Alexandra Chavarria Arnau | Università degli Studi di Padova (original) (raw)
HIGHLIGHTED by Alexandra Chavarria Arnau
The first paper in which the subject of transformations and end of roman villas in Eastern Spain ... more The first paper in which the subject of transformations and end of roman villas in Eastern Spain was studied in deep.
NEWS by Alexandra Chavarria Arnau
One of the principal transformations underlined by researchers analysing urban landscape during l... more One of the principal transformations underlined by researchers analysing urban landscape during late antiquity concerns changes in funerary patterns and the progressive development of intramural burials, a phenomenon that has traditionally been linked to processes of Christianisation, the construction of churches inside cities and particularly a change in the relationship between people and the bodies of the dead, especially those of martyrs and saints (Ariès 1977; Brown 1982). In this paper I shall try to demonstrate that between the 4th and the 6th century the existence of burials inside the city walls is rare and almost never related to Christian buildings. At least in northern Italy roman and Ostrogothic populations continued respecting roman traditions, burying their dead in existing cemeteries located in suburban areas outside the city walls. Some of these burial areas had existed since republican and imperial times and contained pagan and Christian burials alike. Others seem to have been created, again in the suburbs, during the 3rd century and developed a century later into large Christian areas. Real changes in burial practices inside the city would only begin from the end of the 6th century with the multiplication of scattered burials and the development of intramural cemeteries linked to private chapels and, more rarely, episcopal churches.
Ricerche multidisciplinari hanno permesso di contestualizzare la storia del territorio veneto, in... more Ricerche multidisciplinari hanno permesso di contestualizzare la storia del territorio veneto, in particolare l’area più orientale, in rapporto a temi oggi di
grande attualità quali il cambiamento climatico e le trasformazioni subite in alcuni territori a causa delle trasformazioni ambientali. Consentono altresì una migliore informazione sulla costruzione di una topografia cristiana urbana e della rete ecclesiastica nel territorio.Il presente testo ne fa una sintesi a partire della documentazione archeologica piu aggiornata
Books (author) by Alexandra Chavarria Arnau
L’archeologia postclassica propone una ricerca diacronica, sistemica e interdisciplinare dei var... more L’archeologia postclassica propone una ricerca diacronica, sistemica e interdisciplinare dei vari elementi di una storia complessa che, per molti aspetti si estende a prima e dopo il medioevo in un lungo periodo storico che si colloca tra due globalizzazioni: quella mediterranea-europea realizzata dall’Impero romano e l’attuale, planetaria.
In questo volume, centrato sull’Italia, oltre alla revisione di temi consolidati nell'ambito medievistico – insediamenti, proprietà, commerci, produzioni, residenze, chiese – vengono presentate nuove linee di ricerca sviluppate con altre discipline di ambito scientifico e sociale che, negli ultimi anni, hanno rivoluzionato le nostre conoscenze: dal cambiamento climatico e ambientale agli stili di vita, dall'alimentazione alle malattie delle differenti classi sociali ai movimenti migratori. Su questi temi si riflette non solo per comprendere il passato ma anche nella prospettiva presente e futura della disciplina archeologica.
A pesar de tratarse de los edificios de la antigüedad postclasica que mejor se conservan en el Me... more A pesar de tratarse de los edificios de la antigüedad postclasica que mejor se conservan en el Mediterráneo, se conoce todavía poco sobre el funcionamiento y significado de las iglesias tardoantiguas. La bibliografía científica está plagada de imprecisiones en relación al nombre de los distintos ambientes que constituían las iglesias, a las funciones que podía o no desempeñar un determinado edificio, a cómo se desarrollaba la misa en su interior, a aspectos vinculados a su condición jurídica, por ejemplo. Esta carencia se debe al hecho que, a diferencia de otros temas clave de este periodo, como los intercambios comerciales, el sistema de explotación del territorio o la llegada de los bárbaros, las iglesias han sido generalmente estudiadas como monumentos aislados sin tener en cuenta el contexto político, económico y social en el que fueron construidas y con el que estaban íntimamente conectadas. Además, los estudios sobre la arquitectura eclesiástica suelen llevarse a cabo desde una perspectiva geográfica circunscrita cuando, en realidad, la cristianización fue uno de los últimos fenómenos globales que tuvo lugar en el Mediterráneo antiguo, por lo que muchos procesos y elementos característicos son comunes a iglesias de territorios muy diversos. Es útil, si no fundamental, comparar situaciones para comprender su significado en relación a las transformaciones ideológicas y sociales pero también económicas que se produjeron en el paso del Imperio romano de Occidente a los nuevos reinos bárbaros.
El objetivo de este trabajo es proponer una visión del proceso de cristianización en la que se integrasen las numerosas fuentes escritas - excepcionales cuando se comparan con los testimonios de otras áreas del Mediterráneo- con aquellas materiales y arqueológicas, más problemáticas desde el punto de vista cronológico y de su interpretación.
El resultado no es sólo una historia de la cristianización de la península ibérica entre los siglos V y VII, sino que afronta algunos de los temas cruciales para comprender este periodo histórico, entre ellos el proceso de asentamiento de las poblaciones bárbaras, en particular los visigodos, y las complejas relaciones que se establecieron entre ellos y la población local encabezada por los obispos en una contraposición, a veces dura, fundada también en las diferencias doctrinales entre visigodos y romanos. A través de estas tensiones se fue constituyendo la red eclesiástica centrada en el episcopio urbano y en las iglesias rurales, pero en la que tuvieron un papel fundamental también los complejos martiriales suburbanos, las iglesias privadas y las instituciones monásticas.
