Thea Ravasi | Newcastle University (original) (raw)
Books by Thea Ravasi
Non-Intrusive Methodologies for Large Area Urban Research brings together contributions from a co... more Non-Intrusive Methodologies for Large Area Urban Research brings together contributions from a conference held in 2021 in association with the ERC-funded ‘Rome Transformed’ research project. The papers address a major challenge in archaeology. Non-intrusive research in pursuit of a deeper understanding of urban areas can be both richly informative and cost-effective. Multiple successes in the field have led to an impressive array of innovative methodologies, methodologies that are frequently combined for still greater insight and impact. Geophysical surveys, the use of UAVs, the study of exposed historic structures and the exhaustive examination of archival records can all play a vital role, and the development of these data capture methodologies is of the utmost importance for the future of research. As well as advances in data capture methodologies, however, the papers also present case studies in the management of the big data generated and in the integration of different methodologies. A further strength of this collection lies in the range of site types considered. While many projects have historically pursued non-intrusive research in areas relatively clear of modern buildings, a growing number of research initiatives, such as ‘Rome Transformed’ are seeking to advance them in areas which remain densely occupied. Accordingly the material presented here will also be of interest to non-archaeologists working in such diverse fields as civil engineering, urban planning and physical geography.
Book Reviews by Thea Ravasi
Journal of Roman Studies, 2023
Statue collecting and displaying in ancient Rome by Thea Ravasi
The chapter brings together literary and archaeological evidence to discuss the ideas underpinnin... more The chapter brings together literary and archaeological evidence to discuss the ideas underpinning Roman collecting practices, suggesting how notions about exclusivity and exclusive access to collectables may have played a significant role in defining the way artworks were collected and displayed in public and in private settings from the 2nd century BCE to the 4th century CE. In doing so, it provides a new framework within which the collection and display of Christian relics by Late Antique emperors and religious elites can be seen and evaluated.
Destrée P., Murray P. (eds), Companion to Ancient Aesthetics, First Edition, Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World, May 2015
Sculptures played an important role as decoration of private residences in Roman times. Subjects,... more Sculptures played an important role as decoration of private residences in Roman times. Subjects, themes, styles and even dimensions changed over time not just according to the aesthetic values of the Roman patrons, but also in relation to ideas of identity and status. Hadrian’s villa offers an excellent case for the study of ancient perception and display of sculptures within their architectural context. About five hundreds sculptures are said to come from this imperial estate, but until now it has been hardly possible to reconstruct their original setting within the general layout of the villa. By looking at the way sculptures were displayed, I will focus on three major notions that informed the planning of the villa’s sculptural decoration: aesthetic values, control over people’s behaviour, and the establishment of hierarchies within the diverse range of people that attended the emperor’s palace.
Water and architecture by Thea Ravasi
Proceedings of the XVIII International Congress of Classical Archaeology. Centre and Periphery in the Classical World
The paper aims at reconstructing some of the notions underpinning the planning of niches and maso... more The paper aims at reconstructing some of the notions underpinning the planning of niches and masonry plinths in Roman imperial residences, focusing in particular on Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli (Rome). By looking at the way niches were arranged, it suggests that well-defined aesthetic criteria promoted the planning of niches in order to generate powerful correlations between sculptures, water and the architectural setting. The examination of the design of the Villa reveals that the arrangement of niches did not just reflect the emperor’s tastes and ideas, but was planned to affect and shape the way visitors moved within its spaces.
