Conference Presentations by Catherine K. Baker
In certain parts of Italy, the foundation of Latin colonies by Rome in the middle Republic offere... more In certain parts of Italy, the foundation of Latin colonies by Rome in the middle Republic offered the first opportunity for sustained interaction between Romans and indigenous populations. The sanctuaries of Latin colonies of the middle Republic, once regarded primarily as spaces which reinforced a Roman identity, connecting colonists with their homeland through shared practices and cults, have more recently been recast as locales in which colonial and indigenous populations could interact and form close ties despite ethnic and political differences. Colonial cults, therefore, are now often regarded as a means by which various populations could negotiate and navigate the inherent challenges of Roman colonialism. I argue, however, that colonial cults were not all created equal in terms of their ability to facilitate interaction or integration between colonial and indigenous populations. Rather, in order to understand better how Latin colonial cult spaces shaped interaction and exchange between colonists and indigenous populations, the integrative capacity of Latin colonial sanctuaries must be assessed on a case-by-case basis with a consideration of spatial context and the specific cults and practices of each sanctuary.
In recent years, the study of small finds has moved beyond straightforward typologies, descriptio... more In recent years, the study of small finds has moved beyond straightforward typologies, descriptions, and quantifications. New approaches to artifact analysis have drawn attention to the myriad ways in which objects could be used and reused, deposited and redeposited in the ancient world. As part of the ongoing study and publication of the substantial assemblage of non-ceramic artifacts recovered by the Pompeii Archaeological Research Project: Porta Stabia (PARP:PS), we have developed an innovative organizational scheme that allows us to contextualize and prioritize artifacts in terms of their taphonomic formation, chronological period, and spatial provenience. In this paper, we demonstrate that by simultaneously employing traditional typologies based on artifact types and broader classifications based on functional groupings, our analysis sheds light on the broad range of processes by which artifacts came to be deposited in our insulae. We illustrate our methodological contribution by means of a case study that draws on multiple artifact categories to explore the life histories of the materials contained in our deposits. We argue that while dumping and reuse rather than primary-use activities brought most of the artifacts to our insulae, a more nuanced consideration of certain groupings can shed light on the ancient choices and practices that shaped specific spaces.
During eight years of excavation and three years of post-excavation processing, the Pompeii Arch... more During eight years of excavation and three years of post-excavation processing, the Pompeii Archaeological Research Project: Porta Stabia (PARP:PS) has uncovered and processed over 9,000 non-ceramic small finds. The quantification and thorough qualification of these artifacts has allowed us to produce an extensively detailed dataset. As we move towards publication, our goal has been to produce a catalogue that, while compatible with traditional models that organize artifacts by material and type, allows us to understand our data in ways that stretch beyond this established paradigm.
Our goals in this paper are twofold. First, we outline our efforts to organize our artifacts by traditional typologies while also analyzing groups of artifacts within the chronological, spatial, and formational characteristics of their find contexts. Second, we present two case studies to demonstrate how these efforts have aided our understanding of how assemblages came to be created and how we have applied that understanding toward broader historical questions. It is our hope that this model will encourage others to approach small finds contextually, in concert with the many other classes of evidence recovered by modern excavation projects.
The development of frameworks and models for the life cycle of Roman pottery has been the subject... more The development of frameworks and models for the life cycle of Roman pottery has been the subject of much discussion in recent scholarship, but additional case studies are needed to illustrate how these models can be applied to excavated materials. This paper utilizes reuse models to investigate the life cycle of one class of ceramics, amphorae, in the context of two Pompeian insulae (I.1 and VIII.7) excavated by the Pompeii Archaeological Research Project: Porta Stabia (University of Cincinnati). These excavations have demonstrated that amphorae could serve in many different capacities in an urban environment; reused amphorae were utilized in aboveground drainage systems, in underground soak-away systems for the removal of commercial or industrial waste, in construction and leveling fills, and in various other infrastructural roles.
My analysis brings together the ceramic, architectural, and environmental data related to these instances of reuse in order to reconstruct patterns and preferences in the ways in which the inhabitants of Pompeii chose to repurpose amphorae. These patterns of reuse suggest that in an urban environment, discarded amphorae were an important and readily available resource in industrial and commercial infrastructure. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that patterns of reuse and repurposing differed between the two excavated insulae, suggesting variability both in access to discarded amphorae and in the nature of industrial and commercial activities taking place in each insula. By focusing on the provenance and dating of these vessels, as well as the date of their reuse in urban infrastructure, this case study also reveals evidence for the time lapse between the use and reuse of the amphorae, which in turn reveals something of the length of their journey from production to infrastructural use. Through this careful examination of reused and repurposed amphorae from two Pompeian insulae, it is therefore possible to both examine the applicability of models for the life cycle of Roman amphorae and to illustrate in greater detail the frequency and importance of reused amphorae in an urban context.
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Conference Presentations by Catherine K. Baker
Our goals in this paper are twofold. First, we outline our efforts to organize our artifacts by traditional typologies while also analyzing groups of artifacts within the chronological, spatial, and formational characteristics of their find contexts. Second, we present two case studies to demonstrate how these efforts have aided our understanding of how assemblages came to be created and how we have applied that understanding toward broader historical questions. It is our hope that this model will encourage others to approach small finds contextually, in concert with the many other classes of evidence recovered by modern excavation projects.
My analysis brings together the ceramic, architectural, and environmental data related to these instances of reuse in order to reconstruct patterns and preferences in the ways in which the inhabitants of Pompeii chose to repurpose amphorae. These patterns of reuse suggest that in an urban environment, discarded amphorae were an important and readily available resource in industrial and commercial infrastructure. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that patterns of reuse and repurposing differed between the two excavated insulae, suggesting variability both in access to discarded amphorae and in the nature of industrial and commercial activities taking place in each insula. By focusing on the provenance and dating of these vessels, as well as the date of their reuse in urban infrastructure, this case study also reveals evidence for the time lapse between the use and reuse of the amphorae, which in turn reveals something of the length of their journey from production to infrastructural use. Through this careful examination of reused and repurposed amphorae from two Pompeian insulae, it is therefore possible to both examine the applicability of models for the life cycle of Roman amphorae and to illustrate in greater detail the frequency and importance of reused amphorae in an urban context.
Our goals in this paper are twofold. First, we outline our efforts to organize our artifacts by traditional typologies while also analyzing groups of artifacts within the chronological, spatial, and formational characteristics of their find contexts. Second, we present two case studies to demonstrate how these efforts have aided our understanding of how assemblages came to be created and how we have applied that understanding toward broader historical questions. It is our hope that this model will encourage others to approach small finds contextually, in concert with the many other classes of evidence recovered by modern excavation projects.
My analysis brings together the ceramic, architectural, and environmental data related to these instances of reuse in order to reconstruct patterns and preferences in the ways in which the inhabitants of Pompeii chose to repurpose amphorae. These patterns of reuse suggest that in an urban environment, discarded amphorae were an important and readily available resource in industrial and commercial infrastructure. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that patterns of reuse and repurposing differed between the two excavated insulae, suggesting variability both in access to discarded amphorae and in the nature of industrial and commercial activities taking place in each insula. By focusing on the provenance and dating of these vessels, as well as the date of their reuse in urban infrastructure, this case study also reveals evidence for the time lapse between the use and reuse of the amphorae, which in turn reveals something of the length of their journey from production to infrastructural use. Through this careful examination of reused and repurposed amphorae from two Pompeian insulae, it is therefore possible to both examine the applicability of models for the life cycle of Roman amphorae and to illustrate in greater detail the frequency and importance of reused amphorae in an urban context.