Rispetto all’edizione del 2009, oltre al necessario aggiornamento bibliografico, ho approfondito ... more Rispetto all’edizione del 2009, oltre al necessario aggiornamento bibliografico, ho approfondito alcune tematiche che in quel volume erano state appena sfiorate ma che oggi mi appaiono fondamentali. Ad esempio, il tema delle chiese costantinopolitane e della Terra Santa, il
cui effetto sull’architettura occidentale fu enorme per tutto il Medioevo, così come la rilevanza e l’impatto del conflitto ariano nella costruzione della topografia cristiana. Ho semplificato alcuni capitoli provando a equilibrare anche
gli esempi delle varie aree geografiche trattate (e riducendo gli esempi della Spagna che trovano oggi uno studio monografico in Chavarría Arnau, 2018: Alla sombra de un Imperio). Ho pure rivisto gli ultimi due capitoli tenendo conto dell’avanzamento delle ricerche, soprattutto per quanto riguarda i metodi di datazione delle chiese. È stato infine quasi completamente rifatto l’apparato grafico per migliorarne la qualità, riducendo inoltre il numero di immagini in favore di esempi più significativi per favorire lo studio.
Books edited by Alexandra Chavarria Arnau
Catalogue of the exhibition of the same name held in Cordoba between 16 December 2022 and 15 Marc... more Catalogue of the exhibition of the same name held in Cordoba between 16 December 2022 and 15 March 2023. In addition to the description of the more than 200 iconic pieces on display, many of which are unpublished, the catalogue contains 32 papers relating to the birth of Christian culture, mainly iconography and architecture, and the impact that the new religion had on the politics, economy and culture of the Mediterranean between the 3rd and 6th centuries, with particular attention to the Iberian Peninsula.
Catalogo de la exposicion del mismo nombre celebrada e Cordoba entre el 16 de diciembre de 2022 y el 15 de marzo de 2023. Ademas de las fichas de las mas de 200 piezas iconicas expuestas, muchas de ellas ineditas, el catalogo se compone de una treintena de articulos relacionados con el nacimiento de la cultura cristiana principalmente iconografia y arquitectura y el impacto que la nuevqa religion tuvo en la politica, economia y cultura del Mediterraneo entre los siglos III y VI con particular atencion a la Peninsula Iberica.
The volume samples different research on the late roman early medieval site of Torba resulting fr... more The volume samples different research on the late roman early medieval site of Torba resulting from excavations carried out between 2013 and 2019.
Atti del ciclo di Conferenze “Medioevo fantastico. L’invenzione di uno stile nell’architettura t... more Atti del ciclo di Conferenze “Medioevo fantastico. L’invenzione di uno stile nell’architettura tra fine ’800 e inizio ’900”. Il tema è trattato da due archeologi e cinque storici dell’architettura che ne analizzano le origini e lo sviluppo in alcune città (Padova, Verona, Milano, Siena e Napoli) e in relazione ai personaggi che ne furono i protagonisti (Pietro Selvatico, Camillo Boito, Luca Beltrami, Alfredo d’Andrade oltre ad altri meno noti).
The first paper in which the subject of transformations and end of roman villas in Eastern Spain ... more The first paper in which the subject of transformations and end of roman villas in Eastern Spain was studied in deep.
One of the principal transformations underlined by researchers analysing urban landscape during l... more One of the principal transformations underlined by researchers analysing urban landscape during late antiquity concerns changes in funerary patterns and the progressive development of intramural burials, a phenomenon that has traditionally been linked to processes of Christianisation, the construction of churches inside cities and particularly a change in the relationship between people and the bodies of the dead, especially those of martyrs and saints (Ariès 1977; Brown 1982). In this paper I shall try to demonstrate that between the 4th and the 6th century the existence of burials inside the city walls is rare and almost never related to Christian buildings. At least in northern Italy roman and Ostrogothic populations continued respecting roman traditions, burying their dead in existing cemeteries located in suburban areas outside the city walls. Some of these burial areas had existed since republican and imperial times and contained pagan and Christian burials alike. Others seem to have been created, again in the suburbs, during the 3rd century and developed a century later into large Christian areas. Real changes in burial practices inside the city would only begin from the end of the 6th century with the multiplication of scattered burials and the development of intramural cemeteries linked to private chapels and, more rarely, episcopal churches.
Ricerche multidisciplinari hanno permesso di contestualizzare la storia del territorio veneto, in... more Ricerche multidisciplinari hanno permesso di contestualizzare la storia del territorio veneto, in particolare l’area più orientale, in rapporto a temi oggi di
grande attualità quali il cambiamento climatico e le trasformazioni subite in alcuni territori a causa delle trasformazioni ambientali. Consentono altresì una migliore informazione sulla costruzione di una topografia cristiana urbana e della rete ecclesiastica nel territorio.Il presente testo ne fa una sintesi a partire della documentazione archeologica piu aggiornata
L’archeologia postclassica propone una ricerca diacronica, sistemica e interdisciplinare dei var... more L’archeologia postclassica propone una ricerca diacronica, sistemica e interdisciplinare dei vari elementi di una storia complessa che, per molti aspetti si estende a prima e dopo il medioevo in un lungo periodo storico che si colloca tra due globalizzazioni: quella mediterranea-europea realizzata dall’Impero romano e l’attuale, planetaria.
In questo volume, centrato sull’Italia, oltre alla revisione di temi consolidati nell'ambito medievistico – insediamenti, proprietà, commerci, produzioni, residenze, chiese – vengono presentate nuove linee di ricerca sviluppate con altre discipline di ambito scientifico e sociale che, negli ultimi anni, hanno rivoluzionato le nostre conoscenze: dal cambiamento climatico e ambientale agli stili di vita, dall'alimentazione alle malattie delle differenti classi sociali ai movimenti migratori. Su questi temi si riflette non solo per comprendere il passato ma anche nella prospettiva presente e futura della disciplina archeologica.
A pesar de tratarse de los edificios de la antigüedad postclasica que mejor se conservan en el Me... more A pesar de tratarse de los edificios de la antigüedad postclasica que mejor se conservan en el Mediterráneo, se conoce todavía poco sobre el funcionamiento y significado de las iglesias tardoantiguas. La bibliografía científica está plagada de imprecisiones en relación al nombre de los distintos ambientes que constituían las iglesias, a las funciones que podía o no desempeñar un determinado edificio, a cómo se desarrollaba la misa en su interior, a aspectos vinculados a su condición jurídica, por ejemplo. Esta carencia se debe al hecho que, a diferencia de otros temas clave de este periodo, como los intercambios comerciales, el sistema de explotación del territorio o la llegada de los bárbaros, las iglesias han sido generalmente estudiadas como monumentos aislados sin tener en cuenta el contexto político, económico y social en el que fueron construidas y con el que estaban íntimamente conectadas. Además, los estudios sobre la arquitectura eclesiástica suelen llevarse a cabo desde una perspectiva geográfica circunscrita cuando, en realidad, la cristianización fue uno de los últimos fenómenos globales que tuvo lugar en el Mediterráneo antiguo, por lo que muchos procesos y elementos característicos son comunes a iglesias de territorios muy diversos. Es útil, si no fundamental, comparar situaciones para comprender su significado en relación a las transformaciones ideológicas y sociales pero también económicas que se produjeron en el paso del Imperio romano de Occidente a los nuevos reinos bárbaros.
