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This paper, jointly written by participants of a workshop held in 2021, argues for an increased recognition and application of neutron activation analysis (NAA) in the archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean. Discussing the methodological strengths and challenges, it highlights the great potential NAA has for collecting proxy data from ceramics in order to develop progressive concepts of archaeological research within and beyond the Mediterranean Bronze and Iron Age, pointing out opportunities to revisit long-held assumptions of scholarship and to refine visual/macroscopic provenance determinations of pottery. To take full advantage of NAA’s strengths toward a better understanding of the socioeconomic background of ceramics production, distribution, and consumption, the paper emphasises the need for both interdisciplinary collaboration and basic data publication requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of coins is not limited only to a means of payment, but through the various iconographic and epigraphic contents they contain, coins are also a means of cultural communication. The obverse and reverse of coins are a specific form of image, which includes motifs understood as a repeating decorative element that is also a pattern or an iconographic element expressing specific symbolism and themes. Archaeological motifs reflect archaeological monuments or their elements, and their themes commemorate not only the monument itself, but also related aspects studied by archaeologists, e.g. the broadly understood context. The aim of the considerations was to examine the numismatic form of commemorating and popularizing archaeological heritage on the example of selected motifs referring to monuments of Mediterranean archeology appearing on European coins in the years 1990–2005. First, the motifs were analyzed in terms of the form of their depiction on coins, then the archaeological theme with which the motifs were connected was determined and, on its basis, axiological considerations were carried out, the aim of which was to learn a potential answer to the question – why a given motif was placed on a coin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The resolution of bioarchaeological analyses has improved dramatically in recent years, and bioarchaeology is increasingly employed in areas of the world where preservation issues and disciplinary traditions had previously hindered its application. One such area is the Mediterranean region. Bioarchaeological analyses arguably are the most direct indicator of human behavior in the past, and as a result the full integration of bioarchaeology and archaeology into Mediterranean research shows much promise. However, several methodological, theoretical and practical challenges have emerged: (1) discrepancies between cultural and biological variability; (2) discrepancies in the dating of skeletal samples and of migration events in the two subdisciplines; (3) diverging interpretations of (collective) identities; and (4) the fostering of effective crossdisciplinary communication and collaboration. While the first two points are especially salient for Mediterranean research, the third and fourth are relevant for the archaeological discipline more generally. In this paper, we discuss each challenge in turn, focusing on the first millennium bc Greek diaspora in the Mediterranean. We believe that both disciplines would benefit from open discussion of these issues, which we hope might spur more collaborative efforts towards their resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maltese earthenware makers produced a range of utilitarian wares that formed a crucial part of the islanders' foodways for much of the seventeenth to early twentieth centuries. Despite the industry's social significance, archaeologists have hitherto refrained from giving these mundane items any serious consideration. In this paper I present the first detailed account of post-medieval Maltese earthenware, providing a categorization of fabrics and vessel typology, as well as considering the potters and the scale of their domestic industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Romanitas: Revista de Estudos Greco-Latinas is the property of Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)