Roman rural settlements

A decade of studying the topography/archaeology/history/geography of the Surrey parish I grew up in has left me with a clutch of discoveries of local and supra-local significance, as well as a host of questions to be answered in the future by myself and any more capable researchers who might be interested in taking up the challenge. The paper (like the extended and extensive research process behind it) takes what is very much a long view to the subjects in hand. So far as the medieval period is concerned, it sets out the evidence that suggests the landscape was recast during a "long twelfth century" which saw Puttenham emerge as a manor, village and parish, but within a more complex and heterogenous local context. Further research should show the degree to which the situation within the parish matched or was at odds with that from other parishes within Surrey and beyond.

***Follow link below to view paper***

This new volume of the Amsterdam Archaeological Studies seeks to offer a fresh perspective on the integration of marginal areas in the Roman empire.  Starting from a multidimensional approach  it analyses the social dynamics that led to the development of a large villa in the relatively poor and peripheral hinterland of the Lower Rhine limes. A central role is attributed to agency and the interplay of military and urban networks and native social structures.

This project presents and analyses all of the signet rings and intaglios so far unearthed in Roman Britain to reinterpret how they were used and their role within provincial society. These small artefacts have traditionally been regarded as attractive but relatively insignificant minor objets d’art, with little relevance to the wider discourses of Romanists. This thesis attempts a more critical examination of how they were used and their role within provincial Roman society. I argue that signet rings were an essential element in provincial society that should no longer be overlooked. This project builds on the pioneering Corpus assembled by Martin Henig in the 1970s, including more recent
discoveries and more than doubling the material available to him. This combined body of evidence includes 2,012 signet rings and intaglios, making it one of the largest contextualised assemblages of these objects ever studied. It also benefits from the results of developer funded archaeology and the advent of recording by the Portable Antiquities Scheme, enabling us to create a richer and more detailed picture how they were used.

My approach has been to resituate these objects in terms of the archaeological context in which they were found, but also to consider them as functional as well as decorative objects. When
studied in this way signet rings provide a unique perspective on the identity of their wearers, and how they wanted to present themselves to others. I have found growing evidence for the use of signet rings amongst local elites before the Roman invasion of Britain, and it is clear that they had a role to play in negotiating identity after the conquest. I have also been able to identify trends in the way that different communities used signet rings, both as regards their imagery and materiality. It is also apparent that in
some parts of Britain these objects remained a feature of a type of dress and the hallmark of a society that remained alien to their inhabitants throughout the Roman period. However, for those who chose to wear them, signet rings could be more than just objects but reflections of themselves.

Analisa‑se a problemática em torno do tipo de ocupação da Quinta do Ervedal (Castelo Novo, Fundão), sítio que alguns investigadores afirmam tratar‑se de um aglomerado secundário do tipo vicus. Procuramos aprofundar esta discussão, aferindo de que forma os dados epigráficos e arqueológicos disponíveis sobre os vici no interior da província da Lusitania, obtidos através das várias investigações que têm abordado a temática do povoamento rural em época romana na Beira Interior, suportam ou não esta tese.

Im vergangenen Jahrzehnt konnten auf dem
Gebiet des römerzeitlichen Bregenz wesentliche
neue Erkenntnisse zur frühkaiserzeitlichen Siedlungsstruktur
gewonnen werden. Wenngleich seit
150 Jahren Grabungen im Siedlungsareal durchgeführt
werden1, ist der tatsächliche Kenntnisstand der
augusteisch-tiberischen Zeit lückenhaft geblieben.
Erst durch neue Grabungen und die Umsetzung einer
topografischen Neuaufnahme sämtlicher römerzeitlicher
Baustrukturen, die sich immerhin auf über
30 ha ausdehnten, lassen sich entsprechende Areale
verorten.

La intervención arqueológica realizada en el yacimiento romano de “La Mata I” (Aznalcázar, Sevilla) ha puesto al descubierto los restos de la pars rustica de una villa romana y una serie de enterramientos tardorromanos aislados.

