Norias have been among the most important water lifters in the pre-industrialised Mediterranean basin. From their early appearance during the Hellenistic Age (3rd -1st century BC) until the 20th...Show moreNorias have been among the most important water lifters in the pre-industrialised Mediterranean basin. From their early appearance during the Hellenistic Age (3rd -1st century BC) until the 20th century, norias have played a crucial role in granting a more effective exploitation of water resources. The relevance of these devices is well reflected in the academic literature. Nevertheless, the fragmentation of the research in different regions and the lack of the device definitions still prevent a clear noria terminology to be available. Starting from these premises, this research will propose a new approach to describe noria devices. A new noria classification will be applied to the medieval site of Ta’as (Northern Syria). The noria vase fragments from the Syrian site will be studied and compared with similar artifacts. Climatic studies and archaeozoological evaluations will highlight how chain norias were probably used in the area of study.Show less
The aim of the present research is to examine sugar cane production centers in medieval Cyprus with an in-depth exploration of the technology employed in sugar production including a comparison...Show moreThe aim of the present research is to examine sugar cane production centers in medieval Cyprus with an in-depth exploration of the technology employed in sugar production including a comparison with other production sites around the Mediterranean. The objectives of this investigation are to trace the technological innovation, the knowledge transfer and exchange networks which existed at the time. In addition, the present study investigates the relationships of the owners, and the status of the workforce. Finally, theories related to capitalism and globalization and how they were implemented in sugar production are put forward. The research question is investigated by examining archaeological data of the sugar production sites using online literature in combination with written sources including trade documents, travelers' accounts and state archives. This study exposes that technological knowledge in sugar production derived from the East, but no compact “package” existed. Horizontal water mills were introduced throughout Cyprus from the East (the Levant), while a vertical one at Kouklia and the presses were introduced by the Crusaders. Concerning the pottery making technology, there was a widely used repertoire which was implemented by the Crusaders who owned most of the sugar production centers in the Mediterranean. However, a degree of flexibility in typology choices did occur. The relationship between owners of sugar production sites relied heavily on diplomacy. The workforce was diverse with francomati, parici and, at one point, slaves all employed. The economic system was a hybridization of capitalism and feudalism. Finally, the study shows that sugar production followed Jennings’ model of globalization to an extent. This study of sugar production in medieval Cyprus elucidates technological, social and economic dimensions of human life.Show less
The aim of this research is to gain new insights in the changing of cooking practices and eating habits as a result of Frankish influence. To reach this aim, this study strives to seek a relation...Show moreThe aim of this research is to gain new insights in the changing of cooking practices and eating habits as a result of Frankish influence. To reach this aim, this study strives to seek a relation between cooking wares and cooking practices, and diet and eating habits. As a result, it aims to provide valuable information regarding the socio-economic, the cultural, and the local and regional perspective of both cooking practices and eating habits during the Middle to Late Byzantine period (ca. 1200-1500 AD). This research shows that there were indeed changes in cooking practices and eating habits during the Late-Byzantine/Frankish period in the Aegean, and these could have been related to each other. The evidence suggests that smaller, thinner, and taller cooking pots appear somewhere around the middle of the 13th century, replacing the previous globular, thicker ones from the Middle Byzantine period. This change could have been the result of a trend during the Late Byzantine/Frankish period towards more watery dishes, cooked in their own juices. The dietary evidence supports this considerable difference in the Byzantine Aegean diet and the Medieval Western diet, primarily at the higher classes of society. Unfortunately, the effects of Christian Orthodox fasting rules on diet and eating habits or Frankish meat consumption are not visible in stable isotope values from multiple sites in Greece. A socio-economic perspective on the ceramic and dietary evidence during this period could indicate a possible Frankish influence on local cooking practices and eating habits. However, it is not with certainty to say that these changes were actual the result of Frankish influence. From a cultural perspective, it appears that the change to different cooking practices and eating habits in Late Byzantine/Frankish times may not only have been the result of the appearance of the Franks into the scene, but also of growing wealth. Furthermore, it is difficult to distinguish different cooking practices between the higher and lower classes in the Byzantine Aegean or the Medieval West, while substantial variations between town and country or between different local environments must have determined food choice and availability to a certain extent. The local and regional perspective also supports the fact that ceramic and dietary distinctions existed between town, country, and other areas. Urban settlements were more likely to be influenced by a Frankish presence than rural settlements. The experimentation indicates that similar production methods were used for both type of cooking wares. In this regard, it seems very plausible that the Franks did not bring their own potters. The Middle Byzantine way of production seems to have persisted after the Frankish conquest, without noticeable morphological changes.Show less
