Tommaso Mattioli - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Books by Tommaso Mattioli
Articles EN by Tommaso Mattioli
This paper presents the results of field walking, magnetometer survey and UAV-based near infrared... more This paper presents the results of field walking, magnetometer survey and UAV-based near infrared (NIR) photogrammetry at the Tavoliere Neolithic site designated J155/FG003663/ Posta Barone Grella I southwest of Cerignola (FG) in Puglia. These techniques were utilised as a means of locating areas for future excavation: the methodology presented here in turn provides a framework for future archaeologists interested in understanding the nature of subsurface site structures prior to excavation. Of particular note is the fact that the NIR photography picked up boundary ditches even though the crops in the field had already been harvested. Agreement between magnetometer survey and UAV-based imaging was also strong.
This article argues that the recent emphasis on quantitative methods should also include the appl... more This article argues that the recent emphasis on quantitative methods should also include the application of rigorous science-based methodologies for the study of sound and acoustics among past communities. The benefits of including methods developed in acoustical physics have been shown with the analysis of the rock art landscape in the Cañón de Santa Teresa gorge in Baja California Sur (Mexico), where the Great Mural rock art tradition was produced. Thanks to a thorough examination of a series of monaural and binaural acoustic parameters, we have been able to conclude that the artists selected the best sonic landscapes in which to create their rock art, both paintings and carvings, especially the latter. We have also been able to demonstrate that the sector of the canyon with a special concentration of two profusely painted caves, Cueva Pintada and Las Flechas, is precisely that with the most favorable acoustic conditions in the whole tested area.
In ICA2019 Conference Proceedings, 2019
Many pre-state societies around the world give special importance to places where distinctive aco... more Many pre-state societies around the world give special importance to places where distinctive acoustic effects are generated. These places often receive special treatment including the production of rock paintings in them. In the Western Mediterranean, it seems that outstanding acoustic effects such as directional echoes, augmented audibility and long reverberation time are present in some rock art areas with Neolithic depictions made between the 7 th and 4 th millennia BC. These have been painted in different styles that have been given the name of Macroschematic, Levantine and Schematic rock art styles. On the basis of the results of our acoustic tests, we argue that there is a strong probability of acoustics having been used as a method by Neolithic artists to select the shelters in which to produce rock art. This paper presents the results of the ongoing ARTSOUNDSCAPES ERC Project on archaeoacoustics. This project seeks to explore the role of sound in the creation and use of rock art sites. he authors discuss the results of previous fieldwork in three countries (Spain, France and Italy) and the development of an innovative set of research methods that include 3D Ambisonic recordings, GIS soundshed analysis, and Transmission Loss measurements.
In GARCÍA ATIÉNZAR,G. and BARCIELA GONZALEZ, V. Sociedades prehistóricas y manifestaciones artísticas Imágenes, nuevas propuestas e interpretaciones. , 2019
This article examines the relationship between rock art landscapes and perception. It pays par- t... more This article examines the relationship between rock art landscapes and perception. It pays par- ticular attention to vision and hearing, the two key senses for landscape awareness. Given the importance of scale in the study of rock art landscapes, a distinction is made between the ad- jacent landscape and the broader territorial scale. Several methodological improvements are suggested, including the importance of clipping viewsheds in GIS analysis and measuring di- rectionality instead of orientation of the rock art shelters. In our case-study we explore the rock art landscape of the Alicante Mountains (northeastern Spain) during the Neolithic period (ca. 5600 to 2800 cal bc). A new interpretation of how the cognitive and symbolic behavior of communities changed over time is offered. We argue that the analysis of perception in rock art landscapes can provide novel ways of understanding communities’ distinctive appropriation of their landscapes, linking both the tangible and intangible aspects of their culture.
Many societies give special importance to places where echoes are generated, and often these plac... more Many societies give special importance to places where echoes are generated, and often these places receive special treatment including the production of rock paintings in them. The identification of the exact places where echoes come from, or echolocation, is an ability only shared by a few individuals in each community. Unfortunately for archaeologists, however, their activity leaves no trace in the archaeological record. In this article we propose that the Ambisonics technique, a method developed in the field of acoustical physics, can be applied to identify the likely use of echolocation among societies for which no ethnographic information remains, such as most of those who lived in prehistoric Europe. A description of how this method has been applied in two case studies, the rock art landscapes of Baume Brune (Vaucluse, France) and Valle d’Ividoro (Puglia, Italy), is provided. In these two echoing areas only a few shelters were chosen to be painted with Schematic art, leaving around them many others undec- orated. In the description of the fieldwork phase of the test, issues related to the sound source, the sound recorder, and spherical camera and how the Impulse Response (IR) measurement was made are dis- cussed. The processed results indicate that there was a positive relationship between sound-reflecting surfaces and the location of rock art. This leads us to propose that in both areas there is a strong probability of echolocation having been employed by Neolithic people to select the shelters in which to produce rock art. The results obtained in our study also have wider implications in our understanding of how prehistoric peoples perceived the landscape in which they lived in, understood not only on the basis of tangible elements but, perhaps more importantly, because of intangible aspects such as sound and, in particular, echoes.
