FutureLearn

Change of Era: The Origins of Christian Culture through the Lens of Archaeology (FutureLearn)

Offered by University of Padova,

Learn about innovative approaches to the study of early Christianity and discover its role in a crucial period of history. Delve into early Christianity. On this four-week course, you’ll gain a better understanding of a crucial period in history – one characterised by deep political, economic, cultural, and environmental transformations in the context of the end of the Western Roman Empire.

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You’ll explore the emergence of the Christian world through early Christian texts and case studies of archaeological sites, key objects, and inscriptions.
By the end, you’ll understand what methods we can use to study early Christianity, what problems we need to investigate, and why it is important to study the origins of the Christian era.

Explore Christian iconography and buildings
You’ll unpack the origins of Christian iconography and culture before analysing Christian artefacts to understand their historical context and meaning.
You’ll also investigate churches and how we can use archaeology to better understand their meaning, who built them, and why.
With this knowledge, you’ll discover how constructing holy places can help create a sensibility for cultural heritage.

Understand the link between religion and politics
You’ll delve into politics and Christianity to help you investigate the connections and causations between different historical events.
Next, you’ll explore how innovative scientific methodologies are adding vital information to help us gain a better understanding of the past.

Learn from the experts at University of Padova
Throughout the course, you’ll be guided by the Mediaeval archaeologists from the University of Padova.
With their expertise, you’ll understand how to study the origins of Christian culture to gain a deeper insight into history.

Syllabus

Week 1: The origins of a Christian culture
Week 2: The image of a new culture
Week 3: Constantine and the birth of monumental christian architecture
Week 4: Religion and politics in the early christian mediterranean

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Create a sensibility for cultural heritage, particularly archaeological sites and material culture through a better understanding of their nature and meaning
Explore how innovative scientific methodologies are adding vital information about the past to traditional christian archaeology
Interpret christian artefacts within their precise historical context and meaning.
Investigate the connections and causations between different historical events
Reflect on the meaning of churches in urban and rural contexts–why they were built and what their function was in antiquity

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