Prehistory
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The lecture course will provide the tools to understand the chronological and geographical development of the European prehistoric and protohistoric cultures, their ideological and socio-economic structures, their arts, craft and building and, finally, their cultural and funerary self-representation.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the lecture course, the student will have acquired the ability to read the historical-archaeological evolution of European pre-protohistoric cultures in terms of material culture and ideology.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Part A (20 hours, 3 ECTS): Introduction to Prehistory and Protohistory. Contents, principles, methods, and practices.
Part B (20 hours, 3 ECTS): From the Late Copper Age to the Early Bronze Age. The Bell Beaker phenomenon.
Part C (20 hours, 3 ECTS): The Bell Beaker phenomenon in mainland Italy and the islands.
Part B (20 hours, 3 ECTS): From the Late Copper Age to the Early Bronze Age. The Bell Beaker phenomenon.
Part C (20 hours, 3 ECTS): The Bell Beaker phenomenon in mainland Italy and the islands.
Prerequisites for admission
Prehistory; European protohistory; Methodology of archaeological research (strongly recommended). Curiosity, willingness to work in groups and actively contribute to the individual and collective learning process.
Teaching methods
The course will be delivered in the "in-presence" mode. Since the course is classified as type Alfa, 10% of the lessons (2 hours at the beginning of each Module) will also be delivered online, with streaming via Teams enabled. The course will take place alternating frontal lessons with individual or group presentations by the students. The lessons will present images in the form of power points and the use of other media. Excursions to museums and places of interest in the discipline are planned.
Teaching Resources
The teaching materials presented during lectures (slides) and the handouts will be available on the Prehistory page of the MyAriel platform.
Part A
1. Tecchiati, U. (2025). Preistoria. In F. Berlinzani, G. Calegari, A. Consonni, C. Orsini, L. Peyronel, U. Tecchiati, C. Visconti, M. Della Misericordia, & C. Fredella (Eds.), Preistoria e storia antica: Fondamenti per l'insegnamento nella scuola primaria. Milano: Pearson. ISBN 978-88-91936-19-6.
2. Tecchiati, U. (2025). Ecologia preistorica: Ambiente, società e cultura nella preistoria d'Italia. Torino: UTET Università. ISBN 978-88-6008-898-7.
3. Demoule, J.-P. (2019). I dieci millenni dimenticati hanno cambiato la storia (I. Bouslama & L. Visonà, Trad.). Gorizia: LEG Edizioni. (La clessidra di Clio, 35). ISBN 978-88-6102-619-3.
4. Graeber, D., & Wengrow, D. (2023). L'alba di tutto: Una nuova storia dell'umanità (R. Zuppet, Trad.). Milano: Rizzoli. (BUR, La storia, le storie). ISBN 978-88-1718-092-4.
5. Manzi, G. (2024). Antenati: Lucy e altri racconti dal tempo profondo. Bologna: Il Mulino. (Intersezioni, 608). ISBN 978-88-1538-801-8.
6. Renfrew, C. (2011). Preistoria: L'alba della mente umana (C. Matthiae, Trad.). Torino: Giulio Einaudi Editore. (Piccola Biblioteca Einaudi. Mappe, 28). ISBN 978-88-06-20648-2.
7. Rigal, G. (2022). Il tempo sacro delle caverne: Da Chauvet a Lascaux, le ipotesi della scienza (S. D'Onofrio, Trad.). Milano: Adelphi. (Il ramo d'oro, 73). ISBN 978-88-459-3676-0.
8. Wragg Sykes, R. (2021). Neandertal: Vita, arte, amore e morte (F. Pe', Trad.). Torino: Bollati Boringhieri. (Saggi). ISBN 978-88-3393-756-4.
9. Supplementary readings provided by the instructor.
Part B
1. Vander Linden, M. (2024). The Bell Beaker phenomenon in Europe: A harmony of difference. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009496872 (freely downloadable at this link: https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/bell-beaker-phenomenon-in-europe/6CE35EF669A4A6A910AAB12FDA3C370C)
2. Broodbank, C. (2018). Il Mediterraneo: Dalla preistoria alla nascita del mondo classico (D. Cianfriglia & C. Veltri, Trans.). Torino: Giulio Einaudi Editore. (Piccola Biblioteca Einaudi. Nuova serie, 702). ISBN 978-88-06-23970-1.