The archaeological intervention carried out in the Roman site named “La Mata I” (Aznalcázar, Sevilla) exposes to view the remains of the pars rustica of a Roman villa and several isolated interments dating from late Roman period.

Toponimo: Camugheras -Nuraghe Funtanza Enturzu Cartografia: I.G.M. 514 I -Cuglieri Unità di Paesaggio: IIIalta collina e montagna Geologia / Pedologia: trachibasalti; suoli con roccia affiorante, poco profondi, francoargillosi, permeabili, neutri, saturi. Classi di capacità d'uso: VIII -VII Uso del suolo: incolto -pascolo Dati ambientali: vegetazione arborea costituita da esemplari di leccio di piccole e medie dimensioni, di quercia da sughero e olivastro. Arbusti di rovo e di euforbia arborea. Visibilità: nulla Situazione topografica: versante montano Altitudine: 587 m Coordinate: N 40 06 52; E 8 38 24

Ментор: др Мирослав Вујовић, ванредни професор, Универзитет у Београду, Филозофски факултет, одељење за ахеологију Чланови комисије: др Ивана Поповић, научни саветник, Археолошки институт, Београд др Јелена Цвијетић, доцент, Универзитет у Београду, Филозофски факултет, одељење за ахеологију Датум одбране: 18.12.2017.

In our study, we want to present the methodological background and the results of geophysical investigations of the Roman rural sites at Bakonya-Csucsa-dűlő, Cserdi-Horgas-dűlő and Szabadszentkirály-Gerdei-árok partja near Pécs (Baranya County, Hungary), conducted in recent years.

Contents:

Iva Mikl-Curk: Rimska mesta v SIoveniji nekaj parale arheoloških in spomeniško varstvenih paralel

Ljudmila Plesničar-Gec: Urbanistične značilnosti Emone

Branka Vikić-Belančić: Tipovi naselja u sjeverozapadnoj Hrvatskoj

Mirko Bulat: Stanje istraživanja antičkih naselja u Slavoniji

Ivana Iskra-Janošić: Prilog topografiji Cibala

Vladislav Popović: Glavne etape urbanog razvoja Sirmiuma

Olga Brukner: Rimsko naselje kod Beočina

Đuro Basler: Naselje uz metalurški pogon u dolini rijeke Japre

Ivo Bojanovski: Bosanska Posavina u antici u svjetlu novih istraživanja

RESUMEN: Se presentan los resultados de una prospección superficial pedestre realizada en la Finca Arenales, sita entre los TT.MM. de Morón de la Frontera y El Arahal (Sevilla), con motivo de la futura construcción de una planta solar, junto al anejo lote de Cásulas (El Arahal, Sevilla). PALABRAS CLAVE: prospección superficial pedestre, planta solar. ABSTRACT: The results of a surface survey performed at Arenales estate in Morón and Arahal (Seville) are presented, prior to the building of a solar plant, close to Cásulas, another solar plant to be built in the next future. KEY WORDS: surface survey, solar plant.

Countryside between Colonia Ulpia Traiana (Xanten) and Atuatuca Tungrorum (Tongeren): The Limburg Meuse Valley in the Roman Period.

