Palaeohistoria 53 54 2011 2012

The annual journal Palaeohistoria is edited by the staff of the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, and carries detailed articles on material culture, analysis of radiocarbon data and the results of excavations, surveys and coring campaigns.

This books explores the bias that is introduced by erosion and sedimentation on the distribution of archaeological materials in Mediterranean landscapes. It describes innovative and interdisciplinary work that led to the formulation of a broad range of geo-archeological approaches that are applied to two Italian areas, studied intensively by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology: the Pontine Region in South Lazio, and the Raganello Basin in North Calabria. The approaches deal with geological biases affecting the study of protohistoric remains in the sedimentary part of the Pontine plain; the development of a detailed landscape classification approach to predict and test site location preferences and survey biases in the uplands of both study areas; and the development and evaluation of an innovative computerised landscape evolution model for a test area in the Raganello Basin uplands. In addition to the presented case study, this book also shows how the three geo-archaeological approaches can be applied in a wider context to quantitatively understand how erosion and sedimentation bias our understanding of archaeological records.

In this study, Marcello Mogetta examines the origins and early dissemination of concrete technology in Roman Republican architecture. Framing the genesis of innovative building processes and techniques within the context of Rome's early expansion, he traces technological change in monumental construction in long-established urban centers and new Roman colonial cites founded in the 2nd century BCE in central Italy. Mogetta weaves together excavation data from both public monuments and private domestic architecture that have been previously studied in isolation. Highlighting the organization of the building industry, he also explores the political motivations and cultural aspirations of patrons of monumental architecture, reconstructing how they negotiated economic and logistical constraints by drawing from both local traditions and long-distance networks. By incorporating the available evidence into the development of concrete technology, Mogetta also demonstrates the contributions of anonymous builders and contractors, shining a light on their ability to exploit locally available resources.

The papers in The Economic Integration of Roman Italy use various archaeological data, particularly recent field survey and excavation data, to explore the changes Rome’s territorial and economic expansion brought about in the Italian countryside.

Showcases new approaches that reveal the remarkable transformation of Roman and Italian societies during the Middle Republican period.

The study of ritual practice in the past is an accepted part of archaeological research these days. Yet, its theoretical basis is still not fully mature. This book aims at making a contribution to the study of ritual practice in the past by assembling a theoretical framework, which is tailored to the needs of archaeology, and which helps to identity and interpret the remains of rituals in the past. This framework is applied in a special archaeological region: the coastal area of the northern Netherlands, a former salt marsh area. In the past, people lived here on artificial dwelling mounds, so-called terps. Preservation conditions are excellent in this wetland area. This study makes use of the well-preserved remains of rituals in terps, to examine the role of ritual practice in the societies of the pre-Roman and Roman Iron Age in this area.

Multi-disciplinary approaches shed fresh light on the Frisian people and their changing cultures.

This dissertation presents four methodological case studies that elaborate on the results of two field survey projects (the Astura and Nettuno surveys) that were carried out by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology (GIA). The case studies aim at investigating biasing factors that limit the analytical and comparative value of data from archaeological survey in general using these two projects as a suitable testing ground. Both surveys, carried out between 2003 and 2005, fell within the ambit of the Pontine Region Project (PRP), a long-term research program aimed at the diachronic archaeological investigation of the various landscape units forming this region. They covered two contiguous areas, situated on the Tyrrhenian seaboard, approximately 60 kilometres south of Rome. The study area comprises the communal area of the modern town of Nettuno, as well as the lower valleys of the Astura and Moscarello rivers (see fig. 0.1).2 As such it incorporates parts of the hinterland of the ancient towns of Antium and Satricum. In chronological terms this dissertation considers a time-span of 1300 years, from the 6th century BC to the 7th century AD.