This study explores the process of identity creation in the Caribbean archipelagic space by examining the last five centuries of Grenada’s layered history through detailing and analyzing the major... Show moreThis study explores the process of identity creation in the Caribbean archipelagic space by examining the last five centuries of Grenada’s layered history through detailing and analyzing the major human-environment interactions that have transformed its landscape, particularly following the invasion of Europeans since the 17th century and the establishment of plantation agriculture and slavery (utilizing enslaved Africans and their descendants), village settlements and subsistence agriculture, and much later tourism. It will analyze its landscape transformations by examining land use and settlement patterns of its human occupants from the Indigenous Kali’nago to its current inhabitants via the concept of creolization. Centuries of interactions between and among these various groups of people and the Grenadian environment have created a landscape best described as a palimpsest where layer upon layer of interactions intertwine, overwrite and blend with each other through time. Yet leaving glimpses or blurred pictures of impacts in various and discernable ways, thus creating a long-term biography of this islandscape. By examining the Grenadian palimpsest and analyzing the concept of landscape identity through historical representations and memory-traces embedded in the Creole cultural landscape this study explores the relationship between people and the landscape over time. Show less
Plants and peoples’ connections intertwine in multiple histories, often captured in textual accounts and illustrations, such as the Historia Naturalis Brasiliae (1648) and the Libri Picturati (c.... Show morePlants and peoples’ connections intertwine in multiple histories, often captured in textual accounts and illustrations, such as the Historia Naturalis Brasiliae (1648) and the Libri Picturati (c. 1640). These materials originated in the colonial context of Dutch Brazil and circulated among naturalists, physicians, merchants, and wealthy collectors for centuries. Today, we looked at these collections to identify the documented flora. With an ethnobotanical approach, we analyzed whether these plants are still used the same way in Brazil, their origins, and how they were collected. This study pays attention to the Indigenous and enslaved peoples living in the colony, whose rich corpus of botanical knowledge was appropriated within Western epistemologies and used in the colonial enterprise in Brazil, and beyond. Show less
This research aims to study the practice of cremation in Alexandria and Graeco-Roman Egypt, through the examination of its cinerary urns.Our corpus, which brings together a little more than one... Show moreThis research aims to study the practice of cremation in Alexandria and Graeco-Roman Egypt, through the examination of its cinerary urns.Our corpus, which brings together a little more than one thousand objects, includes both ceramic and stone vases, designed as cinerary urns, but also many vases from the domestic and sometimes civic/religious sphere, diverted from their primary use and reused in necropolises, as well as a group of Pharaonic alabaster vases, adopted and reinterpreted in Roman times.Re-examination of the necropolises and tombs in which these urns have been unearthed since the 19th century has shed new light on the categories of people concerned by this practice, whether it is a personal choice of anonymous individuals or a custom of the Ptolemaic state for people whose funerals were supported by the Crown.Analysis of anthropological data from a selection of Alexandrian cinerary urns has made it possible to reconstruct a theoretical framework on the various stages of the funeral ceremony, from the construction of the pyre to the collection of the bone remains and deposition in the grave.Finally, elaborating a typo-chronological study of these urns enabled us to determine four major periods along which the frequency and methods of cremation evolved, between the foundation of Alexandria and the 2nd century AD. Show less
This thesis explores the relationships between local people, archaeologists and Amara West, locally known as Abkanisa, located in Sudanese Nubia, northern Sudan. The analysis of the relationship... Show moreThis thesis explores the relationships between local people, archaeologists and Amara West, locally known as Abkanisa, located in Sudanese Nubia, northern Sudan. The analysis of the relationship aimed to understand the local values of the place and the power relations between local people and archaeologists in the post-colonial context. It argues how this relationship could be improved by dialogue that promotes increased human interactions, understanding different perspectives and exchanging knowledge and memories. This study contributes to decolonising archaeological and heritage practices by presenting a model for collaboration in archaeology. Show less
Adorning one’s body was a widespread practice in the precolonial Caribbean, notably during the Ceramic Age (400 BC–ca. AD 1500). Despite the abundance of ornament collections recovered from the... Show moreAdorning one’s body was a widespread practice in the precolonial Caribbean, notably during the Ceramic Age (400 BC–ca. AD 1500). Despite the abundance of ornament collections recovered from the region, much remains unknown concerning their biographies. This dissertation aims to elucidate evolving patterns in ornament production, use, and exchange through technological and microwear analyses. It is composed of four articles published in peer-reviewed journals. The first half proposes a research strategy for studying circum-Caribbean collections, which are markedly diverse in their origins, raw materials, and preservation state. Furthermore, an ethnographic museum collection, including whole necklaces, is studied as basis for interpretation. In the second part, collections from two time periods are studied: 1) the early part of the Early Ceramic Age in the eastern Caribbean; and 2) the Late Ceramic Age in the Greater Antilles. In each case-study, the presence of technical products and use-wear are combined to elucidate exchange patterns. This approach contributes toward a new assessment of large-scale interactions and the social mechanisms responsible for them. The dissertation concludes by reflecting on the changing ways people have handled, engaged with, and ultimately regarded ornaments over the course of the Ceramic Age period. Show less