3. Abegg, C., Carloni, D., Cousseau, F., Derenne, E., & Ryan-Despraz, J. (Eds.). (2022). The Bell Beaker Culture in All Its Forms: Proceedings of the 22nd Meeting of "Archéologie et Gobelets" 2021 (Geneva, Switzerland). Oxford: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-80327-363-1 (print); 978-1-80327-364-8 (e-book). Freely downloadable at this link: https://www.archaeopress.com/Archaeopress/Products/9781803273631
4. Besse, M. (Ed.). (2014). Around the Petit Chasseur Site: Proceedings of the International Conference (Sion, Switzerland, October 27-30, 2011). Lausanne: Cahiers d'archéologie romande. ISBN 978-2-940347-38-6. PDF downloadable from MyAriel.
3. Reich, D. (2019). Chi siamo e come siamo arrivati fin qui: Il DNA antico e la nuova scienza del passato dell'umanità (G. Carlotti, Trad.). Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore. (Scienza e idee, 307). ISBN 978-88-3285-107-6.
4. Ryan Despraz, J. (2022). Practice and prestige: An exploration of Neolithic warfare, Bell Beaker archery, and social stratification from an anthropological perspective. Oxford: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978 1 80327 052 4. PDF freely downloadable at this link: https://www.archaeopress.com/Archaeopress/Products/9781803270524
5. Supplementary readings provided by the instructor, for example:
Olalde, I., Brace, S., Allentoft, M. E., Armit, I., Kristiansen, K., Booth, T., Rohland, N., Mallick, S., Szécsényi-Nagy, A., Mittnik, A., Altena, E., Lipson, M., Lazaridis, I., Harper, T. K., Patterson, N., Broomandkhoshbacht, N., Diekmann, Y., Faltyskova, Z., Fernandes, D., Reich, D. (2018). The Beaker phenomenon and the genomic transformation of northwest Europe. Nature, 555, 190-196. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25738 (freely downloadable from the university's online library)
Rahmstorf, L. (2008). The Bell Beaker phenomenon and the interaction spheres of the Early Bronze Age East Mediterranean: Similarities and differences. In A. Lehoërff (Ed.), Construire le temps: Histoire et méthodes des chronologies et calendriers des derniers millénaires avant notre ère en Europe occidentale (pp. 149-170). Glux-en-Glenne: Bibracte. Freely downloadable at this link: https://www.academia.edu/1491069/The_Bell_Beaker_Phenomenon_and_the_interaction_spheres_of_the_Early_Bronze_Age_East_Mediterranean_similarities_and_differences
Müller, J. (2013). I vasi campaniformi: Il mosaico di una rete. In R. C. de Marinis (Ed.), L'età del Rame: La pianura padana e le Alpi al tempo di Ötzi: Massetti Rodella Editori. ISBN 978-88-8486-553-3. PDF downloadable from MyAriel.
Part C
1. De Marinis, R. C. (Ed.). (2013). L'età del Rame: La pianura padana e le Alpi al tempo di Ötzi. Brescia: La Compagnia della Stampa. ISBN 978-88-8486-553-3. Out of print, PDF downloadable from MyAriel.
2. De Marinis, R. C. (Ed.). (2014). Le manifestazioni del sacro e l'età del Rame nella regione alpina e nella pianura padana: Studi in memoria di Angelo Rampinelli Rota. Brescia (Nuvolera): Euroteam. ISBN 978-88-907351-3-4. Out of print, PDF downloadable from MyAriel.
3. De Gattis, G., Curdy, P., Ferroni, A. M., Martinet, F., Poggiani Keller, R., Raiteri, L., Sarti, L., Zidda, G., & Mezzena, F. (Eds.). (2018). Area megalitica Saint Martin de Corléans: Una visione aggiornata. Aosta: Regione autonoma Valle d'Aosta. ISBN 978-88-907442-6-3. PDF downloadable from MyAriel.
4. Supplementary readings provided by the teacher, lecture notes, and slides presented in class.
Note: The syllabus may be subject to changes and updates; it will be presented in its final form at the end of the course and published on MyAriel.
