PhD Thesis by Chiara Botturi
The thesis focuses on assessing the impact of Rome on the funerary landscapes of Gallia Cisalpina... more The thesis focuses on assessing the impact of Rome on the funerary landscapes of Gallia Cisalpina (Transpadana), in order to gain a better understanding of the phenomena of cultural influences and cultural change. The area investigated, the lower basin of Chiese River (Brescia, Italy), is archaeologically well-known and was of great importance in pre-Roman (La Tène) and Roman times. Nonetheless, the spatial interrelations of the “places of the living” and the “places of the dead” have not been investigated. Preliminary to the investigation of funerary patterns in the two chosen study areas have been the creation of an updated catalogue of archaeological evidence and the reconstruction of centuriation. The methodology employed, encompassing archival and bibliographical research, cartographic and photographic sources, geomorphological and hydrological study and GIS applications, allowed a thorough understanding of funerary and non-funerary elements in the first study area. A “surgical” study has been carried out on the second case study (Remedello) as the absence of a centuriation hypothesis in the area prevented the investigation of funerary patterns. Such a gap was the occasion to test a combined methodology that added to the one employed for the first case study the remote sensing and the archaeomorphological analysis, with the aim of proposing a centuriation hypothesis from where to assess the funerary patterns of the area.
Papers by Chiara Botturi
AARGNews, 2019
Between 2008 and 2014 the Historic Environment Division (Department for Communities) commissioned... more Between 2008 and 2014 the Historic Environment Division (Department for Communities) commissioned BKS Fuego for LiDAR survey of ca 130 sq. km of the territory of Northern Ireland. This imagery, along with the Ordnance Survey (OSNI) River Basin LiDAR coverage (2004/2014), aerial photography and cartography, has been employed to understand State Care Monuments in their surroundings, guide archaeological excavations, assess the condition of sites covered in vegetation and research historical landscapes.
Studies in Classical Archaeology” (SCA), Brepols Publishers , 2020
Archeologia Aerea. Studi di Aerotopografia Archeologica (XI.2017), 2019
This paper addresses the advantages of the integration
of historical aerial photographs, satellit... more This paper addresses the advantages of the integration
of historical aerial photographs, satellite
images and historical cartography for the holistic
understanding of Roman rural landscapes, and of
the territory of Remedello (Brescia, Italy) in particular.
The case study area, densely inhabited since
prehistory, is located in the immediate surroundings
of the important Celtic and Roman centre of
Brixia. It will be argued that the rural systems of
Remedello, made of roads, dwellings, cemeteries
and limites of centuriation, can be fully comprehended
by means of the interpretation of remotely
sensed images of different kind and date, along
with the traditional topographical sources. The
employment of free imagery (Google Earth Pro
and Bing), of post war aerial photographs and very
high resolution multispectral imagery, combined
with the historical cartography, enables the reconstruction
of the various elements that composed
Remedello’s countryside in Roman times. The
complete picture that such an integrated methodology
provides, allows us to understand the “stratigraphy”
of rural systems and assess the impact
of Roman centuriation on this crucial area of
Northern Italy, the Gallia Cisalpina, flos Italiae
and crossroads of cultures.