El objetivo de este trabajo es proponer una visión del proceso de cristianización en la que se integrasen las numerosas fuentes escritas - excepcionales cuando se comparan con los testimonios de otras áreas del Mediterráneo- con aquellas materiales y arqueológicas, más problemáticas desde el punto de vista cronológico y de su interpretación.
El resultado no es sólo una historia de la cristianización de la península ibérica entre los siglos V y VII, sino que afronta algunos de los temas cruciales para comprender este periodo histórico, entre ellos el proceso de asentamiento de las poblaciones bárbaras, en particular los visigodos, y las complejas relaciones que se establecieron entre ellos y la población local encabezada por los obispos en una contraposición, a veces dura, fundada también en las diferencias doctrinales entre visigodos y romanos. A través de estas tensiones se fue constituyendo la red eclesiástica centrada en el episcopio urbano y en las iglesias rurales, pero en la que tuvieron un papel fundamental también los complejos martiriales suburbanos, las iglesias privadas y las instituciones monásticas.
Rispetto all’edizione del 2009, oltre al necessario aggiornamento bibliografico, ho approfondito ... more Rispetto all’edizione del 2009, oltre al necessario aggiornamento bibliografico, ho approfondito alcune tematiche che in quel volume erano state appena sfiorate ma che oggi mi appaiono fondamentali. Ad esempio, il tema delle chiese costantinopolitane e della Terra Santa, il
cui effetto sull’architettura occidentale fu enorme per tutto il Medioevo, così come la rilevanza e l’impatto del conflitto ariano nella costruzione della topografia cristiana. Ho semplificato alcuni capitoli provando a equilibrare anche
gli esempi delle varie aree geografiche trattate (e riducendo gli esempi della Spagna che trovano oggi uno studio monografico in Chavarría Arnau, 2018: Alla sombra de un Imperio). Ho pure rivisto gli ultimi due capitoli tenendo conto dell’avanzamento delle ricerche, soprattutto per quanto riguarda i metodi di datazione delle chiese. È stato infine quasi completamente rifatto l’apparato grafico per migliorarne la qualità, riducendo inoltre il numero di immagini in favore di esempi più significativi per favorire lo studio.
Catalogue of the exhibition of the same name held in Cordoba between 16 December 2022 and 15 Marc... more Catalogue of the exhibition of the same name held in Cordoba between 16 December 2022 and 15 March 2023. In addition to the description of the more than 200 iconic pieces on display, many of which are unpublished, the catalogue contains 32 papers relating to the birth of Christian culture, mainly iconography and architecture, and the impact that the new religion had on the politics, economy and culture of the Mediterranean between the 3rd and 6th centuries, with particular attention to the Iberian Peninsula.
Catalogo de la exposicion del mismo nombre celebrada e Cordoba entre el 16 de diciembre de 2022 y el 15 de marzo de 2023. Ademas de las fichas de las mas de 200 piezas iconicas expuestas, muchas de ellas ineditas, el catalogo se compone de una treintena de articulos relacionados con el nacimiento de la cultura cristiana principalmente iconografia y arquitectura y el impacto que la nuevqa religion tuvo en la politica, economia y cultura del Mediterraneo entre los siglos III y VI con particular atencion a la Peninsula Iberica.
The volume samples different research on the late roman early medieval site of Torba resulting fr... more The volume samples different research on the late roman early medieval site of Torba resulting from excavations carried out between 2013 and 2019.
Atti del ciclo di Conferenze “Medioevo fantastico. L’invenzione di uno stile nell’architettura t... more Atti del ciclo di Conferenze “Medioevo fantastico. L’invenzione di uno stile nell’architettura tra fine ’800 e inizio ’900”. Il tema è trattato da due archeologi e cinque storici dell’architettura che ne analizzano le origini e lo sviluppo in alcune città (Padova, Verona, Milano, Siena e Napoli) e in relazione ai personaggi che ne furono i protagonisti (Pietro Selvatico, Camillo Boito, Luca Beltrami, Alfredo d’Andrade oltre ad altri meno noti).
Excellence and Innovation in Learning and Teaching , 2023
This paper explores the transformative impact of flipped learning and Massive Open Online Courses... more This paper explores the transformative impact of flipped learning and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on higher education, specifically in the field of medieval archaeology at the University of Padova. It delves into the implementation of these innovative approaches, their effects on student performance, and the valuable insights gained from student feedback. Additionally, it highlights the global reach of MOOCs created as a complement to these courses, including their multiple functions and implications also for lifelong learning. The findings suggest that blending online and traditional teaching can create a dynamic and inclusive educational experience that caters to the needs of traditional students, professional archaeologists who want to improve their skills and competencies and enthusiasts of archaeology.
8th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’22) Universitat Politecnica de Valencia,, 2022
In this paper some integrated teaching experiences conducted at the University of Padua and parti... more In this paper some integrated teaching experiences conducted at the University of Padua and particularly one of the courses in the Archaeology area are presented. The objective is to present the benefits of blended lessons in order to show numerous benefits that this kind of learning method can offer: flexibility, time and cost efficiency, more convenience for working students or those with other commitments, the ability to review content several times, greater accessibility for students with disabilities, and specially high degree of student engagement and interactivity. The characteristics of some teaching materials created or used exclusively online, for open and free teaching are described, including the impact they might have on lifelong learning, in the dissemination of our subject, and in the promotion of the territory at an international level.
