Yesterday started the 29th EAA Annual Meeting, which is taking place in Belfast (Ireland) from the 30th of August to the 2nd of September. This year’s themes incorporate the diversity and multidimensionality of archaeological practice, including archaeological interpretation, heritage management and politics of the past and present.
GIAP (ICAC) has 12 contributions to the conference, 10 of them presented by our researchers, and leading one of the sessions. We have a diverse range of contributions that exemplify the interdisciplinary nature of our research group:
Presentations:
- An Interdisciplinary Approach To Food Economy In The Western Roman Empire: Archaeobotanical Remains And Ceramic Residue Analysis Of Iesso
Baniou, Theoni et al. - UnderTheSands: Tandem-X, Multi-Temporal Sentinel, And Hexagon Satellite Imagery In The Study Of The Murghab‘S Irrigation Landscape
Bulawka, Nazarij et al. - What Does A Roman Do On Top Of That Mountain? Microregional Landscape Analysis Of Land-Use Dynamics In The Eastern Pyrenees
Carbonell, Arnau et al. - New Insights Into Iron Age Aegean Agriculture Through A Combined Stable Isotope Analysis And 3D Geometric Modern Morphometrics Approach
Diffey, Charlotte et al. - A Haven In The Marshes: An Integrated Geoarchaeological Approach Of The Archaic And Classical Harbour Of Ancient Abdera, Thrace, Gr
Mayoral, Alfredo et al. - A Bektashi Dervish Herder In The Uplands Of Orthodox Zagori (Nw Greece, 19th C.): Between The Self And The Other
Moudopoulos-Athanasiou, Faidon - Archaeomorphological Survey, Centuriated Networks And The Shaping Of Cultural Landscapes: A Case Study In The Hinterland Of Emporion-Emporiae (North-Eastern Catalonia)
Palet, Josep Maria et al. - In The Footsteps Of The First Shepherds In The Eastern Pyrenees: Archaeological And Paleoenvironmental Characterization Of Neolithic Pastoral Practices
Pescini, Valentina et al. - An Exploration Of Plant Food In Roman Italy: Connections, Commerce And Foodways
Riso, Federica et al. - Food Plant Commerce And The Development Of New Tastes In Germania
Vandorpe, Patricia et al.
Collaborations:
- Large-Scale Archaeological Heritage Documentation And Threat Assessment In
The Indus River Basin: From The Transnational To The Local
Suganya, Kuili (University of Cambridge) et al. - The Development Of Livestock Strategies Among The Cerretani: The Tossal De Baltarga Site (4th-3rd C. BC)
Vila, Oriol (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) et al.
Session:
- Session 730: Interdisciplinary Perspectives into Roman Commerce, Economy and the Acquisition of New Tastes during the Roman Period from the 4th Century BC Onwards
Organisers: Riso, Federica et al.
ABSTRACTS
AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO FOOD ECONOMY IN THE WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE:
ARCHAEOBOTANICAL REMAINS AND CERAMIC RESIDUE ANALYSIS OF IESSO
Abstract author(s): Baniou, Theoni (Landscape Archaeology Research Group – GIAP; Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology – ICAC) – Suryanarayan, Akshyeta (Culture, Archaeology and Socio-Ecological Dynamics – CASEs; Universitat Pompeu Fabra) – Villanueva, Joan – Moraleda, Nuria (Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals – ICTA; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona – UAB) – Livarda, Alexandra (Landscape Archaeology Research Group – GIAP; Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology – ICAC) – Romani, Núria (Serra Húnter Fellow; Autonomous University of Barcelona – UAB) – Rodrigo, Esther (Serra Húnter Fellow; Autonomous University of Barcelona – UAB)
Abstract format: Oral
This presentation will focus on diet and food economy in the western part of the Roman Empire using the site of Guissona (Roman Iesso), Spain as a case study. Guissona is one of the most important sites in the region, as it is one of the very few archaeological sites in the Iberian Peninsula, and Mediterranean in general, that preserves organic material in anaerobic conditions, allowing much more nuanced insights into the whole spectrum of food resources. Iesso was a Roman town founded in 120 BC and was inhabited until the 7th century AD with a maximum area of 18 hectares. Archaeobotanical work has focused on material retrieved from a series of wells that were located across different sectors of the town. This paper will provide an overview of the plant resources consumed and will discuss how these can inform on social and economic relations and identities within the increasingly connected Roman world. The archaeobotanical data will be complemented with information on foodways as revealed by organic residue analysis from potsherds recovered from the wells but also other parts of the site, reported here for the first time. Ultimately, this paper aims to showcase how multidisciplinary approaches can add depth to investigations of food economies and culinary pathways in the past.
