1 BVARP SURVEY, 2012 Myles Mccallum and Adam Hyatt in Summer 2012, As Part of the Basentello Valley Archaeological Research Proj
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
! A VIEW OF VAGNARI FROM ACROSS THE BASENTELLO: INITIAL RESULTS FROM THE BVARP SURVEY, 2012 Myles McCallum and Adam Hyatt INTRODUCTION In summer 2012, as part of the Basentello Valley Archaeological Research Project (henceforth, BVARP), a Canadian team initiated a regional archaeological survey to the W of the Basentello River Valley in the territories of Genzano di Lucania, Banzi, and Irsina. This roughly 200 square km survey zone is defined on its S limit by the Strada Statale 96 bis, by the Basentello River to the E and N, and by the SS169 to the W (Fig. 1). The geology of this territory is that of the Subappennine Argilaceous datable to the Upper Pleiocene, and the largest watercourses are the Bradano, Basentello, and Fiumarella rivers. At the center of this territory stands the hill of Monte Serico (590 masl), which dominates the zone, to the S of which lies Serra Montavuto and a series of smaller, highly eroded hills. The N part, which is dominated by a fluvial terrace running between the SW bank of the Basentello and the Strada Provinciale Marascione-Lamacolma, is the only relatively level part of the survey area. ! !"#$%&'()'*$%+&,'-./&'*0.1"/#'*"2&3'4"35.+&%&6'"/'78(7) Interest in this territory stems from excavation of an imperial estate and its associated necropolis at San Felice/Vagnari (Gravina in Puglia),1 and is linked to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’s general research goals, to study and model cultural interaction and change from the 4th century BC through the early imperial period, and to assess the role that an imperial estate may have played as a nodal point for cultural change. The regional field survey is designed to examine the change in settlement patterns from the Iron Age to the Late Antique period, to identify possible changes in population, and to put the imperial estate at San Felice/Vagnari into a regional context. The Basentello Valley is perfectly situated for such research. In the pre- Roman period it represents a liminal zone with respect to a variety of cultural groups (i.e.: Daunians, Lucanians, and Peucetians), and historically it has served as a transport corridor between the Ionic Gulf and the Tavoliere. Moreover, the results from the BVARP settlement survey complement previous regional analyses, including survey work within the Basentello Valley directed by Carola Small in the territories of Gravina and Irsina, 2 which resulted in the discovery and initial documentation of the imperial estate at San Felice/Vagnari, as well as surveys directed by Maria Luisa Marchi (Ager Venusinus),3 Peter Vinson (the route of the Via Appia),4 and Helena Fracchia (Upper Bradano/Oppido Lucano).5 METHODOLOGY The survey is part of a multi-scalar approach to examining cultural continuity and change in the Basentello Valley and environs to the W of the river by providing a top- down view of settlement patterns complementing excavation data. The first part of the survey component is an extensive regional survey that seeks to identify sites from all historical and prehistoric periods. 6 The present research is aimed at identifying settlements, settlement densities and hierarchies, site catchments, and differential craft and agricultural production. Particular attention is being paid to continuity from the pre-Roman to the Roman period in order to address potential cultural disruption related to the Roman conquest, the Hannibalic War, the Social Wars, and other similar events. Our sampling strategy is designed to efficiently identify and date archaeological sites, including sites with materials from multiple periods. The survey is conducted by team members walking parallel transects 15 – 25 m apart, depending on surface visibility. Collections are undertaken when a survey team encounters a minimum of 20 artifacts (including tile and other architectural ceramics) within a quarter hectare. During the summer of 2012, three teams of five people each