14th July was again crucial for the Greek crisis, notwithstanding any historical recurrence of revolutionary events where the powerful elite was overthrown without mercy. Here in Gortys, the good news is that the pump engine was repaired, boosting our morale, but the day was a mixed bag and my attention was split among tasks like… Continua a leggere GQB 2015, day 6: the 7th day milestone
Tag: Archaeology
GQB 2015, day 5: substitute
I’m a substitute for another guy I look pretty tall but my heels are high As I mentioned the other day, our team is in Gortys at the same time with the University of Padua team directed by Jacopo Bonetto. Since there is no ceramic specialist with them this year, they asked me to take… Continua a leggere GQB 2015, day 5: substitute
GQB 2015, day 4: the people must have something good to read
The people must have something good to read on a Sunday With only ten days of fieldwork, weekends are a social convention that is left for another time, and the alarm is only marginally generous at 8 o’clock. As anticipated two days ago, my main task here is to finalise the study of ceramic contexts… Continua a leggere GQB 2015, day 4: the people must have something good to read
GQB 2015, day 3: a little relax
You’re expected to get some relax on weekends. This Saturday 11th July I woke up to the news of a huge explosion at the Italian embassy in Cairo, hit by a carbomb. Four foreign journalists were arrested almost immediately by the police, that’s how Egypt works at the moment, I am afraid. Crete is not… Continua a leggere GQB 2015, day 3: a little relax
GQB 2015, day 2: publication, publication, publication
10th July and our work here is underway. This year we’re working in three main directions: publication, publication, publication. At the current stage of the GQB research project there is little else we need to do, really. The first publication we’re concerned with is a book about the water supply system of Gortys, that should… Continua a leggere GQB 2015, day 2: publication, publication, publication
GQB 2015: day 1, logistics
Day 1 is Logistics: go back to the airport and fetch the remaining team members, obtain Internet connection, fix the ritual problems with water supply, broken light bulbs. Actually, the water problems seem pretty serious at the moment, not because there is no water (lest our readers think the Greek crisis has already reached into… Continua a leggere GQB 2015: day 1, logistics
GQB 2015: day 0
This year, thanks to the combined availability of my employer (the Soprintendenza Archeologia della Liguria), the Italian School of Archaeology at Athens and the University of Siena I was able to take part again in the short field season at the Byzantine Quarter in Gortys (GQB). I promised my colleagues a daily report. Fasten your… Continua a leggere GQB 2015: day 0
Eleutherna: first week of excavation on the Acropolis
On the 23rd August Elisa and myself came back to Crete for another week of archeological excavation, this time in Eleutherna with the University of Crete. Dr Christina Tsigonaki came to visit our excavation in Gortyna last month and she was very kind to invite us in Eleutherna. The excavations here are one of the… Continua a leggere Eleutherna: first week of excavation on the Acropolis
Byzantine and Christian Museum of Athens: the pottery on display
I had a chance to spend two entire weeks in Athens last November. Apart from studying at the Italian, British and American libraries, I also visited the Byzantine and Christian Museum, that has a good collection of Early Byzantine pottery and silverware. The collection was noted by Sebastian Heath, who used to keep a review… Continua a leggere Byzantine and Christian Museum of Athens: the pottery on display
A look at pollen data in the Old World
Since the 19th century, the study of archaeobotanical remains has been very important for combining “strictly archaeological” knowledge with environmental data. Pollen data enable assessing the introduction of certain domesticated species of plants, or the presence of other species that grow typically where humans dwell. Not all pollen data come from archaeological fieldwork, but the… Continua a leggere A look at pollen data in the Old World