This note contains a few preliminary observations made on the materials collected during the archaeological surveys in the Maalga area, which are currently stored in Carthage's National Museum, on the Byrsa hill. The intensive survey contemplated the counting and selective collection of the surface fragments; special attention was given to diagnostic artifacts, but the documentation concerning each class of materials that were present was also considered. The archaeological sites, characterized by a concentration of materials whose limits were well defined and identifiable with respect to the surrounding terrain (at least one fragment per square meter) or by the presence of legible structures, were studied in special detail. Although the area was never actually subdivided into squares, in some cases several of the site's sectors were identified in which the material was collected separately from the others. The differences among the sectors were determined on a case by case basis according to different visibility factors or different amounts and types of materials present. The first goal of the collection of artifacts on the field was to determine the period they were from and to attempt to interpret the sites according to the types of materials that were present. In order to achieve these goals, the data's preliminary analysis contemplated the fragments' subdivision into three major periods - Punic, Roman and medieval - which were further subdivided according to class and type (fine ceramic, amphorae, common ceramic, metals, etc.). The fragments were counted and recorded in the material files; when necessary, annotations were made in order to highlight the most significant artifacts. The quantitative indications were included under the appropriate items in the survey files, while the especially important materials were indicated in the descriptive field. The cataloguing, performed during the archaeological surveys, enabled us to make a few general considerations that are illustrated below. The first consideration concerns the incidence of individual classes of materials on the total amount of collected fragments. The analysis clearly shows that fine ceramics are markedly more abundant, accounting for 48% of the artifacts found in the area. Although this figure is surely influenced by the fact that fine ceramics, as a diagnostic element, have never been overlooked during the collection of artifacts, the high concentration of painted vases of good quality, sometimes imported from central and southern Italy, indicates a high standard of living in the Maalga area's settlements. The amphorae too are well documented (18%), from the Hellenistic to the late imperial periods. The high concentration of containers used to transport wine, originating from Italy and other parts of the Mediterranean and of Punic- and African-made amphorae used for exporting local products attests to the area's agricultural and commercial vitality until late antiquity. As for building materials (4%), present especially on sites of homes, mosaic fragments, wall plasters and sculpted marble were frequently found. These artifacts, although insufficient for reconstructing rooms and decorative motifs, anyhow indicate the high standards of city dwellings and rustic villas especially in Roman times. Finally, some areas displayed concentrations of metallic debris that, together with occasional finds of furnace waste materials, may suggest the presence of productive structures. As mentioned earlier, an early organization of ceramic fragments included in the materials files contemplated their subdivision into three main time periods: Punic, Roman and medieval. The Punic artifacts (1%) consist mostly of scarce fragments of common ceramics and of a few walls decorated with bands and painted over, as well as amphorae in the Punic tradition of the Maña C and Maña D types. The presence of Punic ceramics on the sites of urban and suburban dwellings from the imperial Roman period (e.g. 123 and 201), is always associated with finds of black-painted ceramics (6% of the total)2. This suggests that the stable occupation of the Maalga, possibly for the purpose of cultivating the land, began in the Hellenistic period and highlights the continuity of life, if not of the area's use, in the sectors that were probably included in Roman Carthage's urban land register. Black-painted ceramics comprise mainly cups and dishes belonging to Morel's formal classification and ointment jars. A local production sometimes consisting of uncoloured ceramics whose shapes are typical of blackpainted ceramics is well-documented, but the presence of pieces imported from central and southern Italy (the so-called bell A and bell C types) is also widely documented. Roman ceramics account for 96% of the fragments found in the area under study. The analysis of fine ceramics enables us to make several general considerations. The imperial Roman period is characterized, obviously, by the absolute predominance of African-made table and cooking ware (82% and 10% respectively), while Aretine ceramics (2%) and fine ceramics are scarcely documented. A few types of imported Aretine ceramics and numerous fragments of locally-produced imitations of Italian sigillata were also found. No other ceramics produced outside Africa are present, apart from a single fragment of Gaulish ware. As mentioned earlier, a very high number of African red slip ware artifacts is present, relative to the entire imperial period. The most common forms of African A (Hayes 3 and Hayes 8) and African D (e.g. Hayes 101) types are present, while artifacts belonging to the so-called C type are much rarer3. Lanterns originating from Africa are also more abundant than non-African ones. Findings included numerous fragments of Atlas 8B and 8C lanterns with palm decorations, Atlas 10 lanterns with various decorative motifs and lanterns from the Christian period. A continuity of human presence was observed in many sectors of the Maalga, both inside and outside the Theodosian walls, and in some of the most substantial settlements from the Hellenistic/Roman period. The small amount of fragments that were found (3% of the total) cannot indicate with certainty the presence of a stable settlement. Almost all of the artefacts that were found are glazed ceramics, but it cannot be excluded that the impossibility of a more thorough study of the materials caused some ceramic and amphora fragments that couldn't be recognized during the preliminary analysis as belonging to the medieval period to be classified as unidentified.