Wim Hupperetz

The region of the Limburg Meuse valley (Middenlimburgse Maasdal) was during the conquest excursions of Ceasar part of the civitas of the Eburones, which was led by the kings Ambiorix and Catuvulcus. A civitas was divided into pagi (Ambivariti?) who had a fairly autonomous political and religious position. The agricultural economy of the Eburones was vulnarable to internal warfare; the creation of reinforced settlements, stock shaping and the mobilisation of valuable resources was a way to limit this vulnarability
Reinforced settlements are not known from the Limburg Meuse valley. Both the settlement pattern as the burial ritual were uniformal which suggests an egalitarian social structure.
Due to the conquest raids of Caesar the Eburonian territory was depopulated and newcomers established themselves during the reign of Augustus in the valley of Rhine and Meuse.
According to the second century situation a mayor part of the Limbug Meuse Valley was part of the territory of the Cugerni or Ciberni and the Baetasii. This region was inhabited by German newcomers but there must have been some rest groups of Eburonians living there.
Furthermore was the Limburg Meuse valley (especially the surroundings of Tongeren) inhabited by immigrants from the Southern regions (the territory of the Treveri?) who were starting villa-farms.
From Augusteian time until the beginning of the second century the civitas organisation was established, strongly directed by the central government. The introduction of the Roman civitas model probably took place in the middle of the first century.
One of the causes of the poor interaction between traders (import goods) and the domestic consumers will have been the lack of a monetary economy. Whereas soldiers (Venlo and Ophoven?) more were more Romanized and had money and contacts, currency money in the domestic settlements played a marginal role.
A thorough adaptation of the agricultural system was still not the case in the first century. Probably the internal war sheathing and the fact that large parts of the male population had to serve in the Roman army had an important impact on the domestic economy.
The administrative and economic developments called undoubtedly large capacitances within the domestic society. It is however still unclear if the Batavian revolt can be considered primarily as a consequence of these capacitances.
Although the military presence at the Rhine border was increased directly after the Batavian revolt, the province Germania Inferior got gradually a more civil character; between 83-90 this province was transformed to a formal (border) province and in 98/99 the Colonia Ulpia Traiana were founded. This city formed the administrative and economic centre of the civitas Traianensium, to which the largest part of the Limburg Meuse valley belonged. Within the rural society in this area two socio-political entities can be distinguished.
The small group of villa-owners and soldiers were the most Romanized part of the population, and can be considered as the local elite. A number of persons and families from this group will have taken part in the governing board of the civitas. The strong Romanization becomes clear - among other things - from the fact that this elite was formed by Roman citizen who fulfilled administrative functions, had Roman names, who dedicated in the local sanctuaries and depicted themselves on wall paintings such as in the villa of Maasbracht.
Furthermore a large group of the domestic population can be distinguished. This group was organized within the pagus. The close link between the inhabitants of the pagus Catualinus and a villa owner and driver of the Colonia Ulpia Traiana, indicate that the pagani in this way had possibilities to enter directly to the levels of decision-making of the civitas government. It seems that this large group was dependent on the local elite. Within this group of native rural populations - on the basis of the settlement model - an overall bipartition can be made.
The inhabitants of the vici seem to take a different place beside the inhabitants of native agrarian settlements. Because of the economic position of the vici (local market function) the Romanizing influence was stronger. The quantitative comparison of the grave finds in the Limburg Meuse valley is suggesting a difference; the average number of given pieces pottery by grave lies in the vici three times as high as in the native agrarian settlements. It is possible that these vici were controlled by a number of magistri. The native agrarian settlements stood at the basis of the settlement hierarchy within the civitas Traianensium and were characterized by agrarian production on a small scale; these settlements were probably limited incorporated in the Roman market economy. In the local cult places - which functioned at the same level as native agrarian settlements - the smaller degree of Romanization is reflected. The introduction of the villae and the vici can be considered as a direct consequence of the economic changes. The villae rusticae produced for a central market and replaced the small scale farming partly. The vici played a role as local market and show the presence of specialized craftsmen as smiths and potters. Currency money seems to have played an important role in vici, in contrast to the native agrarian settlements where it fulfilled a marginal role. In the terra sigillata trade the Rhine played an important role as a supply route. Possibly the distribution of terra sigillata was centrally organized from certain points within the civitas (head places?). The import multiplied by five in the period 115-135 AD. in the middle of the second century terra sigillata was available in most of the settlements. Distribution of ordinary earthenware (mortars, goblets from Tongeren) and tiles was organized via the Meuse and seems to be organized in contrast to the terra sigillata trade, which was organized central. As from the end of the second century a decline of habitation of the Limburg Meuse valley is visible (grave fields). The exact causes (economic/ecological causes, raids?) are unclear; the disadvantageous impact of this development does not seem have touched the villa-system substantial. The most of the villae were abandoned during the Frankish raids around 275, which also marked the end of the villa economy in the Limburg Meuse valley. At the end of the third century a period of recovery and reorganizations followed under Diocletian. The administrative reorganization caused - among other things - that the civitas Traianensium became part of the province Germania Secunda; furthermore the taxes were regularly levied and had to be paid in kind. As a result of the new defense (depth) strategy along the Meuse some settlements were reinforced (Cuijk, Maastricht, Heel?, Stokkem?). The new Frankish raids from c. 340 resulted in 351/2 the end of the Colonia Ulpia Traiana and this caused also the end of the civitas Traianensium. The Roman governing board lost control of the Rhine area more and more during the middle of the fourth century and approximately 370 the province Germania Secunda was not functioning anymore. The areas of the Batavi and the Traianenses were opened for Frankish immigrants. The nature and the function of the new settlements in the Limburg Meuse valley are unclear. At the end of the fourth and the beginning of the fifth century there is increased activity at the border areas again; in 402 the Roman troops were called back to Italy and there came an end at 450 years Roman presence in northern Gaul. Probably the Limburg Meuse valley was depopulated in 402 in the same way as it was depopulated after Caesar left in 51 BCE. It would last up to the sixth century before the occupation increased in the Limburg Meuse valley as a result of Merovingian newcomers.

