The central subjects of this dissertation are wheel thrown pottery and settlements from the Roman period in the southern part of the Netherlands from the first three centuries of the Christian... Show moreThe central subjects of this dissertation are wheel thrown pottery and settlements from the Roman period in the southern part of the Netherlands from the first three centuries of the Christian era. Research shows that in most of the modern publications on pottery insufficient attention is devoted to describing the form of the pottery and that there is no common, systematic way of quantifying the pottery. In several settlements the horizontal-stratigraphical analysis has been employed, the core of which are the Roman measurements used and the spatial relations between elements in the settlements. Thus, the consecutive stages of development of the settlements (villas and temples) could, to a large extent, be established. The reorganisation from a military district on the Lower Rhine into the province of Germania inferior, the grant of municipal status and the imperial name to Nijmegen, the involvement of the Roman army in the construction of both public buildings in Nijmegen and villas and temples in the Batavian countryside, agrarian changes, as well as the substitution of hand-made pottery by wheel thrown pottery, are signs of an important transformation of the civitas Batavorum during a period of less than a generation (between 85 and 122 AD). Show less
Britons abroad is a contribution to the study of ancient mobility in the Roman Empire with the focus on the mobility of materials and people and the ways objects and people interact dialectically... Show moreBritons abroad is a contribution to the study of ancient mobility in the Roman Empire with the focus on the mobility of materials and people and the ways objects and people interact dialectically when brought to a new environment. This study looks at Britons who, voluntarily or forcedly, moved overseas in the period of the first to third centuries AD and identifies the ways one can use to trace their mobility. It also explores the changes in the personal and communal identification as expressed by Britons, who settled abroad, and tries to locate a unified element in the (ethnic) identities when compared to those people who stayed put with those who migrated. The exploration of ‘Britishness’ abroad in the Roman Empire is set out on a variety of levels: individual (personal migration from Britain) and communal (the occurrence of British military units abroad); human mobility and mobility of artefacts; movement of British-born and Continental-born to and from Britain. This research approaches the study of mobility and social changes in moved communities through a province-by-province study of archaeological sites and their assemblages but is not limited to the physical borders of the Roman Empire. Show less
Dit volume in de ASLU-serie bestudeert Frankische kastelen met als doel het in kaart brengen van de relatie van de toenmalige bewoners met de geconstrueerde ruimte. Dit onderzoek biedt nieuwe... Show moreDit volume in de ASLU-serie bestudeert Frankische kastelen met als doel het in kaart brengen van de relatie van de toenmalige bewoners met de geconstrueerde ruimte. Dit onderzoek biedt nieuwe inzichten in het functioneren van het fort, zowel in de functie als bescherming tegen vijandige machten, als de invloed van het gebouw op het gedrag van de bewoners binnen de muren van deze kastelen. This volume of ASLU presents an approach to Frankish castles with the space syntax, a method and theory that aims to study the relationship people have with built space. Employing space syntax on crusader castles brought new insights into the functioning of the fortress both in the social structure and behaviour of the inhabitants of the castles. Show less
This ASLU volume examines the built environment and aspects of domestic material culture of the Late Byzantine/Frankish, Ottoman and Early Modern Cyclades in the aegean (13th - 20th centuries). On... Show moreThis ASLU volume examines the built environment and aspects of domestic material culture of the Late Byzantine/Frankish, Ottoman and Early Modern Cyclades in the aegean (13th - 20th centuries). On the basis of primary archaeological data gathered by the Cyclades Research Project, this monograph's aims are the reconstruction of everyday domestic life in towns and villages, the identification of socio-cultural identities that shaped or were reflected on pre-Modern material remains, and the history of island landscapes through the study of certain aspects of material culture. Aspects of 'material culture' analysed in this study include settlement layout (fortified settlements and undefended nucleated villages), domestic buildings (housing of urban character, peasant housing and farmsteads), ceramics (locally produced and imported glazed tableware), internal fittings (built structures and mobile fittings) and island-costumes (male and female dress codes). Archaeological Studies Leiden University (ASLU) is a series of the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University since 1998. The series' aim is to publish Research and PhD theses of Archaeology and covers the international research fields of European Prehistory, Classical-, Near Eastern-, Indian American- and Science-based Archaeology Show less