The audio/video presentation of this article is available here: http://audioslides.elsevier.com//ViewerLarge.aspx?source=1&doi=10.1016/j.jas.2017.04.008
This article reviews evidence for relationships between acoustics and rock art by examining the a... more This article reviews evidence for relationships between acoustics and rock art by examining the antiquity and nature of such relationships, then examining evidence for music depicted or engraved in rock art. This is followed by a summary of the remains of actual musical instruments found at rock art sites, including lithophones found at or close to rock art. The sonority of rock art landscapes is then assessed, first in those cases where natural elements can unleash special sonorous effects and then in places where exceptional acoustics have been selected for the creation of artworks. The authors conclude that a consideration of sound is common in the placement of rock art and that it should therefore be more routinely considered when recording rock art. The significance of sound in social relations and religious activities makes this aspect of rock art sites essential for understanding the societies that produced it.
This article focuses on the augmented audibility of distant sounds that is experienced in some ro... more This article focuses on the augmented audibility of distant sounds that is experienced in some rock art sites. We pro- pose a method developed in acoustical physics to measure this acoustic phenomenon, the Transmission Loss (TL) ana- lysis. We have assessed the validity of the method in our study area, the Sierra de San Serván in the region of Extremadura (Spain), an area where from the hundreds of shelters only sixty five were decorated with Schematic art during prehistory. The analysis undertaken in it has pro- vided unequivocal data that indicate that augmented audi- bility of distant sounds seemed to be a factor considered by the prehistoric artists for the selection of rock art shelters to paint in. This is especially made clear when a comparison between the results obtained in shelters with rock art and others in the same area without it is made. From all the sites one stands out, that of Las Palomas 2, with the best results. This site is also special for other features that no other site in the area has in terms of difficult access and high visibility
(English) This paper presents an update on the progress of the project " Pots and People of the T... more (English) This paper presents an update on the progress of the project " Pots and People of the Tavoliere Neolithic ". We describe our ceramic study methodology and the current status of our database. We also present a brief case study involving clays and ceramics from the site of Serra di Cristo. Finally, we present results of geophysical and near infrared (NIR) survey at the site of Posta Barone Grella I. Abstract (Italiano) Questo intervento fornisce un aggiornamento sullo sviluppo del progetto " Cera-mica e Gente del Tavoliere Neolitico ". Si descrive la nostra metodologia per lo studio della ceramica e lo status attuale del nostro database. Si presenta anche un bre-ve caso di studio sull'argilla e sulle ceramiche provenienti dal sito di Serra di Cristo. Sipresentano infine irisultati delle indagini geofisiche e con fotografia quasi infra-rossa condotte nel sito di
Abstract: Archaeoacoustics refers to the field of study concerned with the effects of sound in pa... more Abstract: Archaeoacoustics refers to the field of study concerned with the effects of sound in past societies. Scholars interested in acoustics try to understand the human past beyond its materiality by recovering a set of less evident, less tangible cultural signs relating to the sense of hearing. Of the many contexts in which the intangible evidence of acoustics can be analysed, this paper pays attention to its expression in rock art. Our aim is to explore the quantitative analyses undertaken for the study of acoustics in rock art landscapes by focusing on the three main lines of evidence that rock art researchers are following: (i) landscapes with spe- cial naturally occurring sounds; (ii) lithophones, ringing rock, and rock gongs; (iii) intentionally produced sound. Three acoustic effects have been usually subjected to quantitative measurement: echoes, resonance, and reverberation. We will argue that not all lines of evidence have been explored in equal measure by scholars and that there are specific types of acoustic measurements and analysis, the potential of which are still to be assessed.
CAA2012 Proceedings of the 40th Conference in Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, Southampton, United Kingdom, 26-30 March 2012
This paper presents two different methods (topographic and GIS based analysis) applied by the aut... more This paper presents two different methods (topographic and GIS based analysis) applied by the authors to recognize the layout of transhumance pathways in Umbria and Sabina regions (Central Italy) and to investigate the spatial correlation between pre-Roman ‘castellieri’ (Italic hillforts) and transhumance routes.
Museion - Journal of the Classical Association of Canada, 2010
Abstract: The Canadian Excavations at Roccagloriosa supported by generous SSHRC Grants in the ... more Abstract:
The Canadian Excavations at Roccagloriosa supported by generous SSHRC Grants in the 1980s has produced a number of Field Reports and two substantial volumes on this important site of pre-Roman Italy. On-going research on the finds and the more recent campaigns of geophysical exploration have added crucial information on the level of complexity of the Lucanian site at the peak of its development. At the same time, the data emerging from the most recent field-work at the site provides a much more complete picture of the organization of the Central Plateau, the major agglomeration of buildings inside the massive fortification wall.
Résumé:
Les missions archéologiques canadiennes à Roccagloriosa, généreusement supportées par les subventions du CRSH dans les années 1980, ont donné lieu à de nombreux rapports de fouilles, ainsi qu'à deux volumes substantiels sur cet important site de l'Italie préromaine. Les travaux de recherche en cours sur ces découvertes et les campagnes d'exploration géophysique plus récentes ont apporté un supplément d'information crucial concernant le niveau de complexité du site lucanien au faîte de son développement. Parallèlement, les données qui se dégagent de la plus récente campagne archéologique sur le site donnent une image plus complète de l'organisation du « plateau central », la principale agglomération d'habitations à l'intérieur des imposantes murailles.
