ARTICLES BY STAFF MEMBERS

A new concept of ‘conservation’ is presented in this paper, describing innovative conservation technique adopted at Tell Mozan. To fulfil this goal, a strict relationship and collaboration between archaeologists, restorers, and conservators is developed.

See full text

Alternative online version

See abstract

– Marco De Pietri, 2019

New technologies (such as CAD and XRF) can be applied on fiel dand laboratory to achieve a better analysis of both architectural remains and archaeological artefacts. As for structures, 3D renderings can provide archaeologists with a full volumetrical reconstruction of ancient buildings and 3D pictures support an in-depth study of objects and finds, also allowing a more ‘readable’ view on structures and artefacts.

See full text

See abstract

– Marco De Pietri, 2019

“The temple terrace at Tell Mozan is one of the most impressive structures discovered to date in third millennium Syria” (p. 71). The temple Terrace at Urkesh [see here an overview] overview consists of a high terrace with a sloped ramp, a central plaza [see JP] JP, a revetment three meter high stone wall and a stone staircase [see J2] J2.

See full text

See abstract

– Marco De Pietri, 2019

Urkesh’s history (presenting ensured remains from at least 3300 BC to 1400 BC, with an acme between 2400 and 1800 BC) can be investigated through the analysis of its buildings: one of the major structures (analysed in this contribution) is indeed the Royal Palace Royal Palace, built by Tupkish around 2250 BC.

This paper is based on a PhD research PhD research entitled Three-dimensional Volumetric Analysis in an Archaeological Context (Goethe University, Frankfurt; tutor: Prof. Dr. J.-W. Meyer; defended in 2014).

The history of the excavations within this area is briefly summarized and the major discoveries (mostly the glyptic evidence) are presented [see, briefly, Seals and seal impressions]Seals and seal impressions.

The structure of the Palace is described in detail (presenting 3D renderings) and an ethnographic interpretation of its function(s), basically as a storage place and a ceremonial space, is sketched out.

See full text

See abstract

– Marco De Pietri, 2019

“Clearly the multivariate role that a house plays in society is very difficult, if not impossible, to identify from the archaeological context, and yet many attempts have been made, with quite a bit of success” (p. 35).

The understanding of the ancient concept and reality of household is for sure a tricky point in the archaeological thought. Because archaeologists deal with a ‘broken tradition’ [for this topic, see G. Buccellati, CAR, Broken tradition]G.Buccellati,CAR,Broken tradition, the reconstruction of the ancient meaning of a fact or of an archaeological entity is a slippery floor.

Nevertheless, the author proposes in this contribution some useful multidisciplinary approaches, such as ‘ethnographic analogy’, ‘ethnoarchaeological comparison’ and ‘landscape archaeology’. In detail, the author presents the specimen of the ‘Fortress of Elephant Hunter’ (in Burkina Faso): of this structure, F. Buccellati discusses the construction practices, the building phases, the function and context and (more generically) the rooftops, the gardens and farmland, the graves and the altars connected the aforementioned building.

A topic introduced in the paper also deals with the relationship between urban and rural spaces [for which see Liverani, M. Reconstructing the Rural Landscape of the Ancient Near East, “JESHO” 39/1 (1996), pp. 1-41 (JSTOR)] Liverani, M. Reconstructing the Rural Landscape of the Ancient Near East, “JESHO” 39/1 (1996), pp. 1-41 (JSTOR) a thematic very important also in studying ancient Urkesh’s landscape and society.

In the conclusions, the author stresses how the Burkina Faso example “presents archaeologists with an interesting study of the relationships between people and material culture” and how “the analysis of the Fortress presents a series of detailed case studies into the relationship between people and objects which can aid archaeologists in forming their own hypotheses regarding material coming from the archaeological record” (p. 41).

See full text

See abstract

– Marco De Pietri, 2019

The monumental complex at Urkesh, developed during the fourth and the third millennium BC and represented by the construction of the Temple Terrace (with Temple BA Temple BA, at the same time of Palace AP Palace AP ), which “became a landmark for the region” (p. 313).

