Settlement, land use and water management systems in Roman Arabia : an integrated archaeological approach
The aim of this thesis is to gain a greater understanding of water management systems, land use and settlement patterns in Roman Arabia. Using an integrated approach, based on Geographical Information Systems (GIS), archaeological data, historical sources, landscape and surface survey this thesis explores the application of water management systems, particularly those technologies used to capture and control floodwater. This information is then used to address some of the major issues and models which have been postulated to account for, or contribute to, the settlement of marginal regions of the Levant during the Roman period. Many theories proposed in the recent past have attempted to explain the development of these peripheral zones, and these range from climate change, population increase, growth in trade and economy, through to imperialism and Romanisation. The first part of this thesis critically assesses the range of evidence on which many key arguments have been constructed, and clearly shows that much of it is incomplete and/or inadequate to explain such a complex phenomenon. Using the site of Wadi Faynan, Jordan, as a case study, it has been demonstrated that the study of water management systems
Newson, Paul Graham
Archaeology
Settlement, land use and water management systems in Roman Arabia : an integrated archaeological approach. The aim of this thesis is to gain a greater understanding of water management systems, land use and settlement patterns in Roman Arabia. Using an integrated approach, based on Geographical Information Systems (GIS), archaeological data, historical sources, landscape and surface survey this thesis explores the application of water management systems, particularly those technologies used to capture and control floodwater. This information is then used to address some of the major issues and models which have been postulated to account for, or contribute to, the settlement of marginal regions of the Levant during the Roman period. Many theories proposed in the recent past have attempted to explain the development of these peripheral zones, and these range from climate change, population increase, growth in trade and economy, through to imperialism and Romanisation. The first part of this thesis critically assesses the range of evidence on which many key arguments have been constructed, and clearly shows that much of it is incomplete and/or inadequate to explain such a complex phenomenon. Using the site of Wadi Faynan, Jordan, as a case study, it has been demonstrated that the study of water management systems
settlement_land use water_management system roman arabia integrated archaeological_approach aim_gain great water_management system_land use settlement_pattern roman arabia using integrate base geographical_information_systems gis archaeological_data historical_source landscape surface survey explore application water_management system particularly technology use_capture control information use address major_issue model postulate account contribute settlement marginal region levant roman period many theory propose recent_past attempt_explain development peripheral zone range climate_change population increase growth trade economy imperialism romanisation first_part critically_assess range_evidence many key argument construct clearly_show much incomplete and inadequate explain complex_phenomenon using site jordan case_study demonstrate study water_management system