1/5 - Archaeology and Art History of Central Asia

courses
ID:
1/5
Duration (hours):
54
CFU:
9
SSD:
Archeology and Art History of India and Central Asia
Located in:
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI "L'ORIENTALE"
Url:
ANCIENT CULTURES AND ARCHAEOLOGY: ASIA, AFRICA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN/Percorso comune Year: 2
ANCIENT CULTURES AND ARCHAEOLOGY: ASIA, AFRICA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN/Percorso comune Year: 3
Year:
2025

Overview

Date/time interval

Secondo Semestre (23/02/2026 - 29/05/2026)

Syllabus

Course Objectives

The course is introductory in nature and will address the archaeology and art history of the Iranian ecumene, as well as the geographically and historically connected regions, from a diachronic perspective. The approach will be based on a detailed analysis of archaeological, historical-artistic, and architectural evidence from the main ancient centres, known through both past and recent archaeological investigations.

The course will explore the interrelations within the Iranian world – in terms of the transmission, reception, original elaboration of ideas, and their reconstruction/interpretation through archaeological and historical-artistic evidence – within specific contexts, using representative case studies and discussing their findings.

Particular attention will be given to issues related to patronage and messaging in Iranian art, both before and after the Hellenisation of Asia during the Seleucid period. By the end of the course, students will have acquired a solid knowledge of the main archaeological and historical-artistic evidence from the pre-Islamic Iranian and Central Asian regions and will be able to accurately situate these within their spatial and temporal frameworks, that is, within their respective historical and cultural contexts. Students will also develop the ability to navigate a broad and complex geographical and chronological horizon and to appreciate a historical perspective that extends beyond the Iranian ecumene to include the adjacent western and eastern areas as zones of contact and exchange.


Course Prerequisites

A functional knowledge of English and French is required, along with a basic understanding of the following disciplines: Ancient Near Eastern history, Greek history, and Roman history. Additionally, students are encouraged to be familiar with the fundamental methodological aspects of archaeological research. To this end, professor Minardi is available to recommend supplementary readings to help fill any gaps for students who feel the need for further support.


Teaching Methods

This lecture-based course offers students a diachronic introduction to the archaeology and art history of the Iranian world, spanning from the period immediately preceding the establishment of Achaemenid dominance through to the Sasanian era. Throughout the course, a selection of key archaeological, architectural, and artistic evidence from the broader Iranian ecumene will be examined and interpreted within an extensive historical and cultural framework.


Assessment Methods

Oral exam consisting of identification, critical analysis, and discussion of archaeological sites and/or historical-artistic objects, based on a graph, map, photograph, or illustration included in the handouts provided by professor Minardi and/or in the bibliographic material indicated for the exam.


The exam language is Italian; upon request, it can be conducted in English or French for international students.


Texts

For the archaeological evidence, in the absence of an updated textbook, PDF handouts prepared by professor Minardi will be made available to students. These handouts contain the graphic and illustrative material presented during lectures and are essential for exam preparation and successful completion. The handouts should be supplemented with notes taken during class. Therefore, regular and punctual attendance is strongly recommended.

For the geographical component, students are expected to have knowledge of the main regions of the Iranian world (both western and eastern, i.e., present-day Iran and Central Asia) as well as the locations of the sites mentioned and discussed during the course.


For the historical component, for which a general knowledge is necessary, the following reading is recommended:

Wiesehöfer, J. 2001. Ancient Persia, I.B. Tauris.


For photographic documentation, the following are suggested:

Ghirshman, R. 1982. Persian Art: Parthians and Sasanids, Florence. (Note: this text should be supplemented and updated with notes taken during lectures.)

Curtis, J. & Tallis, N. (eds.) 2005. Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia, The British Museum, London.


On Sasanian architecture and art:

Callieri, P. 2014. Architecture et représentations dans l’Iran sassanide, Association pour l’Avancement des Études iraniennes, Paris.


Additional bibliographic material (a selection of articles and monograph chapters on specific topics) will be indicated and presented during the course.

Non-attending students: Those unable to attend lectures are kindly asked to contact professor Minardi to discuss the exam bibliography.


Contents

Course Title:

Iranian Archaeology and Art History: From the Achaemenids to the Sasanids.


  1. From the rise of Achaemenid hegemony to that of the Sasanian dynasty: outlines of history and art.
  2. Archaeology and material culture of Western and Eastern Iran.
  3. Critical examination of the relationships and dynamics between empires and their peripheries, in light of the material culture and historical-artistic evidence available.



Course Language

Italian


Degrees

Degrees

No Results Found

People

Other

Main module

Archaeology and Art History of Central Asia