This study aims to provide an insight in the underlying fabric of colonial remains in Taiwan. Heritage became a prevailing phenomenon during the formation of modern nation-states. The image of... Show moreThis study aims to provide an insight in the underlying fabric of colonial remains in Taiwan. Heritage became a prevailing phenomenon during the formation of modern nation-states. The image of Japan as an advanced modernized nation is rooted within Taiwan and is represented by heritage activities associated with Japanese colonial sites. The case of Japanese colonial heritage in Taiwan shows similarities and differences to the situation of colonial sites within the postcolonial metropole/colony power unbalance. Show less
Rethinking Ostia presents an archaeological and spatial approach to Roman urbanism, focused on Rome’s port city. The study proceeds along the route of a ‘spatial investigation’, offering a fresh... Show moreRethinking Ostia presents an archaeological and spatial approach to Roman urbanism, focused on Rome’s port city. The study proceeds along the route of a ‘spatial investigation’, offering a fresh look and detailed insights into the past society and the built environment of this port town. Following a scaled approach, the work examines different aspects of Ostia’s urban landscape, applying Space Syntax’s methods for spatial analysis to the urban neighbourhood of one city block – Insula IV ii, selected buildings (Ostia’s guild seats), and the entire street system. All through the study a ‘Space First’ policy has been followed, combining archaeological research with today’s insights into urban planning. The heart of this scalar approach is the complete re-working of the archaeological evidence and its interpretative potential for the city block, Insula IV ii. This neighbourhood enjoys an excellent location and boasts a striking variety of buildings including the well-known Terme del Faro, the Caseggiato dell’Ercole, and the Caupona del Pavone, but till now has not been studied in its entirety and within its own social and spatial context. Through a careful reconstruction of the Insula’s development over the first three centuries AD, the work fills a lacuna – but more importantly it reveals the way everyday life was structured in the city, and how this evolved over time in response to internal and external influences on the lives of its inhabitants. Rethinking Ostia draws upon archaeological data and extensive spatial analyses, both carefully documented and illustrated. The findings highlight the active role of space in structuring social activity in the ancient city. Show less
Barrett, J.H.; Orton, D.; Johnstone, C.; Harland, J.; Van Neer, W.; Ervynck, A.; ... ; Richards, M. 2011
Archaeological fish bones reveal increases in marine fish utilisation in Northern and Western Europe beginning in the 10th and 11th centuries AD. We use stable isotope signatures from 300... Show moreArchaeological fish bones reveal increases in marine fish utilisation in Northern and Western Europe beginning in the 10th and 11th centuries AD. We use stable isotope signatures from 300 archaeological cod (Gadus morhua) bones to determine whether this sea fishing revolution resulted from increased local fishing or the introduction of preserved fish transported from distant waters such as Arctic Norway, Iceland and/or the Northern Isles of Scotland (Orkney and Shetland). Results from 12 settlements in England and Flanders (Belgium) indicate that catches were initially local. Between the 9th and 12th centuries most bones represented fish from the southern North Sea. Conversely, by the 13th to 14th centuries demand was increasingly met through long distance transport - signalling the onset of the globalisation of commercial fisheries and suggesting that cities such as London quickly outgrew the capacity of local fish supplies. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Show less
By the turn of century, increasing interest in archaeology in Jordan had resulted in more excavations and explorations of archaeological sites, and an increase in the number of monuments and... Show moreBy the turn of century, increasing interest in archaeology in Jordan had resulted in more excavations and explorations of archaeological sites, and an increase in the number of monuments and antiquities being revealed. In response, it was necessary and urgent to establish museums in which to display such remains, aesthetically and historically and to ensure their protection. This was achieved over a fairly short period of time, and museums have the role of displaying and safeguarding the collection in its custody. However, a preliminary check gave the impression that most museums in Jordan do not have the necessary human and material