Rocco Palermo
Researcher at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands). I completed my PhD at Università di Napoli Federico II and Université de Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.
Associate Director of the Erbil Plain Archaeological Survey (Harvard). Member of the Italian Expedition at Tell Barri (Syria) since 2004. Member of the Italian Archaeological Expedition at Jerash (Jordan) since 2010. Member of the LoNAP (Land of Nineveh archaeological Project) in Iraqi Kurdistan (University of Udine) since 2012. Member of the MAFGS (Mission Archéologique Francaise dans le Gouvernorat de Souleymanieh) since 2014, and member of the Erbil Plain Archaeological Survey (Harvard University) since 2017.
Themes of Research: Landscape Archaeology. Hellenistic and Roman Pottery. Roman Near East, Roman eastern frontier, Roman presence in Eastern Syria and Upper Mesopotamia, Seleucid empire, Parthian Kingdom, Seleucid Pottery, Arsacid Pottery, Sasanian pottery. Hellenistic and Roman Near East.
Address: Dipartimento di Civiltà e Forme del Sapere
Via dei Mille 19
56126, Pisa (Italy)
Associate Director of the Erbil Plain Archaeological Survey (Harvard). Member of the Italian Expedition at Tell Barri (Syria) since 2004. Member of the Italian Archaeological Expedition at Jerash (Jordan) since 2010. Member of the LoNAP (Land of Nineveh archaeological Project) in Iraqi Kurdistan (University of Udine) since 2012. Member of the MAFGS (Mission Archéologique Francaise dans le Gouvernorat de Souleymanieh) since 2014, and member of the Erbil Plain Archaeological Survey (Harvard University) since 2017.
Themes of Research: Landscape Archaeology. Hellenistic and Roman Pottery. Roman Near East, Roman eastern frontier, Roman presence in Eastern Syria and Upper Mesopotamia, Seleucid empire, Parthian Kingdom, Seleucid Pottery, Arsacid Pottery, Sasanian pottery. Hellenistic and Roman Near East.
Address: Dipartimento di Civiltà e Forme del Sapere
Via dei Mille 19
56126, Pisa (Italy)
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The workshop’s goal was to discuss the archaeological traces, or lack thereof, of the so-called transitional periods in the long history of Northern Mesopotamia, from the Bronze Age to the Islamic period. What emerges from the contributions, which differ in terms of chronology, spatial extent, and research subject – from single sites to long term investigation, from material culture to historical approaches –, goes beyond the traditional approach to the Dark Ages, emphasizing phenomena of resilience and evolution, rather than drastic and abrupt changes. From the expansion and contraction of settlement patterns to the spatial redefinition of urban spaces and the persistence of certain ceramic horizons through time, the authors put back the material evidence on the agenda of the archaeological research on the Dark Ages.
The book offers a unique view, although from different angles, of some of the in-between periods of Mesopotamian history: The Middle-Late Bronze transition, the so-called post-Assyrian period, the evolution of late antiquity material culture into the Islamic period. Thus, the authors aim at redefining the concept of transition in the light of new or revised data from fundamental projects in Syria, Iraq, and Iraqi Kurdistan.
Papers
Despite its preliminary nature, this report embodies a substantial overview of the ceramics surveyed, which will serve as a departure point for future inquiries and more detailed analyses of the ceramic traditions of the Upper Tigris region between the 7th mill. BC and the 7th century AD.
The workshop’s goal was to discuss the archaeological traces, or lack thereof, of the so-called transitional periods in the long history of Northern Mesopotamia, from the Bronze Age to the Islamic period. What emerges from the contributions, which differ in terms of chronology, spatial extent, and research subject – from single sites to long term investigation, from material culture to historical approaches –, goes beyond the traditional approach to the Dark Ages, emphasizing phenomena of resilience and evolution, rather than drastic and abrupt changes. From the expansion and contraction of settlement patterns to the spatial redefinition of urban spaces and the persistence of certain ceramic horizons through time, the authors put back the material evidence on the agenda of the archaeological research on the Dark Ages.
