Antonio Rotolo
I am a Medieval Archaeologist specialized in dealing with socio-cultural theories and complex societies, through an archaeological approach to landscape and material culture. I advocate an interdisciplinary approach in decoding human traces, through the coordinated use of many methodologies: Archaeological Prospection, GIS based Spatial Analysis, Archaeological Land Evaluation, ceramic and material culture studies, Archaeological Excavation, Pedology, Archaeobotany, etc.
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Scopo di questo articolo è discutere gli schemi insediativi nel territorio di Baida (Trapani) tra VII e XII secolo, specialmente nel periodo islamico. Le attività del progetto ARPATRA (2009-12), hanno permesso la documentazione di una alta densità di insediamenti nel periodo islamico (vil- laggi, fattorie e case sparse) in uno spazio geografico ridotto (10 kmq). Le scelte insediative sembrano rispondere a certe caratteristiche peculiari alla formazione sociale islamica e ad una volontà di sfruttamento intensivo delle risorse idriche, agricole e pastorali.
Parole chiave: Sicilia islamica, schemi insediativi rurali, granaio fortificato, casale/raḥl"
The multi-method approach was very helpful in deciphering human-induced processes. Although a full proof for each parameter is not given, former Islamic land-use seems to have distinctly affected the soils – not only locally but probably also in other areas of Sicily, Northern Africa, Near East and Iberian Peninsula.
Nel testo sono presentati i risultati delle attività di ricognizione degli anni 2010/12 dell’Idrisi Project-ARPATRA, un progetto finalizzato allo studio del paesaggio tra l’epoca bizantina e la normanna nella Sicilia occidentale. Il progetto è inserito nel panorama di studi sull’alto medioevo siciliano. Alla descrizione delle caratteristiche morfologiche più salienti del territorio dei Monti di Trapani, segue una breve presentazione delle attività di ricognizione, con accenni alla metodologia utilizzata. Vengono quindi discusse le dinamiche del popolamento dell’area. Dopo un brevissimo excursus sull’epoca antica, la trattazione si incentra sull’epoca bizantina e sulla transizione all’epoca islamica. Quest’ultima vede importanti trasformazioni negli assetti del popolamento (per la nascita di un importante numero di riḥal) e del paesaggio, probabilmente collegabili ad attività agricole di tipo irriguo. Con l’arrivo della nuova formazione sociale normanna, dopo un periodo di sostanziale tenuta della rete insediativa di epoca islamica, si assiste, durante la seconda metà del XII secolo, ad una destrutturazione completa del sistema. Le dinamiche illustrate per il territorio in esame sono confrontate con i dati provenienti dai limitrofi territori di Segesta-Calatafimi e inquadrate nel complesso delle problematiche sull’insediamento medievale in Sicilia occidentale. Infine si accenna alle prospettive future della ricerca, alle metodologie che stiamo cercando di applicare allo studio del paesaggio e alle attività previste per chiarire alcune delle problematiche emerse durante lo studio.
After a description of the main morphological characteristics of the Mounts of Trapani area, the activities of the survey, with references to the methodology used, are briefly introduced. Then, are discussed the principal dynamics of settlement documented in the area. The dissertation is focused on the transition from the Byzantine toward the Islamic period. According to the material culture, during the Islamic rule, it’s possible to record some changes in the structure of the population (the birth of a large number of riḥal) and in the landscape, probably connected with irrigated agriculture. With the arrival of the Normans, after a period of substantial stability of the settlement network of the Islamic period, is possible to witness, during the second half of the twelfth century, a complete disintegration of the system.
Some reflections on the state of the question concerning Islamic period ceramics in eastern Sicily (9th to 11th century)
pp. 545-560.
The evaluation of the transformations that occurred from the landing of the Muslim population in Sicily, and the timing and process of cultural acclimatisation, are the main concern of this research. Based on a blank bibliography, this article focuses on some issues relating to Islamic ceramics in eastern Sicily, paying particular attention to chronological and technological aspects, processes of cultural acclimatisation, to the networks of distribution and trade. The changes in material culture, of which ceramics are a good indicator, seem to focus on indications that the 8th and above all 9th centuries were an important moment of transformation, only clearly recognisable from the mid 10th to 11th centuries when Sicily had already undergone a profound process of Islamisation. This study proposes a reflection on a few chronological factors, considering the connections that such transformations in Sicily established with the contemporary panorama of material culture in the Mediterranean.
Abstract: The essay states some problems concerning the lack of knowledge of Islamic Sicily and its reasons. Some solution are suggested both at a methodological level and at a theorical level and first results are exposed.
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Poster by Antonio Rotolo
In order to quickly outline the history of the territory with an acceptable precision, our survey aimed at covering and sampling as much surface as possible, according to time and human resources available. To reach this goal, in the research design we opted for qualitative surveys. The choice of the fields to be surveyed was based on GIS analysis — our predictive model took in consideration slope, water sources and presence of points with high visibility in the landscape —, that helped us to forecast the likelihood of finding archaeological sites in each part of the study area.
the Protohistory (Middle Copper Age/Aeneolithic and Bronze Age) and the Middle Ages (10th–12th c. AD) and 4 areas with productive structures related to the Modern Age pastoral activities.