Jansen, G. Koloski-Ostrow, A.O. and Neudecker, R. (eds.), Sixty-six Toilets in the Ancient City of Rome: sanitary, urbanistic, and social agency BABESCH, 2024
Jansen, G., Koloski-Ostrow, A.O., Neudecker, R., Jansen, G. (eds.), Sixty-six Toilets in the Ancient City of Rome: sanitary, urbanistic, and social agency, 2024
Liverani, P. (ed.), Rileggere il Laterano antico. Il rilievo 3D dell’Ospedale di S. Giovanni (Rome, 29th November 2018), 2020
The paper discusses the results of the work of recording, analysis and modelling of the Roman nym... more The paper discusses the results of the work of recording, analysis and modelling of the Roman nymphaeum discovered in the underground spaces of Corsia Mazzoni, in the Ospedale di San Giovanni, in Rome. The work is an integral part of a larger project of archaeological analysis, survey and 3D modelling of the architectural structures of the Roman era still visible in the area of the Ospedale di San Giovanni and the Scuola delle Infermiere, conducted jointly by the Universities of Newcastle and Florence. The project focused on four archaeological areas: the spaces below the current Mazzoni ward, below the courtyard to the south of the Folchi ward, in the area of the so-called Horti di Domitia Lucilla in the Ospedale Nuovo and the scavi under the Scuolq delle Infermiere. After the initial data capture phase, the research is now focussing on the study and processing of the data and in the development of 3D models of some of the structures. This contribution examines a structure that has been little known and poorly documented so far, a nymphaeum published by Colini in 1944 and never properly documented. We suggest a more refined chronology and a new orientation of the structure and we present two models of the building, advancing some hypotheses on the development of its elevation and original decoration.
The Lateran Project (2012-2019) by Thea Ravasi
Papers of the British School at Rome, 2020
Papers of the British School at Rome, 2019
The Papers of the British School at Rome, 2018
The Rome Transformed project (2019-2024) by Thea Ravasi
Papers of the British School at Rome, 2024
Situating Rome within wider debates on Classical Urbanism is notoriously challenging. It cannot b... more Situating Rome within wider debates on Classical Urbanism is notoriously challenging. It cannot be ignored; the city was the point of reference for a civilization built on urban centres. Rome's resilient power to absorb, adapt and represent itself underpinned its longevity. Yet while this rightly ensures Rome has a profound significance in discussions of the Classical and Late Antique city, the pulse that sustained the urbs Roma aeterna was also very much its own. No urban centre in the Mediterranean world could match its sustained dynamism, and as Purcell (2007) observed in his discussion of the horti of peri-urban Rome, the drivers that underpinned its evolution were often particular to the circumstances of the city itself. The European Research Council-funded 'Rome Transformed' Project https://research.ncl.ac.uk/rometrans/ (grant agreement No. 835271, Haynes et al. 2020; 2021; 2022) seeks to understand better this dynamism and its implications, through detailed study of a neighbourhood on the periphery of the Late Republican city, outside Rome's pomerium, which went on to become the centre of western Christendom for a millennium. The project's focus is on the eastern Caelian, and most particularly, on the eight formative centuries that ran from the Principate of Augustus to the Pontificate of Leo III. This paper concentrates on the first four of those centuries. Before proceeding, we would argue that the word 'transformation' needs to be reclaimed. In one of the biggest debates in the study of Classical Urbanism, discussion of the 'end' of ancient cities, the term has become baggage laden. For some, notably Ward-Perkins (2005, 4) it is too neutral to apply to what befell Rome and her empire. While for others, amongst them participants in the European Science Foundation's wide ranging 'Transformation of the Roman World Project' (https://brill.com/display/serial/TRW), it seems the best term to cover a raft of
Papers of the British School at Rome
Papers of the Brisitsh School at Rome, 2022
Papers of the British School at Rome
Rome Transformed (ROMETRANS) aims to develop understanding of Rome and its place in cultural chan... more Rome Transformed (ROMETRANS) aims to develop understanding of Rome and its place in cultural change across the Mediterranean world by mapping political, military/security, and religious changes to the eastern Caelian from the first to eighth centuries. The programme brings together archaeologists, architects, earth systems engineers, geographers, historians, hydrologists, and environmental scientists to analyse both the mundane and monumental elements of the city's fabric in chronological, geographical, and ideological relationship to one another. From the late Republican/early imperial period horti through successive imperial palaces to the seat of papal governance, the area's architecture embodied changing expressions of political power. From the early military stations, through the grandeur of the barracks of the emperor's horse guards, to the building and rebuilding of the Aurelian Walls and the control of water systems, it reveals notions about the intersection of security and military power. From the shrines of the early empire to the world's first cathedral, the Lateran Basilica and through the development of the Basilica of S. Croce at the site of the Sessorian Palace, it attests successive religious regenerations. The research area and constituent study zones are shown here.
