Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
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The research presented in this thesis focusses on the architectural remains at Koroneia, recorded during the survey of the site. The research has two main aims: firstly to categorise the finds in a...Show moreThe research presented in this thesis focusses on the architectural remains at Koroneia, recorded during the survey of the site. The research has two main aims: firstly to categorise the finds in a workable manner in order to create a base file from which the analyses of the material are made. The second aim is to analyse the architecture to reconstruct the ancient city in the various periods of time in which it existed. In other words, the architecture encountered at Koroneia is used as an archaeological proxy to investigate an ancient city, but also the methodology of using this type of material to do this type of research is studied. The first aim is achieved by creating an interactive digital map of the site in which all the data are combined and as such a research tool is created. The second aim is achieved by creating a broad frame in which the material is studied. An extensive background study on architecture through time as well as a broad historical overview of Greece and the region in which Koroneia is situated form two sides of the frame that is used. The intensive manner of survey that was applied to the site in regard to architecture is unique and therefore this thesis is also used to evaluate this methodology. The results of the study definitely prove that this type of study provides reliable information with which the development of a city can be researched. This research shows that Koroneia went through various phases of growth and contraction, often contemporary with nearby cities and/or larger regional developments. It will form a vital comparison with the analysis of the spread of ceramics across the site in each phase of its existence, ongoing work. Although the results show that this study was successful, further research into the use of architecture as an archaeological proxy is possible and advisable. It is clear that more can be discerned if a larger scale is applied to the material, as most of the architectural styles and changes are not formed on a city-level, but rather on a regional, or even larger, scale. More elaborate comparisons within the region of Boeotia as well as with other regions like Attica, Thessaly, but also in other Mediterranean regions outside Greece, could greatly enhance our understanding. Furthermore, more detailed studies of the individual styles encountered may also result in more elaborate ideas on the architecture and this will further enhance our understanding of the past.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
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The last decade has seen the emergence a body literature advocating an archaeological approach which is conscious of, and actively includes, the individuals and groups who are entangled in the...Show moreThe last decade has seen the emergence a body literature advocating an archaeological approach which is conscious of, and actively includes, the individuals and groups who are entangled in the processes of archaeological research and are connected to and draw meaning from the material remains of the past. This archaeological approach, widely known as Community Archaeology, has been promoted by many, who envision a socially responsible discipline and multivocal understanding of the past. Archaeological discourse in Greece, however, seems to remain fairly silent on the issue, despite growing indifference, suspicion, and even resentment and resistance by the Greek public towards the field. The context to why this had become the case lay with the construction of an idealized nation built upon the “golden age” of its classical past and a formation of homogenous perception of national identity which have subsequently led to the exclusion of entire periods of time, namely that of the Post-Medieval period and it’s alternating and overlapping Ottoman, Venetian, and Frankish rule, as well the arginalization of those whose lives and histories have straddle the borders of ethnic, national, linguistic and religious identities. Further the historical conservative nature of the development of the field of Greek archaeology coupled with archaeological practice in service to the state, and monopolized solely by archaeological values has served to distance the public from the past and its materials. The tides they are a changing however, and research in Greek prehistoric archaeology, the emergence of regional survey projects in Greece and developments in post-medieval research has made significant strides in shedding Greek Archaeologies long held approaches rooted in nineteenth century ideologies and classicism. Furthermore, the tensions building between public and archaeological officials are not going unnoticed and some authors are starting to highlight that it is time for archaeological practice in Greece to think about for whom their work is for. In search of a tangible manifestation of the academic murmurings an examination of the museum sphere was undertaken, looking at three different self-ascribed museum types: Archaeological, Byzantine, and Folk, in three different locations in Greece: Athens, Thessaloniki, and Nafplio. Based on the knowledge of the recent renovation and redisplay of a few I was curious to see what museological methods had been implemented and further the incorporation of local communities or other relevant stakeholder groups in either the newly renovated exhibits or current temporary exhibits of the time, indicating perhaps a shift in museum practice not yet analysed.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
