Prehistoric Cypriot mud buildings and their impact on the formation of archaeological sites
The current research grew out of work on the Erimi Culture sites in the west of Cyprus at <I>Lemba</I> Lakkous, <I>Kissonerga</I> Mosphilia and Kissonerga <I>Mylouthkia</I> dating from c3500-2500/2300 B.C. The need to understand the nature of the archaeological deposits and the buildings which form the largest element of those deposits channelled the research along four main paths or aims: 1) the characterisation and classification of all Chalcolithic building elements setting them within a proposed scheme of building types, 2) the establishment of these within the framework of Middle Eastern building traditions with an indication of any cultural links, 3) the identification and characterisation prehistoric building deposits and materials and, 4) the contribution of some thoughts to the understanding of site formation processes. Three avenues of study were followed. The first involved an investigation of the behaviour of the key elements of soil, clay and lime in order to be able to characterise building materials. A study of the archaeological evidence was then undertaken and a scheme for classifying building elements proposed. This was tested in the second avenue of study through experimental reconstruction
Thomas, Gordon D.
Prehistoric Cypriot mud buildings and their impact on the formation of archaeological sites. The current research grew out of work on the Erimi Culture sites in the west of Cyprus at <I>Lemba</I> Lakkous, <I>Kissonerga</I> Mosphilia and Kissonerga <I>Mylouthkia</I> dating from c3500-2500/2300 B.C. The need to understand the nature of the archaeological deposits and the buildings which form the largest element of those deposits channelled the research along four main paths or aims: 1) the characterisation and classification of all Chalcolithic building elements setting them within a proposed scheme of building types, 2) the establishment of these within the framework of Middle Eastern building traditions with an indication of any cultural links, 3) the identification and characterisation prehistoric building deposits and materials and, 4) the contribution of some thoughts to the understanding of site formation processes. Three avenues of study were followed. The first involved an investigation of the behaviour of the key elements of soil, clay and lime in order to be able to characterise building materials. A study of the archaeological evidence was then undertaken and a scheme for classifying building elements proposed. This was tested in the second avenue of study through experimental reconstruction
prehistoric cypriot building impact formation archaeological_site current grow work culture sit west cyprus date need nature archaeological_deposit building form large element deposit channel along four_main path aim characterisation classification chalcolithic building element set_within propose scheme build type establishment within_framework middle_eastern building_tradition indication cultural link identification characterisation prehistoric building deposit material thought site_formation process avenue study follow first involve investigation behaviour key_element soil clay lime order able characterise building_material study archaeological_evidence undertaken scheme classify building element propose test second avenue study experimental reconstruction