Trade and economy by Thea Ravasi
Dobreva, D., Ravasi, T. (2018), Anfore. Il ruolo di Cremona nei commerci regionali e transregiona... more Dobreva, D., Ravasi, T. (2018), Anfore. Il ruolo di Cremona nei commerci regionali e transregionali tra la fondazione della colonia e il I secolo a.C., Arslan Pitcher, L., Arslan, E.A., Blockley, P., Volonte' M. (eds.). Amoenissimis...Aedificiis. Gli scavi di Piazza Marconi a Cremona, Vol. 2, I materiali: 215-240.
Non-Intrusive Methodologies for Large Area Urban Research brings together contributions from a co... more Non-Intrusive Methodologies for Large Area Urban Research brings together contributions from a conference held in 2021 in association with the ERC-funded ‘Rome Transformed’ research project. The papers address a major challenge in archaeology. Non-intrusive research in pursuit of a deeper understanding of urban areas can be both richly informative and cost-effective. Multiple successes in the field have led to an impressive array of innovative methodologies, methodologies that are frequently combined for still greater insight and impact. Geophysical surveys, the use of UAVs, the study of exposed historic structures and the exhaustive examination of archival records can all play a vital role, and the development of these data capture methodologies is of the utmost importance for the future of research. As well as advances in data capture methodologies, however, the papers also present case studies in the management of the big data generated and in the integration of different methodologies. A further strength of this collection lies in the range of site types considered. While many projects have historically pursued non-intrusive research in areas relatively clear of modern buildings, a growing number of research initiatives, such as ‘Rome Transformed’ are seeking to advance them in areas which remain densely occupied. Accordingly the material presented here will also be of interest to non-archaeologists working in such diverse fields as civil engineering, urban planning and physical geography.
Journal of Roman Studies, 2023
The chapter brings together literary and archaeological evidence to discuss the ideas underpinnin... more The chapter brings together literary and archaeological evidence to discuss the ideas underpinning Roman collecting practices, suggesting how notions about exclusivity and exclusive access to collectables may have played a significant role in defining the way artworks were collected and displayed in public and in private settings from the 2nd century BCE to the 4th century CE. In doing so, it provides a new framework within which the collection and display of Christian relics by Late Antique emperors and religious elites can be seen and evaluated.
Destrée P., Murray P. (eds), Companion to Ancient Aesthetics, First Edition, Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World, May 2015
Sculptures played an important role as decoration of private residences in Roman times. Subjects,... more Sculptures played an important role as decoration of private residences in Roman times. Subjects, themes, styles and even dimensions changed over time not just according to the aesthetic values of the Roman patrons, but also in relation to ideas of identity and status. Hadrian’s villa offers an excellent case for the study of ancient perception and display of sculptures within their architectural context. About five hundreds sculptures are said to come from this imperial estate, but until now it has been hardly possible to reconstruct their original setting within the general layout of the villa. By looking at the way sculptures were displayed, I will focus on three major notions that informed the planning of the villa’s sculptural decoration: aesthetic values, control over people’s behaviour, and the establishment of hierarchies within the diverse range of people that attended the emperor’s palace.
Proceedings of the XVIII International Congress of Classical Archaeology. Centre and Periphery in the Classical World
The paper aims at reconstructing some of the notions underpinning the planning of niches and maso... more The paper aims at reconstructing some of the notions underpinning the planning of niches and masonry plinths in Roman imperial residences, focusing in particular on Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli (Rome). By looking at the way niches were arranged, it suggests that well-defined aesthetic criteria promoted the planning of niches in order to generate powerful correlations between sculptures, water and the architectural setting. The examination of the design of the Villa reveals that the arrangement of niches did not just reflect the emperor’s tastes and ideas, but was planned to affect and shape the way visitors moved within its spaces.
