Prehistory in School Didactics (PDF)

EDUCATION O Prehistory in school didactics The article introduces the insertion, cutting edges and their educational project “Learning proper use. history through archaeology” developing deeper knowledge Moreover a tactile knowledge of the of regional prehistory aimed working tools used in archaeologi- at classes of primary school cal surveys allowed a kindling of pupils. pupils’ motivational interest, which could have failed with a merely the- Q Antonio AFFUSO oretical lesson (Tornar 2004) Ada PREITE (IT) The archaeologist work During the school year 2004/2005, on the fi eld an educational project aimed at Th e archaeologist working in the developing knowledge in the his- fi eld carries out diff erent activities, torical-archaeological aspects of allowing him to record all the in- Q Fig. 1 Class carried out with multimedia support the Lucanian territory in the very formation collected, and to recon- south of Italy, in particular of the struct events which are not tangi- Ionian Basilicata, was carried out ble anymore. Within our didactical Homo Erectus, to whom the lithic at the Direzione Didattica 1° Cir- project, major importance was given tools found in diff erent Palaeolithic colo “L. Milani” of Policoro (Mat- to activities such as surface survey- contexts are ascribed. era, Basilicata). ing, cell outlining of the surveyed area and archaeological excava- Th e most common typologies of Th e didactical project, called “Learn- tion methodologies, with particular lithic tools were shown and illus- ing history through archaeology”, reference to the basic principles of trated: from particular ones, indi- proposed by the Cooperative Co. stratigraphy and technical record- viduating specifi c cultural areas, to Archeoart within the School Educa- ing of the data collected during the more generic ones, found at numer- tional Proposals Plan for 2004/2005, archaeological excavation. ous sites. Based on comparisons to was chosen from among numerous other Italian Palaeolithic contexts, it didactical proposals by the Teach- Th ese subjects, which are not quite was possible to spot among the ma- ers’ Board and Parents. It was de- that easy to understand because of terials collected in the fi eld known veloped through a 60 hour activ- their technical complexity, were forms, such as the chopper, the bi- ity plan, shared equally between 6 dealt with in a scientifi c way, though face and the scraper which are oft en classes of pupils in the third year of with the help of didactical method- shown in school books without any Primary School. All the pupils took ologies apt to be understood by Pri- geographical, chronological or cul- part in the project. mary School pupils. tural references. As to the most recent stage of Pre- Theoretical stage Prehistory in Basilicata history, the transition from a no- Class lessons were carried out with Images of archaeological excava- madic life, with an economy based the help of multimedia technolo- tions, fi nds and reconstructions of on hunting and spontaneous plants gies, already widely used within everyday life in Basilicata concern- picking (Palaeolithic, Mesolithic) the didactical fi eld (Cecconi, Ol- ing Prehistoric periods (Palaeo- to a sedentary one by communi- metti Peja 2004), including han- lithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) were ties organized in villages having dling in copies of archaeological shown to the pupils. an economy based on agriculture material and handling tools used and cattle breeding (Neolithic) in archaeology (Fig. 1) As to the most ancient stage of Pre- was underlined. Major importance history, particular attention was was given to the organisation of a Copies of archaeological fi nds were given to Pleistocene fauna fi nds in Neolithic village: from hut struc- actually handled by the pupils A Basilicata, whose osseous remains tures to the areas devoted to spe- tactile approach with such mate- were found at the sites of Rotonda cifi c activities and the evidence of rial allowed a physical and formal (Potenza), Grumento (Potenza), material culture (vases, lithic pro- knowledge of the objects together Chiaromonte (Potenza), Venosa duction, osseous production et ce- with the awareness of their practi- (Potenza) (Bianco 1993) and Atella tera). With reference to the territo- cal functions. Such learning meth- (Potenza) (Borzatti von Löwenstern, ry of Ionian Basilicata, areas where od allowed the pupils a cognitive Sozzi 1996). Th e latter two sites, as Neolithic villages were settled were acquisition of the various structur- well as the area around Matera, surveyed. Such surveys allowed al components of the tools: handle, show evidence of the presence of the relating of local Neolithic cul- 6/2009 euroREA 13 O EDUCATION Prehistory in school didactics tural issues to the ones dealt with stratigraphic complexity, are set out in school books, sometimes intro- through reconstructions which are duced in a generic way and thus easy to understand. distant from a proper cultural and historic setting. During laboratory activities the pupils