Mouseion: Journal of the Classical Association of Canada Volume 10, Number 2, 2010 , 2010
Abstract: In southern Italy, with particular reference to the upper Bradano river valley in an... more Abstract:
In southern Italy, with particular reference to the upper Bradano river valley in ancient Eastern Lucania, agglomerated rural settlements are generally studied as part of the later third and fourth centuries AD when they become the protagonists in the late antique landscape in southern Italy. The late antique landscape, however, is usually considered to be an inorganic and discontinuous settlement manifestation. Yet, in many areas of southern Italy the growth and importance of agglomerated rural settlements in the Roman landscape predates the later third century. In the upper Bradano river valley, independent vici become important elements of the rural Roman landscape as early the second century AD, when some vici develop a specific productive function while others remain primarily residential. The growth in vici in the upper Bradano valley is clearly tied to architectural monumentalization and increased agricultural production at the excavated villa sites. The combination of these factors in the second century suggests a land concentration and intensification of production on villa sites and the presence of a substantial lower class living in vici.
Résumé:
En Italie du Sud, et particulièrement dans la haute vallée du Bradano, en ancienne Lucanie orientale, les agglomérations rurales sont généralement étudiées comme un phénomène de la fin du IIIe siècle et du IVe siècle après J. C., alors qu'elles deviennent des protagonistes dans le paysage de l'Antiquité tardive en Italie du Sud. Le paysage de l'Antiquité tardive est pourtant habituellement considéré comme le produit d'un peuplement inorganique et discontinu. Toutefois, dans plusieurs régions de l'Italie du Sud, la croissance et l'importance des agglomérations rurales dans le paysage romain précède la fin du IIIe siècle. Dans la haute vallée du Bradano, les vici indépendants deviennent un élément important du paysage rural romain dès le IIe siècle, lorsque certains vici développent une fonction productive spécifique, tandis que les autres demeurent principalement résidentiels. L'accroissement des vici dans la haute vallée du Bradano est clairement lié à la monumentalisation de l'architecture et à l'augmentation de la production agricole sur les sites des villas fouillées. La combinaison de ces facteurs au IIe siècle suggère une concentration foncière et une intensification de la production sur le site des villas, ainsi que la présence substantielle dans les vici d'une population issue des basses classes.
Articoli ITA by Tommaso Mattioli
Daidalos. Studi e Ricerche del Dipartimento di Scienze del Mondo Antico. 10, 2010
This paper presents the results of field walking, magnetometer survey and UAV-based near infrared... more This paper presents the results of field walking, magnetometer survey and UAV-based near infrared (NIR) photogrammetry at the Tavoliere Neolithic site designated J155/FG003663/ Posta Barone Grella I southwest of Cerignola (FG) in Puglia. These techniques were utilised as a means of locating areas for future excavation: the methodology presented here in turn provides a framework for future archaeologists interested in understanding the nature of subsurface site structures prior to excavation. Of particular note is the fact that the NIR photography picked up boundary ditches even though the crops in the field had already been harvested. Agreement between magnetometer survey and UAV-based imaging was also strong.
This article argues that the recent emphasis on quantitative methods should also include the appl... more This article argues that the recent emphasis on quantitative methods should also include the application of rigorous science-based methodologies for the study of sound and acoustics among past communities. The benefits of including methods developed in acoustical physics have been shown with the analysis of the rock art landscape in the Cañón de Santa Teresa gorge in Baja California Sur (Mexico), where the Great Mural rock art tradition was produced. Thanks to a thorough examination of a series of monaural and binaural acoustic parameters, we have been able to conclude that the artists selected the best sonic landscapes in which to create their rock art, both paintings and carvings, especially the latter. We have also been able to demonstrate that the sector of the canyon with a special concentration of two profusely painted caves, Cueva Pintada and Las Flechas, is precisely that with the most favorable acoustic conditions in the whole tested area.
In ICA2019 Conference Proceedings, 2019
Many pre-state societies around the world give special importance to places where distinctive aco... more Many pre-state societies around the world give special importance to places where distinctive acoustic effects are generated. These places often receive special treatment including the production of rock paintings in them. In the Western Mediterranean, it seems that outstanding acoustic effects such as directional echoes, augmented audibility and long reverberation time are present in some rock art areas with Neolithic depictions made between the 7 th and 4 th millennia BC. These have been painted in different styles that have been given the name of Macroschematic, Levantine and Schematic rock art styles. On the basis of the results of our acoustic tests, we argue that there is a strong probability of acoustics having been used as a method by Neolithic artists to select the shelters in which to produce rock art. This paper presents the results of the ongoing ARTSOUNDSCAPES ERC Project on archaeoacoustics. This project seeks to explore the role of sound in the creation and use of rock art sites. he authors discuss the results of previous fieldwork in three countries (Spain, France and Italy) and the development of an innovative set of research methods that include 3D Ambisonic recordings, GIS soundshed analysis, and Transmission Loss measurements.
In GARCÍA ATIÉNZAR,G. and BARCIELA GONZALEZ, V. Sociedades prehistóricas y manifestaciones artísticas Imágenes, nuevas propuestas e interpretaciones. , 2019
This article examines the relationship between rock art landscapes and perception. It pays par- t... more This article examines the relationship between rock art landscapes and perception. It pays par- ticular attention to vision and hearing, the two key senses for landscape awareness. Given the importance of scale in the study of rock art landscapes, a distinction is made between the ad- jacent landscape and the broader territorial scale. Several methodological improvements are suggested, including the importance of clipping viewsheds in GIS analysis and measuring di- rectionality instead of orientation of the rock art shelters. In our case-study we explore the rock art landscape of the Alicante Mountains (northeastern Spain) during the Neolithic period (ca. 5600 to 2800 cal bc). A new interpretation of how the cognitive and symbolic behavior of communities changed over time is offered. We argue that the analysis of perception in rock art landscapes can provide novel ways of understanding communities’ distinctive appropriation of their landscapes, linking both the tangible and intangible aspects of their culture.