Jansen, G. Koloski-Ostrow, A.O. and Neudecker, R. (eds.), Sixty-six Toilets in the Ancient City of Rome: sanitary, urbanistic, and social agency BABESCH, 2024
Jansen, G., Koloski-Ostrow, A.O., Neudecker, R., Jansen, G. (eds.), Sixty-six Toilets in the Ancient City of Rome: sanitary, urbanistic, and social agency, 2024
Liverani, P. (ed.), Rileggere il Laterano antico. Il rilievo 3D dell’Ospedale di S. Giovanni (Rome, 29th November 2018), 2020
The paper discusses the results of the work of recording, analysis and modelling of the Roman nym... more The paper discusses the results of the work of recording, analysis and modelling of the Roman nymphaeum discovered in the underground spaces of Corsia Mazzoni, in the Ospedale di San Giovanni, in Rome. The work is an integral part of a larger project of archaeological analysis, survey and 3D modelling of the architectural structures of the Roman era still visible in the area of the Ospedale di San Giovanni and the Scuola delle Infermiere, conducted jointly by the Universities of Newcastle and Florence. The project focused on four archaeological areas: the spaces below the current Mazzoni ward, below the courtyard to the south of the Folchi ward, in the area of the so-called Horti di Domitia Lucilla in the Ospedale Nuovo and the scavi under the Scuolq delle Infermiere. After the initial data capture phase, the research is now focussing on the study and processing of the data and in the development of 3D models of some of the structures. This contribution examines a structure that has been little known and poorly documented so far, a nymphaeum published by Colini in 1944 and never properly documented. We suggest a more refined chronology and a new orientation of the structure and we present two models of the building, advancing some hypotheses on the development of its elevation and original decoration.
Papers of the British School at Rome, 2020
Papers of the British School at Rome, 2019
The Papers of the British School at Rome, 2018
Papers of the British School at Rome, 2024
Situating Rome within wider debates on Classical Urbanism is notoriously challenging. It cannot b... more Situating Rome within wider debates on Classical Urbanism is notoriously challenging. It cannot be ignored; the city was the point of reference for a civilization built on urban centres. Rome's resilient power to absorb, adapt and represent itself underpinned its longevity. Yet while this rightly ensures Rome has a profound significance in discussions of the Classical and Late Antique city, the pulse that sustained the urbs Roma aeterna was also very much its own. No urban centre in the Mediterranean world could match its sustained dynamism, and as Purcell (2007) observed in his discussion of the horti of peri-urban Rome, the drivers that underpinned its evolution were often particular to the circumstances of the city itself. The European Research Council-funded 'Rome Transformed' Project https://research.ncl.ac.uk/rometrans/ (grant agreement No. 835271, Haynes et al. 2020; 2021; 2022) seeks to understand better this dynamism and its implications, through detailed study of a neighbourhood on the periphery of the Late Republican city, outside Rome's pomerium, which went on to become the centre of western Christendom for a millennium. The project's focus is on the eastern Caelian, and most particularly, on the eight formative centuries that ran from the Principate of Augustus to the Pontificate of Leo III. This paper concentrates on the first four of those centuries. Before proceeding, we would argue that the word 'transformation' needs to be reclaimed. In one of the biggest debates in the study of Classical Urbanism, discussion of the 'end' of ancient cities, the term has become baggage laden. For some, notably Ward-Perkins (2005, 4) it is too neutral to apply to what befell Rome and her empire. While for others, amongst them participants in the European Science Foundation's wide ranging 'Transformation of the Roman World Project' (https://brill.com/display/serial/TRW), it seems the best term to cover a raft of
Papers of the British School at Rome
Papers of the Brisitsh School at Rome, 2022
Papers of the British School at Rome
Rome Transformed (ROMETRANS) aims to develop understanding of Rome and its place in cultural chan... more Rome Transformed (ROMETRANS) aims to develop understanding of Rome and its place in cultural change across the Mediterranean world by mapping political, military/security, and religious changes to the eastern Caelian from the first to eighth centuries. The programme brings together archaeologists, architects, earth systems engineers, geographers, historians, hydrologists, and environmental scientists to analyse both the mundane and monumental elements of the city's fabric in chronological, geographical, and ideological relationship to one another. From the late Republican/early imperial period horti through successive imperial palaces to the seat of papal governance, the area's architecture embodied changing expressions of political power. From the early military stations, through the grandeur of the barracks of the emperor's horse guards, to the building and rebuilding of the Aurelian Walls and the control of water systems, it reveals notions about the intersection of security and military power. From the shrines of the early empire to the world's first cathedral, the Lateran Basilica and through the development of the Basilica of S. Croce at the site of the Sessorian Palace, it attests successive religious regenerations. The research area and constituent study zones are shown here.