UNDERTHESANDS: TANDEM-X, MULTI-TEMPORAL SENTINEL, AND HEXAGON SATELLITE IMAGERY IN THE STUDY OF THE MURGHAB‘S IRRIGATION LANDSCAPE
Abstract author(s): Bulawka, Nazarij – Orengo, Hèctor (Landscape Archaeology Research Group, Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology)
Abstract format: Oral
Landscape undergoes long-term social-natural co-evolution (McGlade 2005, 460), particularly evident in the alluvial plains where irrigation has been initially practised as a human adaptation to natural hydrology, eventually leading to significant landscape modification (Wilkinson, Rayne, and Jotheri 2015). This makes the study of irrigation landscapes challenging and necessitates using innovative methods, like those proposed by UnderTheSands (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01-101062705), funded by The European Union.
UnderTheSands will utilize multiple data sources and techniques, including remote sensing, terrain analysis, hybrid machine/deep learning methods, archaeomorphology, spatial correlation indices, and historical research (including multispectral imaging, synthetic aperture radar, and TanDEM-X (DEM_HYDR3723). The Google Earth Engine program enables the project to incorporate multi-temporal images into most workflows, allowing for the efficient processing of large amounts of data.
The paper presents the selected results of the UnderTheSands project in the studies of the Murghab river‘s alluvial fan in southern Turkmenistan. The area has been the subject of investigations by The Archaeological Map of the Murghab Delta, Ancient Merv Project, and TAP – Togolok Archaeological Project, resulting in the discovery of over 1700 sites from various periods. Research suggests that the first settlements in the area are dated to the Early Bronze Age (ca. 2800-2400 BCE), but the significant occupation started in the Middle Bronze Age (2400-1950 BCE). Its landscape underwent a gradual transformation due to irrigation – particularly during the Iron Age (ca. 1350-300 BC), Parthian (247 BC-224 AD), Sasanian (224-651 AD), and Islamic periods, which makes it particularly interesting for landscape studies. The paper focuses on the eastern part of the delta and employs multi-temporal satellite imagery and digital elevation models to examine the fluvial transformation and the remains of ancient irrigation systems related to the Iron Age settlement pattern (Gubaev et al., 1998; Salvatori et al., 2008).
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
WHAT DOES A ROMAN DO ON TOP OF THAT MOUNTAIN? MICROREGIONAL LANDSCAPE
ANALYSIS OF LAND-USE DYNAMICS IN THE EASTERN PYRENEES
Abstract author(s): Carbonell, Arnau – Pescini, Valentina – Colominas, Lídia – Gallego, Abel (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Landscape Archaelogy Research Group) – Mayoral, Alfredo (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Landscape Archaelogy Research Group; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB) – Garcia-Molsosa, Arnau (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Landscape Archaelogy Research Group) – Orengo, Hèctor (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Landscape Archaelogy Research Group; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies – ICREA) – Palet, Josep Maria (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Landscape Archaelogy Research Group)
Abstract format: Oral
This work presents from a long-term perspective the occupation and land-use of different mountain valleys across the headwaters of Ter and Segre in the eastern Pyrenees, with a special focus on the Roman period. Within a broader Landscape Archaeology approach, we cross-checked palaeoenvironmental (soil micromorphology, anthracology, and biomolecular analysis) and archaeological data (photointerpretation, historical cartography, photogrammetry, extensive survey, test pit digging, and excavation together with radiocarbon dating), in order to characterize socio-environmental interactions. This multidisciplinary approach revealed an intensive land use and anthropization of high mountain environments from the Neolithic but also in Roman times. From this period onwards, the archaeozoological and field survey studies documented an increase in the activity and complexity of livestock practices mainly focused on sheep. This research also characterized forest management, primarily devoted to wood cutting and collecting as well as pitch and charcoal production. In some areas, we found evidence of metallurgical activities, including iron mining and smelting. Structures with a possible connection with administrative activities, such as border controls, were also detected in the area. Our results show a high variability and heterogeneity in land-use dynamics between the different valleys studied, highlighting the relevance of studies at a microregional scale.