Les forêts du massif des Vosges au nord du Donon cachent de nombreuses ruines de bâtiments et de structures antiques longtemps attribuées à une culture gallo-romaine dite "des sommets vosgiens". Cet article propose un regard sur cette occupation rurale du Haut-Empire qu'il ne faut plus considérer comme marginale et unique. Il s'agit surtout d'une très bonne conservation des vestiges de l'occupation rurale gallo-romaine d'un espace peu montagnard propices à l'agriculture. L'ensemble des plans relevés des parcellaires associés à de l'habitat est présenté et un point sur les activités est développé.

This paper assesses the prime results from the archaeological digs of a site classified as “quinta” (farm) – the author considers that these types of archeological sites are the most common during the Roman period in the Portuguese Beira interior. Besides its detailed analysis, with particular attention to the functional, chronological and constructive perspective, the author also evaluates some of the data from the paleo-environmental record of the region and formalizes theories about the rural organization in the North interior of Lusitania.

In the lst century AD the favourable economic and political climates of the client kingdom of Togodubnus led to the construction of a relatively large number of elaborate early villas in Sussex,  some of which (e.g. Fishbourne and Southwick) incorporated major elements of Mediterranean architecture and decoration. By the 2nd century the owners of these early villas may have faced growing competition from a large number of other rural settlements, and at certain of these farms there are increasing signs of romanization, including the building of houses which show a significant degree of the Roman style of life. During the later 3rd and 4th centuries the development of villas began to decline in certain areas, especially the coastal plain. In other areas, and to the west in Hampshire, villas continued to develop, and at Bignor the relatively humble 3rd-century winged corridor villa grew into a very large and luxurious courtyard villa. Little information is available about the nature and dating of the final phases of villa life in Sussex, but at Beddingham parts of the site may have been occupied by Saxons during either the late 4th or early 5th century.

La zona oggetto del presente studio, posta sui confine tra Liguria e Piemonte, tra i comuni di Ceva e di Ormea, in epoca preromana costitul una porzione del territorio dei Ligures Montani , occupata probabilmente dalla frazione degli Epanteri , di cui le fonti ricordano la tradizionale ostilita nei confronti della confinante popolazione degli lngauni 1 • Sottomessa dai Romani nel 180 a.C., a partire dal I sec. a. C. Ia zona compresa nei bacini idrografici dell 'alto corso del Tanaro, del Cevetta, del Mongia e dell ' Arsola fu probabilmente inglobata nel municipio di Albingaunum e i suoi abitanti iscritti alla stessa tribu Publilia 2 . Un 'emancipazione dell 'entroterra ingauno, in epoca posteriore, e il raggiungimento di uno statuto municipale autonomo, con eventualmente centro a Mombasiglio o a Sale Langhe, da dove provengono due epigrafi di magistrati, viene ammessa solo in via ipotetica 3 . In epoca carolingia, il territorio montano gia ascritto alla tribu Publilia fu inglobato quasi integralmente nel di stretto di Bredulum , subendo progressivi smembramenti tra i possedimenti monastici e le giurisdizioni ecclesiastiche delle diocesi di Alba e di Asti, per poi essere inserito nel sistema di vassallaggio alla base dell'organizzazione comitale alla quale si riferiscono le prime testimonianze scritte4.