Le nuove modalità di didattica innovativa che fanno uso (non sempre esclusivo) del medio digitale... more Le nuove modalità di didattica innovativa che fanno uso (non
sempre esclusivo) del medio digitale, al pari della ricerca ‘aperta’
(open access, open databases, ricerca partecipata) e della collaborazione con mezzi di comunicazione di ampia diffusione, costituiscono un’evoluzione necessaria per garantire l’utilità, la rilevanza
e la sostenibilità della ricerca archeologica, che necessita di un
consenso sociale per sopravvivere.
La didattica online costituisce inoltre un ottimo strumento per
promuovere anche il Lifelong learning o apprendimento permanente e da l’opportunità a un’ampia fetta della popolazione interessata
(in genere ultrasessantenni ma non solo) ad accrescere il loro bagaglio professionale, culturale e persino sociale perché con i MOOC
si può anche creare e far parte di una comunità.
Le nuove modalità di insegnamento aiutano i docenti a riproporre i corsi in formati innovativi maggiormente attrattivi per le
nuove generazioni e permettono, inoltre, di sperimentare con
quello che impariamo costruendo corsi accademici più dinamici
ispirati ai MOOC e MOOC più umani ispirati alle dinamiche degli
insegnamenti accademici.
Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage, 2022
In this paper we present a proposal for the creation of a standardized evaluation model for parti... more In this paper we present a proposal for the creation of a standardized
evaluation model for participatory/public/community archaeology and
heritage initiatives. The proposal is the result of discussions during a
Spring School that the University of Padua and the MAG Museum of
Alto Garda, Italy, organized between 9 and 15 April 2018. The Spring
School brought together international practitioners to compare
experiences and share visions for the sustainable future of archaeology
and heritage management. We reflect on the process of bringing
together our thoughts and views into one place, and on the theoretical
and practitioner contexts that inform our proposed model. The model is
intended for researchers and practitioners planning to carry out
archaeological and heritage projects with communities. We invite
readers to try using some or all of the sections of the model in their
own work and to contribute to further refinement of the approach.
In questo contributo vogliamo riflettere sulle interazioni tra quattro questioni importanti del r... more In questo contributo vogliamo riflettere sulle interazioni tra quattro questioni importanti del rapporto tra archeologia e società nell’era post-COVID-19: le risorse, la necessità di un impegno sociale, lo scenario telematico della nostra presenza nelle comunità e il quadro giuridico-normativo, proponendo alla fine un programma condiviso rispetto al quale sosteniamo da tempo la necessità di un’archeologia partecipata impegnata nella valutazione della sostenibilità delle passate civilizzazioni, con l’obiettivo di riflettere sull’insostenibilità del mondo attuale.
In this paper we reflect on four important issues for the relationship between archaeology and society in the post-COVID-19 era: resources, social commitment, our digital presence in communities, and normative legal frameworks. We propose a shared program, having long advocated a participatory archaeology which analyses past and more sustainable civilizations, and reflects on the lack of sustainability in today’s world.
In this paper the participatory research methods or models in archaeology will be described, outl... more In this paper the participatory research methods or models in archaeology will be described, outlining the main characteristics, practices and problems, in relation to theprojects that for several years the medieval archaeology group of the University of Padua has been carrying out in various regions of Northern Italy. The participation of local communities in the identification, knowledge, protection and management of cultural heritage is fundamental, since professionals of cultural heritage cannot protect an immense and dispersed heritage, which in most cases disappears before being registered. The active Involvement of communities in heritage projects should be considered not only as a good method to promote protection, but also as an opportunity for economic, social and cultural development. Finally, there are also enormous benefits for students who participate in these activities, mostly related to the learning of knowledge and skills, rarely included in today’s academic programs.
This paper proposes a particular way of developing archaeological research for and with local com... more This paper proposes a particular way of developing archaeological research for and with local
communities, using methods that overcome the legislative Italian restrictions to democratic research. It describes the theoretical and methodological grounds and its meaning for reconstructingthe history of local communities, which is the final focus of our projects. It deals also on the benefits of using this participatory approach and the difficulties experienced.
Internet technologies offer a broad set of opportunities for archaeologists to share information ... more Internet technologies offer a broad set of opportunities for archaeologists to share information
and to involve the public in multiple ways in order to build historical narratives together.
During the last decade, the Medieval Archaeological Research Group at the University
of Padua conducted a research about medieval architectures and historical landscapes
in Padua and its territory. At the same time as developing methodologies for
recording, dating and understanding medieval architectures and historical landscapes, we
have been interested in the communication of this complex information to the wider public
in order to reach a wider community which can also be interested in collaborating in our
research increasing in that way their social impact and future development.
Ayuda. Buscador. Ver el registro completo y el enlace al documento. Registro completo. Recurso de... more Ayuda. Buscador. Ver el registro completo y el enlace al documento. Registro completo. Recurso de origen, Revistes Catalanes amb Accés Obert (RACO). Identificador, http://www.raco.cat/index.php/AnnalsGironins/article/view/54296. ...
Arqueología y Territorio Medieval, 2014
My second paper (which won 2 prizes by the institut d'estudis catalans) on the transformation and... more My second paper (which won 2 prizes by the institut d'estudis catalans) on the transformation and end of roman villas.
Reflections on the characteristics and owners of late roman villae in the northern Meseta
This paper examines the diversity of architectural complexes that existed in the countryside duri... more This paper examines the diversity of architectural complexes that existed in the countryside during the late roman period. Special attention will be paid to some complexes which could be identified as aedes publicae or palatia.
El objetivo del presente trabajo es, a partir del ejemplo de Roma y de otras ciudades (particular... more El objetivo del presente trabajo es, a partir del ejemplo de Roma y de otras ciudades (particularmente de Italia) describir las características y el significado de los complejos suburbanos cristianos tardoantiguos y poner en evidencia su similitud con los existentes en la Peninsula ibérica para demostrar que en Hispania, como por otra parte en la inmensa mayoría de ciudades tardoantiguas del Imperio, los complejos episcopales se encontraban en el interior de los perímetros urbanos y no en el suburbio, donde se fundaron, en cambio, iglesias funerarias construidas sobre las tumbas de mártires o dotadas de reliquias.