Non-attending students are required to select one bibliographic title (book) for each module (3 books), plus a fourth additional title (book) chosen from those listed in any of the modules.
Part A
1. Tecchiati, U. (2025). Preistoria. In F. Berlinzani, G. Calegari, A. Consonni, C. Orsini, L. Peyronel, U. Tecchiati, C. Visconti, M. Della Misericordia, & C. Fredella (Eds.), Preistoria e storia antica: Fondamenti per l'insegnamento nella scuola primaria. Milano: Pearson. ISBN 978-88-91936-19-6.
2. Tecchiati, U. (2025). Ecologia preistorica: Ambiente, società e cultura nella preistoria d'Italia. Torino: UTET Università. ISBN 978-88-6008-898-7.
3. Demoule, J.-P. (2019). I dieci millenni dimenticati hanno cambiato la storia (I. Bouslama & L. Visonà, Trad.). Gorizia: LEG Edizioni. (La clessidra di Clio, 35). ISBN 978-88-6102-619-3.
4. Graeber, D., & Wengrow, D. (2023). L'alba di tutto: Una nuova storia dell'umanità (R. Zuppet, Trad.). Milano: Rizzoli. (BUR, La storia, le storie). ISBN 978-88-1718-092-4.
5. Manzi, G. (2024). Antenati: Lucy e altri racconti dal tempo profondo. Bologna: Il Mulino. (Intersezioni, 608). ISBN 978-88-1538-801-8.
6. Renfrew, C. (2011). Preistoria: L'alba della mente umana (C. Matthiae, Trad.). Torino: Giulio Einaudi Editore. (Piccola Biblioteca Einaudi. Mappe, 28). ISBN 978-88-06-20648-2.
7. Rigal, G. (2022). Il tempo sacro delle caverne: Da Chauvet a Lascaux, le ipotesi della scienza (S. D'Onofrio, Trad.). Milano: Adelphi. (Il ramo d'oro, 73). ISBN 978-88-459-3676-0.
8. Wragg Sykes, R. (2021). Neandertal: Vita, arte, amore e morte (F. Pe', Trad.). Torino: Bollati Boringhieri. (Saggi). ISBN 978-88-3393-756-4.
9. Supplementary readings provided by the instructor.
Part B
1. Vander Linden, M. (2024). The Bell Beaker phenomenon in Europe: A harmony of difference. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009496872 (freely downloadable at this link: https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/bell-beaker-phenomenon-in-europe/6CE35EF669A4A6A910AAB12FDA3C370C)
2. Broodbank, C. (2018). Il Mediterraneo: Dalla preistoria alla nascita del mondo classico (D. Cianfriglia & C. Veltri, Trans.). Torino: Giulio Einaudi Editore. (Piccola Biblioteca Einaudi. Nuova serie, 702). ISBN 978-88-06-23970-1.
3. Abegg, C., Carloni, D., Cousseau, F., Derenne, E., & Ryan-Despraz, J. (Eds.). (2022). The Bell Beaker Culture in All Its Forms: Proceedings of the 22nd Meeting of "Archéologie et Gobelets" 2021 (Geneva, Switzerland). Oxford: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-80327-363-1 (print); 978-1-80327-364-8 (e-book). Freely downloadable at this link: https://www.archaeopress.com/Archaeopress/Products/9781803273631
4. Besse, M. (Ed.). (2014). Around the Petit Chasseur Site: Proceedings of the International Conference (Sion, Switzerland, October 27-30, 2011). Lausanne: Cahiers d'archéologie romande. ISBN 978-2-940347-38-6. PDF downloadable from MyAriel.
3. Reich, D. (2019). Chi siamo e come siamo arrivati fin qui: Il DNA antico e la nuova scienza del passato dell'umanità (G. Carlotti, Trad.). Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore. (Scienza e idee, 307). ISBN 978-88-3285-107-6.