learned how to do an archaeological excavation, using typical Laboratory didactical- tools. Th e excavation was carried experimental stage out, though on a smaller and easi- Th e second stage was carried out er scale apt to school didactics, fol- with laboratory practical lessons lowing the methodological criteria featuring a didactical simulation of of archaeological survey (Fig. 2) an archaeological excavation. Such and the relevant fi eld documenta- activity, aimed at going deep into tion (graphic survey, photographic the concepts and issues dealt with survey, draft ing of the excavation diary and fi lling-in of stratigraphic Q Fig. 2 Didactical simulation of an archaeological exca- during the theoretical stage, elicit- vation ed particular attention and cultural technical forms). curiosity with both the pupils and the teachers. Didactical visits to the National Archaeological A didactical simulation of an archaeological excavation can be car- Museum of Siritide ried out both within enclosed plac- Didactical visits to the National Ar- es, with a didactic box or properly chaeological Museum of Siritide in set out in the open air. In both cas- Policoro (Fig. 3) were carried out es the archaeological fi nds (copies) by a paleoethnologist (an archae- are laid out according to synchron- ologist specialised in Prehistory ic and diachronic contexts. In the and Protohistory) following an ex- specifi c case of the project “Learn- perimental methodology based on ing history through archaeology” a fi lling in an archaeoform; the pupil Q Fig. 3 National Archaeological Museum of Siritide: didactical visit didactic box was used, with a re- thus becomes an active actor dur- construction of a diachronic strati- ing the guided tour and acquires graphic sequence. the diff erent concepts in a proper scientifi c way. Q Th e fi rst level of the stratigraphic sequence (more recent upper Th e archaeoform has a very easy level) contained a tomb dating structure, made of cells for record- back to the Neolithic, made at ing archaeological data and spaces a 1:2 scale. Th e funerary equip- for drawings (Fig. 4). Th us used, ment (copies) was laid down the archaeoform proved to be a use- next to the skeleton, placed in a ful instrument for organizing the crouching position. diff erent information. Q Th e second level of the strati- Th e archaeological issues dealt with graphic sequence (bottom older during the didactical visits con- level), placed under the Neo- cerned both historiographic subjects lithic tomb, was made up of Pal- and themes connected to the meth- aeolithic lithic objects (copies) odology of archaeological research, and the remains of a hearth with the procedures of production and Q Fig. 5 Clay preparation charcoal and burnt animal bone use of the objects displayed and the fragments images shown on the illustrating panels. Th e explanation of the words It must be underlined that the di- used within archaeological vocabu- dactical simulation of an archaeo- lary proved also to be very interest- logical excavation generally shows ing, with a particular emphasis on reconstructions of known contexts, the properl scientifi c terminology, such as the areas for cooking food oft en neglected or improvised. Th e (hearth), with relevant left overs pupils’ acquisition of an adequate (animal ones), or human tombs, archaeological terminology allows, with funerary equipment indicat- as already shown in other didacti- ing a specifi c cultural phase. Such cal experiences in museums, a more archaeological contexts, not always proper knowledge of the typology easy to be interpreted, both for the and function of diff erent objects and fragmentary nature of the preser- relevant cultural contexts (Asquini Q Fig. 6 Weaving with vegetable fibre vation state and for their chrono- 1999). 14 euroREA 6/2009 Prehistory in school didactics EDUCATION O Materials used Technique Making up of elements functional to hut building Vegetable fi bres Weaving Ropes Reeds Caning Frames Clay Processing Hut plaster and preparation Wheat stems assembling Upper cover Q Tab. 1 Materials used in the reconstruction of part of a hut The didactical visits carried out Th e reconstruction of the hut was in museums, as in the National completed by setting out a paleo- Archaeological Museum of Sir- ground, on which post holes were itide, allow a multi-contextual- reconstructed as connected to the ized learning of archaeological bearing structure of the hut, hav- events and of the historical datum ing inside little stones working in its entirety thanks to the use of as the “wedges” of wooden poles different explanatory methodolo- (Fig. 9). Q Fig. 8 Plaster preparation (clay and straw) on caning gies. Conclusion The didactical- Class lessons, visits to the museum experimental laboratory and didactical-experimental labo- Th e experience that most strongly ratory activities aim to give the pu- involved the pupils was the labo- pils a deeper knowledge of the cul- ratory of didactical experimental tural and technological aspects of archaeology (Fig.

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