From the 3rd century important changes took place in the funerary topography of Roman cities. Fir... more From the 3rd century important changes took place in
the funerary topography of Roman cities. Firstly, suburban areas
previously used for residential or industrial activities outside city
walls were used for funerary purposes. Later, beginning in the 4th
century, but most commonly in subsequent centuries, dispersed
burials start to appear in the intramural space of cities.
Both of these two phenomena, widely detected in the Western
provinces, are connected to the more general subject of urban
transformations in Late Antiquity and therefore have been widely
debated since the 1980s. However, no single explanation has been
formulated, and the topic is further complicated by the quite
vigorous debate on questions such as the 3rd century crisis, the
extent of Christianisation and the effects of destructions caused by
barbarians and of their settlement in Roman cities.
The aim of this paper is to look again at both processes of change,
taking into account both old and new archaeological evidence, and
new methodologies and interpretations, in order to illuminate their
possible causes and interpretations.
Hortus Artium Medievalium, 2014
Archeologia e Società tra Tardo Antico e Alto …, 2007
El articulo reflexiona sobre algunos aspectos vinculados al uso de las iglesias como espacio fune... more El articulo reflexiona sobre algunos aspectos vinculados al uso de las iglesias como espacio funerario. Solo un estudio combinado
de epígrafes, ajuares, de las características de la
estructura de las tumbas o de particulares contenedores
para los difuntos (como sarcófagos), y de análisis científicos
más sofisticados, pueden ayudar a reconstruir la
biografía de los difuntos y de su posición social, probablemente
reflejada en la colocación de su tumba dentro
de la iglesia.
The aim of this article is to understand and compare at the microregional level the diet adopted ... more The aim of this article is to understand and compare at the microregional
level the diet adopted by early medieval populations of the northern part
of the Italian peninsula in relation to environmental transformations and
eventual changes in the subsistence strategies due to the settlement of new
populations. Specifically we will explore if there are significant changes
between the consumption of C3 and C4 plants between late antiquity
and the early middle ages and if there can be also identified differences
among different ethnic groups indicating diet preferences or, more possibly,
a diversity of supply according to social status.
Si analizza la documentazione archeologica relativa a cattedrali e sepolture altomedievali provan... more Si analizza la documentazione archeologica relativa a cattedrali e sepolture altomedievali provando a capire soprattutto: 1) da quale
momento questi complessi cominciarono ad essere utilizzati come
spazio funerario; 2) chi – oltre ai vescovi – veniva sepolto in que-
sti luoghi e, infine, 3) quali motivazioni portarono la popolazione a preferire cattedrali e chiese irbane alle tradizionali collocazioni suburbane
The paper studies early medieval burials found in north italian cathedrals trying to understand w... more The paper studies early medieval burials found in north italian cathedrals trying to understand when people started to be buried in these buildings and who were they. Comparisons are made with other areas such as France and Spain.
After a decade of intense debate on the chronology of the so-called Visigothic churches in Spain ... more After a decade of intense debate on the chronology of the so-called Visigothic churches in Spain the divergent opinions have made little progress owing to the lack of reliable chronologies and the limits of a very stylistic approach. This article aims to present an analysis of the social and economic conditions of the seventh century (particularly the second half) as a background to understanding and defending the existence of church building in late Visigothic Spain. Their physical type (monumental but not enormous), the quality of their construction techniques and decoration, their function (absence of baptisteries and, often, presence of privileged burials) suggest aristocratic patronage of these buildings, an identification widely supported by textual and epigraphical evidence.
Hortus Artium Medievalium, 2017
Hortus Artium Medievalium, 2017
Radiocarbon, 2019
ABSTRACTIn order to radiocarbon (14C) date a building, several components of the mortar could be ... more ABSTRACTIn order to radiocarbon (14C) date a building, several components of the mortar could be used, such as the mortar binder, the lime lumps, the charcoal particles and shell fragments eventually present among the aggregates. In particular, the mortar binder requires a purification treatment in order to separate it from other sources of carbon, which could change the 14C signature of the binder invalidating the dating process. Here, we present the application of the Cryo2Sonic method to 14C dating of the ancient building structures unearthed during excavation at the Padua Cathedral complex. The dated samples were pretreated by using Cryo2Sonic method and the improved Cryo2Sonic version 2.0, recently developed by introducing additional steps such as centrifugation of the mortar suspension and gravimetric sedimentation of the binder fractions. The Cryo2Sonic version 2.0 relies heavily on the characterization of the mortar and of the purified binder fractions, allowing the isolatio...
The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Archaeology
The archaeology of early Christian churches has made important advancements in recent decades in ... more The archaeology of early Christian churches has made important advancements in recent decades in Italy thanks to a large number of new excavations and scientific meetings, as well as the development of the project CARE (Corpus Architecturae Religiosae Europeae (IV–X saec.)), in which most Italian specialists are involved. This chapter suggests new lines of research, thus contributing to a revised historiography of the archaeology of early Christian churches in Italy between the fourth century and the end of the sixth century. It surveys some of the ecclesiastical complexes that have been reanalyzed in recent decades or recently discovered through archaeological excavations.
Radiocarbon dating of the carbonate binder of historical mortars is a strategic research topic no... more Radiocarbon dating of the carbonate binder of historical mortars is a strategic research topic not lacking in complexities. The critical step is the separation of anthropogenic CaCO 3-binder from other carbonate sources that could severely affect the resulting dates. Here we present a complete procedure for the processing and characterization of difficult mortars and of the separated binder fractions in order to assess a priori the chances of positively dating the mortar, and produce a binder fraction yielding the most reliable radiocarbon dates possible. Two complex architectural case studies from Northern Italy are presented and discussed in detail: the churches of Santa Maria Maggiore (Lomello, Pavia) and Santa Maria (Torba, Varese). The results support that both the reliability assessment and the successful radiocarbon dating are possible through a multi-analytical approach encompassing mineralogical and petrographic characterization, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, measurement of carbon and oxygen stable isotopes, and optical cathodoluminescence.