TRAC 2015, Proceedings of the 25th annual Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference
The present paper focuses on the special and spatial relationship between the places of the dead ... more The present paper focuses on the special and spatial relationship between the places of the dead and the places of the living in the Roman rural landscape, and aims to emphasise the crucial character of such a connection for a holistic understanding of the organisation of the Roman countryside. The relationship between the dead and the living was both conceptual and physical, in the sense that Roman beliefs in relation to their dead and the afterlife strongly influenced the arrangement of funerary and non-funerary spaces. It will be argued that the location of cemeteries and single tombs, in addition to being meaningful for the comprehension of funerary landscapes and thus funerary behaviour, can be extremely informative when assessing non-mortuary anthropic elements in the landscape. The paper begins with a brief literature review, in which the lack of attention given to the study of funerary areas in their landscape context is highlighted. The paper then considers the two main functions attributed to the tomb within Roman culture, as they played a crucial role in the location of funerary monuments. It concludes by discussing the implications of this landscape-oriented middle-range approach for the redefinition of the long-debated phenomenon of Romanisation. It will be argued that this perspective provides a fresh framework with which to address this matter, with particular respect to the encounter between pre-Roman perceptions and organisation of spaces with those from Roman traditions. Thus, questions about the extent of Rome’s impact on the ‘way of living’ and ‘way of dying’ in the territories of northern Italy may be answered, by virtue of the invaluable, and often unique, informative contribution funerary evidence can make.
Conference Presentations by Chiara Botturi
Dominating a dolerite outcrop strategically located on the northern shore of Belfast Lough, Carri... more Dominating a dolerite outcrop strategically located on the northern shore of Belfast Lough, Carrickfergus Castle was built as a fortress and dwelling by John de Courcy ca 1178. Symbol of the Anglo-Norman control over the northern territories of the Kingdom of Ulaidh, it came into different hands throughout the 750 years of its use, which continued well into the modern era only to end less than a century ago, when the Castle was taken into State Care by the Department of Communities of Northern Ireland. Conservation works (March 2019/January 2020) for the replacement of the roof of the Great Tower presented the opportunity to explore this building in depth and led to the discovery of crucial evidence for its interpretation. New elements were uncovered, which shed light especially on the years 1178-1242 – which saw John de Courcy’s activity, King John’s works, and Hugh II de Lacy’s developments. This paper puts forward a revised chronology for the Great Tower, and discusses the rationale and influences behind specific construction choices. It will be explained how the Tower was subject to at least three extensive alterations in its design. Initially a three-storey building, it was then turned into a much more imposing four-storey tower (with sunken roof and hoardings), subsequently enhanced by the creation of a great chamber at top floor, spanned by a majestic stone arch. Starting from this, we aim to answer questions such as ‘what were the cultural influences for the very first design?’ and ‘where did the new ideas and innovations, which informed the modifications occurred from the second decade of the 13th century, come from?’ The comparison with similar structures in Ireland, Great Britain and Europe provides us with further insights on the matter, and helps us unravel the complex history of the Castle on Fergus’ rock.
Conference presentation, with John O'Keeffe and Dermot MacRandal.
Carrickfergus Castle has been ... more Conference presentation, with John O'Keeffe and Dermot MacRandal.
Carrickfergus Castle has been in continuous occupation since 1178,
when John de Courcy set about building what has now become one of the best-known landmarks in Ulster and one of the best-preserved pieces of Norman castle architecture in Britain and Ireland.
The old roof of the Great Tower, in the inner ward, was over 80 years old and in need of replacement. A £1million conservation project managed by Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities to replace that roof started on site at the end of March 2019. The existing roof was replaced with a new double-pitched roof using Irish green oak and built using medieval construction techniques. This lecture will explore how this new design was chosen, what the conservation project has been intended to achieve, how the materials were sourced and how the project has been delivered, including the archaeological exploration of previously-hidden features and cavities within the walls and spiral staircase.
Landscape Archaeology Conference, 2018
This paper aims to emphasise the aptness of the landscape approach to answer research questions a... more This paper aims to emphasise the aptness of the landscape approach to answer research questions about socio-cultural aspects in the Classical period. We aim to do so by presenting two case studies concerned with the pre-Roman/Roman transition as understood through the landscape.
The first applies the landscape approach to the funerary evidence of an area in Gallia Cisalpina. Classical funerary landscapes have rarely been object of research, trapped in the dichotomy constituted by the material culture of burials on one side, and rural (non-mortuary) landscapes on the other. Through a multifaceted methodology that addresses the rural space in its entirety, funerary landscapes can be unravelled and their interrelationships with the natural and anthropic/non-funerary counterparts clarified. This is preliminary and fundamental to grasp the pervasiveness of the Roman conquest and the times and ways of cultural change, tackled not only by studying the material culture of the tombs, but through the lens of burial patterns in the landscape.
