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Iconology and Archeology [ LARKO2260 ]


3.0 crédits ECTS  15.0 h   1q 

Teacher(s) Driessen Jan ; Cavalieri Marco ;
Language French
Place
of the course
Louvain-la-Neuve
Main themes Define the most important motifs of the imagery of the main cultural phases of the ancient Mediterranean.
Aims Learning to read ancient images with ancient eyes, from the point of past viewers, without introducing a contemporary reading nor an arbitrary semiotics. The reconstruction of past thoughts using archaeological data or material culture is the task of what nowadays is called cognitive archaeology. This type of archaeology concentrates explicitly on the human ability to construct and use symbols. A symbol is something that represents or replaces something else, i.e. it is the visible sign of an idea, of a quality or of an other object. The word derives from the Greek 'placing together'. Some researchers state that all human activity contains a symbolic element (and vice versa) ('animal symbolicum'). We can try to understand the significance of symbols (interpretative archaeology) or the way in which they have been used (cognitive archaeology).
Content Since it is impossible to give a review of the totality of ancient art, we try to define, on the basis of a few examples, one of the main motifs responsible for the creation of imagery during the main cultural phases in the ancient Mediterranean and to establish how, even without the use of writing, material culture was used to diffuse certain ideas, as major means of propaganda of certain ideologies. Most of the Ancients were first of all visually literate and the impact of images was primordial to render a regime effective. There will mainly be a discussion of iconology and images but it is clear that architecture and in particular the creation of large monuments also occupied an important place in the promulgation of ideas. Course given by a team of teachers. Prime attention to illustration material. Personal research by the student (written papers). Compulsory Reading: A bibliographic list is given by the teachers.
Other information Prerequisites: none Evaluation: evaluation based on personal work (written papers) and a written or oral exam. Support: typed notes.
Cycle et année
d'étude
> Master [60] in History of Art and Archaeology : General
> Master [120] in History of Art and Archaeology : General
> Master [60] in History
> Master [120] in History
Faculty or entity
in charge
> ARKE


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