Docente
|
MANZI GIORGIO
(programma)
Specific objectives
Knowledge and understanding: The student will acquire knowledge on the paleo-biological record, with focus on methodologies and study-cases in paleoanthropology and skeletal biology. Therefore she/he will acquire the necessary skills on adaptive dynamics in relation to geographical distribution and specific environmental contexts, in a diachronic and evolutionary perspective
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: The student will acquire skills to use methods of analysis and critical evaluation of human biodiversity within the general information framework, during time as well as in relation to different environmental contexts.
Critical and judgmental capacities: Through the documentation and analysis of one or more case studies, the student will develop critical and judgmental skills by comparing morphological, genetic, archaeological and historical sources of information.
Communication skills: The student will acquire skills in synthesis and communication in public, being invited to present in the classroom the results of the analytical and critical study of one or more case-studies and being stimulated to interact with colleagues and with the teacher.
Learning skills: The student will acquire the proper language of evolutionary biology, of paleoantrhropology and skeletal morphology, with reference to the human variability in the past, being able to deal autonomously with both the manuals and more specialized literature.
Course requirements
Knowledge of general biology is preparatory to the learning of the subject.
Syllabus
Introduction to evolutionary biology. Comparative morphology and anthropometry. Systematics, variability and ecology of non-human primates. Taphonomy and formation of paleontological deposits; Palaeolithic archeology. Elements of anthropological anatomy (cranium, teeth, postcranial bones). Growth and skeletal development. Morphology and morphometry- Techniques and methods of data analysis. Contribution and new data of paleogenetics. The main trends in human evolution. Phylogeny of the genus Homo. Origin, diffusion and present variability of Homo sapiens. Bio-cultural interaction between humans and the environment. Study-cases.
Structure of the course
Lectures, with seminar discussion on case-studies.
Testi di riferimento:
- Minozzi S. & Canci A. (2015) Archeologia dei resti umani: dallo scavo al laboratorio
- Manzi G. (2013, 2018) Il grande racconto dell'evoluzione umana. Il Mulino, Bologna
- Platzer W. (2014) Atlante tascabile di anatomia umana: 1. Ambrosiana, Milano
- Tuniz C., Manzi G. & Caramelli D. (2013) La scienza delle nostre origini. Laterza, Roma-Bari
|