The second case study explores cultural change in Hispania Ulterior Baetica through the identification of continuities and transformations within these provincial landscapes. Such work relies on the relationship established between territories and the communities that inhabit and shape them according to their needs and ideas, and more specifically on how these develop through time as a means to approach societies in the past. Applying a combination of archaeological spatial analysis and statistics, this research has successfully identified changes in settlement patterns that provides new interpretations about the romanisation of Baetica.
By considering the past manipulation of the landscapes of the dead and the living crucial to grasping socio-cultural needs of local communities in the transition from the pre-Roman to the Roman era, we intend to contribute to the Classical landscapes debate and stimulate further discussion.
Embedded within the Alps and the Adriatic Sea and praised as flos Italiae (Cic. Phil. III.13) – f... more Embedded within the Alps and the Adriatic Sea and praised as flos Italiae (Cic. Phil. III.13) – flower of Italy – the Gallia Cisalpina witnessed Roman expansion and colonization, and a debated process of cultural change. In Transpadana, the northern section of the province, the pervasiveness of Roman structures and traditions was counterbalanced by the strong presence of the pre-Roman substratum. Scholars over the past 20 years have differently interpreted the nature, extent and chronology of the cultural change that took place in this territory. This paper presents a case study, Remedello’s territory, where the heuristic potential of a multifaceted methodology is tested. Grounding in the ideological and spatial interrelations between the "places of death" and the “places of life” − in particular roads, property boundaries and limits of centuriatio − this methodology regards cemeteries’ location as a powerful means to understand the overall organisation of the countryside and the perception thereof, in the transition from the pre-Roman to the Roman period. Therefore, the following question is at the core of the paper: what do funerary patterns of distribution, which show the associations between mortuary and non-mortuary elements in the countryside, tell us about cultural change? The spatial dimension of cemeteries and their interweaving with non-funerary structures are not much explored matters in Roman scholarships, despite the attention necropoleis and tombs have received in terms of their social, ideological and architectural aspects. The approach here presented, which emphasises the importance of the comprehension of the spatial relationships between Roman funerary and non-funerary structures for understanding ancient behaviour, cultural change and perception of space, is therefore novel. Aimed at a comprehensive understanding of both the “landscapes of death” and the “landscapes of life”, this methodology can enrich the historical framework of rural areas in Transpadana, and shed light on the nature of the process of cultural change. The integration of different techniques and sources – such as cartography, toponymy, ancient sources, epigraphy, and aerial photographs and satellite imagery interpretation – is the key feature of this methodology. The results from the case study of Remedello evidence that this perspective represents a crucial advance within the field of Roman Landscape Archaeology, bridging the gap between funerary and non-funerary landscapes – by considering them parts of a unity, and of a network of relationships – and putting forward a multifaceted methodology.
Roman funerary remains, in addition to being informative about ideological issues, are of crucial... more Roman funerary remains, in addition to being informative about ideological issues, are of crucial importance to understand aspects related to the perception and organization of space. The close relationship between “spaces of life” and “spaces of death” in Roman time, allows a new perspective on funerary remains that emphasises their role as primary sources of topographical information. In accordance with Roman law, cemeteries were generally located outside inhabited areas. However, they are commonly found in proximity to the “spaces of life”, in particular along minor and major streets, a position that ensured the preservation of memory and the self-representation of individuals. Furthermore, the role of tomb as terminus (boundary marker) attested by Latin sources, led to the common location of funerary areas along property boundaries and limits of Roman rural division (centuriation). Therefore, my contribution aims at highlighting the heuristic potential of a combined study of these two types of evidence, funerary and non-funerary, for the holistic understanding of Roman rural landscape. The identification and positioning of cemeteries and single tombs is a decisive, and often unique, means to understand the distribution of streets, the nature and distribution of rural settlements, and the layout of the centuriation, as I will demonstrate with an example drawn from my case study (Chiese river basin, Brescia, Italy). The presentation puts forward a novel multidisciplinary methodology, which combines the distribution of funerary evidence with different topographical techniques, such as cartography, toponymy, epigraphy, archaeological and geomorphological study, GIS applications and aerial and satellite images interpretation.