walked different parts of the survey territory, focusing on high visibility terrain – fields that had been ploughed and wherein the clods had begun to weather. The decision was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made to examine these fields in the hope that fields with low-visibility in 2012 may have higher visibility in subsequent seasons.7 Once artifacts are encountered, two types of surface collections, general and systematic, are carried out depending on the relative abundance of remains. General collections are made when artifact densities are equal to or less than 1 artifact/m2, whereas densities greater than 1 artifact/m2 indicate that a systematic collection should be conducted using 3 m diameter circles (7.065 m2) in order to standardize artifact-density values.8 The location of each 3 m circle is chosen arbitrarily to avoid bias and to be representative of the average density of artifacts within an individual collection unit. Notional sites are divided into ‘Collection Units’ of 0.25 ha. A site 0.25 ha or smaller would have one Collection Unit, while a site covering 4.0 ha would have 16 Collection Units. These Collection Units, rather than sites, form the basis of subsequent analyses.9 In the interest of space, however, much of the following discussion will revolve around sites rather than Collection Units. Our sampling strategy allows us to cover large areas relatively quickly. At the same time, however, resolution with respect to artifact types, datable pottery, and density afforded by this method allows us to compare our findings to other, more intensive surveys conducted in adjacent territories.10 Since any surface sample is never a truly representative proxy of the subsurface assemblage, this method of sampling is, statistically speaking, as accurate as more intensive collection strategies.11 All data is recorded electronically in the field using Trimble Yuma tablets equipped with GPS receivers. Our spatial data is traced in ArcMap (version 10.1) and our forms exist as part of a Microsoft Access database. From this survey-mapping project we possess the identity and location of every collection unit found in the field with an error of 5 m. RESULTS During the summer of 2012, we identified 55 sites comprising 233 collection units over ca. 30 square km, of which 40 sites date from the Paleolithic to the Medieval, with an additional 15 dating to more recent historical periods. The scatters at prehistoric and ancient sites range in size from less than 0.10 to 13 ha and are located on all types of terrain. Many of these sites were occupied during or across different prehistoric and historical periods. In keeping with the theme of the !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! I!U(27/<!5;1!4())12!6:!=8""*!51&)!)1)X124!$6/0($510!H21'7)7/&2R!4(2.1R!C62Y!7/!5;1! A&41/51''6!M&''1R!56!01512)7/1!5;1!.747X7'75R!7/!:71'04!$6.1210!C75;!45(XX'1*!X(2/10!:71'04*! H'6(<;10!:71'04*!X65;!5;641!C75;!C1&5;1210!&/0!(/C1&5;1210!$'604+!A&410!6/!5;74!1ZH1271/$1*! &/0!&0.7$1!:26)!$6''1&<(14*!C1!01512)7/10!5;&5!52&/41$54!4H&$10!&5!"K!,!=K!)!C6('0!R71'0!<660! 214('54+! J!U21//&/*!G+!!"#$%&*!Y!"J02K#O0)#')6J!0%0;*6$%#5!""%!+!,"#5":2-*!7/!%+![;6/<!#17!T10+V*#.!;*0,$%# ')6J!0%0;-#*,#P$K"!),#=,,!)#Y0,;0%*$E#'#Y!"J020%0;*6$%#PQ/%0)$"*0,*!A17\7/<*!=889*!"==,"K">! U21//&/!!"#$%*!'//)0$6J!K#"0#.!;*0,$%#M!+0;)$/J*6#.!60,K"):6"*0,*!7/![;6/<!#17!T10+V*! .!;*0,$%#')6J!0%0;-*!"K=,"NK+! L!U21//&/*!.!;*0,$%#M!+0;)$/J*6#.!60,K"):6"*0,*!"N8,"NK+! "8!B27156*!@+*!5:)9!-#2!K*;,#$,2#O*!%2#+!"J02K*!7/!-+!%6'1)&/!&/0!@+!B27156!T104+V*!IJ!#%;62&!0O# Y!"$/0,"0#ZE#')6J$!0%0;*6$%#1*!%2#5:)9!-#R)$2$,0#"0#R$K!,"0*!.6'+!"*!@(457/*!=8""*#JK,L=*! 074$(4414!47)7'&2!744(14!21'&510!56!5;1!#15&H6/56!4(2.1R!0&5&>!411!&'46!O1/52144*!]+!IJ!#[!)L$# 5:)9!-E#5!""%!+!,"#*,#"J!#(:,*6#$,2#.0+$,#(!)*02K*!@:27$&!G6)&/&!"9*!=888*!PL,K8+! ""!U21//&/*!.!;*0,$%#M!+0;)$/J*6#.!60,K"):6"*0,*!"N8!E!"NK>!U21//&/*!G+*!5"$"*K"*6K#O0)# ')6J$!0%0;*K"KE#'#V0++0,#5!,K!#'//)0$6J*!U62021$;5*!=88L*!IL,LN+! 9! ! ! conference proceedings, this paper focuses on survey data from the Iron Age to the Late Antique periods.