closed access
While methodological examinations and evaluations on post-depositional processes, sampling, surface collection, the definition of ‘site’ and other phenomena in intensive and extensive surveys...Show moreWhile methodological examinations and evaluations on post-depositional processes, sampling, surface collection, the definition of ‘site’ and other phenomena in intensive and extensive surveys already came to the fore in the 1980s, less theoretical and methodological attention seems to be given to the archaeological process that takes place from the collection of the finds on the surface to the modes of archaeological interpretation. Although ceramological analyses often play a large role in reconstructing the past, especially in survey archaeology, the capabilities of the ceramologist in the ascription of chronology, function and provenance are often limited, resulting in a dataset that consists of data on various resolutions. In this light, a certain tension between our aim, providing a detailed reconstruction of the past, and our actual capabilities has to be acknowledged. These data, however, are the data we have to work with. This thesis explores the limits of our capabilities and dataset by applying a wide range of distributive and quantitative methods from a chronological and functional point of view. Although the survey data appear to be often biased to some extent, each of the applied methods is also fundamentally biased and is giving its own character to the dataset under examination. In this light, it should be stressed that the ‘source criticism’, which is often argued for in research, should be accompanied by a certain ‘instrumental criticism’. What seems to be apparent on the basis of the methodological exercises that are carried out in this thesis is a clear need to examine the archaeological record on the surface in its own right and context, as some of the methods applied clearly gave a different character to our own dataset when compared to the datasets of, for instance, the Eastern Korinthia Archaeological Survey and Sagalassos. In this light, the complexity of the formation of the archaeological record and even our own datasets should be acknowledged and a wide range of quantitative and distributive methods should be carried out in further research to comparatively examine and evaluate the complexity we encounter from the ‘raw’ data revealed by archaeology.Show less
In deze scriptie wordt er gekeken naar de verschillen in de aardewerkassemblages in de Romeinse periode aan de hand van drie sites. In Pompeii en Abdera wordt er specifiek naar twee huizen gekeken...Show moreIn deze scriptie wordt er gekeken naar de verschillen in de aardewerkassemblages in de Romeinse periode aan de hand van drie sites. In Pompeii en Abdera wordt er specifiek naar twee huizen gekeken en bij Colchester naar al het aardewerk gevonden op de site. Door het analyseren van het aardewerk kunnen er conclusies worden getrokken over de aardewerkassemblages van de drie sites en over de manier waarop deze sites zijn onderzocht.Show less
This thesis tries to answer questions about aegyptiaca at certain Greek sanctuaries in the Archaic period. We hope to shed light on aspects of Greek-Egyptian contact and exchange, as well as the...Show moreThis thesis tries to answer questions about aegyptiaca at certain Greek sanctuaries in the Archaic period. We hope to shed light on aspects of Greek-Egyptian contact and exchange, as well as the Greek perception of ‘Egyptian’, and Greek religious practice. As background are discussed the theories behind material culture studies, the general history of Greek-Egyptian contact, the Greek view on Egypt as discussed by Herodotus, and the nature of Greek sanctuaries and votive dedications. Then, a closer look is taken at certain sanctuaries: Samos, Ephesus, Perachora, Artemis Orthia, Delphi and Olympia. The aegyptiaca at these sites are discussed. Based on these data alone a conclusive answer to our question cannot be found. However, it becomes clear that these items were part of a complex and wide exchange system, rather than the result of direct contact between Archaic Greece and Egypt.Show less
This thesis tries to account for the high amount of kantharos-shards in the archaeological context of the Greek province of Boeotia. The kantharos is a drinking cup with a distinguishable shape....Show moreThis thesis tries to account for the high amount of kantharos-shards in the archaeological context of the Greek province of Boeotia. The kantharos is a drinking cup with a distinguishable shape. High incurving handles, an upper and lower body divided by a narrow offset and a high stem and foot are some of its characteristics. There is no consensus about why this cup was so important and well used in the Archaic and Classical periods in Boeotia. This thesis tries to uncover the reasons for being used so well in this region by focusing on several viewpoints, such as the kantharos’ origin, the link to mythology and several typologies. The still largely unpublished datasets from the Boeotia survey Project are being used here for the amounts of kantharoi and their contexts. This information is ultimately compared to other surveys and excavations from several regions of Greece, to see whether Boeotia actually was unique in this respect. With these viewpoints this thesis not only tries to answer the research question, but also tries to give an overall view on the research on kantharoi in general.Show less