Many societies give special importance to places where echoes are generated, and often these plac... more Many societies give special importance to places where echoes are generated, and often these places receive special treatment including the production of rock paintings in them. The identification of the exact places where echoes come from, or echolocation, is an ability only shared by a few individuals in each community. Unfortunately for archaeologists, however, their activity leaves no trace in the archaeological record. In this article we propose that the Ambisonics technique, a method developed in the field of acoustical physics, can be applied to identify the likely use of echolocation among societies for which no ethnographic information remains, such as most of those who lived in prehistoric Europe. A description of how this method has been applied in two case studies, the rock art landscapes of Baume Brune (Vaucluse, France) and Valle d’Ividoro (Puglia, Italy), is provided. In these two echoing areas only a few shelters were chosen to be painted with Schematic art, leaving around them many others undec- orated. In the description of the fieldwork phase of the test, issues related to the sound source, the sound recorder, and spherical camera and how the Impulse Response (IR) measurement was made are dis- cussed. The processed results indicate that there was a positive relationship between sound-reflecting surfaces and the location of rock art. This leads us to propose that in both areas there is a strong probability of echolocation having been employed by Neolithic people to select the shelters in which to produce rock art. The results obtained in our study also have wider implications in our understanding of how prehistoric peoples perceived the landscape in which they lived in, understood not only on the basis of tangible elements but, perhaps more importantly, because of intangible aspects such as sound and, in particular, echoes.
The audio/video presentation of this article is available here: http://audioslides.elsevier.com//ViewerLarge.aspx?source=1&doi=10.1016/j.jas.2017.04.008
This article reviews evidence for relationships between acoustics and rock art by examining the a... more This article reviews evidence for relationships between acoustics and rock art by examining the antiquity and nature of such relationships, then examining evidence for music depicted or engraved in rock art. This is followed by a summary of the remains of actual musical instruments found at rock art sites, including lithophones found at or close to rock art. The sonority of rock art landscapes is then assessed, first in those cases where natural elements can unleash special sonorous effects and then in places where exceptional acoustics have been selected for the creation of artworks. The authors conclude that a consideration of sound is common in the placement of rock art and that it should therefore be more routinely considered when recording rock art. The significance of sound in social relations and religious activities makes this aspect of rock art sites essential for understanding the societies that produced it.
This article focuses on the augmented audibility of distant sounds that is experienced in some ro... more This article focuses on the augmented audibility of distant sounds that is experienced in some rock art sites. We pro- pose a method developed in acoustical physics to measure this acoustic phenomenon, the Transmission Loss (TL) ana- lysis. We have assessed the validity of the method in our study area, the Sierra de San Serván in the region of Extremadura (Spain), an area where from the hundreds of shelters only sixty five were decorated with Schematic art during prehistory. The analysis undertaken in it has pro- vided unequivocal data that indicate that augmented audi- bility of distant sounds seemed to be a factor considered by the prehistoric artists for the selection of rock art shelters to paint in. This is especially made clear when a comparison between the results obtained in shelters with rock art and others in the same area without it is made. From all the sites one stands out, that of Las Palomas 2, with the best results. This site is also special for other features that no other site in the area has in terms of difficult access and high visibility
(English) This paper presents an update on the progress of the project " Pots and People of the T... more (English) This paper presents an update on the progress of the project " Pots and People of the Tavoliere Neolithic ". We describe our ceramic study methodology and the current status of our database. We also present a brief case study involving clays and ceramics from the site of Serra di Cristo. Finally, we present results of geophysical and near infrared (NIR) survey at the site of Posta Barone Grella I. Abstract (Italiano) Questo intervento fornisce un aggiornamento sullo sviluppo del progetto " Cera-mica e Gente del Tavoliere Neolitico ". Si descrive la nostra metodologia per lo studio della ceramica e lo status attuale del nostro database. Si presenta anche un bre-ve caso di studio sull'argilla e sulle ceramiche provenienti dal sito di Serra di Cristo. Sipresentano infine irisultati delle indagini geofisiche e con fotografia quasi infra-rossa condotte nel sito di
Abstract: Archaeoacoustics refers to the field of study concerned with the effects of sound in pa... more Abstract: Archaeoacoustics refers to the field of study concerned with the effects of sound in past societies. Scholars interested in acoustics try to understand the human past beyond its materiality by recovering a set of less evident, less tangible cultural signs relating to the sense of hearing. Of the many contexts in which the intangible evidence of acoustics can be analysed, this paper pays attention to its expression in rock art. Our aim is to explore the quantitative analyses undertaken for the study of acoustics in rock art landscapes by focusing on the three main lines of evidence that rock art researchers are following: (i) landscapes with spe- cial naturally occurring sounds; (ii) lithophones, ringing rock, and rock gongs; (iii) intentionally produced sound. Three acoustic effects have been usually subjected to quantitative measurement: echoes, resonance, and reverberation. We will argue that not all lines of evidence have been explored in equal measure by scholars and that there are specific types of acoustic measurements and analysis, the potential of which are still to be assessed.
CAA2012 Proceedings of the 40th Conference in Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, Southampton, United Kingdom, 26-30 March 2012
This paper presents two different methods (topographic and GIS based analysis) applied by the aut... more This paper presents two different methods (topographic and GIS based analysis) applied by the authors to recognize the layout of transhumance pathways in Umbria and Sabina regions (Central Italy) and to investigate the spatial correlation between pre-Roman ‘castellieri’ (Italic hillforts) and transhumance routes.
