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  • Understanding Roman Table Ware Distributions in The Mediterranean: An Exploratory and Confirmatory Network Analysis of The ICRATES Database

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    Paper presented at the HESTIA conference 2 July 2010 at the University of Oxford. Roman table ware distributions are traditionally explored through their presence in specific places and visualised as dots on a map. As such they seem to represent distinct entities that do not relate, other than in their relative proximity. This paper challenges an exclusively geographical perspective by proposing a networks approach for exploring ceramic distributions. It states that it is equally informing to explore the dynamics between physical and relational space. There can be no doubt that places and people in the past were connected to each other, and this paper will explore to what extent this connectivity is reflected in the relationships between ceramic data. In order to understand the nature of this connectivity it is necessary to explore the structure of pottery distributions. This paper aims at addressing the following issues: To what extent can the relationships between table ware sherds inform us of processes that led to their distribution as we know it? How can topological and geographical networks complement each other in understanding such processes? The ICRATES database of table wares from the Roman East (Prof. Jeroen Poblome, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven), containing exhaustive information on over 20,000 published sherds, will allow for these issues to be tested. Firstly, this paper will illustrate how analysing ceramic distributions as networks of interactions can help to identify the general structure and local patterns in a complex dataset. Secondly, the potential of network analysis for testing a geographical hypothesis will be evaluated. The results of both types of analyses will be confronted to validate the geographical hypothesis with ceramic data and to explain some of the patterns that emerged from the topological approach. As such, this paper aims to start discussions on comparing archaeological and historical networks generated from different data types.

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    Understanding Roman table ware distributions in the Mediterranean: an exploratory and confirmatory network analysis of the ICRATES database

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    Paper presented at the HESTIA conference 2 July 2010 at the University of Oxford. Roman table ware distributions are traditionally explored through their presence in specific places and visualised as dots on a map. As such they seem to represent distinct entities that do not relate, other than in their relative proximity. This paper challenges an exclusively geographical perspective by proposing a networks approach for exploring ceramic distributions. It states that it is equally informing to explore the dynamics between physical and relational space. There can be no doubt that places and people in the past were connected to each other, and this paper will explore to what extent this connectivity is reflected in the relationships between ceramic data. In order to understand the nature of this connectivity it is necessary to explore the structure of pottery distributions. This paper aims at addressing the following issues: To what extent can the relationships between table ware sherds inform us of processes that led to their distribution as we know it? How can topological and geographical networks complement each other in understanding such processes? The ICRATES database of table wares from the Roman East (Prof. Jeroen Poblome, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven), containing exhaustive information on over 20,000 published sherds, will allow for these issues to be tested. Firstly, this paper will illustrate how analysing ceramic distributions as networks of interactions can help to identify the general structure and local patterns in a complex dataset. Secondly, the potential of network analysis for testing a geographical hypothesis will be evaluated. The results of both types of analyses will be confronted to validate the geographical hypothesis with ceramic data and to explain some of the patterns that emerged from the topological approach. As such, this paper aims to start discussions on comparing archaeological and historical networks generated from different data types.

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    199 views38 pages

    Understanding Roman Table Ware Distributions in The Mediterranean: An Exploratory and Confirmatory Network Analysis of The ICRATES Database

    Uploaded by

    tom.brughmans8209
    Paper presented at the HESTIA conference 2 July 2010 at the University of Oxford. Roman table ware distributions are traditionally explored through their presence in specific places and visualised as dots on a map. As such they seem to represent distinct entities that do not relate, other than in their relative proximity. This paper challenges an exclusively geographical perspective by proposing a networks approach for exploring ceramic distributions. It states that it is equally informing to explore the dynamics between physical and relational space. There can be no doubt that places and people in the past were connected to each other, and this paper will explore to what extent this connectivity is reflected in the relationships between ceramic data. In order to understand the nature of this connectivity it is necessary to explore the structure of pottery distributions. This paper aims at addressing the following issues: To what extent can the relationships between table ware sherds inform us of processes that led to their distribution as we know it? How can topological and geographical networks complement each other in understanding such processes? The ICRATES database of table wares from the Roman East (Prof. Jeroen Poblome, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven), containing exhaustive information on over 20,000 published sherds, will allow for these issues to be tested. Firstly, this paper will illustrate how analysing ceramic distributions as networks of interactions can help to identify the general structure and local patterns in a complex dataset. Secondly, the potential of network analysis for testing a geographical hypothesis will be evaluated. The results of both types of analyses will be confronted to validate the geographical hypothesis with ceramic data and to explain some of the patterns that emerged from the topological approach. As such, this paper aims to start discussions on comparing archaeological and historical networks generated from different data types.