The guard houses of Minoan Crete are often said to be defensible buildings, based on their location and architecture. However, were they really defensible? To answer the question of how defensible...Show moreThe guard houses of Minoan Crete are often said to be defensible buildings, based on their location and architecture. However, were they really defensible? To answer the question of how defensible these buildings were, three different methods were applied to a sample of guard houses. These methods were Least Cost Path analysis, the calculation of a Defensibility Index value, and Space Syntax with Visibility Graph Analysis. These methods have never been tried before and the results give new insight in how defensible these guard houses actually were. Not only from the outside, but from the inside as well. The results have confirmed that these guard houses are generally defensible buildings, although the defensibility differs per building and per method. In the future, a higher quality DEM and better datasets, that fix most of the flaws in the results presented here, will provide an even more accurate perspective on these guard houses.Show less
In this thesis a social-cultural interpretation is given of Tanagras by looking at their material context in graves and houses from Olynthus, in graves from Tanagra and sites in Macedonia and at...Show moreIn this thesis a social-cultural interpretation is given of Tanagras by looking at their material context in graves and houses from Olynthus, in graves from Tanagra and sites in Macedonia and at the Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore in Corinth. A link thus is made with the social identity of women and the role Tanagras played in substantiating this identity in daily life.Show less
This thesis is concerned with 95 weaving implements collected in a survey at the ancient city of Koroneia. It comprises of one bobbin, six spindle whorls and 88 loomweights. The bobbin and...Show moreThis thesis is concerned with 95 weaving implements collected in a survey at the ancient city of Koroneia. It comprises of one bobbin, six spindle whorls and 88 loomweights. The bobbin and loomweights (except for two) are put into suitable categories, based mainly on the typologies of Staermose Nielsen (2005) and Mårtensson et al. (2009). For the spindle whorls assigning them to a type has proven more difficult. Date ranges are proposed for the implements, but these tend to be rather unspecific, due to some problems regarding the dating of textile implements in general. Next, the technological side of the implements is assessed. The spindle whorls were probably used for very thick woollen yarns, and the discoid weights have proven suitable for quite a broad range of threads, while the conical and pyramidal weights were more suitable for finer yarns. The mapping of the implements under study has shown that the textile production in Koroneia was probably home-based, because the majority has been collected in areas that are thought to be domestic, including a villa-area. There are some exceptions, in which cases textile implements might be either funarary or dedicatory, or simply discarded, broken material. Hopefully more textile implements will be published in the future, especially with regard to their find context. This will facilitate the dating of similar material and might shed a light on the textiles that were used in antiquity.Show less
De Egyptische Predynastieke periode wordt in het aardewerkrepertoire onder andere gekenmerkt door versieringen, waarvan onderzoekers altijd hebben verondersteld dat het schepen betrof. Deze...Show moreDe Egyptische Predynastieke periode wordt in het aardewerkrepertoire onder andere gekenmerkt door versieringen, waarvan onderzoekers altijd hebben verondersteld dat het schepen betrof. Deze versieringen liggen ten grondslag aan veel theorieën betreft de vroeg Dynastieke religie en ideologie, en buitenlandse contacten met onder andere Mesopotamië, ondanks dat het materiaal nooit eerder kritisch onder de loep is genomen. In deze scriptie is het Predynastiek materiaal aan de hand van een door de auteur samengestelde catalogus aan de tand gevoeld om de variabiliteit van de iconografische componenten (units) vast te stellen. Hieruit blijkt dat een aantal onderzoekers er een levendige fantasie op nahoudt, de iconografie wezenlijk evolueert en ons begrip van deze decoraties momenteel nog steeds slechts van zeer oppervlakkige aard is.Show less
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
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In this study, published intensive field surveys from different geographies on the Italian peninsula have been revisited with the aim of developing a better understanding of regional differences in...Show moreIn this study, published intensive field surveys from different geographies on the Italian peninsula have been revisited with the aim of developing a better understanding of regional differences in demography, settlement pattern, landuse and how Roman society could have functioned. The field surveys/regions that have been subject to in-depth enquiry are Cisalpine Gaul, the Potenza Valley, the suburbium of Rome, the Pontine region and the Biferno Valley. The focus has been on the Late Republican to Early Imperial period. Models and interpretive concepts have been assessed that originate from archaeology, social geography and ethnography using archaeological