resources to perform this function satisfactorily. In recent years, museum science experienced a strong advancement, in particular when dealing with issues of indoor environment, and models of requirements have been designed. This thesis aims to describe, analyse and discuss the current situation of a number of selected museums in Jordan, with a focus on aspects of indoor environment. It intends to be an inclusive study that would provide recommendations and suggestions, hopefully enabling official senior level museum staff to address these needs, and work to improve them in order to portray a good image of Jordan and its historical legacy. It has been noticed that, at present, some artefacts are suffering deterioration and damage due to uncontrolled environmental conditions and mishandling by untrained staff; if this situation is not addressed promptly it may well lead to the destruction of these valuable and vulnerable objects. For this reason, a study of the processes of deterioration is required, prior to any recommendations concerning conservation treatments. In fact, excavated archaeological objects can be conserved and stabilized by a combination of instruments, whether these objects are on display or kept in storage. Therefore the indoor museum environment should be controlled and the staff properly trained to deal with objects adequately. These are basic necessities to ensure that museums and staff are able to fulfil the role of a modern museum, i.e. to be a sustainable social and educational resource. Show less
Rethinking Ostia presents an archaeological and spatial approach to Roman urbanism, focused on Rome's port city. It takes the reader along the route of a 'spatial investigation', offering a fresh... Show moreRethinking Ostia presents an archaeological and spatial approach to Roman urbanism, focused on Rome's port city. It takes the reader along the route of a 'spatial investigation', offering a fresh look and detailed insights into the past society and the built environment of this port town. Following a scaled approach, the book examines different aspects of Ostia's urban landscape, applying Space Syntax's methods for spatial analysis to the urban neighbourhood of one city block - Insula IV ii, selected buildings (Ostia's guild seats), and the entire street system. All through the book a 'Space First' policy has been followed, combining archaeological research with today's insights into urban planning. The heart of this scalar approach is the complete re-working of the archaeological evidence and its interpretative potential for the city block, Insula IV ii. This neighbourhood enjoys an excellent location and boasts a striking variety of buildings including the well-known Terme del Faro, the Caseggiato dell'Ercole, and the Caupona del Pavone, but till now has not been studied in its entirety and within its own social and spatial context. Through a careful reconstruction of the Insula's development over the first three centuries AD, the work fills a lacuna - but more importantly it reveals the way everyday life was structured in the city, and how this evolved over time in response to internal and external influences on the lives of its inhabitants. Rethinking Ostia draws upon archaeological data and extensive spatial analyses, both carefully documented and illustrated. The findings highlight the active role of space in structuring social activity in the ancient city. Archaeological Studies Leiden University (ASLU) is a series of the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University since 1998. The series' aim is to publish Research and PhD theses of Archaeology and covers the international research fields of European Prehistory, Classical-, Near Eastern-, Indian American- and Science-based Archaeology Show less
This study deals with stone representations of Bhīma, one of the protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. This epic which originates from India, is already known on Java in the tenth century.... Show moreThis study deals with stone representations of Bhīma, one of the protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. This epic which originates from India, is already known on Java in the tenth century. The Bhīma representations which include statues and reliefs appeared during the Majapahit Period (1296-1527 C.E.) and were mainly found on mountain sanctuaries in present East and Central Java. Given the number of statues found, there was a worship of Bhīma going on during the Majapahit Period. The study researches the motives, the spread and the origin of the worship, its relation to other gods and the influence of wayang on the worship. It concentrates on the iconography of Bhīma, and the interpretation of his iconography. Furthermore it examines Bhīma literature and the material and historical context of the Bhīma representations. This interdisciplinary research shows that protection, salvation and fertility were motives for the Bhīma worship. It also indicates that Bhīma's descent from Bāyu, the god of the wind and his father, was substantial for his worship. The worship was definitely of Javanese origin and the wayang played a considerable role in it. Show less