Museion - Journal of the Classical Association of Canada, 2010
Abstract: The Canadian Excavations at Roccagloriosa supported by generous SSHRC Grants in the ... more Abstract:
The Canadian Excavations at Roccagloriosa supported by generous SSHRC Grants in the 1980s has produced a number of Field Reports and two substantial volumes on this important site of pre-Roman Italy. On-going research on the finds and the more recent campaigns of geophysical exploration have added crucial information on the level of complexity of the Lucanian site at the peak of its development. At the same time, the data emerging from the most recent field-work at the site provides a much more complete picture of the organization of the Central Plateau, the major agglomeration of buildings inside the massive fortification wall.
Résumé:
Les missions archéologiques canadiennes à Roccagloriosa, généreusement supportées par les subventions du CRSH dans les années 1980, ont donné lieu à de nombreux rapports de fouilles, ainsi qu'à deux volumes substantiels sur cet important site de l'Italie préromaine. Les travaux de recherche en cours sur ces découvertes et les campagnes d'exploration géophysique plus récentes ont apporté un supplément d'information crucial concernant le niveau de complexité du site lucanien au faîte de son développement. Parallèlement, les données qui se dégagent de la plus récente campagne archéologique sur le site donnent une image plus complète de l'organisation du « plateau central », la principale agglomération d'habitations à l'intérieur des imposantes murailles.
Mouseion: Journal of the Classical Association of Canada Volume 10, Number 2, 2010 , 2010
Abstract: In southern Italy, with particular reference to the upper Bradano river valley in an... more Abstract:
In southern Italy, with particular reference to the upper Bradano river valley in ancient Eastern Lucania, agglomerated rural settlements are generally studied as part of the later third and fourth centuries AD when they become the protagonists in the late antique landscape in southern Italy. The late antique landscape, however, is usually considered to be an inorganic and discontinuous settlement manifestation. Yet, in many areas of southern Italy the growth and importance of agglomerated rural settlements in the Roman landscape predates the later third century. In the upper Bradano river valley, independent vici become important elements of the rural Roman landscape as early the second century AD, when some vici develop a specific productive function while others remain primarily residential. The growth in vici in the upper Bradano valley is clearly tied to architectural monumentalization and increased agricultural production at the excavated villa sites. The combination of these factors in the second century suggests a land concentration and intensification of production on villa sites and the presence of a substantial lower class living in vici.
Résumé:
En Italie du Sud, et particulièrement dans la haute vallée du Bradano, en ancienne Lucanie orientale, les agglomérations rurales sont généralement étudiées comme un phénomène de la fin du IIIe siècle et du IVe siècle après J. C., alors qu'elles deviennent des protagonistes dans le paysage de l'Antiquité tardive en Italie du Sud. Le paysage de l'Antiquité tardive est pourtant habituellement considéré comme le produit d'un peuplement inorganique et discontinu. Toutefois, dans plusieurs régions de l'Italie du Sud, la croissance et l'importance des agglomérations rurales dans le paysage romain précède la fin du IIIe siècle. Dans la haute vallée du Bradano, les vici indépendants deviennent un élément important du paysage rural romain dès le IIe siècle, lorsque certains vici développent une fonction productive spécifique, tandis que les autres demeurent principalement résidentiels. L'accroissement des vici dans la haute vallée du Bradano est clairement lié à la monumentalisation de l'architecture et à l'augmentation de la production agricole sur les sites des villas fouillées. La combinaison de ces facteurs au IIe siècle suggère une concentration foncière et une intensification de la production sur le site des villas, ainsi que la présence substantielle dans les vici d'une population issue des basses classes.
Daidalos. Studi e Ricerche del Dipartimento di Scienze del Mondo Antico. 10, 2010
- Gli autori analizzano l’evoluzione del paesaggio della Conca Velina (rieti, lazio, italia centr... more - Gli autori analizzano l’evoluzione del paesaggio
della Conca Velina (rieti, lazio, italia centrale) nel periodo
compreso tra l’età del bronzo e la romanizzazione. Partendo
dalla correlazione dei dati ricavati dai sondaggi geologici e
da una nuova lettura topografica e dell’assetto idrogeologico
dell’area, gli autori sostengono che l’antica linea di riva del
bacino lacustre che occupava la Piana di rieti, il Canale di
repasto e l’area di Marmore variò nel corso dell’età del
bronzo e dell’età del ferro tra le quote 365/367 metri s.l.m.
e 375/376 metri s.l.m. influenzando lo sviluppo degli abitati
perilacustri. Successivamente con la conquista del territorio
da parte di MAnio CUrio dentAto si assiste al primo vero
intervento di regimentazione delle acque e bonifica della
piana della Conca di rieti.