This study explores long-term landscape transformations of the Fort-Liberté region, Haiti. By using a landscaped biography approach, this research aims to understand the substantial developments... Show moreThis study explores long-term landscape transformations of the Fort-Liberté region, Haiti. By using a landscaped biography approach, this research aims to understand the substantial developments of the region, from the Amerindian occupation, through the Spanish colonization, to the French colonial period. The study of the transformation of the landscape in the longue-durée suggests that activities of cultural groups are considered as events that were connected to each other, not just as superposed layers or isolated events. The archaeological sites dispersed in the natural environment express the idea of a complex palimpsest of the region’s history. This study of the Haitian cultural landscape has proposed to take into account the multi-layered nature of the landscape in order to avoid the dichotomy between pre-colonial and colonial in this context of long-term landscape transformation Show less
Morphometric and morphological differences have been used extensively in the past to study domestication of the wolf and the origin of dogs. Certainly before genetic testing was performed, these... Show moreMorphometric and morphological differences have been used extensively in the past to study domestication of the wolf and the origin of dogs. Certainly before genetic testing was performed, these methods were the only means to diverge both groups. But still now, when aDNA cannot be extracted, morphometry and morphology are still important study methods to discern between wolves and dogs.Many of the historically claimed differences were based on studying rather low numbers of Specimens, and on comparisons with genetically isolated groups of dogs or breeds that had anatomical variants which diverge from the mean. This led to several claimed differences that needed rigorous re-evaluated, by investigating larger groups of specimens, both dogs and wolves, and more importantly, and if possible, Pleistocene wolves and the oldest archaeological dogs.We re-evaluated all important morphological and morphometric criteria published in the literature. Most are related to oral, mandibular and skull differences, but also difference in stature was reported. From all criteria we re-tested very few proved to be valuable. And those that show a difference, can often only be used to a limited extend, as only the extremes of these criteria are non-overlapping between groups. Show less
Archaic and Classical architectural terracottas constituted an integral part of the architecture of monumental buildings at Akragas. These objects therefore provide unique insights into the... Show moreArchaic and Classical architectural terracottas constituted an integral part of the architecture of monumental buildings at Akragas. These objects therefore provide unique insights into the built environment of sanctuaries at this important Greek colony in Sicily. This research's multi-disciplinary approach to the material allows for the creation of a revised typology, which takes into account stylistic characteristics, fabric, production techniques, material composition, and architectural context. The investigation is based on original analyses and documentation of over 250 fragments, of which a significant number was previously unpublished. By approaching these objects as complex architectural elements, and not just as decorative roof edges, a more nuanced image of local production is revealed. While the terracotta roofs from Akragas demonstrate a proficiency in regional stylistic and technical conventions, a number of adaptations is used in the decoration, profile and production techniques, which changes throughout different time periods. By investigating the required technical knowledge and the use of a local technical style, this research has gained new insights into the organization of local production and the distribution of architectural innovations. Show less
The central question of this thesis is: What drives late Middle Paleolithic stone artifact variability? In its attempt to answer this question, this thesis is a contribution to understanding... Show moreThe central question of this thesis is: What drives late Middle Paleolithic stone artifact variability? In its attempt to answer this question, this thesis is a contribution to understanding variability within and between late Middle Paleolithic assemblages of the European Plain. The selected research area is rich in late Middle Paleolithic open-air sites but up to now lacking detailed quantitative comparisons between them. This thesis uses standardized, more quantitative methods to analyze stone tool variability across techno-complexes. Stone artifact assemblages where analyzed based on a detailed attribute analysis and compared using multivariate methods, like Principal Component Analysis and Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling. Additionally, methods from 3D geometric morphometrics where applied for the analysis of some individual tool types. The central finding of the studies presented in this thesis is that most of the variability observed in the record is not related to typo-technological classification, and it is not necessarily site-specific nor geographical. The variability can be related to raw materials, but it can also be related to the varying application of similar methods in blank and tool production. The analyses of individual tools suggest further that certain tool concepts, like the bifacial Keilmesser are not restricted to bifacial tools only. Show less