4. Ryan Despraz, J. (2022). Practice and prestige: An exploration of Neolithic warfare, Bell Beaker archery, and social stratification from an anthropological perspective. Oxford: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978 1 80327 052 4. PDF freely downloadable at this link: https://www.archaeopress.com/Archaeopress/Products/9781803270524
5. Supplementary readings provided by the instructor, for example:
Olalde, I., Brace, S., Allentoft, M. E., Armit, I., Kristiansen, K., Booth, T., Rohland, N., Mallick, S., Szécsényi-Nagy, A., Mittnik, A., Altena, E., Lipson, M., Lazaridis, I., Harper, T. K., Patterson, N., Broomandkhoshbacht, N., Diekmann, Y., Faltyskova, Z., Fernandes, D., Reich, D. (2018). The Beaker phenomenon and the genomic transformation of northwest Europe. Nature, 555, 190-196. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25738 (freely downloadable from the university's online library)
Rahmstorf, L. (2008). The Bell Beaker phenomenon and the interaction spheres of the Early Bronze Age East Mediterranean: Similarities and differences. In A. Lehoërff (Ed.), Construire le temps: Histoire et méthodes des chronologies et calendriers des derniers millénaires avant notre ère en Europe occidentale (pp. 149-170). Glux-en-Glenne: Bibracte. Freely downloadable at this link: https://www.academia.edu/1491069/The_Bell_Beaker_Phenomenon_and_the_interaction_spheres_of_the_Early_Bronze_Age_East_Mediterranean_similarities_and_differences
Müller, J. (2013). I vasi campaniformi: Il mosaico di una rete. In R. C. de Marinis (Ed.), L'età del Rame: La pianura padana e le Alpi al tempo di Ötzi: Massetti Rodella Editori. ISBN 978-88-8486-553-3. PDF downloadable from MyAriel.
Part C
1. De Marinis, R. C. (Ed.). (2013). L'età del Rame: La pianura padana e le Alpi al tempo di Ötzi. Brescia: La Compagnia della Stampa. ISBN 978-88-8486-553-3. Out of print, PDF downloadable from MyAriel.
2. De Marinis, R. C. (Ed.). (2014). Le manifestazioni del sacro e l'età del Rame nella regione alpina e nella pianura padana: Studi in memoria di Angelo Rampinelli Rota. Brescia (Nuvolera): Euroteam. ISBN 978-88-907351-3-4. Out of print, PDF downloadable from MyAriel.
3. De Gattis, G., Curdy, P., Ferroni, A. M., Martinet, F., Poggiani Keller, R., Raiteri, L., Sarti, L., Zidda, G., & Mezzena, F. (Eds.). (2018). Area megalitica Saint Martin de Corléans: Una visione aggiornata. Aosta: Regione autonoma Valle d'Aosta. ISBN 978-88-907442-6-3. PDF downloadable from MyAriel.
4. Supplementary readings provided by the teacher, lecture notes, and slides presented in class.
Note: The syllabus may be subject to changes and updates; it will be presented in its final form at the end of the course and published on MyAriel.
Non-attending students are required to select one bibliographic title (book) for each module (3 books), plus a fourth additional title (book) chosen from those listed in any of the modules.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam will be aimed at:
- ascertain the achievement of the objectives in terms of knowledge and comprehension;
- verify the student's autonomy of judgment also through the analysis of the cases discussed during the course or mentioned in the textbooks;
- ascertain the mastery of the specific language of the discipline and the ability to present the arguments in a clear and orderly manner.
The oral test provides the verification of the knowledge of the texts reported in the bibliography according to the specific indications provided by the Professor, the handouts and other teaching aids made available to the students. Skills acquired during the course in the use of informatics, telematics and AI in the study and exposition of the subject will be tested.
- ascertain the achievement of the objectives in terms of knowledge and comprehension;
- verify the student's autonomy of judgment also through the analysis of the cases discussed during the course or mentioned in the textbooks;
- ascertain the mastery of the specific language of the discipline and the ability to present the arguments in a clear and orderly manner.
The oral test provides the verification of the knowledge of the texts reported in the bibliography according to the specific indications provided by the Professor, the handouts and other teaching aids made available to the students. Skills acquired during the course in the use of informatics, telematics and AI in the study and exposition of the subject will be tested.
L-ANT/01 - PREHISTORY AND EARLY HISTORY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professors:
Gallo Veronica, Tecchiati Umberto
Professor(s)