Resumen. En este artículo se describen los trabajos de arqueoacústica realizados en el paisaje de... more Resumen. En este artículo se describen los trabajos de arqueoacústica realizados en el paisaje de arte ru-pestre de las Muntanyes de Prades, en concreto en los valles de Fontscaldes y de Pirro. Explicaremos por-qué es importante estudiar los aspectos inmateriales de la cultura, y en particular el sonido y la acústica, para alcanzar una mejor comprensión de las sociedades del pasado. Se expone la metodología y técnicas utilizadas en nuestro trabajo de campo y los resultados obtenidos. Palabras clave: arqueoacústica; paisaje sonoro; Cataluña; arte rupestre; arte esquemático; arte levantino Resum. En aquest article es descriuen els treballs d'arqueoacústica realitzats en el paisatge d'art rupestre de les Muntanyes de Prades, en concret a les valls de Fontscaldes i de Pirro. Explicarem per què és important estudiar els aspectes immaterials de la cultura, i en particular el so i l'acústica, per assolir una millor comprensió de les societats del passat. S'exposa la metodologia i tècniques utilitzades en el nostre treball de camp i els resultats obtinguts. Paraules clau: arqueoacústica; paisatge sonor; Catalunya; art rupestre; art esquemàtic; art llevantí Abstratc: This article describes the work in archaeoacoustics carried out in the rock art landscape of the Muntanyes de Prades, in the valleys of Fontscaldes and Pirro. We will explain why, in order to achieve a better understanding of past societies, it is important to study the immaterial aspects of culture, and in particular sound and acoustics. The methodology and techniques used in our fieldwork and the results obtained are explained.
GARCÍA ATIÉNZAR,G. and BARCIELA GONZALEZ, V. Sociedades prehistóricas y manifestaciones artísticas Imágenes, nuevas propuestas e interpretaciones, 2019
Archaeoacoustics is an increasingly popular field of research within archaeology. In the Iberian ... more Archaeoacoustics is an increasingly popular field of research within archaeology. In the Iberian Peninsula there are currently several different projects being undertaken. In the area of rock art studies, these seek to determine the relationship between prehistoric rock art (Palaeolithic, Levantine and Schematic) in its landscape context (caves and shelters) and acoustics.In this article we will first define Archaeoacoustics and detail the research being undertaken in relation to prehistoric rock art. We will also explain the methodology and results of current research projects related to postpaleolithic rock art in the Iberian Peninsula
Off The Record: conversations in world archaeology We are very pleased to welcome Tommaso Mattiol... more Off The Record: conversations in world archaeology We are very pleased to welcome Tommaso Mattioli (University of Barcelona) and Margarita Diaz-Andreu (ICREA and University of Barcelona) to give an 'Off the Record' World Archaeology Section seminar, on Wednesday 18th October, 5-6pm, in room 209. Intangible landscapes: measuring the acoustics of rock art sites in the Central and Western Mediterranean For some time researchers have pointed out that, in addition to the visual, other senses may explain the production and location of rock art in prehistoric landscapes. Among all the senses, an increasing attention is being paid to hearing, but measuring acoustics has proved to be a challenge. Rock art researchers usually work in remote, open-air environments in which the equipment usually employed by acoustical engineers and architects is not adequate. In this talk we will discuss how we were able to overcome this and other difficulties in the case of our examination of rock art landscapes in the Central and Western Mediterranean. Find out more on the project website: http://www.archeoacustica.net/
In this lecture the results of a two-year project on the acoustics of rock art in the Western Med... more In this lecture the results of a two-year project on the acoustics of rock art in the Western Mediterranean will be presented. Archaeoacoustic research on prehistoric schematic rock art sites in Italy. France and Spain have indicated the importance of sound for their location. Several issues will be discussed: the importance of the acoustics of the places chosen to be painted on and in particular, their potential for enhancing resonance and reverberation and for producing echoes in the selection of sites to be decorated. Issues such as the possible use of echolocation - the ability to identify the location from which echoes and reverberations originate - by prehistoric communities will be assessed in the light of results obtained. See on https://www.sal.org.uk/events/2017/10/archaeoacoustics-and-postpalaeolithic-art/
Organizado por / Organised by Unión Cultural Arqueológica (unionculturalarqueologica.wordpress.co... more Organizado por / Organised by
Unión Cultural Arqueológica (unionculturalarqueologica.wordpress.com/). Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Research on soundscapes is a breakthrough field of research in rock art studies. It looks at aspe... more Research on soundscapes is a breakthrough field of research in rock art studies. It looks at aspects other than the materiality and aesthetic of sites and places by recovering less evident and intangible cultural signs such as those related to the individual and collective acoustic perceptions felt at rock art spaces. The study of soundscapes aims to quantify and qualify the sonoric experience that rock art creators experienced by being in the rock art landscape. This paper presents the experimental tests of the project “SONART - The sound of rock art” by which a sample of post-Paleolithic rock art in Spain (Arroyo de San Serván in Extremadura and Muntanyes de Prades in Catalunya), France (Vaucluse in Provence-Alpes- Côte d’Azur) and Italy (Gargano mountain in Puglia and Majella mountain in Abruzzo), dating from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age, have been analysed. Borrowing methods and technologies from disciplines other than archaeology, the project has investigated landscapes in terms of soundscape and acoustics. Results so far indicate the relevance of acoustics as a factor for the production, location and active use of rock art landscapes in the Western Mediterranean.
