The Ancient Greek Farmstead by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology
ISBN: 9781785706417
Publisher: Casemate Publishers & Book Distributors, LLC
Published: 2017-06-29T00:00:00+00:00

Agricultural role of simple rural sites

The evidence discussed above suggests that there is variation in the quality and quantity of ceramics found at simple rural sites, which is indicative of different types of activities. It has become clear now in this chapter that the ceramic evidence plays a key role in identifying if a site had a domestic, storage, and/or processing role, or combination of all three. The ceramic material from all the survey areas shows that some simple rural sites have the three ceramic functional categories, implying activity similar to that found in urban domestic contexts took place there. It is worthwhile here to explore what this conclusion means for occupation in the landscape. Foxhall writes that there was a settlement hierarchy between the urban polis and the rural hinterland, and that ‘there are discernible significant internal differences in ceramic assemblages along what one might call an "urban-rural" continuum’ (2004, 266). This suggests that urban and rural sites represent a continuum, with the preference of permanent residence and activity in urban centres that gradually diminishes in the countryside. She explains that the presence of black glaze fine ware at these sites is not a social status indicator, as figured pottery is within urban domestic houses (Foxhall 2004, 260). Therefore, farmsteads did not provide the similar spaces for social interactions as their urban counterparts, since the material from these sites, largely, is incomparable with urban sympotic assemblages. Nevertheless, it is instead probable that rural sites could be centres for communal drinking and food consumption within the family unit or wider community. These gatherings would not have the same social connotations as the urban symposium, but the presence of fine ware suggests that informal gatherings took place at farmsteads (Kathleen Lynch pers. comm.).

Of course, the quantitative differences between ceramic materials collected in landscape survey could be indicative of the nature of the archaeological survey and the taphonomic and geomorphological conditions on a particular site. But the practise of revisiting of sites, as done during the LRSP, helps put to bed any issues regarding the accuracy of sherd counts and the nature of the site. Thus it is evident that farmsteads identified in survey do have a ceramic signature, which may be indicative of their role. Instead of Foxhall’s urban-rural continuum, I suggest a ‘rural sites continuum’ based on the ceramic material from farmsteads. In doing so we can identify variations in the activity at rural sites ranging from that comparable to urban domestic contexts to seasonal activity and occupation. By placing farmsteads on an occupation continuum ranging from year-round, on the one hand, to single-use on the other, it is possible to understand further how simple rural sites could have been, and were, used by those inhabiting and working the land. Therefore, the presence of all the ceramic classes and of other objects such as loom weights, lamps, grinders/food preparation equipment, etc., suggests the farmstead supported year-round activity and occupation, and others which have less regular activity of more specialised roles, such as processing centres, could be considered seasonal farmsteads, spitakia, or single use sites.

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