evidence. The following seven biases hinder the interpretation and comparison of field survey information; (1) an incompletely identified nucleated settlement pattern; (2) questions on the size and urban make up of civic centres; (3) the precise size and location of field walked transects; (4) the reported sample/transect size versus actual field walked area; (5) the use of site recovery multipliers; (6) site typology and site population and (7) the integration of metadata from different surveys. The establishment and comparison of the demographic dimension have been shown to be challenging and problematic. The base case would be the inner suburbium of Rome, which was believed to have been the most densely populated region of Roman Italy. A bivariate statistical analysis for the suburbium of Rome suggests that the settlement patterns of the main centres are structured by landscape and have Archaic antecedents. Not all field surveys have been conducted at the same survey intensities and a ranking has been suggested for each region. High survey intensities can be argued for the Potenza Valley and the Pontine region and lower survey intensities for the inner and outer suburbium. The underlying rationale for obtaining a realistic multiplier, per site-type, landscape or region, including the separation between statistical and archaeological inference has not been sufficiently studied by archaeologists. The high-level view on demography, settlement pattern and hierarchy considers the majority of the population, in the range of 75-90%, living in the countryside. Moderately- sized civic centres of 12-30 ha in size were spaced at regular intervals, depending on landscape, facilitating a day-return trip, essential for the marketing needs of the people living in the countryside. Vici filled the servicing gaps in those regions with exceptional non-marketable radii. The size of the hinterland of the civic centres, excluding Cisalpine Gaul and the Biferno Valley, was in the 150-225 km2 range. A working hypothesis on the function of the civic centres would consider them as service centres. A banding-servicing view has been envisioned for the towns and market centres that could reflect different levels of servicing for local, sub-regional and regional centres. The contrast between Greek and Roman urbanisation ratios offers very fruitful insights for future research in the functioning of these two civilisations.Show less
Besides a probably important audible role the visual aspect of inscriptions shouldn’t be underestimated. In the Archaic Period the effect of visual text was explored and applied in different ways....Show moreBesides a probably important audible role the visual aspect of inscriptions shouldn’t be underestimated. In the Archaic Period the effect of visual text was explored and applied in different ways. In many cases the purpose was to be seen and maybe even more important than to be read. Public and semi-public showing off with writing is visible on dedications, law inscriptions and vases. Texts function to impress. By writing something down a certain statement is made. The importance (e.g. laws) and value of the object increase. Especially for pottery this has become art typical for the ancient Greeks.Show less
The aim of this thesis was to investigate the „otherness‟ of Archaic and (Early) Classical Sparta, and the existence of a shift between both periods. Sparta has always been considered to be...Show moreThe aim of this thesis was to investigate the „otherness‟ of Archaic and (Early) Classical Sparta, and the existence of a shift between both periods. Sparta has always been considered to be different. To enquire whether it really was different or not, I investigated the history of the research on Sparta and Laconia (chapter 1), the history of Sparta and Laconia in the broader perspective of Greek developments (chapter 2), the possibility of Sparta being a polis and its connections with other Greek centres (chapter 3), the supposed Spartan conquest of (first) the whole of Laconia, and further Messenia and reducing its people to Perioeci and Helots (chapter 4) and finally the Spartan mirage and the problem of the multiple villages Sparta existed of (chapter 5). To reach this goal, I favoured the „integrated approach‟: I used all possible sources, both textual and archaeological. The archaeological sources are, unfortunately not really abundant. In Sparta mainly rescue excavations have been carried out apart from the excavation of the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia and the Roman theatre, and only one thorough surface survey was carried out – just outside Sparta, to the east of the ancient city. Messenia has had one extensive and one intensive survey, but they are mainly limited to the western part of the province. Textual sources are more numerous, but they were mostly written by outsiders who looked at Sparta from an Athenocentric or otherwise biased viewpoint. They together created the mirage that Sparta was conservative, backwards, warlike, „other‟. Therefore we have to be careful to uncritically accept their statements.Show less