Dobreva, D., Ravasi, T. (2018), Anfore. Il ruolo di Cremona nei commerci regionali e transregiona... more Dobreva, D., Ravasi, T. (2018), Anfore. Il ruolo di Cremona nei commerci regionali e transregionali tra la fondazione della colonia e il I secolo a.C., Arslan Pitcher, L., Arslan, E.A., Blockley, P., Volonte' M. (eds.). Amoenissimis...Aedificiis. Gli scavi di Piazza Marconi a Cremona, Vol. 2, I materiali: 215-240.
Research project carried out by the Museum of Crema on the collection of thirteen logboats found ... more Research project carried out by the Museum of Crema on the collection of thirteen logboats found in the rivers Adda, Oglio and Po.
The paper provides a first investigation on the Roman amphorae found during the excavation of the... more The paper provides a first investigation on the Roman amphorae found during the excavation of the area of Piazza Marconi, at Cremona, Northern Italy (C2 BC-4AD)
images.archeologica.lombardia. …
The paper provides a presentation of the archaeological finds emerged during the emergency excava... more The paper provides a presentation of the archaeological finds emerged during the emergency excavation carried out in the city of Cremona in 1980.
The paper investigates the trade relationships between the Roman colony of Cremona and the Easter... more The paper investigates the trade relationships between the Roman colony of Cremona and the Eastern Mediterranean
The paper provides an attempt to evaluate the impact of Roman trade on the vicus of Bedriacum bet... more The paper provides an attempt to evaluate the impact of Roman trade on the vicus of Bedriacum between C 2BC and AD4 C.
Le collezioni archeologiche del Museo Civico di Crema offrono un ampio panorama dell'evoluzione s... more Le collezioni archeologiche del Museo Civico di Crema offrono un ampio panorama dell'evoluzione storica del territorio cremasco dal Paleolitico fino all'Età medievale. Il primo nucleo di reperti giunse in Museo pochi anni dopo la sua inaugurazione: nel 1965 fu allestita la sezione archeologica del Museo, che copriva un esteso arco cronologico, dalla Preistoria all'Altomedioevo. Il percorso espositivo, curato da Mario Mirabella Roberti, Anna Maria Tamassia (rispettivamente Soprintendente e Ispettrice dell'allora Soprintendenza alle Antichità della Lombardia) e da Vincenzo Fusco, documentava le tappe principali dell'evoluzione storico-culturale del territorio, integrando le collezioni ove necessario con reperti provenienti da contesti territoriali estranei al Cremasco. L'intento espositivo evidente di questo primo allestimento fu quello di realizzare un percorso che affrontasse tutte le tappe salienti di un'evoluzione storica "ideale" del territorio, integrando con materiali provenienti da contesti alloctoni i periodi che per ragioni ambientali e storiche o per lo stato delle ricerche non risultavano altrimenti documentati. Le collezioni di età romana esposte nel primo allestimento comprendevano reperti provenienti da ritrovamenti sporadici, privi in genere di informazioni dettagliate sul contesto di rinvenimento. Lo stato attuale delle conoscenze della documentazione archeologica del territorio cremasco in età romana si presenta fortemente lacunoso, ad eccezione dell'età tardoantica rappresentata dall'eccezionale ritrovamento della villa di Palazzo Pignano. Per questo motivo, prima di intraprendere uno studio approfondito di tipo territoriale è necessario indagare compiutamente i dati archeologici attualmente disponibili. Il Museo intende promuovere lo studio e la pubblicazione sistematica dei reperti di età romana delle proprie collezioni. Vengono qui prese in considerazione due classi di materiali particolarmente significative: i bronzi e le lucerne.
