Cognitive Archaeology - Prehistoric Art and Religions
Code
722051271
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
História
Credits
10
Weekly hours
3 letivas + 1 tutorial
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) To study the testimonies of the spiritual and ideological world of the Prehistoric Man inside his social, economical and cultural contexts;
b) To provide information about social and religious activities, namely artistic, of prehistoric communities;
c) To discuss the major ideas behind the explanation of artistic manifestation and the problems resulting from the creation of new interpretation models;
d) Allow future archaeologists to acquire technical and theoretical knowledge with the objective of providing good professional services in an area where the lack of experts is enormous when considering the quantity of Prehistoric artistic remains in Portugal.
Prerequisites
None
Subject matter
- Cognitive archaeology and prehistoric art
- Origin of the symbolic discourse and religions
- European Upper Palaeolithic art
- The large cycle of rock art in Portugal
- Megalithic art and religion
Bibliography
- ANATI, E., Les Origines de l’Art, Paris, Fayard, 2003.
- CLOTTES, J., E LEWIS-WILLIAM, D., Chamanes de la Préhistoire. Transe et Magie dans les Grottes Ornées, Paris, Éditions
du Seuil, 1996.
- GOMES, M.V., Arte rupestre em Portugal-Perspectivas sobre o último século, Arqueologia & História, vol. 54, 2002, pp.
139-194.
- LEROI-GOURHAN, A., Prehistoire de l’Art Occidental, Paris, Éditions Citadelles & Mazenod, 1995.
- OTTE, M., Arts Préhistoriques. L’Articulation du Langage, Bruxelles, De Boek, 2006
Teaching method
Theoretical classes – helped by audiovisual information.
Practical classes:
Remarks on documents
Presentation of group course works.
Activities supervised by the lecturer – field trips to museums, archaeological excavations and sites.
Evaluation method
- Written test (50%)
- Written individual or group coursework (maximum 10 pp) (50%)
The students with a plus than 10 points average will be approved.