2025
Societies and Prehistoric Cultures
Name: Societies and Prehistoric Cultures
Code: HIS12020L
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area:
Archeology
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English
Regime de Frequência: Presencial
Presentation
This course aims to provide the students with a geral and at the same time detailed knowledge on the main questions related to the archaeological research on prehistoric investigations. The topics are organized diachronically and will be focusing on major aspects on the evolution of human behaviour.
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
1. Acquire a broader and updated vision that involves a critical understanding of Prehistory and Archaeology and their research methods;
2. Frame the process of hominization and human evolution, hunter-gatherer groups and the emergence of the first production economies and metallurgists;
4. Develop knowledge, skills and abilities for reading and evaluating existing specialized bibliography on Prehistory.
2. Frame the process of hominization and human evolution, hunter-gatherer groups and the emergence of the first production economies and metallurgists;
4. Develop knowledge, skills and abilities for reading and evaluating existing specialized bibliography on Prehistory.
Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Prehistory as a scientific discipline
2. THE PREHISTORY AND THE ARCHAEOLOGY
2.1. Methods of research
2.2. Geological time and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction
3. THE PALAEOLOTIHIC HUNTERS GATHERERS
3.1. Hominization
3.2. Lower Palaeolithic
3.2.1. Acheulian lithic industries
3.2.2. Economy, society and habitats
3.3. Middle Palaeolithic
3.3.1. Musterian lithic industries
3.3.2. Economy, society and habitats
3.4. Upper Palaeolithic
3.4.1. The diversity of lithic industries
3.4.2. Art and spirituality
4. MESOLITHIC
4.1. The post-glacial environment and a new society
4.3. Shell middens and the formal spaces of burial
4.4. Lithic industries and the use of bone
5. NEOLITHIC
5.1. The concepts of Neolithic
5.2. Climatic and socio-economic changes
5.3. The domestication
5.5. The use of space
5.6. Megalithism
6. SOCIETIES WITH METALLURGY
1.1. Prehistory as a scientific discipline
2. THE PREHISTORY AND THE ARCHAEOLOGY
2.1. Methods of research
2.2. Geological time and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction
3. THE PALAEOLOTIHIC HUNTERS GATHERERS
3.1. Hominization
3.2. Lower Palaeolithic
3.2.1. Acheulian lithic industries
3.2.2. Economy, society and habitats
3.3. Middle Palaeolithic
3.3.1. Musterian lithic industries
3.3.2. Economy, society and habitats
3.4. Upper Palaeolithic
3.4.1. The diversity of lithic industries
3.4.2. Art and spirituality
4. MESOLITHIC
4.1. The post-glacial environment and a new society
4.3. Shell middens and the formal spaces of burial
4.4. Lithic industries and the use of bone
5. NEOLITHIC
5.1. The concepts of Neolithic
5.2. Climatic and socio-economic changes
5.3. The domestication
5.5. The use of space
5.6. Megalithism
6. SOCIETIES WITH METALLURGY
Teaching Methods
Presentation of concepts, methodologies and case studies, promoting student engagement through a dialogical approach to learning, encouraging discussion, the activation of prior knowledge, and the adaptation of course content to students? main interests, thereby contributing to a closer integration of teaching and research.
The development of this course unit also falls within the framework established by Order No. 34/2026 ? Guidelines for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI may be used as a tool to support learning, research and critical reflection, but not as a substitute for human reflection, creativity or authorship. The use of AI must comply with the principles of honesty, rigour and intellectual responsibility. Practices involving plagiarism, falsification, manipulation or omission of sources will not be accepted, nor will the uncritical use of content produced by automated systems.
Any use of AI tools in the preparation of assessed work must be explicitly acknowledged, identifying the tool used and the nature of its contribution. Students must demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate, interpret and problematise AI-generated outputs, recognising their limitations, potential biases and ethical implications. The input of personal data, confidential materials or sensitive information into generative AI systems is prohibited, in accordance with the GDPR and the regulations of the University of Évora.
