Research project: Laconia Rural sites
Project details: Laconia Rural sites
Project director: Bill Cavanagh
Many people think of excavation as the typical work of the archaeologist. But there are other ways of finding out about archaeological sites which do not involve digging. The Laconia Rural Sites Project developed out of the Laconia Survey which recorded >400 sites. Twenty of these were selected for very close investigation, which did not, however, involve excavation. Even though recording remains only on the surface, the project was able to show that we can get a good idea of the date, extent, function and activities carried out on these modest sites in the countryside of Laconia in the past. Surveyors set out grids of 5 x 5 m squares over the sites (Fig. 1). All pottery and tile was collected (Fig. 2), the sites were surveyed using resistivity and magnetometry techniques (Fig. 3), and soil samples were collected for chemical and physical analysis.
On the basis of these data we could recognise the sorts of activity that took place and say something about the status of those who lived there. Thus on Archaic and Classical sites kraters and drinking vessels (Fig. 4) indicated a sophisticated life-style in the countryside, even though the Spartan elite apparently lived not on farms but in the city. The geophysical analysis revealed, for example, high temperature industrial activity in the Roman countryside (Fig. 5), and the soil chemistry gave us an insight into past agricultural practices.
Thanks to the combined expertise of archaeologists, geophysics experts and soil scientists we now have a very much clearer picture of the varieties of activity which went on in the countryside of ancient Laconia. Indeed, as many of the sites are not well preserved, intensive investigation of the surface remains is the only way in which we can learn more about their function.
Publications
W. CAVANAGH, C. MEE, P. JAMES, N. BRODIE and T. CARTER. 2005. THe Laconia Rural Sites Project. in The British School at Athens. Supplementary Volumes, No. 36, The Laconia Rural Sites Project (2005), pp. iii-xv, 1-350
Back to top of page