Villa und burgus von Obermendig »Im Winkel« (Lkr. Mayen-Koblenz) im Kontext der römischen Besiedlung des Segbachtals
Im Bereich des Hauptgebäudes der villa »Im Winkel« konnten mehrere Besiedlungsphasen von der Mittellatènezeit bis hin zur Spätantike unterschieden werden. Sehr auffällig ist eine Brandschicht der Zeit um 260-270 im Hauptgebäude. Auf eine Mühlsteinproduktion vor Ort verweisen verworfene Halbfabrikate von Mühlsteinen im Keller des Hauptgebäudes und die Verbreitung von Steinbearbeitungsabfall bis dicht an den Siedlungsplatz. In der Spätantike wurde »Im Winkel« ein burgus als Getreidespeicher errichtet und sein Vorfeld für eine Nutzung als Umschlagplatz mit Drainagen trockengelegt.

Villa et burgus d’Obermendig »Im Winkel« (Lkr. Mayen-Koblenz) dans le contexte de la colonisation de la vallée de Segbach à l’époque romaine
La partie centrale de la villa »Im Winkel« a révélé plusieurs phases d’occupation depuis La Tène moyenne jusqu’à l’Antiquité tardive. Elle présente également une couche d’incendie très marquée, datée de 260/270. Des demi-produits de meules abandonnés dans la cave du bâtiment principal ainsi que des déchets de taille éparpillés jusqu’au bord de l’habitat signalent une production de meules sur place. Dans l’Antiquité tardive, un burgus fut construit à cet endroit en guise de grenier et son glacis fut asséché pour y établir un point d’échanges. (Traduction: Y. Gautier).

The provincial landscapes that compose the Empire would be polymorphic. More than just the classic model of the city / villae applied from the outside under whatever circumstance (and understood almost like a paradigm), these landscapes would incorporate an diversity of solutions, in which the grand majority were the product of their own internal dynamics and capability of iniciative of the different communities - not all of them have assimilated in equal form the conjoined values characteristics of the new order. (...) (keep reading in the attachment)

Cumplidas más de cuatro décadas desde el descubrimiento y posterior excavación de este yacimiento, localizado en el concello de Rodeiro, pese a ser una referencia obligada en cualquier estudio, continúa siendo un gran desconocido. La revisión de los materiales conservados en la actualidad nos permite proporcionar una imagen mediante la reconstrucción de los datos que hemos podido recuperar junto con los trabajos realizados a lo largo de estos años. Ampliamente inéditos, presentaremos algunos de los principales hallazgos, destacando las producciones cerámicas locales e importaciones. Asimismo, mostraremos algunas de las características más sobresalientes de las estructuras sacadas a la luz.