Noriyuki Shirai's onderzoek naar lithische artefacten die werden gebruikt door Epipalaeolitische jagers-vissers en Neolitische boeren-herders in de Fayum verschaft inzicht in de mobiliteit van het... Show moreNoriyuki Shirai's onderzoek naar lithische artefacten die werden gebruikt door Epipalaeolitische jagers-vissers en Neolitische boeren-herders in de Fayum verschaft inzicht in de mobiliteit van het Fayum-volk en hun investeringen in de productie van gereedschappen. Lithisch bewijs, zo toont Shirai aan, suggereert dat het Fayum-volk niet nomadisch was, maar zich voor hun leefgebied vooral beperkten tot de oevers van meren. The Archaeology of the First Farmer-Herders in Egypt explores how and why farming and herding started in a particular time period in a particular region of Egypt. The earliest Neolithic farming in combination with herding in Egypt is known in the Fayum, which is a large oasis with a permanent lake in the Egyptian Western Desert. Farming and herding started at the transition from the Epipalaeolithic to Neolithic in the 6th millennium cal.BC owing to the arrival of Levantine domesticates. The Neolithic farmer-herders in the Fayum relied heavily on hunting and fishing, which had been the major subsistence activities since the Epipalaeolithic period. There are no remains of substantial dwellings to indicate that these farmer-herders lived a sedentary way of life. Previous researchers have thus asserted that the Fayum people were nomadic and moved seasonally. Noriyuki Shirai's research on lithic artefacts used by the Epipalaeolithic hunter-fishers and Neolithic farmer-herders in the Fayum gives a clue as to the mobility and residential strategy of the Fayum people and their time and labour investments in tool production. Lithic evidence suggests that the Fayum people were not nomadic but were tethered to lakeshores. The introduction of farming and herding would not have taken place in the Fayum without a lakeshore-tethered if not fully sedentary way of life. But the success of a farming-herding way of life in the Fayum would not have been possible without the reorganisation of mobility, which led to decreased moves of residential bases and increased logistical moves of individuals. Lithic evidence also suggests that the Fayum People kept exerting special efforts to make farming and herding reliable subsistence and to maximise the yield. The introduction of farming and herding in the Fayum would have been a solution to mitigate growing population/resource imbalances when the climate became drier and more people had to aggregate around permanent water sources in the 6th millennium cal.BC. Archaeological Studies Leiden University (ASLU) is a series of the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University since 1998. The series' aim is to publish Research and PhD theses of Archeology and covers the international research fields of European Prehistory, Classical-, Near Eastern-, Indian American- and Science-based Archeology. Show less
The Inland Niger Delta in Mali is scattered with thousands of tell-like dwelling mounds that testify to the rich archaeological heritage of this attractive occupation area. Little is known about... Show moreThe Inland Niger Delta in Mali is scattered with thousands of tell-like dwelling mounds that testify to the rich archaeological heritage of this attractive occupation area. Little is known about the structure and evolution of this considerable settlement system. The general aim of the present research was to obtain a better understanding of the history of occupation of this region. The aim of the regional survey in the southern part of the Niger alluvial plain was to obtain an understanding of intersite relations based on the sites’ chronological, functional, socioeconomic and hierarchical differentiation and their participation in different trade networks. The main foci of attention in the Dia excavation were the sites’ roles in the earliest colonisation of the southern Inland Niger Delta, the transition from the Late Stone Age to the Early Iron Age, the introduction of crop cultivation and pastoralism and the early urban development of the site and the region. The two datasets showed two different perspectives: the regional orientation of a survey and the site-specific depth of an excavation. Another interesting aspect of this approach is that it enabled comparison of finds recovered in an urban context with the results of a geographical survey of the rural hinterland.Part 2 is published titled "Recherches archéologiques à Dia dans le Delta intérieur du Niger (Mali) : bilan des saisons de fouilles 1998-2003" as part of the series "Mededelingen van het Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde (RVM) Leiden"; No 33. Research School of Asian, African, and Amerindian Studies, Leiden University. CNWS publications ; 144, 2005, ISBN 9789057891076 Show less
