Ritual violence in the Classical World

Prof. Giovanna Bagnasco (University of Milan), Ritual violence in the Classical World

Abstract:
How can we address the role of violence within ancient sacrificial rituals with today’s eyes? Violence and sacrifice bring many facets of humanity into play, making it very difficult to delineate linear research paths. There are many overlaps and interferences between research approaches and research object. In addition, we have to contend with the enormous gap between evidence in archaeological remains and in written literary sources. In broad terms, we can identify two main distinct approaches: those who start from theoretical and anthropological constructs, and those who proceed from material culture in an interdisciplinary manner (human and animal skeletal remains, archaeological contexts, iconography).

This lecture seeks to map the focus of each study in this literature review, according to the theoretical apparatus and subsequent debate developed from the19th and 20th centuries.

Speaker Bio:
Giovanna Bagnasco graduated in Classics and has a PhD in Archaeology. Since 2019 she is a Professor of Etruscan Studies at the Università degli Studi of Milan, a member of the Dottorato di Ricerca in Etruscologia group at “Sapienza”, Università di Roma, and a membro ordinario of the Istituto Nazionale di Studi Etruschi e Italici. She is Director of the archaeological excavations of the Università degli Studi of Milan at Tarquinia and of the Coordinating Research Centre ”Tarquinia Project”.

Her most important achievements relate to the Etruscan world, through the analysis and interpretation of archaeological and epigraphic data. Of particular significance are her studies on the phenomenon of writing in the Italian peninsula.

Seminar Series & Date: Garrod Research Seminar, 20th October 2022