Synopsis
Building between the Two Rivers aims to supply university students and scholars of Near Eastern archaeology with an introduction to 'Building archaeology' methods as applied to the context of Ancient Mesopotamia. It helps the reader understand the principles underlying the discipline, which deals with the registration and analysis of all building materials and techniques involved in the assembly and erection of a construction, and to outline what knowledge and skills are needed, beyond those that are specific to archaeologists.
The in-depth registration and analysis of building materials and techniques requires professional skills and experience, which cannot be achieved with only a standard university training in archaeology. However, archaeologists need to know the basics of the classification of building materials, their physical properties, the main techniques of their finishing, as well as the basic principles of statics. They should also be able to let architects understand how to better tune the registration of data to ensure a fruitful archaeological interpretation.
Due to the introductory nature of the book, contents are organised in didactic chapters, trying to cover all the main topics and displaying them by means of selected examples. Particular attention is given to the methods of the 'stratigraphic reading', which are discussed in a dedicated appendix authored by Piero Gilento. A thematic bibliography and a technical glossary complete the book, helping readers enhance their understanding of the subject.
Table of Contents
Preface
Building archaeology: goals and methods
Building archaeology
The building survey and stratigraphy
Direct and indirect sources
The Mesopotamian context
Land use and water management
Urbanisation and city planning
Ancient cartography, topography and surveying
Commissioners, designers and builders
Ancient building crafts and technology
Building materials
Building materials: general characteristics
Earth architecture
Stone
Mortar
Bitumen
Wood and reeds
Metals
Claddings and decorations
Architectural elements
Load-bearing structural systems: general features
Walls
Arches, vaults and domes
Pillars and columns
Openings
Staircases
Domestic and urban structures for water management
Pavements, ceilings and roofs
Building types
Ziggurats and temples
Palaces
Fortifications
Houses, storage- and workplaces
Roads, streets, bridges
Infrastructures for the water management
Gardens and orchards
Portable shelters
Funerary buildings
Conclusions
Appendix: the methods of building archaeology – (Piero Gilento)
What is and what does ‘building archaeology’ deal with?
Architectural stratigraphy
What is a Stratigraphic Building Unit (SBU)?
What stratigraphic relationships exist between the SBUs?
Typology and chronotypology in building archaeology
How to work
Web resources
Thematic bibliography
The Mesopotamian context
Building materials
Architectural elements
Building types
Bibliographic references
Chronological table
Glossary and analytical index
Illustration credits
About the Author
STEFANO ANASTASIO has carried out archaeological researches in Italy (Sardinia, Tuscany), Syria, Turkey, Jordan and currently works at the Archaeological Photo Archive of the Superintendency of Florence. His main research interests are the Mesopotamian Iron Age pottery and architecture, the building archaeology and the use of the early photo archives for the study of the Near Eastern archaeology. | STEFANO ANASTASIO, archeologo, ha svolto ricerche in Italia (Sardegna, Toscana), Siria, Turchia e Giordania. Attualmente lavora all’Archivio Fotografico Archeologico della Soprintendenza di Firenze. Si interessa soprattutto di ceramica e architettura dell’età del Ferro in Mesopotamia, di Building archaeology e dell’uso delle fotografie antiche per lo studio dell’archeologia vicinorientale.
Piero Gilento is an Associate Researcher at the Research Unit UMR7041-ArScAn (France), co-director of the French archaeological mission in northern Jordan, and Principal Investigator of the ACTECH project founded by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship.
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