The comparative study of colonial phenomenas brings scholars from specific fields together in an attempt to analyse the processes at work in a local context and to make significant evaluations...Show moreThe comparative study of colonial phenomenas brings scholars from specific fields together in an attempt to analyse the processes at work in a local context and to make significant evaluations about local responses to colonial interactions, cultural assimilation, issues of power and trade, as well as the impact of the colonial experience on the hypothetical centre from which the “colonial appendix” stems. The comparative study of the Greek and Viking colonial movements allows for the discovery of many common aspects; archaeologists can compare the two phenomenas and to answer specific questions about how these came to be. In this paper, I have analysed the evidence for the Greek settlement of the Southern Ukrainian coast in the Archaic and Classical periods, specifically the sites of Olbia and Berezan, and the Viking expansion into present-day Russia and Ukraine. By bringing together the historical tradition of both, as well as the most recent archaeological research in this area, I have discovered that the comparative study of these two processes allows us to understand colonial settings in a clearer fashion, especially if the geographical setting is shared and the politico-economic situations bear several resemblances. This is the case for the Milesian colonies and the Viking hillforts and trade-posts along the Russian and Ukrainian rivers.Show less
The Roman army in Egypt is not much presented in the archaeology. The study of ancient Egypt is mainly done by Egyptologists who are more concerned with the Pharaonic era than the Roman era....Show moreThe Roman army in Egypt is not much presented in the archaeology. The study of ancient Egypt is mainly done by Egyptologists who are more concerned with the Pharaonic era than the Roman era. Furthermore the history of research in Egypt is mostly about the papyri that are found. The papyri of Egypt are a major source for our knowledge of the Roman army. This phenomenon produces problems when it comes to the archaeology of Roman Egypt. However in this thesis I try to focus on the known archaeological sites in Egypt which can tell something about the Roman military presence and its function. The popularity of Pharaonic Egypt is fairly reasonable because it was a long prosperous period for Egypt. The Egyptian pharaohs ruled approximately from 3000 B.C. till the Persian conquest in the seventh century B.C.1 which is long compared to the Roman occupation which lasted roughly 300 years when Byzantine rule is not counted. This different approach to the history of Egypt is clearly seen in books which introduce the reader or give an overview of ancient Egypt, for example An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt by Katherine Bard.2 Only one chapter is about the Roman rule. The length of the Pharaonic period demands this but it steals a lot of focus from the Roman period. Strangely enough because of the papyri, which only survive in Egypt, there is a lot of knowledge about the Roman army. R.O. Fink describes many aspects of the Roman army in Roman Military Records on Papyrus published in 1971.3 More recent books describe the Roman army in a historical sense. However in this thesis I want to focus on the archaeological side of the Roman army and compare its function to other provinces. Obviously I will also use some written sources but I will try to give mainly the archaeological point of view in order to get a different perspective. This thesis focuses on three issues: What was the function of the Roman army in Egypt? Is the function of the Roman army unique in Egypt or can it be recognized in other provinces? What can the archaeology of the Roman army in Egypt tells us of the Roman army in general? In order to give answers to these problems I have to give an overview of the archaeology of the Roman army in Egypt. Due to the reasons mentioned above this forms a problem on its own. The literature of Roman archaeology in Egypt is very limited. Most specific research is carried out in the Eastern Desert where some quarry sites are excavated. However other sites throughout Egypt are scarcely researched and often without archaeological methods.4 So the available literature is scattered and the goal of this thesis is also to make an overview of all this data. The first chapter gives an overview of the Roman army in general. The army is the most important feature on which the Roman Empire is build on. This feature shall be elaborated in the first chapter. The next chapter gives an overview of the Roman army in Egypt. This history will show the background of the Roman army and its location within Egypt. In the third chapter I will discuss the recruitment and function of the Roman soldiers. In the final two chapters I will discuss the various military installations. In the conclusion the contents of these chapters fall together in order to answer the above-mentioned issues.Show less
Deze thesis bespreekt de mogelijk aanwezige relaties tussen de centrale plaatsen en rurale nederzettingen op Crete gedurende de Pre- en Protopalaleis perioden. Het onderzoek was gebaseerd op...Show moreDeze thesis bespreekt de mogelijk aanwezige relaties tussen de centrale plaatsen en rurale nederzettingen op Crete gedurende de Pre- en Protopalaleis perioden. Het onderzoek was gebaseerd op literatuuronderzoek. De mogelijke relaties worden aangetoond met behulp van een aantal theoretische modellen, waaronder Peer Polity Interaction en het Core-Periphery model. De oude visie van hiërarchische relaties wordt in twijfel getrokken door nieuwe ideeën, waarvan heterarchie de voornaamste is. Er blijken meerdere soorten relaties aanwezig geweest te zijn (politieke, sociale, economische en ideologische), welke zich op meerdere niveaus afspeelden doch niet altijd in dezelfde mate. Er blijken nog steeds voldoende argumenten te zijn om hier nog meer onderzoek naar te doen.Show less
