. Bogdani, GIS in Archeologia, in: E. Giorgi (ed.), In profondità senza scavare. Metodologie di indagine non invasiva e diagnostica per l'archeologia, Groma 2, Bologna BraDypUS 2009, pp. 421-438. [18 pp. https://books.bradypus.net/groma2.html]

 

S. Berto, E. Demetrescu, E. Cocca, Extended Matrix Manager: an open tool for EM based knowledge graphs management, Archeologia e Calcolatori 35.2, 2024, pp. 167-176. [10 pp. https://www.archcalc.cnr.it/journal/articles/1338]

 

L. Mandolesi, E. Cocca, PyArchInit: gli sviluppi dopo ArcheoFoss 2009, Archeologia e Calcolatori, Supplemento 4, 2013, pp. 128-138.

[11 pp. https://www.archcalc.cnr.it/supplements/articles/697]

 

 

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).

The teachers undertake, within the limits of the financial resources, to ensure as far as possible that a copy of the adopted texts is available in the departmental library or (in the case of hard-to-find texts, articles and essays) to make them available on Studium, in accordance with the applicable copyright laws.

VERSIONE IN ITALIANO