"Questo studio riguarda, nella prospettiva della ricostruzione dei paesaggi antichi e medievali, l’analisi di un’area della Sardegna centro – occidentale, costituita dalla zona meridionale del massiccio vulcanico del Montiferru. L’area esaminata, compresa tra i gli attuali territori comunali di Bonarcado, Narbolia, Milis e Seneghe nella provincia di Oristano, si estende su una superficie di circa 145 Km2. All’interno di questo areale sono comprese alcune limitate zone di pianura e di montagna e una prevalente porzione collinare. Le motivazioni che hanno portato alla scelta di questo territorio come base per una ricerca di Archeologia dei Paesaggi sono molteplici. Tra queste, una sostanziale omogeneità geomorfologica, l’esistenza di confini naturali in grado di circoscrivere la regione, le caratteristiche di area intermedia dal punto di vista geografico tra le aree costiere e pianeggianti del Campidano e le aree più interne e montane, le caratteristiche di zona di confine in differenti fasi storiche, l’abbondanza di risorse naturali, che hanno condizionato l’insediamento umano e le mutazioni nell’assetto insediativo. La ricerca, utilizzando gli strumenti e le diverse strategie dell’Archeologia dei Paesaggi, con un approccio sistematico e globale al territorio e alle testimonianze delle varie epoche, ha puntato ad una ricostruzione delle dinamiche insediative e delle trasformazioni dei paesaggi, in maniera diacronica, dalle prime realtà insediative alla fine del medioevo.

The present contribution, on the basis of a reconstruction of Antique and Medieval cultural landscapes, proposes the analysis of a Central-Western area of Sardinia embracing the Southern ridge of the Montiferru volcanic mountain chain. The examined region, comprise within the modern territories of Bonarcado, Milis, Narbolia and Seneghe belonging to Oristano’s Province, widens over an area of circa 145 square kilometres. The region is morphologically characterized by limited plains and mountains and prevailing hills. The reasons beyond the choice of such territories as a basis for a landscape archaeology approach are manifold. Among other things can be highlighted a substantial geo-morphological homogeneity, natural borders able to circumscribe the region together with the intrinsic characteristic of the territory as an in-between zone among the coastal and plain region of the Campidano and the mountainous internal regions. The region has also been a boundary area in different historical phases characterized by abundance of natural resources which have influenced the original human settlement and subsequent settlement dynamics. The research presented here, using instruments and strategies typical of landscape archaeology together with a systematic and holistic approach to the territory and the historical evolution has attempted to reconstruct settlement dynamics and landscape transformations, in diachronic order, from early settlement to the end of Medieval times."

Rapport d'opération de fouille préventive réalisée à Vaulx-Milieu aux lieux dits "Les Brosses" et "Les Croisettes" à proximité des marais de La Verpillère. L'essentiel des découvertes correspond à un petit établissement rural antique matérialisé par un vaste bâtiment mixte (stockage, artisanat, habitat) composé de pièces disposées autour d'une cour centrale. L'occupation s'étale entre le Ier et le IVe s. apr. J.-C. Une activité métallurgique a été mise en évidence, ainsi qu'un espace de stockage des céréales (grenier) comportant un plancher sur vide sanitaire retrouvé brûlé en place. Deux petits espaces funéraires sont associés à cette occupation. Une première nécropole située à une centaine de mètres de l'habitat comporte une vingtaine de sépultures à crémation ayant livré un mobilier riche et varié. Elle est fréquentée entre la fin du Ier s. et le IIIe s. Le second espace funéraire, plus proche de la zone d'habitat, est quant à lui dédié spécifiquement aux sépultures d'enfants en bas âge. Il a livré une vingtaine d'inhumations dont la plupart comportent une architecture de TCA (simple imbrex, coffrage, bâtière...). Ce second pôle est également contemporain de l'occupation rurale antique. Quelques indices ténus témoignent d'une occupation antérieure (fosses, trous de poteau, silo) datée de la Tène D2. Ces rares vestiges sont grandement occultés par l'occupation antique qui leur succède.
Avec les contributions de : Marie-José Ancel, Carine Cenzon-Salvayre, Benjamin Clément, Julien Collombet,  Aline Colombier-Gougouzian, Aurélie Ducreux, Laurie Flottes, Sylvain Foucras, Nicolas Garnier, Julie Gérez, Jonathan Javelle, Catherine Latour, Geoffrey Leblé, Marion Legagneux, Alexandre Polinski.