Acme: annali della Facoltà di lettere e …, Jan 1, 2003
... Il caso delle anfore di forma Richborough 527 e di un vetro del Gruppo di Linceo. Autores: Da... more ... Il caso delle anfore di forma Richborough 527 e di un vetro del Gruppo di Linceo. Autores: Daniela Benedetti, Thea Ravasi; Localización: Acme : annali della Facoltà di lettere e filosofia dell'Università degli studi di Milano, ISSN 0001-494X, Vol. 56, Nº 2, 2003 , pags. 5-50. ...
The paper provides a detailed investigation on the first occupation and building phases of the so... more The paper provides a detailed investigation on the first occupation and building phases of the so called Domus del Labirinto (C 1BC) at the Roman site of Bedriacum (Calvatone), in Northern Italy.
Conservation project carried out by the Museum of Crema and the Regional Heritage Board of Lombar... more Conservation project carried out by the Museum of Crema and the Regional Heritage Board of Lombardy. The project aimed to the restoration and display of the museum's impressive collection of logboats, dating from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages.
The paper aims to present the educational project carried out at the Museum of Crema and based on... more The paper aims to present the educational project carried out at the Museum of Crema and based on Kolbe's theories.
This colloquium aims to explore new methodological approaches to the study of Roman hydrological ... more This colloquium aims to explore new methodological approaches to the study of Roman hydrological systems. How can we study these systems most effectively across urban and extra-urban areas? How may we situate the different structural elements that facilitated water supply in their wider social, architectural and landscape contexts?
Call for paper, 2021
How can we undertake multidisciplinary research in large, archaeologically complex and intensely ... more How can we undertake multidisciplinary research in large, archaeologically complex and intensely urbanised settings in an effective way? How can we successfully manage the acquisition, processing, and integration of BIG data derived from multiple research methodologies? Finally, how can we offer the scientific community a transparent, open access and multivocal process of data discussion and interpretation on urban scale projects? Started in October 2019, the ERC-funded Rome Transformed project aims at understanding the transformation of South Eastern Rome in 1-8 centuries CE. The project develops multidisciplinary research on a scale and complexity never attempted before on ancient and early medieval Rome, bringing together data derived from the recording (3D scanning, SFM, photogrammetry) and the archaeological reassessment of historical excavations, archival research, geophysical survey (single and multi-antenna GPR, ERT) and borehole analysis, covering a surface of 69 hectares. This conference aims to review these methods and their results as part of an inter-disciplinary debate on approaches to non-intrusive methodologies, to studying and safeguarding the historic environment, to advancing research into urban development, and to blending and integrating different streams of data as part of large area projects. We welcome papers that examine innovative methodologies for large bodies of data capture, integration and dissemination in complex, large scale urban settings and that discuss projects in an advanced state or at a reasonable level of completion.
Papers of the British School at Rome, 2018
during the 2018-2019 season. Special thanks are also owing to our generous friends from Roma Sott... more during the 2018-2019 season. Special thanks are also owing to our generous friends from Roma Sotterranea led by Adriano Morabito for their assistance with access to the cisterns in SGL2.