NEW INSIGHTS INTO IRON AGE AEGEAN AGRICULTURE THROUGH A COMBINED STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS AND 3D GEOMETRIC MODERN MORPHOMETRICS APPROACH
Abstract author(s): Diffey, Charlotte – Orengo, Hector (Institut Català d’Arqueologia Clàssica – ICAC) – Styring, Amy (University of Oxford) – Livarda, Alexandra (Institut Català d’Arqueologia Clàssica – ICAC)
Abstract format: Oral
The period spanning the end of the Late Bronze Age and the beginning of the Early Iron Age saw significant change throughout the Aegean, with the collapse of palatial societies in the south, the decline of population groups and the proliferation of new socio-political organizations. The causes of these changes have been heavily debated but appear likely to have been instigated by increasingly arid environmental conditions among other factors. These changes have led to suggestions that agriculture underwent a similar transformation, as the large-scale integrated agropastoral systems of the LBA were largely abandoned and farmers turned to a more pastoral economy. This view has been thor- oughly critiqued, but the nature of agricultural management during this period has been understudied by comparison with other periods, partly due to the relatively few primary archaeobotanical assemblages available.
This paper will contribute to filling this research gap by providing new data from the northern part of the Aegean and in particular from the site of Methone, one of the earliest Greek colonies in northern Greece founded at around 733/2 BCE. Excavations at Methone revealed continuous occupation over a long period that both preceded its foundation as a colony and extends to the beginning of the Roman period. Rigorous archaeobotanical sampling has yielded a large assemblage that adds significant new information for the Iron Age period. This paper presents primary archaeobo- tanical analysis combined with targeted stable isotope determinations and a newly developed 3D Geometric Modern Morphometrics methodology to infer specific crop management strategies and ultimately a fresh approach to the Iron Age agricultural economy.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
A HAVEN IN THE MARSHES: AN INTEGRATED GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL APPROACH OF THE
ARCHAIC AND CLASSICAL HARBOUR OF ANCIENT ABDERA, THRACE, GR
Abstract author(s): Mayoral, Alfredo (ICAC-Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology Research Group – GIAP, Generalitat de Catalunya & Universitat Rovira i Virgili; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB) – García-Molsosa, Arnau – Georgiadis, Mercourios (ICAC-Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology Research Group – GIAP, Generalitat de Catalunya & Universitat Rovira i Virgili) – Papadopoulos, Nikos (Laboratory of Geophysical—Satellite Remote Sensing & Archaeo-Environment GeoSat ReSeArch, Institute for Mediterranean Studies – IMS, Foundation for Research & Technology Hellas – FORTH) – Kallintzi, Constantina (Ephorate of Antiquities at Xanthi, Archaeological Museum of Abdera) – Kefalidou, Eurydice – Trasanis, Gerasimos (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Philosophy, Department of History and Archaeology) – Ejarque, Ana (ISEM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD) – Orengo, Hèctor (ICAC-Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology Research Group – GIAP, Generalitat de Catalunya & Universitat Rovira i Virgili; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies – ICREA) – Palet, Josep María (ICAC-Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology Research Group – GIAP, Generalitat de Catalunya & Universitat Rovira i Virgili)
Abstract format: Oral
