Roman Rural Settlement in Wales and the Marches: Approaches to settlement and material culture through big data

✍ Scribed by Leah Reynolds

• Publisher: BAR Publishing
• Year: 2022
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 200
• Series: BAR British Archaeological Reports International Series 670
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

While the rural settlements of Wales and the Marches have often been used as a backdrop to the study of the military, this book seeks to move beyond a simplistic Roman/native dichotomy to present a more nuanced understanding of the nature and development of rural settlement during the Roman period. It takes advantage of the recent rise of big data approaches to analyse the distribution of settlements and material culture and to explore the regional diversity, economic basis, and social practice of rural settlements. A methodology for the analysis of regional ceramic assemblages is also presented and offers both a new perspective on the distribution of ceramics in the region and a reappraisal of rural engagement in networks of trade and production. The evidence presented demonstrates that, far from being a homogenous region peripheral to Roman Britain, Wales and the Marches were far more diverse and dynamic than previous work has suggested.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Archaeology of Roman Britain Subseries Page
Other Titles in the Archaeology of Roman Britain Subseries
Of Related Interest
Acknowledgements
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Abstract
1.
Introduction
1.1. Aims
1.2. Study Structure
2 The Archaeology of the Iron Age in Wales the Marches
2.1. The development of Iron Age Studies
2.1.1. The ABCs of the Iron Age
2.1.2. Iron Age Communities in Britain
2.1.3. Regional narratives and a ‘Different Iron Age’
2.1.4. Criticism
2.2. The Late Iron Age in Wales and the Marches
2.2.1. The Hillfort Zone
2.2.2. Non-Hillfort Settlement
2.2.3. Social Structure and Practice
2.2.4. Material Culture
2.3. Summary
3.
The Roman Period in Wales and the Marches
3.1. Theoretical Developments in Romano-British
Studies
3.1.1. Romanisation and Related Theories
3.1.2. The Material-Cultural Turn
3.1.3. Big Data
3.2. Romano-British Studies in Wales and the Marches
3.2.1. 1st Century: Conquest and Consolidation
3.2.2. 1st to 3rd Centuries
3.2.3. The 3rd Century Onwards
3.3. Work in Wales and the Marches
3.4. Summary
4.
The Scope of the Study
4.1. Defining the Study Region
4.2. Site Data
4.2.1. Rural Settlement of Roman Britain Project
Overview
4.2.2. Defining the Dataset
4.3. Ceramic Methodology
4.3.1. Ceramics and the Rural Settlement of Roman
Britain Project
4.3.2. Inter-Site Comparison and Previous
Methodologies
4.3.3. Developing a Methodology
4.3.4. Aims and Objectives
4.3.5. Methods of Quantification
4.3.6. Defining the Methodology
4.3.7. Strengths and Weaknesses
4.4. Summary
5.
Introducing the Data
5.1. Settlement Types
5.1.1. Excluded Settlement Types
5.1.2. Farms
5.1.3. Villas
5.1.4. Problems of Definition
5.1.5. Other Settlement Forms
5.2. Structural Information
5.2.1. Circular Buildings
5.2.2. Rectilinear buildings
5.2.3. Masonry buildings
5.3. Economy
5.3.1. Coins
5.3.2. Pottery
5.4. Personal Identity and Socio-Cultural Practice
5.4.1. Personal Ornament
5.4.2. Brooches
5.4.3. Toilet Implements
5.5. Summary
6.
Landscape
6.1. Settlement Density
6.1.1. The Portable Antiquities Scheme: Evidence
of Absence?
6.2. Settlement Distribution and Chronology
6.2.1. Defining Continuity
6.2.2. Late Pre-Roman Iron Age and Early Roman
(AD75–AD150)
6.2.3. Middle Roman (AD150–AD300)
6.2.4. Late Roman (300+)
6.3. Site Morphology
6.3.1. Enclosed Settlements
6.3.2. Villa Settlements
6.4. Structural Morphology
6.4.1. Roundhouses
6.4.2. Rectilinear Structures
6.4.3. Mixed Architecture
6.5. Discussion
7.
Economy
7.1. Production
7.1.1. Forms of Agriculture
7.1.2. Arable Farming
7.1.3. Arable Farming - Processing and Storage
7.1.4. Pastoral Farming
7.1.5. Pastoral - Secondary Production
7.1.6. Other Economic Activities
7.1.7. Discussion
7.2. Distribution
7.2.1. General Distribution
7.2.2. Distribution of Imported and Romano-British Wares
7.3. Consumption
7.3.1. Coinage
7.3.2. Distribution and Chronology
7.3.3. Denomination
7.4. Discussion
8.
Personal Identities and Socio-Cultural Practices
8.1. Personal Presentation
8.1.1. The Body
8.1.2. Dress
8.1.3. Hair
8.1.4. Personal Ornament
8.1.5. Summary
8.2. Food and Drink
8.2.1. New Introductions: Amphorae and Mortaria
8.2.2. Ways of Cooking and Eating
8.2.3. Fabric
8.2.4. Drinking Vessels
8.2.5. Summary
8.3. Discussion
9.
Discussion
9.1. General Review
9.1.1. Chapter Six - Landscape
9.1.2. Chapter Seven - Economy
9.1.3. Chapter Eight - Personal Identity
and Socio-Cultural Practice
9.2. Regionality
9.2.1. Regions as Units of Analysis
9.2.2. Continuity and Change
9.2.3. The Presence of Absence
9.3. Rural Economy
9.3.1. Connectivity
9.3.2. Demanding Supply
9.3.3. Economic Integration
9.4. Personal Identities and Socio-Cultural Practices
9.4.1. Resistance and Acceptance
9.4.2. Villa Settlements and Ways of Being
9.4.3. Material Culture and Nested Identities
9.5. Critical Review
9.5.1. Suggestions for Future Work
9.5.2. ‘Big Data’ and the Rural Settlement of Roman
Britain Project
9.5.3. Ceramic Methodology
9.6. Final Statement
Appendix 1:
List of Sites
Bibliography
Back Cover