Cet article présente les résultats de prospections intensives effectuées dans la vallée de la rivière de Meimoa (Fundão, Castelo Branco). La forme d’organisation du peuplement rural romain dans le quadre du paysage est également analisée, ainsi que sa relation avec les ressources naturelles et le territoire construit.

Roma inizio una politica di penetrazione ed espansione del nord Italia gia a partire dal290-280 a.C., con la conquista dei territori posti a nord dell'Esino (Aesls), cui segui la guerra gallica del284-282 a.C.'. Una tappa fondamentale si ebbe con la fondazione de[[a colonia di diritto latino dt Ariminum (Rrmini) nel 268 a.C. e la distribuzione a migliaia di cittadini romani delle terre dell'ager Gallicus,una volta vinti i Senoni, promossa da Caio F.laminio nel 232 a.C. Questa prima fase della conquista romana si concretrzzò una cinquantina di anni dopo con la fondazione delle colonie di diritto latino di Piacenza (Placentia) e Cremona nel 218 a.C. e subi una battuta di arresto con l'arrivo di Annibale in Italia nel 218 a.C., alf inizio della II guerra punica, quando i Galli (Boi e Insubri), da poco sottomessi (225-222 a.C.), si sollevarono e si allearono con i Cartaginesi2. L'impronta eminentemente militare data a questa prima fase della conquista romana appare evidente, anche se presto si aggiunsero motivi espansionistici legati alla volontà di acquisire nuovi territori da distribuire3.

 Ovom prilikom `elim da izrazim zahvalnost dr Vujadinu Ivani{evi}u na podsticaju, trudu i nesebi~noj po-mo}i tokom izrade publikacije, dr Vesni Biki} na dragocenim sugestijama, dr Ivani Popovi} i dr Miroslavu Vujovi}u na korisnim savetima. Za moj rad zna~ajne su bile i smernice dragog profesora Aleksandra Jovanovi}a. Posebno sam zahvalna svojoj porodici na iskrenoj i postojanoj podr{ci.

The small Romano-Gallic cemetery ›Auf der Höll‹ in Kalt (Mayen-Koblenz County, Rhineland-Palatinate), excavated in 1926, gives an insight into the burial customs of the rural Maifeld population. Due to its loess deposits, this region in the southeast of the Eifel was mostlikely used as a breadbasket for the military as well as bigger civilian settlements. Eleven cremation burials, dating from the mid-first to the last third of the second century A.D., represent a local community, probably a family, of a nearby but yet still undiscovered villa rustica. The burial rites and the spectrum of grave goods correspond to those from other rural cemeteries of the Civitas Treverorum. Therefore, the opulence of the grave goods can be traced back to local Gallic burial customs. The absence of typical Roman grave goods, such as lamps, unguent
flasks and coins (except for grave no. 10) points to a group of indigenous people. However, a certain degree of Romanisation can be recognised in the two busta, the use of Roman glass, pottery and finally the decrease of grave goods in some of the mid-second century burials.
Glass vessels and rich services of tableware are signs of the group’s relative prosperity. In those times of prosperity an ending of settlement activities was unlikely. Possibly a change of the villa’s owner or tenant could have prompted the abandonment of the burial site.