Roman funerary evidence has a twofold meaning for our understanding of the past. In addition to b... more Roman funerary evidence has a twofold meaning for our understanding of the past. In addition to being informative in relation to social and cultural issues, funerary remains are crucial to understand aspects of the ancient world related to the perception and organization of space. Roman cemeteries were generally located outside inhabited areas, a position that ensured both proximity to and separation from the living world. The vicinity, and in particular the location along roads, allowed the preservation of memory and the self-representation of individuals, core aspects of Roman culture. Cemeteries often shared non-funerary suburban space, and thus were permanent and well-frequented components of the landscape and daily life. On account of this close relation between “spaces of life” and “spaces of death”, this contribution puts forward a new perspective on Roman funerary remains that emphasises their role as primary sources of topographical information. In particular, the identification of cemeteries and single tombs is decisive for the comprehension of the layout and distribution of Roman roads and minor streets, and of related suburban structures (villas, baths, tabernae, mansiones and mutationes). Similarly, the nature and distribution of rural settlements, the grid of centuriation and property boundaries, often too perishable to survive in the landscape, can be revealed. The wide spread and durability of funerary monuments give this research approach an added value, as the evidence it uses is sometimes the only source of information available to reconstruct anthropic elements of the ancient landscape, otherwise lost. This topographical approach is tested on the area of Chiese river basin (Brescia, Italy), which could be a useful case study for future research. The presentation puts forward a novel multidisciplinary methodology, encompassing cartography, toponymy, epigraphy, geomorphology and remote sensing, that highlights the heuristic potential of funerary evidence with regard to the holistic comprehension of Roman landscape.
A common tendency of studies relating to Roman landscape has often been to concentrate on one sin... more A common tendency of studies relating to Roman landscape has often been to concentrate on one single type of evidence, such as settlements, roads, cemeteries, rural division, frequently considered in isolation. However, Roman cemeteries often shared non-funerary suburban space, and therefore were strongly connected, both ideologically and spatially, to structures of daily life. Starting from the close relation between “places of life” and “places of death”, this presentation underlines how the combination of these two types of archaeological data can open the way to a more complete comprehension of the characteristics of Roman landscape. More precisely, the identification of Roman roads and related suburban structures (villas, baths, and buildings of the postal service), settlements, rural organization and property boundaries, can be achieved as a consequence of the identification and location of cemeteries and single tombs in the landscape. The wide spread and durability of funerary monuments make this type of evidence a crucial source of information for the understanding of anthropic elements of the ancient landscape, otherwise lost. Moreover, the research puts forward a novel multidisciplinary methodology, encompassing cartography, toponymy, epigraphy, geomorphology and remote sensing, that emphasises the importance of working with data of different nature. Such a multifaceted approach shows enormous advantages since some data, silent in isolation, can become extremely informative if interpreted in connection with other types of evidence. A case study (Chiese river basin - Brescia, Italy) will be presented to demonstrate the advantages of this research methodology for the holistic comprehension of Roman landscape.