The aim of the collaborative platform WikiCARE, born in 2010, is the cataloging of European churc... more The aim of the collaborative platform WikiCARE, born in 2010, is the cataloging of European churches between the 4th and the 10th centuries and the creation of a scientific community with shared research interests centered on the study of the churches. In this contribution we will first retrace the constitutive phases of the project and its purposes, and then present the structure of the information sheet, highlighting some critical issues found in its compilation by the Italian group. We will then reflect on the prospects of WikiCARE, considering its potential from the point of view of an ever wider sharing of research, not only in the academic field
THEMA, 2020
CARE_Italia (Corpus Architetturae Religiosae Europeae) è un progetto di ricerca nato nel 2001 e a... more CARE_Italia (Corpus Architetturae Religiosae Europeae) è un progetto di ricerca nato nel 2001 e ancora oggi attivo grazie alla partecipazione di un ampio gruppo di studiosi di tutta Italia, che raccoglie e rende pubblicamente fruibile attraverso pubblicazioni cartacee ed una piattaforma digitale di pubblico accesso, la completa schedatura delle chiese costruite in Italia tra IV e X secolo.
This chapter traces the material evidence for the spread of Christianity in the Iberian peninsula... more This chapter traces the material evidence for the spread of Christianity in the Iberian peninsula (including Spain and Portugal) between the third and seventh centuries, focusing on a critical review of traditional interpretations and identifications frequently based on inconsistent chronological references, fragile and poorly surviving materials, and often contradictory textual and archaeological evidence. The result is a new perspective on the subject that is much more comparable to that seen in other areas of the Mediterranean. The chapter will analyze the development of Christianization in cities and the countryside, taking into account when churches were built, who built them, and the political, economic, and social context in which Christian topography was created.
Archeological excavations beside the Baptistery of the Dome of Padua (northeastern Italy) unearth... more Archeological excavations beside the Baptistery of the Dome of Padua (northeastern Italy) unearthed anthropic deposits formed between the seventh-and tenth-century AD. These were analyzed using soil micromorphology, soil chemical analyses (especially aimed at the definition of organic matter properties and dynamics), and GC/MS analyses of fecal biomarkers, the latter corroborated by principal component analysis. This inter-disciplinary study allowed differentiating between units resulting from in situ accumulation of trampled domestic waste and other, more frequent, units derived from repeated dumping or backfilling episodes. Fast accumulation of organic-rich domestic waste, coupled with an incomplete evolution of organic molecules appears as a fundamental formation process of these anthropic deposits. The overall level of fecal contamination in the Padua Baptistery sediments proved to be very low or absent.
New binder purification protocol for radiocarbon dating of mortars is presented. It has been deve... more New binder purification protocol for radiocarbon dating of mortars is presented. It has been developed using medieval buildings excavated and architectonically analysed by the team of medieval archaeologists at the University of Padova.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2018
Journal ofArchaeologicalScience 129, 2021
The addition of temper in the pottery manufacturing process is attested since Prehistoric Times a... more The addition of temper in the pottery manufacturing process is attested since Prehistoric Times and is still a production choice adopted in the ceramic industry. When the temper is composed of minerals and rocks which outcrop in regions distant from each other, new questions about the production technology arise. Such situations can be explained by considering the recycling of imported rocks, including those used for architectonic elements or sculptures, mainly coming from contemporary or earlier buildings, a practice that was widely diffused during the Roman and successive periods. This study presents evidence of the deliberate addition of recycled white marbles and sparry calcite (probably from calcareous sinters/calcite alabasters) within the long-lived production (between the 4th and 14th century CE) of coarse and cooking ware in northeastern Italy. The petrographic analysis of about 200 potsherds attested the use of marble as unusual kind of temper, in addition to fragments of sparry calcite, in about half of the repertoire. The occurrence of different types of marbles, associated with rocks and minerals typical of the alluvial deposits of the eastern Po plain as well as locally available rocks (Euganean Hills trachyte), clearly pointed to the intentional addition of recycled marble fragments from ancient spolia, excluding the hypothesis that the pottery was imported from other regions. Detailed petrographic and micro-structural analysis, including maximum grain size (MGS), accessory minerals (when observed) and grain boundary shapes allowed us to limit the provenance of these marbles to the most important Mediterranean classical source regions. These conclusions have been confirmed by the oxygen and carbon stable isotope data derived from marbles and calcite fragments mechanically separated from the ceramic paste. Some fragments of sparry calcite were characterised by very negative δ 13 C values, significantly different from known marble varieties , and typical of calcite crystallised in superficial geological environments, consistent with calcareous sinters, such as calcite alabasters. Moreover, a series of firing experiments were carried out in the temperature interval between 450 • C and 800 • C, both reproducing oxidising and reducing conditions, on clay pastes tempered with Carrara marble, and fired, to evaluate whether these anomalous δ 13 C values observed in the ancient ceramic inclusions could also be related to the firing process.
in B. Castiglione et al. a cura di: Il paesaggio tra conflittualità e integrazione, materiali da un'esperienza formativa, Padova, 2018.
Nella definizione dell’UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (detta di Parigi 201... more Nella definizione dell’UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (detta di Parigi 2011), il paesaggio storico urbano è inteso come risultato di una stratificazione di valori e caratteri culturali e naturali che, andando al di là della nozione tradizionale di “centro storico”, include anche il contesto (setting) ambientale e le dinamiche sociali (artt. 8 e 9). Obiettivo di questo articolo è riflettere sui significati del testo UNESCO a partire dalle esperienze che il team di Archeologia Medievale dell’Università ha sviluppato nella città di Padova negli ultimi 20 anni, grazie a nuovi metodi e strumenti di analisi e in una prospettiva di “ricerca partecipata”. Ci proponiamo adesso di continuare le ricerche focalizzandoci questa volta non tanto sui monumenti o sul contesto urbano sul quale ci siamo incentrati negli ultimi anni bensì sulla cittadinanza padovana per capire quale è il ruolo economico, politico e sociale che ha il patrimonio culturale nella società padovana odierna, analizzato attraverso la relazione tra l’archeologia e le comunità locali in termini di impatto delle attività passate e pregresse e di sviluppo di linee di azioni future, anche nell’ambito della cosiddetta Terza Missione dell’Università, con particolare attenzione alle esigenze delle comunità locali
Radiocarbon, Vol 61, Nr 2, p 375–393 DOI:10.1017/RDC.2018.147 © 2019 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, 2019
OutlineDownload Elsevier Journal of Archaeological Science Volume 96, August 2018, Pages 124-130 ... more OutlineDownload
Elsevier
Journal of Archaeological Science
Volume 96, August 2018, Pages 124-130
Journal of Archaeological Science
Direct evidence from lipid residue analysis for the routine consumption of millet in Early Medieval Italy
Author links open overlay panelGiovannaGanzarolliaMichelleAlexanderbAlexandraChavarria ArnaucOliver E.Craigb
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2018.06.007Get rights and content
Highlights
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First direct evidence for consumption of millet by humans in the Medieval period.