Mediterranean coastal landscapes have been the scenario of complex socio-environmental interaction since Prehistory, although they were often difficult to settle for ancient societies due to the widespread wetlands. The Thracian coast between the Nestos delta and the lake Vistonis was not an exception when Greek colonists from Klazomenae founded Abdera c. 650 BC, taking advantage of the single good anchorage in an otherwise marshy landscape. After its resettling by the Teians in 545 BC, Abdera flourished thanks to maritime trade and its excellent harbour. In order to explore the largely unknown socio-environmental interactions around that infrastructure crucial for the life of the colony, and its palaeogeographic evolution since Archaic times, we implemented an integrated geoarchaeological approach including coring, trenching, remote sensing and geophysics. Dry Early-Holocene palaeosoils at the bottom of the stratigraphies of our cores are overlaid by marine seafloor sandy facies deposited after mid-Holocene transgression. These are in many cases covered by a thick unit of dark, organic fine silts rich in malacofauna and archaeological artifacts, developed since the 6th c. BC. These sedimentary facies are geographically constrained and seem to correspond to the infilling of a potential harbour basin. Geophysical results show that beach profiles were steeper, and draughts deeper in the southern part of the harbour area, whereas its northern part had a much longer and shallower profile. All the area was gradually silted by sandy sediments since the 3rd-2nd c. BC, and geomorphological data suggest that sedimentary fluxes coming from the Archaic-Classical enceinte after its abandonment could have contributed significantly. In the Late Antiquity, all these deposits were draped by an irregular layer of coarse sediments likely resulting of a tsunami. Forthcoming multiproxy analyses of selected sedimentary sequences will allow us to dive deeper into the history of the harbour of ancient Abdera.
A BEKTASHI DERVISH HERDER IN THE UPLANDS OF ORTHODOX ZAGORI (NW GREECE, 19TH C.): BETWEEN THE SELF AND THE OTHER
Abstract author(s): Moudopoulos-Athanasiou, Faidon (Catalan Institute for Classical Archaeology)
Abstract format: Oral
This contribution offers an insight into the phenomenon of religious coexistence in the Ottoman-era Balkans, through a combined investigation of textual evidence, survey and archaeological ethnography. It tells the story of Hasan Baba, a Bektashi dervish herder whose activities are recorded in the archives of Koukouli, a Christian village in Zagori (NW Greece). The documents reveal the interest of Hasan Baba to build a small ‘mansion’ (koulia) in the summer pasture he rented from the community. It describes the reluctancy of the Christian community, fearing that this action would lead to the seizure of the land by the Bektashi herder. The archive offers a ‘plot twist’ when Hasan Baba promises to the community that he is building the ‘mansion’ only for his spirit and personal joy. Upon his retirement from the mountain, Hasan left the structure as an endowment (vakf) to the village church: any herder subsequently renting the summer pasture would have to pay extra to the church, to light the candle of Virgin Mary.
Recent scholarship has revealed instances of coexistence between Christian and (heterodox) Muslim communities in the Ottoman Balkans, in the shape mostly of shared sacred spaces. The time is ripe to consider the footprint of these practices in the broader archaeological ‘record’ of Ottoman-era Balkans. Recently, the remains of the small ‚mansion’ were located alongside the ‘fountain of Baba’, in the highland plateaus of Zagori, following an extensive archaeological survey. This endeavour was followed by ethnographic investigations into two different ethnolocal groups of Zagori: the last Sarakatsani pastoralists residing in the mountain and the Kostas Lazaridis Zagorisian archive.
This contribution places the ‘mansion’ and its surrounding landscape at the core, considering it as a factor uniting textual and ethnographic evidence, assisting in the investigation of the material traces of the other.