PROGRAMME. when? 14-SEPT-2016. 9 am - 2 pm. Where? Sala de Juntas. Fac. G. i Història. Universit... more PROGRAMME. when? 14-SEPT-2016. 9 am - 2 pm. Where? Sala de Juntas. Fac. G. i Història. University of Barcelona. Papers & Spekers: Introduction. Art and acoustics: multiple perspectives. Margarita Díaz-Andreu & Tommaso Mattioli; Music and sound practices at prehistoric North European burial, rock art and settlement sites - Riitta Rainio (University of Helsinki); Music and sound practices at prehistoric rock art sites in the Western Mediterranean. Margarita Díaz-Andreu (ICREA, University of Barcelona); Musical instruments in the archaeological record of the Iberian Peninsula. Carlos García Benito (Centro de Estudios Turiasonenses); Acoustic measurements and recording techniques at the sacred sites in Finland. Kai Lassfolk (University of Helsinki); Acoustic measurements and recording techniques at the rock art of the Western Mediterranean. Tommaso Mattioli (University of Barcelona); Reflections on methodological approaches to the recording of spatial and archaeological data during archaeoacustic fieldwork. Raquel Jiménez Pasalodos - (Universidad de Valladolid); ‘Here be dragons’: an artist's forensic exploration of the landscape in words images and sounds. John Redhead (artist using sound); Soundscapes at the Abrics de l’Ermita (Ulldecona): looking at 8000 years of sacred space from the future. Agustí Vericat (Tourisme/Heritage office at Ulldecona town council. Director of the Rock Art Interpretation Centre of Abrics de l’Ermita, Ulldecona); An overview of Soundlands - a public exhibition sound art project in Wales. Imogen Simpson-Mowday (helped in the administration of sonor exhibitions)
This article argues that the recent emphasis on quantitative methods should also include the appl... more This article argues that the recent emphasis on quantitative methods should also include the application of rigorous science-based methodologies for the study of sound and acoustics among past communities. The benefits of including methods developed in acoustical physics have been shown with the analysis of the rock art landscape in the Cañón de Santa Teresa gorge in Baja California Sur (Mexico), where the Great Mural rock art tradition was produced. Thanks to a thorough examination of a series of monaural and binaural acoustic parameters, we have been able to conclude that the artists selected the best sonic landscapes in which to create their rock art, both paintings and carvings, especially the latter. We have also been able to demonstrate that the sector of the canyon with a special concentration of two profusely painted caves, Cueva Pintada and Las Flechas, is precisely that with the most favorable acoustic conditions in the whole tested area. A video explaining this Project can be seen on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdG8Sl9zGJw&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR1682ozQo4OpMmKaHG2PX0Jk5r3hXHrQwbQ2Z8HZfd4XKnROgWvAT3qZ_Q
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2017
Many societies give special importance to places where echoes are generated, and often these plac... more Many societies give special importance to places where echoes are generated, and often these places receive special treatment including the production of rock paintings in them. The identification of the exact places where echoes come from, or echolocation, is an ability only shared by a few individuals in each community. Unfortunately for archaeologists, however, their activity leaves no trace in the archaeological record. In this article we propose that the Ambisonics technique, a method developed in the field of acoustical physics, can be applied to identify the likely use of echolocation among societies for which no ethnographic information remains, such as most of those who lived in prehistoric Europe. A description of how this method has been applied in two case studies, the rock art landscapes of Baume Brune (Vaucluse, France) and Valle d’Ividoro (Puglia, Italy), is provided. In these two echoing areas only a few shelters were chosen to be painted with Schematic art, leaving around them many others undecorated. In the description of the fieldwork phase of the test, issues related to the sound source, the sound recorder, and spherical camera and how the Impulse Response (IR) measurement was made are discussed. The processed results indicate that there was a positive relationship between sound-reflecting surfaces and the location of rock art. This leads us to propose that in both areas there is a strong probability of echolocation having been employed by Neolithic people to select the shelters in which to produce rock art. The results obtained in our study also have wider implications in our understanding of how prehistoric peoples perceived the landscape in which they lived in, understood not only on the basis of tangible elements but, perhaps more importantly, because of intangible aspects such as sound and, in particular, echoes.
SUMMARY ON http://audioslides.elsevier.com/ViewerSmall.aspx?doi=10.1016/j.jas.2017.04.008&Source=0&resumeTime=0&resumeSlideIndex=25&width=800&height=639
Telecos.cat, 2018
Analizando la ac÷ustica de los paisajes de arte rupestre prehistórico
Dear colleague, You are cordially invited to participate in the session “Archaeoacoustics – Disc... more Dear colleague,
You are cordially invited to participate in the session “Archaeoacoustics – Discussing Sound in Archaeological Contexts” in the 24th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) in Barcelona, 5–8 September 2018. This session aims to serve as a platform to promote discussion on a variety of themes related to sound archaeology, archaeoacoustics and archaeomusicology (see the session abstract below).
