Locally produced incised impasto ware is known to dominate the necropoleis and settlement contexts of Falerii Veteres, modern Civita Castellana, northern Lazio, during the Orientalizing period (8th...Show moreLocally produced incised impasto ware is known to dominate the necropoleis and settlement contexts of Falerii Veteres, modern Civita Castellana, northern Lazio, during the Orientalizing period (8th – 7th centuries). Falerii Veteres is recognized as the main town of a small peripheral region, acting as a middle ground between the Sabine, Capenate, Latin and Etruscan regions. Within this well connected ancient cultural landscape the Faliscan incised impasto production remains crucially its own, adopting the decorative repertoire of the Orientalizing and bucchero wares as the artisans or consumers saw fit. The research of this thesis revolves around the main question “How did potters’ technological choices develop at Falerii during the Orientalizing period (8th – 7th centuries BCE) when it comes to the traditionally produced incised impasto ware?”. Using techniques and methodologies developed by the Archaeological Sciences, pXRF analysis was performed on an assemblage of incised impastos (n = 45). The results confirmed suspected imported vessels, proving its validity, and offered surprising results, showing two different artisanal recipes were used, either contemporaneously or possibly throughout time. These results have offered a first look into the chemical composition of the incised impasto wares and the decorative pastes which filled their incisions from the city of Falerii Veteres and its necropoleis. The results offer high potential for the study of change throughout time of raw material usage and potential provenancing of locally produced impasto for the entire region of the Ager Faliscus and beyond.Show less
This thesis presents and discusses the results of a survey of colonial cisterns on St. Eustatius. St. Eustatius was and is an island without any natural fresh springs or rivers. During the...Show moreThis thesis presents and discusses the results of a survey of colonial cisterns on St. Eustatius. St. Eustatius was and is an island without any natural fresh springs or rivers. During the seventeenth and eighteenth century the island became one of the most important trans-shipping centres for enslaved Africans and commodities of the entire world. At the end of the eighteenth century it harboured a population of over 8,000 people that had many different nationalities and cultures. To maintain this population there had to be a steady supply and storage of water. Therefore, this research is an effort to contribute to the topic of colonial water management on St. Eustatius. Water was incorporated in religious, political, social and economic practices. The way these practices were carried out or experienced differed for the Europeans and the Africans on the island. To ensure a supply of water for all these different peoples, cisterns were constructed on the island of St. Eustatius. After a thorough analysis of 94 cisterns, differences in shape and construction have led to the establishment of a new typology for these structures. As an experiment, the chemical composition of mortar is analyzed with the use of a principal component analysis. Ultimately, suggestions for the management of these cisterns are presented.Show less