The book offers a unique view, although from different angles, of some of the in-between periods of Mesopotamian history: The Middle-Late Bronze transition, the so-called post-Assyrian period, the evolution of late antiquity material culture into the Islamic period. Thus, the authors aim at redefining the concept of transition in the light of new or revised data from fundamental projects in Syria, Iraq, and Iraqi Kurdistan.
Despite its preliminary nature, this report embodies a substantial overview of the ceramics surveyed, which will serve as a departure point for future inquiries and more detailed analyses of the ceramic traditions of the Upper Tigris region between the 7th mill. BC and the 7th century AD.
(Torino, December 1–2, 2014).
Please see the Call for papers for a workshop organised by Rocco Palermo and myself at the ICAANE next year. If you are interested in participating (we have a few spots left), please send me a title and short abstract of the talk before August 15. The talk should be 20 min.
After Mesopotamia: The Land between the two Rivers after the Assyrians and before Islam: New Perspectives, Trajectories of Research, and Modern Approaches
A workshop organised by Lidewijde de Jong (University of Groningen) and Rocco Palermo (University of Naples Federico II) at the 10th ICAANE, 25-29 April 2016, Vienna (Austria)
Abstract:
After the fall of Neo-Assyrian Empire the entire region of Mesopotamia experienced a transitional period, whose archaeological and historical record is only barely known. The coming of Alexander the Great in the area changed the political and social balance, paving the way for the transformation of the region in the next following centuries. Multiple colonies were founded in Mesopotamia, which became cultural centers and nodes in long-distance networks running from the Greek world to Central Asia. Mesopotamia, from the turn of our era onwards, formed the core of the West- East confrontation and interactions with Romans, Parthians, Sasanians. It was a region of political, economic, and cultural importance for several Empires.
Yet, the archaeology of this region is ignored. Too often it has been put aside in favour of older phases. Relatively recent investigations both in North Mesopotamia (Syria; Turkey; Iraqi Kurdistan) and in South Mesopotamia (Iraq) highlighted the importance of the later phases for the comprehension of the historical continuum in the whole area.
This workshop aims to propose new research trajectories by facing the issue of the later periods with modern approaches, by re-visiting traditional investigations, and analyzing newly discovered data. A particular focus will be given to the relationship between man and environment, the transformation of the cultural and physical landscape, and the evidence of extra-regional contacts as reflected by the material culture. Aspects of continuity and change with previous and following chronological phases will be also discussed. The workshop will be divided in two sessions: the first discusses the results of the past and recent fieldwork, whereas the second session centres on future trajectories and the question of how to put this period (back) on the research map within Ancient Near Eastern and Classical studies.
The RiFORMa Project will also largely rely on the remote-sensing analysis of the test areas (for the Start-Up Phase), integrating the possible site detection from the space with the tangible data already known. The ecological and geomorphological aspects will also play a major role in the understanding of the human dynamics in the studied regions.
Given these premises and the significant multidisciplinary approach the team will be composed by Italians and foreign scholars and researchers, which will cooperate and share information throughout the duration of the project.
A further primary objective of the RiFORMa team will include the creation of an open-source webGIS where all the collected data will be stored, the creation of specific cultural heritage maps for the protection and implementation of the cultural heritage of the analyzed areas and the final publication of the entire research.
Both large centres and rural areas were involved in these processes. Urban centres usually show traces of re-occupation after a short/long abandonment period (architectural and functional reconfiguration and spaces adaptation), whereas the same impact on the rural zones is less evident. This includes a reduction in number of settlements, the abandonment of natural resource exploitation areas and, occasionally, a different type of re-occupation (squatter installations, nomadic evidence, local impulses). Such processes possibly influenced material culture, whose reliability might be also used for the understanding of social dynamics related to the lack of power in specific areas.