The phenomenon of Romanization has been the object of a century long debate. Many interpretations... more The phenomenon of Romanization has been the object of a century long debate. Many interpretations have been proposed to understand the process that, with spatial and chronological variability, led to the creation of what can be generally defined “Roman world”. The aim of previous research was the comprehension of the nature of such an entity and of the causes that led to its formation. The presentation will approach the theoretical concept of Romanization, with all the implications related to it such as: cultural assimilation, Roman identity and nature of Roman imperialism. A particular focus on Italy and on the matter of the Romanization of ritual practice has been deemed important, in order to derive from such a complex theoretical background the interpretive guidelines to approach the case study of the PhD research. Indeed, the study of such a broad and discussed subject has been considered a pivotal premise to the reconstruction, through the mapping of funerary and non-funerary remains, of the topography and society of the territory comprised in the Chiese river basin (Brescia, Italy). The study of the Romanization process is especially called for due to the chronological span selected for the research: the crucial period of Roman colonisation of northern Italy and the following centuries.
Funerary remains are one of the most widespread sources of evidence among archaeological remains.... more Funerary remains are one of the most widespread sources of evidence among archaeological remains. The approach towards this particular kind of information has changed over centuries, from a mere interest in valuable objects to a more informative approach intended to reconstruct social structure, ethnic identity, rituals and the ideology underlying funerary practice. In this paper, the main methods and attitudes towards archaeological remains, in particular burial evidence, will be discussed. This review will answer many questions, such as: what information can be feasibly derived from the study of Roman burial contexts? What kinds of issues can be clarified about past societies cultures from funerary evidence? Are the “intentional” characters of funerary deposits or our present conceptual categories destined to undermine our knowledge of the past? This research is attempting a new approach to these kinds of issue. It emphasizes the role of burials in helping us understand aspects of social behaviour, attitudes to death and ancient topography. The particular significance of death and burial to the Romans led to distinctive forms of display and the presence of large numbers of tombs in the landscape. Indeed, the important role of memory and remembrance after death was a distinctive feature of Roman culture, and strongly influenced the organisation of ancient space. Is it therefore possible to comprehend the occupation of the territory and the population by means of the characteristics and distribution of Roman funerary evidence?
Poster Presentations by Chiara Botturi
Aerial Archaeology Research Group Conference
Between 2008 and 2014 the Historic Environment Division (Department for Communities) commissioned... more Between 2008 and 2014 the Historic Environment Division (Department for Communities) commissioned BKS Fuego for LiDAR survey of ca 130 sq. km of the territory of Northern Ireland. This imagery, along with the Ordnance Survey (OSNI) River Basin LiDAR coverage (2004/2014), aerial photography and cartography, has been employed to understand State Care Monuments in their surroundings, guide archaeological excavations, assess the condition of sites covered in vegetation and research historical landscapes.
2nd INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF AERIAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Previous research has extensively shown the benefits of aerial archaeology for the recognition of... more Previous research has extensively shown the benefits of aerial archaeology for the recognition of various anthropic features of the ancient landscape. In particular, the interpretation of aerial photographs and satellite imagery is a pivotal tool to understand the location and layout of the structures that characterised the Roman suburbium and rural areas, such as roads, cemeteries and limites of centuriation. This methodology, by virtue of the privileged and comprehensive point of view it provides, comes to complement other sources of information that have been the main instrument at hand of the landscape archaeologist and the ancient topographer. Recent literature has emphasised that the integration of remotely sensed imagery of different kind and different date can be crucial for the reliable interpretation of the diachronic development of a territory. Starting from this, my presentation will address the advantages of the integration of historic aerial photographs, satellite imagery and cartography for the holistic understanding of the ancient topography of the territory of Remedello (Brescia, Italy), in its various components and across the centuries. The case study area has been densely inhabited since prehistory and it is well-known for the findings belonging to the Aeneolithic culture that was named after the town of Remedello itself. This territory was located in the immediate surroundings of the important centre of Brixia, caput Cenomanorum, and afterwards − in the 1st century BC − colony with Latin right and then Municipium with full Roman citizenship. It will be argued that the diachronic nature of the territory of Remedello can be fully comprehended by means of the interpretation of a different range of remotely sensed images, in combination with the traditional topographical sources, especially the cartography. The complete picture that such an integrated methodology can provide, allows us to understand the change in perception and organisation of rural space from the pre-roman to the Roman period, and to assess the impact of Roman structures and traditions on this crucial area of Northern Italy, the Gallia Cisalpina, flos Italiae and crossroads of cultures.