The research contained in this dissertation explores the origins of fire making in prehistory, focusing primarily on the fire use practices and fire production capacities of Neandertals. The... Show moreThe research contained in this dissertation explores the origins of fire making in prehistory, focusing primarily on the fire use practices and fire production capacities of Neandertals. The dissertation is comprised of four peer-reviewed articles published in the journals Quaternary International, PLoS ONE, Journal of Archaeological Science and Scientific Reports, respectively, which are flanked by an introductory and synthesis chapter. The early chapters confront the debate surrounding the prevalence of fire use by Neandertals and discuss avenues by which we, as archaeologists, can better understand how fire use manifests in the Palaeolithic archaeological record. The latter chapters seek to provide a means for identifying artefactual evidence for fire making by Neandertals, ultimately presenting a series of French Middle Palaeolithic tools that exhibit use traces suggesting they were employed as fire starters, making these the earliest evidence for the regular production of fire by humans currently known. Show less
The Still Bay is a cultural-historic phase within the southern African Middle Stone Age, which remains critical to our understanding of modern human behavioural evolution, as well as to our... Show moreThe Still Bay is a cultural-historic phase within the southern African Middle Stone Age, which remains critical to our understanding of modern human behavioural evolution, as well as to our understanding of the biogeographic spread of different early modern human groups across the southern African sub-continent. However this phase is recognised in the archaeological record solely through the documentation of bifacial stone points (artefacts) that have a specific and complex overall morphology. Variability within this phase, and the accuracy with which the limits of it can be identified in time and in space, has received relatively little to no attention. The purpose of my thesis was to develop an objective and reliable method for identifying and interpreting morphological variability in bifacial points from the key Still Bay assemblages, and further, to test patterns documented with this method against conventional understandings of the phase. The broader central findings suggest that Still Bay point morphology varies significantly but uniformly through time, and discretely across space between bifacial point regional groupings. Therefore, treatment of the Still Bay as a culturally homogeneous entity and marker of demographic affiliation may be unreliable in a broader regional context. Show less
This is a comprehensive study of Roman literary references to Egypt without preference for one particular period, author or subject, in contrast to most previous scholarship. In doing so, it shows... Show moreThis is a comprehensive study of Roman literary references to Egypt without preference for one particular period, author or subject, in contrast to most previous scholarship. In doing so, it shows that these references vary greatly, are context-dependent, and cannot be rightly understood when interpreted only within the normative and fixated frameworks of negative perceptions of contemporary Egypt or positive perceptions of Egypt’s antiquity. Moreover, this study suggests that approaching Roman literary references from the notion of Roman self-representationis useful for understanding and explaining their multifarious and sometimes contradictory messages. This observation does not imply that every reference to Egypt is therefore ‘Roman’. On the contrary, Egypt was occasionally framed as the Other. Yet the omnipresence of Egypt in Roman literature is of major importance when the Roman identity is at stake. Egypt, then, is neither only the Other, nor only the Self, but always a polyvalent notion in terms of identity-making. Show less
This thesis traces and analyses the evolution of domestic space in Maltese vernacular and ‘polite’ houses from the medieval to contemporary times. The houses under study range from humble... Show more This thesis traces and analyses the evolution of domestic space in Maltese vernacular and ‘polite’ houses from the medieval to contemporary times. The houses under study range from humble buildings of modest size, materials and design, like farmhouses or those for the less affluent town-dwellers, to buildings of grand design, like townhouses and palazzi. Owing to the complex nature of the Maltese houses a combination of enquires and a variety of sources was necessary to achieve a holistic picture. This included fieldwork in different parts of the islands, extensive research work in local archives, libraries and museums, an analysis of a sample of literary sources, national censuses and works-of-art, as well as methods of spatial analysis (Space Syntax). Show less
After a long period of cold conditions that characterize the Saalian Glacial in Europe, Neandertals were confronted with the warm and more forested environments of the Eemian Interglacial (125-115... Show moreAfter a long period of cold conditions that characterize the Saalian Glacial in Europe, Neandertals were confronted with the warm and more forested environments of the Eemian Interglacial (125-115,000 years ago). We do know that they were present in these environments, but the number of known sites and the size of their assemblages is relatively limited. The Eemian deposits of Neumark-Nord 2 (eastern Germany) yielded the unique opportunity for a detailed analysis of Neandertal behaviour within its environmental context. The reconstructed environmental conditions give us a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities that Neandertals faced, and, together with data from other Eemian sites, provided indications for their environmental preferences. How Neandertals dealt with these environmental conditions is also reflected in the archaeological record, which has been addressed by a detailed analysis of the flint tool assemblage as well as the proxies for hominin use of fire at the site. Show less
The book offers a detailed presentation of the ceramic sequence excavated at Tell Sabi Abyad, a late Neolithic archaeological site in northern Syria. This sequence documents the transformation from... Show moreThe book offers a detailed presentation of the ceramic sequence excavated at Tell Sabi Abyad, a late Neolithic archaeological site in northern Syria. This sequence documents the transformation from a Pre-Halaf ceramic assemblage to an Early Halaf ceramic assemblage. The author discusses and critiques existing models for explaining the rise of the Halaf pottery style, and offers an alternative based on the twin concepts of emulation and feasting. Show less