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Survival of a robust biomarker (miliacin) in Medieval cooking wares.
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Wide-spread occurrence of millet (90% of cooking pots tested).
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Mixed with a range of other foods indicating millet was a staple during this period.
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Settles dispute regarding the use of millet purely as a fodder.
Abstract
Millets have been cultivated in Europe since the Late Neolithic but, beyond recording their presence, little is known about their use and context of consumption. As a C4 plant, the contribution of millet on diet can be readily identified through stable isotope analysis of human bones. Using this approach, however, previous studies have been unable to distinguish direct consumption of the cereal from the consumption of millet fed animals. Historical evidence suggests that the latter was common practice. To address this issue, we present the first direct evidence for millet consumption in Medieval period using organic residue analysis. Lipid were extracted from 45 pottery vessels from the Episcopal centre in Padua, Northern Italy dating from the 6th to 10th centuries AD. Miliacin, a biomarker for broomcorn millet, was present in many of the cooking vessels tested. Based on the co-occurrence of miliacin with other food derived lipids and the vessel typologies, we suggest that millet was a common culinary ingredient during the Early Medieval period in this region. The earliest evidence dates to the 6th c. AD and notably derives from deposits associated with high status occupation of the site, a surprising result given the common association of these crops as low-status or starvation foods in the historic periods. It is likely that millet was a common cereal staple in human diet during this period in North-eastern Italy and that its use was far less restricted than previously thought. More broadly, our study highlights the efficacy of combining organic residue analysis and stable isotope analysis of bone to relate culinary and dietary information of ancient populations.
Archeological excavations beside the Baptistery of the Dome of Padua (north-eastern Italy) uneart... more Archeological excavations beside the Baptistery of the Dome of Padua (north-eastern Italy) unearthed anthropic deposits formed betweenthe seventh-and tenth-century
AD
. These wereanalyzedusing soilmicromorphology, soilchemical analyses (especiallyaimed at the definition of organic matter properties and dynamics), and GC/MS analyses of fecal biomarkers, the latter corrob-orated by principal component analysis. This inter-disciplinary study allowed differentiating between units resulting from in situ accumulation of trampled domestic waste and other,back filling episodes. Fast accumulation of organic-rich domestic waste, coupled with an incomplete evolution of organic molecules appears as a fundamental formation process of these anthropic deposits. The overall level of fecal contamination in the Padua Baptistery sediments proved to be very low or absent
The “Fantastic Middle Ages” from the point of view of an archeologist. This essay is an introduct... more The “Fantastic Middle Ages” from the point of view of an archeologist.
This essay is an introduction to the papers presented at a seminar held in the Spring of 2015 concerning the neo-medieval style that developed in many Italian and other European cities between the mid 19th and the early decades of the 20th century. The main objective of these papers was to understand the multiple historical circumstances that led architects to restore or reconstruct buildings in a medieval style. Some reflections are also made on the case of Padua, where neo-medievalism played an important role as early as the beginning of the 19th century and left a distinctive mark on residential buildings by the 1920s due to the influence of Andrea Moschetti, director of the Civic Museum of Padua and professor of Art at Padua University.
Keywords: private buildings, restoration, Middle Ages, early years post-WW I, architects
Short description of the late antique and early medieval sequence and main structures of an excav... more Short description of the late antique and early medieval sequence and main structures of an excavation carried out by the cathedral of Padua.
TRACES OF COMPLEXITY STUDI IN ONORE DI ARMANDO DE GUIO
The extension of meanings and values relating to the concept of landscape, which has occurred in ... more The extension of meanings and values relating to the concept of landscape, which has occurred in recent decades, has had multiple consequences: on the epistemology of the disciplines that deal with landscapes (from geography, to history, to archaeology, to natural sciences); on protection, no longer linked to individual monuments, but enforced through planning together with specific economic and social management policies. These themes will be analyzed in this paper. The principles and methods of study of historical landscapes developed by the medieval archeology team of the University of Padua are investigated in relationship with the current models of participation and sustainable development promoted by the main international institutions that deal with the protection and management of cultural heritage.
La villa romana di Kaštelina (isola di Rab). Indagini archeologiche 2005-2007 1. L'isola di R... more La villa romana di Kaštelina (isola di Rab). Indagini archeologiche 2005-2007 1. L'isola di Rab: cenni geografici e storici L'isola di Rab-Arbe (Croazia) fa parte delle cosiddette isole Quarnerine Orienta-li o Inferiori, assieme all'isola di Pag, e ha un superficie di 90,8 km 2. L'isola ha molte delle caratteristiche ambientali dell'ambito carsico: nella zona nordest, nella penisola di Kalifront si trovano numerose doline, mentre i settori est-nordest e nordovest sono vere e proprie pietraie calcaree, che non consentono lo svi-luppo di una vegetazione diffusa. È probabile che in età antica e anche più recente (in particolare sotto la dominazione veneziana) alcune di queste zone fossero più fertili e che fenomeni di disboscamento, come quello antico documentato anche nel Carso triestino, abbiano condotto all'attuale situazione. La condizione ambientale cambia solo scendendo verso i versanti di sud-sudovest, dove le condizioni pedologiche (il terreno è il flysc...