AI cannot be considered an author. In all cases, the student retains full responsibility for the authorship, quality, rigour and accuracy of the work submitted. The use of AI is permitted as a research support tool, an instrument for critical reflection, and a resource in active learning contexts. However, it may not be used to generate texts, answers, images or other content presented as the student?s original work, nor to automatically produce assignments, essays, reports or other assessed work without substantive intellectual input from the human author.
The use of AI without explicit disclosure, where it has contributed to the preparation of assessed work, will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in penalties equivalent to those applicable in cases of plagiarism. Whenever there are doubts regarding authorship or the process through which a piece of work was produced, the lecturer may request additional clarification, preliminary versions or other materials that allow the production process to be assessed. The lecturer may also request oral clarification or, where justified, require an oral examination before the course unit examination panel.
Originality, critical analytical ability, intellectual autonomy and interpretative competence remain fundamental assessment criteria.
The development of this course unit also falls within the framework established by Order No. 34/2026 ? Guidelines for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI may be used as a tool to support learning, research and critical reflection, but not as a substitute for human reflection, creativity or authorship. The use of AI must comply with the principles of honesty, rigour and intellectual responsibility. Practices involving plagiarism, falsification, manipulation or omission of sources will not be accepted, nor will the uncritical use of content produced by automated systems.
Any use of AI tools in the preparation of assessed work must be explicitly acknowledged, identifying the tool used and the nature of its contribution. Students must demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate, interpret and problematise AI-generated outputs, recognising their limitations, potential biases and ethical implications. The input of personal data, confidential materials or sensitive information into generative AI systems is prohibited, in accordance with the GDPR and the regulations of the University of Évora.
AI cannot be considered an author. In all cases, the student retains full responsibility for the authorship, quality, rigour and accuracy of the work submitted. The use of AI is permitted as a research support tool, an instrument for critical reflection, and a resource in active learning contexts. However, it may not be used to generate texts, answers, images or other content presented as the student?s original work, nor to automatically produce assignments, essays, reports or other assessed work without substantive intellectual input from the human author.
The use of AI without explicit disclosure, where it has contributed to the preparation of assessed work, will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in penalties equivalent to those applicable in cases of plagiarism. Whenever there are doubts regarding authorship or the process through which a piece of work was produced, the lecturer may request additional clarification, preliminary versions or other materials that allow the production process to be assessed. The lecturer may also request oral clarification or, where justified, require an oral examination before the course unit examination panel.
Originality, critical analytical ability, intellectual autonomy and interpretative competence remain fundamental assessment criteria.
Assessment
Continuous assessment comprises two assessment tests (40% each), together with attendance and participation in activities carried out in (20%). A student who fails to complete at least one component of the continuous assessment will automatically be transferred to the final assessment regime (line a, n.º 11, article 110 of the Academic Regulations of the University of Évora), with a weighting of 100%.
In accordance with Order No. 216/2026, of 22 July, where deemed necessary to assess the extent to which the student has acquired the knowledge and skills defined for the Course Unit, the teaching team may require the student to undertake an oral examination, pursuant to Article 110(13) of the Academic Regulations of the University of Évora. The conditions set out in Article 116(4) and Article 118(1) of the same Regulations shall be ensured. The oral examination will account for 50% of the final grade for the Course Unit.
In accordance with Order No. 216/2026, of 22 July, where deemed necessary to assess the extent to which the student has acquired the knowledge and skills defined for the Course Unit, the teaching team may require the student to undertake an oral examination, pursuant to Article 110(13) of the Academic Regulations of the University of Évora. The conditions set out in Article 116(4) and Article 118(1) of the same Regulations shall be ensured. The oral examination will account for 50% of the final grade for the Course Unit.
Teaching Staff
- Nelson José Oliveira de Almeida [responsible]
Accreditations and Certifications