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    of 38

    Understanding Roman table ware

    distributions in the Mediterranean

    an exploratory and confirmatory network


    analysis of the ICRATES database

    Tom Brughmans
    Space VS topology
    Bes 2007
    ● To what extent can the relationships between table
    ware sherds inform us of processes that led to their
    distribution as we know it?

    ● How can topological and geographical networks


    complement each other in understanding such
    processes?
    ICRATES
    The ICRATES database of table wares from the Roman East
    (Prof. Jeroen Poblome, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)

    Nearly 30,000 sherds


    Identifying meaningful relationships

    Understand the complexity of this archaeological dataset

    Explore the nature of the economic information stored in the relationships


    between ceramic data

    Understand the dynamics between physical and relational space

    → Relational network of co-presence, representing pottery distribution


    patterns

    → Geographical network of distance, representing a hypothesis of


    shortest-distance trade routes
    Pottery distribution:
    co-presence networks
    Sites 125-100 BC
    Sites 100-75 BC
    Sites 75-50 BC
    Sites 50-25 BC
    Sites 25-0 BC
    Forms 75-50 BC

    ESA
    Forms 75-50 BC

    ESD

    ESA

    ESC
    Geographical hypothesis:
    distance network
    Hypothesis:

    “Roman table ware vessels were


    transported during every part of their life
    cycle over trade routes chosen to minimise
    travel distance”
    Beta skeletons
    Transportation ESC
    Conclusion
    Topological/exploratory
    ● Highlights large and small patterns

    ● Processes in the ancient past and academic processes

    ● Visualisation and analysis

    Geographical/confirmatory
    ● Visualise geographical network

    ● Structure of hypothesis

    Space VS topology
    ● Validate hypothesis

    ● Identifies non-spatial structure


    Contact: tom.brughmans@yahoo.com

    Presentation, bibliography, and more info on:


    http://archaeologicalnetworks.wordpress.com/

    ICRATES:
    http://www.arts.kuleuven.be/icrates/

    Acknowledgements: thanks to Prof. Jeroen Poblome, Prof. Simon Keay, Dr.


    Graeme Earl and Leif Isaksen

    Selected bibliography:

    BES, P. and POBLOME, J. 2006: A new look at old data: the ICRATES platform. In Malfitana, D.,
    Poblome, J. and Lund , J. (eds.), Old pottery in a new century: innovating perspectives on Roman
    pottery studies. Catania: Monografie dell’Istituto per i Beni Archeologici e Monumentali, 22-24 April
    2004. (Rome, Bretschneider), 141-165.
    BES, P.M. and POBLOME, J. 2008: (Not) see the Wood for the Trees? 19,000+ Sherds of
    Tablewares and what we can do with them. In Biegert, S. (ed.), Rei Cretariae Romanae Fautores
    Acta 40. (Bonn), 505-514.
    BRUGHMANS, T. 2010 (In print): Connecting the dots : towards archaeological network analysis.
    Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 29.3.
    Comparing data types

    “Urban connectivity in Iron Age and Roman southern Spain”


    Prof. Simon Keay
    Dr. Graeme Earl

    http://www.soton.ac.uk/archaeology/acrg/acrg_research_urbancon
    nectivity.html
    Indegree Visibility Early
    Imperial period
    Ceramics grouped Early
    Imperial period
    Euergetism types
    Architecture grouped
    Sculpture Early Imperial
    period

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