Please submit your paper abstract by 15 February 2018 via the EAA website: https://eaa.klinkhamergroup.com/eaa2018/
General information about the conference, venue, fees and detailed guidelines can be found on: https://www.e-a-a.org/EAA2018/
Mouseion: Journal of the Classical Association of Canada, 2010
La Linde (Valencia), 2015
The results of the search conducted on Facebook based on the keyword "archaeoacoustics"... more The results of the search conducted on Facebook based on the keyword "archaeoacoustics" (as of 4 August 2020)
Fans of the Artsoundscapes Facebook page by gender and age (as of 4 August 2020) / The success of... more Fans of the Artsoundscapes Facebook page by gender and age (as of 4 August 2020) / The success of posts including images and links on the Artsoundscapes Facebook page (as of 4 August 2020)
Proceedings of the ICA congress, 2019
Mattioli, T., García Atiénzar, G., Barciela González, V. y Díaz-Andreu García, M. 2019. Escuchar ... more Mattioli, T., García Atiénzar, G., Barciela González, V. y Díaz-Andreu García, M. 2019. Escuchar con los ojos: la aplicación del GIS al estudio del campo visual y sonoro en los paisajes de arte rupestre de la montaña alicantina. En García Atiénzar, G. y Barciela González, V. (eds.), Sociedades prehistóricas y manifestaciones artísticas. Imágenes, nuevas propuestas e interpretaciones: 285-302. Alicante: Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Arqueología y Patrimonio Histórico de la Universidad de Alicante (INAPH) (Colección Petracos 2). 1. Introducción; 2. El área de estudio: el arte rupestre de la Montaña de Alicante; 3. Modelando la visibilidad y la sonoridad en el arte rupestre de Alicante; 4. Interpretando los resultados del análisis GIS; 5. Discusión: cambiando la percepción del arte rupestre de la montaña alicantina; 6. Conclusión
Journal of Anthropological Research, 2017
Time and Mind, 2017
ABSTRACT This article focuses on the augmented audibility of distant sounds that is experienced i... more ABSTRACT This article focuses on the augmented audibility of distant sounds that is experienced in some rock art sites. We propose a method developed in acoustical physics to measure this acoustic phenomenon, the Transmission Loss (TL) analysis. We have assessed the validity of the method in our study area, the Sierra de San Serván in the region of Extremadura (Spain), an area where from the hundreds of shelters only sixty five were decorated with Schematic art during prehistory. The analysis undertaken in it has provided unequivocal data that indicate that augmented audibility of distant sounds seemed to be a factor considered by the prehistoric artists for the selection of rock art shelters to paint in. This is especially made clear when a comparison between the results obtained in shelters with rock art and others in the same area without it is made. From all the sites one stands out, that of Las Palomas 2, with the best results. This site is also special for other features that no other site in the area has in terms of difficult access and high visibility.
Oxford Handbooks Online, 2017
This chapter reviews evidence for relationships between acoustics and rock art by examining the a... more This chapter reviews evidence for relationships between acoustics and rock art by examining the antiquity and nature of such relationships, then examining evidence for music depicted or engraved in rock art. This is followed by a summary of the remains of actual musical instruments found at rock art sites, including lithophones found at or close to rock art. The sonority of rock art landscapes is then assessed, first in those cases where natural elements can unleash special sonorous effects and then in places where exceptional acoustics have been selected for the creation of artworks. The authors conclude that a consideration of sound is common in the placement of rock art and that it should therefore be more routinely considered when recording rock art. The significance of sound in social relations and religious activities makes this aspect of rock art sites essential for understanding the societies that produced it.
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2017
Archaeology in the Digital Era
Abstract This article argues that the recent emphasis on quantitative methods should also include... more Abstract This article argues that the recent emphasis on quantitative methods should also include the application of rigorous science-based methodologies for the study of sound and acoustics among past communities. The benefits of including methods developed in acoustical physics have been shown with the analysis of the rock art landscape in the Canon de Santa Teresa gorge in Baja California Sur (Mexico), where the Great Mural rock art tradition was produced. Thanks to a thorough examination of a series of monaural and binaural acoustic parameters, we have been able to conclude that the artists selected the best sonic landscapes in which to create their rock art, both paintings and carvings, especially the latter. We have also been able to demonstrate that the sector of the canyon with a special concentration of two profusely painted caves, Cueva Pintada and Las Flechas, is precisely that with the most favorable acoustic conditions in the whole tested area.
EXTENDED ABSTRACT Anthropological studies and ethnohistorical sources show that most hunter-gathe... more EXTENDED ABSTRACT Anthropological studies and ethnohistorical sources show that most hunter-gatherer and early agricultural societies around the globe believe the world to be ensouled or numinous. This means that natural phenomena, including acoustic effects (echoes, for example), were perceived as being linked to supernatural agents (2) (3). Although the supernatural is everywhere, particular places in the landscape are identified as being special for transcendental communication. In prehistory, the information about these places is lost, except when they have been marked with rock paintings. In fact, rock art– when it is preserved – is situated precisely still in places where the artist chose to put it. Intriguingly, while experiencing rock art landscapes, one also occupies the same space where the artist was. This placement has particular advantages on the interpretation of rock art landscapes compared to other types of archaeological features, because the knowledge of its exact ...
Dades primaries associades a un article pendent de publicacio a la revista Heritage and Society
Oxford Journal of Archaeology
We argue here that it is possible to study dance in prehistoric societies by analysing how it was... more We argue here that it is possible to study dance in prehistoric societies by analysing how it was depicted in rock art. For this research to be effective, subjectivity must be minimised by analysing the images systematically. We adapt a series of criteria first established in Garfinkel's 'archaeology of dance' and apply them to our case study of dance representations in Spanish Levantine rock art. We conclude that only twelve scenes fit the typical parameters of dance representations. By studying this set of images, we are able to identify dances with a single individual, couples and groups. We suggest that dances took place in more than one context and followed specific cultural patterns, among which we highlight gender identity.
Quaternary International
This article argues that the recent emphasis on quantitative methods should also include the appl... more This article argues that the recent emphasis on quantitative methods should also include the application of rigorous science-based methodologies for the study of sound and acoustics among past communities. The benefits of including methods developed in acoustical physics have been shown with the analysis of the rock art landscape in the Cañón de Santa Teresa gorge in Baja California Sur (Mexico), where the Great Mural rock art tradition was produced. Thanks to a thorough examination of a series of monaural and binaural acoustic parameters, we have been able to conclude that the artists selected the best sonic landscapes in which to create their rock art, both paintings and carvings, especially the latter. We have also been able to demonstrate that the sector of the canyon with a special concentration of two profusely painted caves, Cueva Pintada and Las Flechas, is precisely that with the most favorable acoustic conditions in the whole tested area.
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America