Several sites in the desert between the Nile and the Red Sea, in Egypt and Sudan, as well as in the Nubian Nile Valley have produced the sherds of decorated hand-made cups and bowls, now identified... Show moreSeveral sites in the desert between the Nile and the Red Sea, in Egypt and Sudan, as well as in the Nubian Nile Valley have produced the sherds of decorated hand-made cups and bowls, now identified as Eastern Desert Ware (EDW). Because of their small number and enigmatic origin these sherds have been mostly ignored. For this study, 290 EDW sherds were collected and investigated macroscopically, microscopically and by mass-spectrometry of both the ceramic matrix (ICP/MS) and the preserved organic residues (GC/MS). The results strongly suggest that EDW was made and used by the pastoral nomads living in the desert in the 4th-6th centuries CE. The former identification of these nomads with the Blemmyes of the written sources, however, must now equally strongly be rejected. Show less
This book analyzes a defined corpus of philosophic texts from the Warring States period. It treats texts as objects in their own right and, in a broad sense, discusses the relationship between... Show moreThis book analyzes a defined corpus of philosophic texts from the Warring States period. It treats texts as objects in their own right and, in a broad sense, discusses the relationship between material conditions of text and manuscript culture, writing, techniques of meaning-construction, and philosophy in Warring States period (ca. 481-222). By analyzing the formal structure of the philosophic texts from the Warring States, the present study distinguishes between two ideal types of texts, which I call “argument-based texts” and “authority-based texts”. Meaning-construction in the former type of texts is based in writing; in the latter ideal type of texts, meaning-construction requires reference to (oral) commentators. Hence, whereas argument-based texts facilitate philosophy that is exempt from needs of contextualization, authority-based texts, for their part, are mere modules of larger philosophic processes that remain outside the texts themselves. Show less
This study aimed to construct a historiography of archaeological landscape research on the island of Crete and evaluate the knowledge acquired through different approaches of over more than a... Show moreThis study aimed to construct a historiography of archaeological landscape research on the island of Crete and evaluate the knowledge acquired through different approaches of over more than a century's intense archaeological work. It provides a detailed analysis of relevant projects, which are seen within a wider historical framework of archaeological landscape research from the beginnings of the discipline (19th century) to the present day. The five major 'traditions; ore else 'approaches' of studying past landscapes that are identified, demonstrate certain common attributes in questions asked, methodology followed and interpretative suggestions. Analysis, however, has shown that these 'traditions' have been in a continuous interplay and have each their own limitations as well as worthy contribution to the study of the Cretan past. The assessment of archaeological landscape work on Crete concluded on the need to be explicit regarding 1) the relationship between data and interpretations and 2) on the kind of information we need to produce and publish from landscape research so that we promote archaeological knowledge and allow a higher lever of communication within the archaeological community Show less
This thesis presents the study of the possibilities of functional analysis on shell implements. Shell tools from the pre-Columbian sites of Anse à la Gourde and Morel, Guadeloupe were studied and... Show moreThis thesis presents the study of the possibilities of functional analysis on shell implements. Shell tools from the pre-Columbian sites of Anse à la Gourde and Morel, Guadeloupe were studied and interpreted based on archaeological, ethnographical, ethnohistorical and experimental data. In addition, flint and stone tools of both sites were analysed. In this thesis functional analysis is approached from an integral point of view in order to be able to reconstruct the past technological system. The results of the functional analysis of all artefact categories are presented as well as a reconstruction of the technological system in the pre-Columbian period. It is demonstrated how this integral approach provides the possibilities to shed light on the choices made in the past on tool use and the utilisation of different raw materials. Show less