ARCHAEOMORPHOLOGICAL SURVEY, CENTURIATED NETWORKS AND THE SHAPING OF CULTURAL LANDSCAPES: A CASE STUDY IN THE HINTERLAND OF EMPORION-EMPORIAE (NORTH-EASTERN CATALONIA)
Abstract author(s): Palet, Josep Maria – Carbonell, Arnau – Garcia-Molsosa, Arnau (Institut Catala d‘Arqueologia Clàssica – ICAC) – Rodrigo, Esther (Departament de Ciències de l’Antiguitat i de l’Edat Mitjana, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) – Ejarque, Ana (ISEM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD) – Mayoral, Alfredo (Institut Catala d‘Arqueologia Clàssica – ICAC; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB, F-63000) – Orengo, Hèctor A. (Institut Catala d‘Arqueologia Clàssica – ICAC; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies – ICREA)
Abstract format: Oral
Current researches on centuriated landscapes are based on diachronical and interdisciplinary approaches. They include photointerpretation, archaeomorphological survey, geoarchaeology, palaeoenvironmental analyses or the study of old maps and written documents, which can offer important insights on the effects a centuriation had on the landscape. Environmental data show a complex relationship between Roman field systems, settlement and landscape change. Landscape analysis can provide enormous cultural assets in the form of cultural landscapes. These new perspectives are presented by assessing a case-study located in the ancient city of Emporion-Emporiae (Empúries) in the Empordà‘s littoral plain. The area is a highly diverse and dynamic littoral ecosystem subjected to sea influence and fluvial flooding contributing to the formation of beach-barriers, marshes and lagoons and, ultimately, the plain in-filling. Centuriated networks stress the existence of a remarkable landscape organisation of this area, which are also characterised by both, a complex settlement evolution and land-use systems. Paleoecological data shows the remarkable imprint of the Roman occupation in the littoral plain, with the removal of littoral woodlands and the expansion of wet pastures and cultivation lands in an increasingly drained floodplain. These methods have allowed moving beyond the pure description of the traces and exploring the concepts behind the making of a centuriated landscape. Recent interpretations move from economic or materialistic approaches to more social and cultural focused explanations. The high impact of centuriations makes them visible in modern land arrangements and defines them as an outstanding evidence of Roman impact in the shaping of present-day cultural landscapes.
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FIRST SHEPHERDS IN THE EASTERN PYRENEES: ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND PALEOENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NEOLITHIC PASTORAL PRACTICES
Abstract author(s): Pescini, Valentina – Carbonell, Arnau – Colominas, Lídia (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology – ICAC) – Égüez, Natalia (Archaeological Micromorphology and Biomarkers – AMBI Lab, Instituto Univer- sitario de Bio-Orgánica Antonio González, Universidad de La Laguna; Department of Anthropology, University of California) – Mayoral, Alfredo (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology – ICAC; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB) – Palet, Josep Maria (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology – ICAC)
Abstract format: Oral
Pastoralism has had a central role in the formation and management of Mediterranean mountain landscapes. Yet, only fragmented traces of this millenary practice remain, and they are often difficult to identify and interpret. This contribution presents the results of the archaeological and palaeoenvironmental investigations carried out in the Molleres II site (2.525 m a.s.l.) and its surrounding area of Puigpedrós-Malniu (Meranges, La Cerdanya, Eastern Pyrenees).
A high-resolution multi-proxy research applied both “on-site” and “off-site” is proposed, combining archaeology, soil micromorphology, anthracology and biomolecular analysis together with radiocarbon dating. Such methodological approach allowed to identify the functionality of the pastoral structures and the characteristics of the local palaeoenvironment providing new insights on the occupation dynamics and livestock practices in high mountain spaces starting from the Neolithic onward.
Based on our results Molleres II has been interpreted as a complex and wide open-air site build up by the end of the Late Neolithic (3636-2701BC), consisting of large enclosures entirely dedicated to seasonal animal husbandry, and located at an exceptionally high altitude. These unique settings make this site a primer for this period in the eastern Pyrenees, revealing the considerable intensity of the animal presence since the Prehistory in these highlands. Much later, a second phase of more intense occupation likely occurred during Middle Ages (1179-1434AD), although the animal presence in this mountain area probably never decayed across pre- and historical periods. Our palaeoenvironmental data also suggest that such intense and long-term animal presence possibly accompanied by use of fire could be at the origins of stable grassland-dominated environments and open landscapes that persisted until nowadays.