I materiali della ricognizione archeologica nell 'area della Maalga: analisi preliminare
COLOSI F
2008
Abstract
This note contains a few preliminary observations made on the materials collected during the archaeological surveys in the Maalga area, which are currently stored in Carthage's National Museum, on the Byrsa hill. The intensive survey contemplated the counting and selective collection of the surface fragments; special attention was given to diagnostic artifacts, but the documentation concerning each class of materials that were present was also considered. The archaeological sites, characterized by a concentration of materials whose limits were well defined and identifiable with respect to the surrounding terrain (at least one fragment per square meter) or by the presence of legible structures, were studied in special detail. Although the area was never actually subdivided into squares, in some cases several of the site's sectors were identified in which the material was collected separately from the others. The differences among the sectors were determined on a case by case basis according to different visibility factors or different amounts and types of materials present. The first goal of the collection of artifacts on the field was to determine the period they were from and to attempt to interpret the sites according to the types of materials that were present. In order to achieve these goals, the data's preliminary analysis contemplated the fragments' subdivision into three major periods - Punic, Roman and medieval - which were further subdivided according to class and type (fine ceramic, amphorae, common ceramic, metals, etc.). The fragments were counted and recorded in the material files; when necessary, annotations were made in order to highlight the most significant artifacts. The quantitative indications were included under the appropriate items in the survey files, while the especially important materials were indicated in the descriptive field. The cataloguing, performed during the archaeological surveys, enabled us to make a few general considerations that are illustrated below. The first consideration concerns the incidence of individual classes of materials on the total amount of collected fragments. The analysis clearly shows that fine ceramics are markedly more abundant, accounting for 48% of the artifacts found in the area. Although this figure is surely influenced by the fact that fine ceramics, as a diagnostic element, have never been overlooked during the collection of artifacts, the high concentration of painted vases of good quality, sometimes imported from central and southern Italy, indicates a high standard of living in the Maalga area's settlements. The amphorae too are well documented (18%), from the Hellenistic to the late imperial periods. The high concentration of containers used to transport wine, originating from Italy and other parts of the Mediterranean and of Punic- and African-made amphorae used for exporting local products attests to the area's agricultural and commercial vitality until late antiquity. As for building materials (4%), present especially on sites of homes, mosaic fragments, wall plasters and sculpted marble were frequently found. These artifacts, although insufficient for reconstructing rooms and decorative motifs, anyhow indicate the high standards of city dwellings and rustic villas especially in Roman times. Finally, some areas displayed concentrations of metallic debris that, together with occasional finds of furnace waste materials, may suggest the presence of productive structures. As mentioned earlier, an early organization of ceramic fragments included in the materials files contemplated their subdivision into three main time periods: Punic, Roman and medieval. The Punic artifacts (1%) consist mostly of scarce fragments of common ceramics and of a few walls decorated with bands and painted over, as well as amphorae in the Punic tradition of the Maña C and Maña D types. The presence of Punic ceramics on the sites of urban and suburban dwellings from the imperial Roman period (e.g. 123 and 201), is always associated with finds of black-painted ceramics (6% of the total)2. This suggests that the stable occupation of the Maalga, possibly for the purpose of cultivating the land, began in the Hellenistic period and highlights the continuity of life, if not of the area's use, in the sectors that were probably included in Roman Carthage's urban land register. Black-painted ceramics comprise mainly cups and dishes belonging to Morel's formal classification and ointment jars. A local production sometimes consisting of uncoloured ceramics whose shapes are typical of blackpainted ceramics is well-documented, but the presence of pieces imported from central and southern Italy (the so-called bell A and bell C types) is also widely documented. Roman ceramics account for 96% of the fragments found in the area under study. The analysis of fine ceramics enables us to make several general considerations. The imperial Roman period is characterized, obviously, by the absolute predominance of African-made table and cooking ware (82% and 10% respectively), while Aretine ceramics (2%) and fine ceramics are scarcely documented. A few types of imported Aretine ceramics and numerous fragments of locally-produced imitations of Italian sigillata were also found. No other ceramics produced outside Africa are present, apart from a single fragment of Gaulish ware. As mentioned earlier, a very high number of African red slip ware artifacts is present, relative to the entire imperial period. The most common forms of African A (Hayes 3 and Hayes 8) and African D (e.g. Hayes 101) types are present, while artifacts belonging to the so-called C type are much rarer3. Lanterns originating from Africa are also more abundant than non-African ones. Findings included numerous fragments of Atlas 8B and 8C lanterns with palm decorations, Atlas 10 lanterns with various decorative motifs and lanterns from the Christian period. A continuity of human presence was observed in many sectors of the Maalga, both inside and outside the Theodosian walls, and in some of the most substantial settlements from the Hellenistic/Roman period. The small amount of fragments that were found (3% of the total) cannot indicate with certainty the presence of a stable settlement. Almost all of the artefacts that were found are glazed ceramics, but it cannot be excluded that the impossibility of a more thorough study of the materials caused some ceramic and amphora fragments that couldn't be recognized during the preliminary analysis as belonging to the medieval period to be classified as unidentified.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