"Grounding the Past" addresses archaeological field praxis and its role in the political present of Santiago Tilantongo and Santiago Apoala, two communities in the Mixteca Alta region of Oaxaca,... Show more"Grounding the Past" addresses archaeological field praxis and its role in the political present of Santiago Tilantongo and Santiago Apoala, two communities in the Mixteca Alta region of Oaxaca, Mexico. Efforts to involve local stakeholder communities in archaeology have become an important issue worldwide. In this study, Alexander Geurds argues that projects of participatory archaeology, many of which go under the heading of ‘community archaeology’, cannot dispense with reflexive analysis of field praxis, if they are to avoid idealized and thus untenable narratives of harmonious local collaboration. Past and present archaeological praxis often carries negative connotations in the Mixteca Alta, because archaeological projects have failed to recognize conflicting interests and issues of representation of local and non-local parties. Geurds reviews the constitutive elements of their partnerships, such as official meetings, public presentations and conferences, where the involved local and non-local parties produce conflicting agendas by creating and transforming power relations. He identifies and analyzes the attendant influences on participatory elements through the application of qualitative techniques derived from ethnography and social geography. The first part of the book follows an approach consistent with consistent with the regional archaeological tradition focused on materialist analysis of surface artefacts. Information derived from surface surveying and mapping receives special emphasis. The second part explores alternative means for embedding the production of historical knowledge into local perceptions of landscape and monuments. For this purpose, oral history and in particular knowledge of local placenames is focused on. Show less
Verhagen, Jacobus Wilhelmus Hermanus Philippus 2007
Dutch archaeology has experienced profound changes in recent years. This has led to an increasing use of archaeological predictive modelling, a technique that uses information about the location of... Show moreDutch archaeology has experienced profound changes in recent years. This has led to an increasing use of archaeological predictive modelling, a technique that uses information about the location of known early human settlements to predict where additional settlements may have been located. Case Studies in Archaeological Predictive Modelling is the product of a decade of work by Philip Verhagen as a specialist in geographical information systems at RAAP Archeologisch Adviesbureau BV, one of the leading organizations in the field; the case studies presented here provide an overview of the field and point to potential future areas of research. Show less
The author of this meticulously researched work surveys the possibilities of functional analysis of shell implements. Her study of shell tools, as well as flint and stone tools, from the pre... Show moreThe author of this meticulously researched work surveys the possibilities of functional analysis of shell implements. Her study of shell tools, as well as flint and stone tools, from the pre-Columbian sites of Anse à la Gourde and Morel, Guadeloupe draws on archaeological, ethnographical,ethnohistorical and experimental data.The results of the functional analysis of all artifact categories are presented, as well as a reconstruction of the technological system in the pre-Columbian period. She demonstrates the value of this integral approach in shedding light on the choices made in the past on tool use and the utilisation of different raw materials Show less
This study is aimed at the molecular characterisation of solid organic (food) residues preserved in an assemblage of vessels recovered from an indigenous settlement dating back to the Iron Age and... Show moreThis study is aimed at the molecular characterisation of solid organic (food) residues preserved in an assemblage of vessels recovered from an indigenous settlement dating back to the Iron Age and Roman period at Uitgeest – Groot Dorregeest (The Netherlands). Analytical thermal-fragmentation techniques such as Curie-point pyrolysis Mass Spectrometry and Direct Temperature-resolved Mass Spectrometry gave information about a wide range of compound classes as diverse as lipids, waxes, polynuclear aromatic compounds, oligosaccharides, small peptides and protein fragments, and a variety of thermally stable (more or less condensed) polymeric char structures. Multivariate analysis identified different chemotypes: groups of residues with comparable chemical characteristics. The biomolecular origin of these chemotypes was identified by comparison with experimentally charred reference materials and the application of complementary analytical techniques such as FTIR and 13C CP/MAS NMR. The chemotypes A1 and A2 consist of charred residues identified as starch-rich foods (mixed with either animal or plant products), chemotype C consists of protein-rich charred animal products without starch, chemotype B contains smoke condensates from wood fires, and chemotype D consists of special protein-rich and lipid-free foods or non-food products. Although many molecular characteristics of the original foods have been lost as a result of extensive thermal degradation and interpretation remains limited to general food groups, the results give valuable direct evidence of ancient diet and vessel-use. Show less
