A topographic study of the Casentino, highlighting relevant historical trends occurring in this part of Etruria during roman times. An argument is made to show how data from direct survey, former archaeological excavation and paleo-environmental studies suggest that this territory was exploited during the Augustan age for providing fuel to Arretium, probably for supplying the furnaces of terra sigillata.

This work presents a temporary settlement analysis of Casentino and Valtiberina, from the 7th to the 5th century BCE. During this period, these regions may have constituted an area of Apennine interconnectivity. ___ THIS PAPER SHOULD BE CONSIDERED OUTDATED

Until recently, most studies dedicated to Late Bronze Age (LBA) and Early Iron Age (EIA) Laconia were heavily based on ancient written sources, mainly due to the historical importance of the region and the relatively small amount of archaeological evidence. A number of new developments however, such as the discovery of a palatial site at Aghios Vasileios, the recent excavations at the sanctuary at Amyklai, the identification of Laconian Protogeometric pottery among the offerings of at least two Arcadian sanctuaries (Tegea and Mt. Lykaion) and the continuous work by the Greek Archaeological Service, make it necessary to review the evidence separately from ancient traditions and thus reassess former theories regarding the region during the LBA and EIA periods.

A reassessment was undertaken in the form of the author’s PhD thesis and part of the results are presented in this paper. The presentation focuses mostly on the role of sanctuaries in the socio-economic development of Laconia during the LBA and EIA periods. Evidence from the votives dedicated at the Laconian sanctuaries (such as Artemis Orthia, Athena Chalkioikos, and Amyklai), for instance, suggests contacts between the region and other regions of Greece and the Aegean world. Connections are also suggested by the presence of Laconian protogeometric vessels at the Arcadian sanctuaries at Mt. Lykaion and Tegea and bronze horse figurines at Olympia. Furthermore, Laconian sanctuaries can be shown to have been established relatively earlier than in most areas of Greece. The paper concludes that sanctuaries had a pivotal role in the formation of Laconian social structures, especially during the EIA, as well as in the formation of networks that connected Laconia to the rest of Greece.

This paper discusses evidence for ancient shipsheds from the coast of Turkey and the eastern Aegean. They are important as a diagnostic feature of ancient military harbours, providing evidence not only for the dimensions of ancient warships but also for the naval strategy of coastal cities. The anonymity of ancient dockyards is emphasized, in comparison with those of later periods.