AN EXPLORATION OF PLANT FOOD IN ROMAN ITALY: CONNECTIONS, COMMERCE AND FOODWAYS
Abstract author(s): Riso, Federica – Livarda, Alexandra – Orengo, Hector (Institut Català de Arqueologia Classica)
Abstract format: Oral
This paper explores archaeobotanical food plant remains across Roman Italy approaching them as proxies to social relations, trade, and economy. Archaeobotanical material, focusing exclusively on food plant remains, from more than 300 sites dating to between the Early Republican and the Late Imperial periods are included in a relational database and form the primary material of this study. Alongside plant remains, we have been recording recovery, preservation, and taphonomic, as well as contextual details on a sample-by-sample basis. In this paper, we first discuss and intend to filter out biases introduced by the archaeological process of unearthing these remains, and identify spatial and temporal disparities. Taking into account these, we then move on to explore which food plants were being consumed and identify newcomers. Combining these archaeobotanical and their associated archaeological information, we also conduct social network analysis to add further insights into the socio-economic relations forged on the basis of shared identities in food plant consumption. We conclude by highlighting future research directions and the potential of this work.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
FOOD PLANT COMMERCE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TASTES IN GERMANIA
Abstract author(s): Vandorpe, Patricia – Livarda, Alexandra – Orengo, Hector – Berganzo, Iban (Institut Català d‘Arqueologia Clàssica – ICAC; Landscape Archaeology Research Group – GIAP)
Abstract format: Oral
The incorporation of a large part of Central Europe to the Roman Empire from the first century BCE onwards to form the provinces of Germania Inferior and Superior, brought along a series of changes to the local communities. These, or parts of these, became incorporated into the Roman ‘globalised’ network that led to the introduction of new ideas, ‘forms’, materials and tastes, some of which were adopted, adapted or further developed. In this paper we present an investigation of some of these new ‘tastes’, employing archaeobotanical remains as our primary evidence. To do so we collected all published archaeobotanical material from the provinces of Germania into an object-oriented relational geodatabase with the aim to first identify their distribution through time and space within our study region. The ensuing analysis seeks to establish plant related food patterns of different social groups and their implications in negotiating the new realities of the Roman world. Finally, we discuss how the food plant network in the area can be investigated and how this can help shed new light into Roman economy.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
COLLABORATIONS:
LARGE-SCALE ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE DOCUMENTATION AND THREAT ASSESSMENT IN
THE INDUS RIVER BASIN: FROM THE TRANSNATIONAL TO THE LOCAL
Abstract author(s): Suganya, Kuili (University of Cambridge) – Besga, Iban (Catalan Institute of Classical Archae- ology) – Jabbar, Junaid (University of Cambridge) – Gregorio de Souza, Jonas (Universitat Pompeu Fabra) – Khan, Afifa (University of Cambridge) – Orengo, Hector (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies) – Roberts, Rebecca C – Tomaney, Jack – Vafadari, Azadeh – Petrie, Cameron A (University of Cambridge)
Abstract format: Oral
This paper presents the work of the ‘Mapping Archaeological Heritage in South Asia’ (MAHSA) project, which is creating an open access database of archaeological sites in the Indus River basin (Pakistan and northwest India). This is a tool for heritage management, threat monitoring, and public information in the face of threats from urban encroachment, agricultural expansion, and natural disasters. We highlight the process by which locations of archaeological significance are documented. We explore the factors which contribute to the preservation of an archaeological site, such as ascribed cultural significance. We also consider the factors that contribute to destruction, including infrastructure development, or uses and modification of archaeological mounds for agriculture or industry (for example, mining and brick kilns).