After the introduction (paragraph I) and the presentation of the chronological timespan (paragraph II), the author describes the geography, the environs and the hinterland (paragraph III), while paragraph IV focuses on the city walls and the AP Palace; instead, paragraph V describes the Temple Terrace and paragraph VI is devoted to the examination of the sealings from the Royal Palace (those belonging to king Tupkish Tupkish, to queen Uqnitum Uqnitum and other courtiers courtiers, specifically the nurse Zamena and the cook Tuli).

The conclusions (paragraph VII) sketch the importance of analysing the urban and the rural environments together (as a whole entity), describing the function of the sealings and their relationship between urban and rural areas.

See full text

See abstract

– Marco De Pietri, 2019

This paper contributes in providing a description on how the perception of architecture can be retrieved and understood on the base of the archaeological and architectonical evidence. The author offers a ‘perceptional description’ of the Royal Palace AP at Urkesh, underlining how it was a focal point in the landscape of Urkesh, with specific functional issues, such as the storage of materials and the public displaying of the royal power.

See full text

– Marco De Pietri, 2019

This paper presents the application of new technologies in the study of archaeological remains (mostly structures).

After an introduction about Urkesh (paragraph 1) and its geography and history (paragraph 2), stressing the importance of the Royal Palace [see The Royal Palace Royal Palace] and the related glyptic material [see Seals and seal impressions Seals and seal impressions] for the recognition of the Hurrian identity of Urkesh’s inhabitants, the author describes the conservation strategy applied for the preservation of the Royal Palace (paragraph 3) [see Preservation Preservation].

Paragraph 4 displays the objects from the Royal Palace, offering a standard analysis of the material (for example, the description of a clay tablet found in a room of the building [room 3]), trying to connect the artefacts with their archaeological context. Sub-paragraph 4.1 presents the urban landscape of Urkesh, introducing some data from recent geophysical surveys and GPS micro-reliefs.

Paragraph 5 describes the ‘Browser edition’ of Urkesh data [see Record Record and Buccellati 2006 Buccellati 2006], explaining the usefulness of such a publishing approach.

Paragraph 6 defines the benefits of using digital technologies (mostly 3D renderings and reconstructions), allowing to (re)create a ‘virtual heritage’, outlined as “the digital information derived by perception, interpretation, learning, knowledge, communication of a cultural item; […] the virtual heritage [considered as] an ontology of the cultural heritage” (p. 175); the paragraph further investigates the modern technologies usually applied in archaeology.

Paragraph 7 relates with ‘Remote Sensing Applications’, offering “the reconstruction of a spatial virtual reality system dedicated to the investigation of the ancient Urkesh” (p. 176) [Figs. 6-8 displays respectively a Corona imagery, a Landsat 7 ETM 8 bands imagery and a SPOT Panchromatic imagery of Urkesh].

Paragraph 8 describes the use of LandStar-DGPS, “a satellite delivered GPS correction service providing 24 hour accurate and reliable real time precise positioning on land” (p. 178).

Paragraph 9 discusses the virtual reconstruction of the archaeological landscape within a diachronic interpretation of the territory.

Paragraph 10 reports photo modelling techniques used at Urkesh, while paragraph 11 give an account of the digital processing system.

Paragraph 12 relies with two case studies (the Royal Palace and a Hurrian tablet), testing the potentiality of the aforementioned techniques on both a macro and micro scale context.

The conclusions (paragraph 13) summarize the possible development of this system and its remarkable features: 1) the portability of the system; 2) a desktop virtual reality; 3) the development of a timeline of the site; 4) 3D renderings of both structures and finds (and the creation of a 3D archaeological, spatial georeferenced, environment; 5) a cultural and methodological contextualization; 6) simulations of an artificial ancient environment; 7) the multimedia and upgradeability of the system; 8) a friendly interface for scientific communication and edutainment; 9) fast time in data dissemination; 10) the accessibility of heterogeneous data in the same environment.

See full text See abstract

– Marco De Pietri, 2019

«The thrust of the iconological approach was to identify a unifying point of reference behind the formal details of iconography. This can help us approach cultural traditions for which there are no longer any living carriers. ‘Archaeological reason’ defines the conditions of possibility for reaching behind the gap and suggests ways to re-appropriate the lost experience. In this way we develop a semiotics that can be controlled formally, particularly through distributional and perceptual analysis» [Author’s abstract].

See full text

– Marco De Pietri, 2019