The final goal of this analysis is to elucidate the relationships between landscape ecological processes and history of land-use change.
Scopo di questo articolo è discutere gli schemi insediativi nel territorio di Baida (Trapani) tra VII e XII secolo, specialmente nel periodo islamico. Le attività del progetto ARPATRA (2009-12), hanno permesso la documentazione di una alta densità di insediamenti nel periodo islamico (vil- laggi, fattorie e case sparse) in uno spazio geografico ridotto (10 kmq). Le scelte insediative sembrano rispondere a certe caratteristiche peculiari alla formazione sociale islamica e ad una volontà di sfruttamento intensivo delle risorse idriche, agricole e pastorali.
Parole chiave: Sicilia islamica, schemi insediativi rurali, granaio fortificato, casale/raḥl"
The multi-method approach was very helpful in deciphering human-induced processes. Although a full proof for each parameter is not given, former Islamic land-use seems to have distinctly affected the soils – not only locally but probably also in other areas of Sicily, Northern Africa, Near East and Iberian Peninsula.
Nel testo sono presentati i risultati delle attività di ricognizione degli anni 2010/12 dell’Idrisi Project-ARPATRA, un progetto finalizzato allo studio del paesaggio tra l’epoca bizantina e la normanna nella Sicilia occidentale. Il progetto è inserito nel panorama di studi sull’alto medioevo siciliano. Alla descrizione delle caratteristiche morfologiche più salienti del territorio dei Monti di Trapani, segue una breve presentazione delle attività di ricognizione, con accenni alla metodologia utilizzata. Vengono quindi discusse le dinamiche del popolamento dell’area. Dopo un brevissimo excursus sull’epoca antica, la trattazione si incentra sull’epoca bizantina e sulla transizione all’epoca islamica. Quest’ultima vede importanti trasformazioni negli assetti del popolamento (per la nascita di un importante numero di riḥal) e del paesaggio, probabilmente collegabili ad attività agricole di tipo irriguo. Con l’arrivo della nuova formazione sociale normanna, dopo un periodo di sostanziale tenuta della rete insediativa di epoca islamica, si assiste, durante la seconda metà del XII secolo, ad una destrutturazione completa del sistema. Le dinamiche illustrate per il territorio in esame sono confrontate con i dati provenienti dai limitrofi territori di Segesta-Calatafimi e inquadrate nel complesso delle problematiche sull’insediamento medievale in Sicilia occidentale. Infine si accenna alle prospettive future della ricerca, alle metodologie che stiamo cercando di applicare allo studio del paesaggio e alle attività previste per chiarire alcune delle problematiche emerse durante lo studio.
After a description of the main morphological characteristics of the Mounts of Trapani area, the activities of the survey, with references to the methodology used, are briefly introduced. Then, are discussed the principal dynamics of settlement documented in the area. The dissertation is focused on the transition from the Byzantine toward the Islamic period. According to the material culture, during the Islamic rule, it’s possible to record some changes in the structure of the population (the birth of a large number of riḥal) and in the landscape, probably connected with irrigated agriculture. With the arrival of the Normans, after a period of substantial stability of the settlement network of the Islamic period, is possible to witness, during the second half of the twelfth century, a complete disintegration of the system.
Some reflections on the state of the question concerning Islamic period ceramics in eastern Sicily (9th to 11th century)
pp. 545-560.
The evaluation of the transformations that occurred from the landing of the Muslim population in Sicily, and the timing and process of cultural acclimatisation, are the main concern of this research. Based on a blank bibliography, this article focuses on some issues relating to Islamic ceramics in eastern Sicily, paying particular attention to chronological and technological aspects, processes of cultural acclimatisation, to the networks of distribution and trade. The changes in material culture, of which ceramics are a good indicator, seem to focus on indications that the 8th and above all 9th centuries were an important moment of transformation, only clearly recognisable from the mid 10th to 11th centuries when Sicily had already undergone a profound process of Islamisation. This study proposes a reflection on a few chronological factors, considering the connections that such transformations in Sicily established with the contemporary panorama of material culture in the Mediterranean.
Abstract: The essay states some problems concerning the lack of knowledge of Islamic Sicily and its reasons. Some solution are suggested both at a methodological level and at a theorical level and first results are exposed.
"
In order to quickly outline the history of the territory with an acceptable precision, our survey aimed at covering and sampling as much surface as possible, according to time and human resources available. To reach this goal, in the research design we opted for qualitative surveys. The choice of the fields to be surveyed was based on GIS analysis — our predictive model took in consideration slope, water sources and presence of points with high visibility in the landscape —, that helped us to forecast the likelihood of finding archaeological sites in each part of the study area.
the Protohistory (Middle Copper Age/Aeneolithic and Bronze Age) and the Middle Ages (10th–12th c. AD) and 4 areas with productive structures related to the Modern Age pastoral activities.
The final goal of this analysis is to elucidate the relationships between landscape ecological processes and history of land-use change.