We outline the MAHSA project workflow, which is engaged in the documentation of archaeological settlement mound features across the Indus River basin and surrounding regions. Using historical maps, we identify potential archaeological mounds using manual methods and machine learning, the latter proving to be effective in extracting data on potential archaeological sites at scale. The detected mound data stands valid only with cross-verification from legacy data, satellite imagery, and, most importantly, ground-truthing in the field. Validation of hundreds of unknown (and known) archaeological mounds in the Indus River Basin and surrounding regions is being carried out through systematic data collection using Open Data Kit (ODK), a customized android based digital survey form.
The process of assessing archaeological significance becomes challenging when one starts observing structures (e.g., shrine, tomb, and cemetery) at these mound locations. We discuss: (a) the cultural significance of subtle, modern looking structures; and (b) ways of relating to the past as a place through markers, oral histories, customs, and rituals. Such considerations are important in the preparation of cultural protection measures and can likewise support sustainable infrastructure development policies.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIVESTOCK STRATEGIES AMONG THE CERRETANI: THE TOSSAL DE BALTARGA SITE (4TH-3RD C. BC)
Abstract author(s): Vila, Oriol (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) – Colominas, Lídia (Institut Català d‘Arqueologia Clàssica) – Portillo, Marta (Institut Milà i Fontanals. CSIC, Barcelona)
Abstract format: Oral
The archaeological research developed in the Cerdanya region (Oriental Pyrenees) in the last 20 years has allowed to identify the main settlement, social and productive patterns of the Cerretani, the Iberian community living in the Pyrenees. Their settlement patterns show the occupation of the alluvial plain, but also some high lands areas. Recent archaeological research in the “Tossal de Baltarga” site has identified several animals (sheeps, goat, horse, dog) preserved thanks to the main destruction of the site, but also the bioarchaeological remains of their feeding and treatment, in an outstanding example of Iberain Stalls. We will focus on the “Building G”, a two floor house where the souterrain was used as stall, and where we have preserved not only the nearly complete bodies of the animals (4 sheeps, 1 goat, 1 horse) but also the remains of their treatement, thanks to micromorphology studies (identification of the formation processes of dung deposits, from animal nutrition through defecation, trampling and degradation). In the upper floor, we have identified a domestic space where several activities (food processing, cooking, textile) were developed.
From this example we could reconstruct part of the ceretanian livestock strategies.
SESSION
SESSION 730: INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES INTO ROMAN COMMERCE, ECONOMY AND THE ACQUISITION OF NEW TASTES DURING THE ROMAN PERIOD FROM THE 4TH CENTURY BC ONWARDS
Theme: 1. Artefacts, Buildings and Ecofacts
Organisers: Riso, Federica – Vandorpe, Patricia (Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology) – Limina, Valentina (Université Catholique de Louvain) – Bongers, Toon (Ghent University) and Vanderhoeven, Timo (EARTH Integrated Archaeology)
From the 4th century BC onwards, the expansion of the Roman Empire, eventually, over large parts of Europe had a significant impact on society. The creation of a new transport network and the emergence of cities were two of the most important and lasting changes brought about. As Rome expanded and developed contacts with other cultures far beyond the Mediterranean, new tastes and social practices were also acquired, often manifested in material culture. This session aims to explore Roman commerce and economy through different lines of evidence (e.g. archaeobiological remains, ceramics, inscriptions, landscape archaeology etc.). In addition, it aims to investigate the role of the ancient transport network in the process of urbanisation and/or the acquisition of new ‘tastes’.
The papers focus on Roman trade without chronological or geographical restrictions. Points of discussion include:
- The role of cities, harbours, rivers and warehouses in the distribution and reuse of amphorae and other shipping containers
- Social and cultural interactions in trade and exchange
- Economic power and the social status of traders
- Methodological issues when dealing with the investigation of ancient trade
- New technologies to investigate ancient trade, networks and transport
- Income, customs, religious beliefs, and identities conveyed by goods, trade and traders
- Dietary habits and stereotypes in the perception of luxury goods
- Access to luxury goods, the reasons why, and how material culture relates to their trade
- Tradition and innovation in practices related to trade and manufacturing
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