Talks by Chiara Botturi
Con questo intervento si presenta l’assetto insediativo di un’area situata nella pianura a sud de... more Con questo intervento si presenta l’assetto insediativo di un’area situata nella pianura a sud della città di Brescia, ponendo particolare enfasi sulle evidenze funerarie – in particolare tombe isolate, necropoli, materiali sporadici di superficie ed epigrafi funerarie – nella loro relazione con la centuriazione, le strade e i piccoli abitati. Si presenta la metodologia adottata per indagare lo spazio rurale, mutuata da diverse scuole di ricerca e volutamente integrata per cercare di creare un database completo su cui riflettere sulle relazioni tra spazio funerario e strutture non funerarie. Questo metodo ha portato interessanti risultati per quanto riguarda il ruolo delle sepolture nel tessuto rurale romano ed ha anche permesso di esplorare il fenomeno della romanizzazione dal punto di vista delle strategie del paesaggio, aggiungendo nuovi elementi a quelli dedotti dallo studio della cultura materiale . I risultati suggeriscono un’integrazione precoce che, se dal punto di vista dei materiali sembra graduale, dal punto di vista delle scelte in riferimento alla localizzazione delle sepolture é molto piú intensa di quanto si pensasse in precedenza.
Book (section) by Chiara Botturi
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PhD Thesis by Chiara Botturi
Papers by Chiara Botturi
of historical aerial photographs, satellite
images and historical cartography for the holistic
understanding of Roman rural landscapes, and of
the territory of Remedello (Brescia, Italy) in particular.
The case study area, densely inhabited since
prehistory, is located in the immediate surroundings
of the important Celtic and Roman centre of
Brixia. It will be argued that the rural systems of
Remedello, made of roads, dwellings, cemeteries
and limites of centuriation, can be fully comprehended
by means of the interpretation of remotely
sensed images of different kind and date, along
with the traditional topographical sources. The
employment of free imagery (Google Earth Pro
and Bing), of post war aerial photographs and very
high resolution multispectral imagery, combined
with the historical cartography, enables the reconstruction
of the various elements that composed
Remedello’s countryside in Roman times. The
complete picture that such an integrated methodology
provides, allows us to understand the “stratigraphy”
of rural systems and assess the impact
of Roman centuriation on this crucial area of
Northern Italy, the Gallia Cisalpina, flos Italiae
and crossroads of cultures.
Conference Presentations by Chiara Botturi
Carrickfergus Castle has been in continuous occupation since 1178,
when John de Courcy set about building what has now become one of the best-known landmarks in Ulster and one of the best-preserved pieces of Norman castle architecture in Britain and Ireland.
The old roof of the Great Tower, in the inner ward, was over 80 years old and in need of replacement. A £1million conservation project managed by Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities to replace that roof started on site at the end of March 2019. The existing roof was replaced with a new double-pitched roof using Irish green oak and built using medieval construction techniques. This lecture will explore how this new design was chosen, what the conservation project has been intended to achieve, how the materials were sourced and how the project has been delivered, including the archaeological exploration of previously-hidden features and cavities within the walls and spiral staircase.
The first applies the landscape approach to the funerary evidence of an area in Gallia Cisalpina. Classical funerary landscapes have rarely been object of research, trapped in the dichotomy constituted by the material culture of burials on one side, and rural (non-mortuary) landscapes on the other. Through a multifaceted methodology that addresses the rural space in its entirety, funerary landscapes can be unravelled and their interrelationships with the natural and anthropic/non-funerary counterparts clarified. This is preliminary and fundamental to grasp the pervasiveness of the Roman conquest and the times and ways of cultural change, tackled not only by studying the material culture of the tombs, but through the lens of burial patterns in the landscape.