Philippe Pergola, Gabriele Castiglia, Elie Essa Kas Hanna, Ilaria Martinetto, Jean-Antoine Segura... more Philippe Pergola, Gabriele Castiglia, Elie Essa Kas Hanna, Ilaria Martinetto,
Jean-Antoine Segura (eds) 2023, Perchement et Réalités Fortifiées en Méditerranéè et en Europe, Vème-Xème Siècles Fortified Hilltop Settlements
in the Mediterranean and in Europe (5th-10th centuries), Actes du Congres
International (Roquebrune- sur-Argens, 19-25 octobre 2019), Limina/Limites
Archéologies, histoires, îles et frontières de Mé diterranée (365-1556). Oxford: Archaeopress. ISBN: 978-18-0327-241-2.
Federico Marazzi, Chiara Raimondo, Giuseppe Hyeraci (eds) 2023, La difesa
militare bizantina in Italia (secoli VIXI), Atti del convegno internazionale
(Squillace, 15-18 aprile 2021), Studi Vulturnensi 30. Volturnia edizioni: Cerro al Volturno (IS). ISBN 978-88- 31339-73-5.
European Journal of PostClassical Archaeologies, 2022
http://www.postclassical.it/PCA\_Vol.12.html
RESEARCH - RECYCLING AND REUSE IN THE MIDDLE AGES R. Fleming The ritual recycling of Roman buil... more RESEARCH - RECYCLING AND REUSE IN THE MIDDLE AGES
R. Fleming The ritual recycling of Roman building material in late 4th- and early 5th-century Britain (OPEN ACCESS)
S. Paynter, C. Jackson Re-used Roman rubbish: a thousand years of recycling glass (OPEN ACCESS)
A. Sebastiani Glass and metal production at Alberese. The workshops at the manufacturing district of Spolverino (OPEN ACCESS)
F.-D. Deltenre, L. Orlandi «Rien ne se perd, rien ne se crée, tout se transforme». Transformation and manufacturing in the Late Roman villa of Aiano-Torraccia di Chiusi (5th-7th cent. AD) (DELTENRE OLRATI PCA2016.pdf)
S. Bertoldi Santa Cristina in Caio (Buonconvento, Si): productive reuse during the Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages (OPEN ACCESS)
C. Fernández-Ochoa, F. Gil Sendino, J. Salido La actividad metalúrgica en el yacimiento Veranes (Gijón, España): de la villa romana al asentamiento tardoantiguo y altomedieval (OPEN ACCESS)
BEYOND THE THEME
F. Curta Postcards from Maurilia, or the historiography of the dark-age cities of Byzantium (OPEN ACCESS)
M. Asolati Trasparenze ponderali: contrappesi monetali di vetro nell’Anatolia bizantina (OPEN ACCESS)
DOSSIER - WORLD HERITAGE AND THE PUBLIC
M. Díaz-Andreu Social values and the participation of local communities in World Heritage: a dream too far? (OPEN ACCESS)
Q. Gao Social values and archaeological heritage: an ethnographic study of the Daming Palace archaeological site (China) PCA 2016 AWARD_OPEN ACCESS
G. Alexopoulos, K. Fouseki Gender exclusion and local values versus universal cultural heritage significance: the Avaton debate on the monastic community of Mount Athos (OPEN ACCESS)
T.S. Guttormsen, J. Taylor, G. Swensen Heritage values conceptualised as heritage routes. Visions and challenges towards public diversity (OPEN ACCESS)
M. Maluck Spatial planning as a way to stakeholder involvement in cultural heritage management. Examples from Northern Europe (OPEN ACCESS)
D. Rodwell Community values vs World Heritage values: bridging the gap (OPEN ACCESS)
G.P. Brogiolo The UNESCO network “The Longobards in Italy. The Places of Power (568-774 A.D.)” and the Brescia case (OPEN ACCESS)
RETROSPECT
N.I. Platonova Problems of early medieval Slavonic Archaeology in Russia (a view from St. Petersburg) (OPEN ACCESS)
PROJECT
M. Valenti “We invest in Public Archaeology”. The Poggibonsi Archaeodrome project: an alliance between people, Municipality and University (OPEN ACCESS)
Interactive story telling app about the middle ages at Padua
Papers, lessons, spots and documentaries relating to our research!
On this archaeology course, you will explore what we can learn about the past through material cu... more On this archaeology course, you will explore what we can learn about the past through material culture. It focuses on the history of Medieval Europe, from the end of the Roman Empire in the West. This was a time of huge cultural, social, and environmental change.
The course covers a wide range of topics. You’ll explore the significance of changes in medieval food and health, the spread of Christianity in Europe, and migration patterns and social structures.
You will gain a sensibility for cultural heritage, focused on artefacts of material culture discovered on archaeological sites. These objects can help us understand the complexities of the late Roman Empire, by now under regular attack from Barbarian tribes.
Through material culture, we can understand how people lived, worshipped, and worked, as the new Germanic kingdoms and culture of Medieval Europe emerged.
You will also learn about the technical side of historical archaeology, covering the latest archaeological tools and techniques.
Contents of the course 2017
The didactic notebook titled “ Water Landscape of Colli Euganei“, include the study of the main e... more The didactic notebook titled “ Water Landscape of Colli Euganei“, include the study of the main elements that have conformed the Eugenian cultural landscapes through the history of this study area based in Padua, Italy.
Il quaderno didattico intitolato "Paesaggi d'acqua nei Colli Euganei" include lo studio degli elementi principali che hanno configurato il paesaggio culturale dei Colli Euganei attraverso la storia di questa area di studio nel padovano, Italia.
This Spring School will compare innovative experiences of community participative research in Arc... more This Spring School will compare innovative experiences of community participative research in Archaeology (in Spain, UK, Norway, Italy and Palestine among other countries) taking into account the different legal and administrative frameworks. This Spring School will be held in Tenno and Riva del Garda (Trento, Italy) from 9th to 13th April 2018.
The project has been pursued with excavations of the late antique church of st. Lawrence in Banjo... more The project has been pursued with excavations of the late antique church of st. Lawrence in Banjol and a portion of the city walls of Rab, as well as the documentation of the lower street and the documentation of all spolia in the walls of the city's houses
Program of the 26th IRCLAMA Colloquium, Poreč May 30 - June 2 2019