The aim of the proposed session is to define a model for the understanding of abandonment through the analysis of the archaeological record. This includes the response of specific areas to imperial abandonment, the change in the human landscape and the role of material culture for the investigation of the topic. Particularly welcome will be those papers focusing on the transitional periods between a firm occupation and abandonment, the processes of abandonment causes and the post-abandonment formations and the human and social perception of a specific power hiatus. Different geographical areas might also help to have a wider perspective on the topic. The session organizers encourage papers that will cover a wide spectrum of cases from the Roman world.
To sum up the proposed trajectories of the session will be:
How local territories/communities responded to the different causes of abandonment and what kind of archaeological traces can be used to determine its impact/level
Investigating the post-abandonment evidence through the archaeological record
Perception of continuity and adaptation in the power-lacked areas (re-occupation, transformation)
Material culture reliability for the analysis of the topic
Specific topics will include:
- Settlement population estimation.
- Catchment area analysis.
- Population dynamics from regional and interregional scales.
- Multi-proxy approaches.
- Statistical methods and spatial analysis to create models and for hypothesis testing.
Landscape Archaeology is well suited to participate in the debates that surround ancient demography because, with the advantages of diachronic perspectives, it can estimate population sizes, evaluate human controls of the territory and its resources, and contribute to recognize the triggers, features and limitations of demographic growth.
An important objective of the workshop is to improve the interdisciplinary exchange among researchers working in different areas and interested in different chronological periods.
The presentation and integration of new data, collected by multiple archaeological projects currently carried out in different regions, will also contribute to improve and refine our understanding of human population trajectories on a broad geographical scale.
The organizers are pleased to invite papers for the upcoming international conference “Broadening Horizon 5: Civilizations in Contact”, which will be held in Udine (Italy) from June 5 to 8, 2017 at the Università Degli Studi di Udine.
Broadening Horizons 5 is an international congress dedicated to early-stage researchers and postgraduate students who work in a number of disciplines concerning the Ancient Near East and the Eastern Mediterranean, organized for the purpose of stimulating the presentation and discussion of new research and debate of common problems in the field, within a multidisciplinary and international framework.
The 5th edition will have as main general theme “Civilizations in Contact”. Five sessions have been selected to address papers to the investigation of this topic; for each session a keynote speaker will give an introductory paper on the subject.
1.The Neolithic – Chalcolithic transition in Upper Mesopotamia. Subsistence strategies, economy, society and identity
2.The Levant in the Bronze Age: crossroad or frontier between different cultures?
3.Imperial frontiers: the Assyrian periphery and interactions between Assyria and neighbouring kingdoms during the 1st millennium BC. .
4.The East Mediterranean during the Iron Age: the formation of the western artistic tradition as a result of contacts with the Near East
5.West vs East: from Hellenism to the Roman expansion in the Near East .
6.Marine connections: the Gulf and interactions between the Arabian peninsula, Mesopotamia, the Iranian world and beyond
Presentations offering wide-ranging and diverse perspectives on the proposed topics are particularly encouraged (i.e. landscape archaeology, material culture studies, theoretical frameworks, interdisciplinary research etc.).
Proposals for both papers and posters should be submitted via the website of the congress.
The call for papers opens on October 31 and closes on December 31, 2016. The Organizing Committee will assess the texts received with regard to their quality and pertinence to the conference themes. Accepted speakers will be notified shortly afterwards (usually within two weeks after the submission deadline)
Participation in the conference costs €50; subscriptions may be made from February 1 until April 15, 2017. After this date the conference fee increases to €80. No payment will be accepted after May 15, 2017.
Following the conference, presenters will be invited to submit their papers for review and publication in the Conference Proceedings.
More information is available on the conference website: bh5.uniud.it
We look forward to seeing you in Udine!
The Organizing Committee
Marco Iamoni (University of Udine)
Costanza Coppini (Freie Universität Berlin)
Katia Gavagnin (University of Udine)
Rocco Palermo (University of Groningen)
Francesca Simi (University of Venice / University of Tübingen)