The second case study explores cultural change in Hispania Ulterior Baetica through the identification of continuities and transformations within these provincial landscapes. Such work relies on the relationship established between territories and the communities that inhabit and shape them according to their needs and ideas, and more specifically on how these develop through time as a means to approach societies in the past. Applying a combination of archaeological spatial analysis and statistics, this research has successfully identified changes in settlement patterns that provides new interpretations about the romanisation of Baetica.
By considering the past manipulation of the landscapes of the dead and the living crucial to grasping socio-cultural needs of local communities in the transition from the pre-Roman to the Roman era, we intend to contribute to the Classical landscapes debate and stimulate further discussion.
Poster Presentations by Chiara Botturi
Talks by Chiara Botturi
Book (section) by Chiara Botturi
of historical aerial photographs, satellite
images and historical cartography for the holistic
understanding of Roman rural landscapes, and of
the territory of Remedello (Brescia, Italy) in particular.
The case study area, densely inhabited since
prehistory, is located in the immediate surroundings
of the important Celtic and Roman centre of
Brixia. It will be argued that the rural systems of
Remedello, made of roads, dwellings, cemeteries
and limites of centuriation, can be fully comprehended
by means of the interpretation of remotely
sensed images of different kind and date, along
with the traditional topographical sources. The
employment of free imagery (Google Earth Pro
and Bing), of post war aerial photographs and very
high resolution multispectral imagery, combined
with the historical cartography, enables the reconstruction
of the various elements that composed
Remedello’s countryside in Roman times. The
complete picture that such an integrated methodology
provides, allows us to understand the “stratigraphy”
of rural systems and assess the impact
of Roman centuriation on this crucial area of
Northern Italy, the Gallia Cisalpina, flos Italiae
and crossroads of cultures.
Carrickfergus Castle has been in continuous occupation since 1178,
when John de Courcy set about building what has now become one of the best-known landmarks in Ulster and one of the best-preserved pieces of Norman castle architecture in Britain and Ireland.
The old roof of the Great Tower, in the inner ward, was over 80 years old and in need of replacement. A £1million conservation project managed by Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities to replace that roof started on site at the end of March 2019. The existing roof was replaced with a new double-pitched roof using Irish green oak and built using medieval construction techniques. This lecture will explore how this new design was chosen, what the conservation project has been intended to achieve, how the materials were sourced and how the project has been delivered, including the archaeological exploration of previously-hidden features and cavities within the walls and spiral staircase.
The first applies the landscape approach to the funerary evidence of an area in Gallia Cisalpina. Classical funerary landscapes have rarely been object of research, trapped in the dichotomy constituted by the material culture of burials on one side, and rural (non-mortuary) landscapes on the other. Through a multifaceted methodology that addresses the rural space in its entirety, funerary landscapes can be unravelled and their interrelationships with the natural and anthropic/non-funerary counterparts clarified. This is preliminary and fundamental to grasp the pervasiveness of the Roman conquest and the times and ways of cultural change, tackled not only by studying the material culture of the tombs, but through the lens of burial patterns in the landscape.
The second case study explores cultural change in Hispania Ulterior Baetica through the identification of continuities and transformations within these provincial landscapes. Such work relies on the relationship established between territories and the communities that inhabit and shape them according to their needs and ideas, and more specifically on how these develop through time as a means to approach societies in the past. Applying a combination of archaeological spatial analysis and statistics, this research has successfully identified changes in settlement patterns that provides new interpretations about the romanisation of Baetica.
By considering the past manipulation of the landscapes of the dead and the living crucial to grasping socio-cultural needs of local communities in the transition from the pre-Roman to the Roman era, we intend to contribute to the Classical landscapes debate and stimulate further discussion.