Der Überblick zur Vorgeschichte und Römerzeit Westhofens (Landkreis Alzey-Worms) beinhaltet bisher unveröffentlichte Funde und Beobachtungen. Unter den wahrscheinlich jungsteinzeitlichen Lesefunden sticht – neben dem bekannten großen Jadeitbeil – eine bisher unpublizierte Kaurimuschel hervor. Ihr Vorkommen an einem neolithischen Fundplatz ist in Mitteleuropa einzigartig. Bezug genommen wird auf die jüngeren Forschungen zu dem Fragment einer attischen Schale, dessen Fundort weitab der bekannten keltischen Zentralorte ungewöhnlich erscheint. Unveröffentlichte Luftbilder, geophysikalische Messungen und klassische Begehungen geben einen Überblick über das Methodenspektrum der archäologischen Prospektion am Fallbeispiel Westhofens. Das ländliche Siedlungsbild der römischen Kaiserzeit wurde hierdurch auf lokaler Ebene deutlich verdichtet und bezüglich des 1. Jahrhunderts im südöstlichen Rheinhessen versiebenfacht. Anhand von bisher unveröffentlichten Funden kann eine Besiedlungskontinuität von vier ländlichen Siedlungsstellen Westhofens vom 1. Jahrhundert bis in die Spätantike bewiesen werden. Bisher war dies für nur zwei Villenstellen in ganz Rheinhessen bekannt, was eine intensivere Befassung mit den Funden römischer Villen aus der Region als lohnend erscheinen lässt. In Deutschland sonst selten sind Hinweise auf eine antike Amphorentöpferei und eine römische Mühle. Die beiden Kapitel der Ortschronik ersetzen keine umfassende siedlungsarchäologische Fundvorlage und -Auswertung. Es soll jedoch an einem Fallbeispiel aufgezeigt werden, dass durch eine Befassung mit dem archäologischen Kulturerbe eines Ortes umfangreiche neue Erkenntnisse zu einer Kulturlandschaft gewonnen werden, die über die lokale Ebene hinausweisen.

Studying everyday life outside urban nuclei in the territory of Serbia in the antique period is a great challenge. On formerly fertile fields located in urban peripheries, villae rusticae, the settlements that played a major role in supplying the needs of the urban population, the army, and the residents of mining areas, were established. Urbanization and industrial development have made it increasingly difficult to record and investigate material culture remains, especially within the framework of modern cities, the territory of which is considerably larger than the territory of ancient cities. The territory of modern Belgrade is no exception. The available data on Late Antique villaе rusticaе in the territory of Singidunum were collected during the rescue excavations conducted in the second half of the 20th century. Although the greatest part of the research yielded modest results, it significantly contributed to the understanding of the rural landscape and everyday life in villa rustica settlements.

In the area of Ficarolo and Gaiba (Rovigo), object since the 17th century of several occasional archaeological finds, have taken place through time different excavations (1904, 1982, 1990-2000) and a high number of surveys. In particular, between 1992 and 2000 intense archaeological excavation activities, conducted by the University of Bochum (D), has interested the Roman settlement of Chiunsano (Gaiba). From 2010 have been planned by the University of Ferrara new research in connection with updating the archaeological map of the area. Following the acquisition of new data it was possible to expand the knowledge on ancient frequentation and, more generally, on the ancient settlement of this territory. 28 sites have been identified, 26 of which have returned materials from Roman times, including both settlements (FI 2, FI 4, FI 5, FI 10, FI 11, FI 12, GA 2, GA 3, GA 4, GA 6, GA 7, GA 8, GA 9, GA 14), sometimes with the presence of tombs (FI 5, GA 4), and burials (FI 1, FI 8, FI 13, GA 1, GA 5 and probably FI 9). Also two roads are archaeologically documented (FI 7, GA 13), one of which is visible in aerial photos. Among these most attention has been given to the analysis of the archaeological material found in the sites of the area of Trento (Ficarolo) and Sanguinara (Gaiba).
The first significant data emerged concerns the chronology of the peopling. The Roman presence manifests itself in fact already during the Republican time (2nd/1st century BC), but in three sites is also documented an earlier, pre-Roman frequentation. The Roman presence becomes significant in the Augustan age and continues until the full High Middle Ages, when it is built here the Parish Church of Santa Maria in Trenta/Trentum (Trento).
The remains of material culture well document the good quality of the standard of living achieved during the Roman period and the close relationship that developed between the settlements and the road network. From here passed a secondary branch of the Po and the area was affected by the passage of a road that from Mutina (Modena) and Bononia (Bologna) led to Aquileia, mentioned in the Itinerarium Antonini. The area is fully inserted in the long-range trades again in Late Antiquity. It also indicates the presence in the territory of discharged soldiers (Roman military diplomas) and Ostrogoths.
The data shows clearly the centrality of the area gravitating around Chiunsano-Trento.