Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
open access
The rural world and farming activities were a crucial part of Roman life. The majority of the Roman population was in some way involved in agriculture, meaning that socio-economic developments...Show moreThe rural world and farming activities were a crucial part of Roman life. The majority of the Roman population was in some way involved in agriculture, meaning that socio-economic developments depended for a large part on what happened in the countryside, away from city life. Much of what we know about the rural world is based on information gathered during archaeological surveying. Over the years, incredible amounts of data have been gathered in this way. However, older projects suffer from issues in consistency and representability. As a result, they are often disregarded in the current academic climate. Nevertheless, much information can still be inferred from this older data, also known as legacy survey data. This research studied the organisation of the rural world through legacy survey data on the hand of the Biferno Valley. This region in central-eastern Italy saw much surveying. The Biferno Valley survey charted many sites in the period of activity, from the 1970s through the 1990s, but suffered from the same problems mentioned above. Therefore, it forms the perfect case-study for this research. Through the application of a theory-based sequence of predictive modelling, this legacy survey data was used to gain new insights into the Roman rural world. Firstly, ancient literature and other research were used to build hypotheses on the locations of rural farms and villas. These hypotheses were subsequently tested through the archaeological data gathered in the Biferno Valley Survey. Influential variables were assessed and combined into a model which visualises the probability of site presence. Four maps were created in this way, representing two main site types, farms and villas, in two time frames, the Roman Republican and Imperial periods. Results were statistically tested through the legacy survey data. As such, this data functioned as a validation tool for the study of the Roman past. The models were adjusted until each map represented the probability of site presence with significant accuracy. The results allowed for a reconstruction of the Roman rural world, which gives an indication as to how Roman agriculture was organised. It was found that the impact of most variables fell within expectations. Logically, steep slopes and areas of high elevation were avoided. Locations near waterways, roads and towns were preferred. Especially in the Imperial period, roads and towns must have been a great force of attraction, especially for villas. Two variables mainly deviated in practice from what was expected. The types of soils that seem to have been preferred point towards a high degree of cash crop cultivation. Similarly, the fact that south-facing slopes were not as popular as initially hypothesised indicates the same thing. It is possible that a large degree of crop rotation was in part responsible for these findings, although this cannot be said with certainty. Regardless, results indicate that the Biferno Valley must have had a strong reliance on trade over larger distances. Cash crops could be exported, whilst imported cereals fed the region’s urban population. Within the research area itself, strong spatial and social relations must have existed between owners of farms and villas. This all points towards a highly interconnected Roman rural world. These results thus show that significant gains can be made from the usage of legacy survey data in modern archaeology.Show less
This study explores the religious developments on the Maltese archipelago from the Neolithic period until the incorporation of the islands into the Byzantine Empire in 535 CE. By chronologically...Show moreThis study explores the religious developments on the Maltese archipelago from the Neolithic period until the incorporation of the islands into the Byzantine Empire in 535 CE. By chronologically analyzing evidence for religious activities on the islands, gleaned from the corpus of published works, in a diachronic perspective and using an explorative approach, the continuity of traditions, sites and possibly beliefs are systematically studied. The result then is a religious biography of the islands, discussing mainly the continuity of phenomena and the development of religious activities. The Maltese archipelago was subjected to many different cultural influences, which is reflected in the development of religious activities. A gradual evolution from the early Neolithic up till the start of the Bronze Age can be witnessed, during which foreign influences can be recognised. After the Bronze Age, which was fundamentally different in religious traditions than its predecessor, the Orientalising influence brought upon by the Phoenicians shaped the religious landscape of the archipelago, laying the fundaments for the succeeding millennium-and-a-half. The rise of several powers in the Mediterranean area (such as the Etruscans, Greeks and the Romans) influenced Malta indirectly. During the Punic and Roman phases the religious activities are affected by Hellenising influences, seen in material culture and the identification of deities. Under Roman Imperial rule the population gradually adopts more Roman religious customs. There is some evidence for some of the Eastern mystery cults of Mithras and Isis, but future research should help to elucidate this. From the fifth century CE onwards there is enough evidence to confirm the presence of a Diaspora Jewish community, as well as infer that a good amount of the population at that time followed the religion of Christianity. The religious developments show how insularity at one hand encouraged local development of traditions, while the high connectivity due to the geographical location of the islands encouraged the introduction of new traditions. As a result a clear line of development can be traced and influencing trends can clearly be distinguished. There are still some areas, such as some of the iconography encountered, which require further exploration to provide a better understanding of the religious developments on the islands.Show less
