Shaping houses : integrating the physical and socio-cultural in the domestic architecture of Ancient Sicily
In this thesis I explore how physical and socio-cultural factors interact to shape domestic architecture by analysing the form, layout, and construction of houses from Sicily dating from the Neolithic to the end of the Hellenistic period. This time range encompasses two primary domestic building traditions: single-spaced round houses that dominate from the Neolithic through to the end of the Late Bronze Age, and large, multiple-spaced rectilinear structures that characterise the Archaic period onwards. As such the domestic architecture of Sicily provides the opportunity to study not only two distinct ways of building, but also the dynamics within them and the changes that occurred as one evolved into the other during the Early Iron Age: a period of transition that is often studied in isolation or only in relation to the earlier or later context, rather than as an integral part of this islandâs history. A critical analysis of building techniques and materials in the context of available resources and their material properties alongside local environmental conditions reveals correlations between the choice of materials, construction techniques, and topographical and climatic conditions, as well as the form
Roe, Sarah Elizabeth
Domestic Architecture ; Houses ; Sicily ; Neolithic ; Bronze Age ; Early Iron Age ; Archaic ; Classical ; Hellenistic ; Spatial Analysis ; Building Tradition ; Mediterranean Archaeology
Shaping houses : integrating the physical and socio-cultural in the domestic architecture of Ancient Sicily. In this thesis I explore how physical and socio-cultural factors interact to shape domestic architecture by analysing the form, layout, and construction of houses from Sicily dating from the Neolithic to the end of the Hellenistic period. This time range encompasses two primary domestic building traditions: single-spaced round houses that dominate from the Neolithic through to the end of the Late Bronze Age, and large, multiple-spaced rectilinear structures that characterise the Archaic period onwards. As such the domestic architecture of Sicily provides the opportunity to study not only two distinct ways of building, but also the dynamics within them and the changes that occurred as one evolved into the other during the Early Iron Age: a period of transition that is often studied in isolation or only in relation to the earlier or later context, rather than as an integral part of this islandâs history. A critical analysis of building techniques and materials in the context of available resources and their material properties alongside local environmental conditions reveals correlations between the choice of materials, construction techniques, and topographical and climatic conditions, as well as the form
shaping house integrate physical socio_cultural domestic_architecture ancient sicily explore physical socio_cultural factor interact shape domestic_architecture analyse form layout construction house sicily date neolithic end hellenistic_period time range encompass primary domestic building_tradition single round house dominate neolithic end late_bronze_age large multiple structure characterise archaic_period onwards domestic_architecture sicily provide_opportunity study two_distinct way building also dynamic within change_occur evolve period_transition often studied isolation relation earlier later context rather integral_part island history critical_analysis building technique material context available resource material_property alongside local_environmental condition reveal correlation choice material construction_technique topographical climatic condition well form