Research Methods

Fabric research is covered in more detail in its own separate section.

1. environmental

• definition of environmental zones
• geology, sediments, erosion
• historical ecology/vegetation land-use observations
• pollen core in Frangokastello; earlier core just outside, near Kallikrati (already published)
• tree rings
• satellite images
• aerial photographs (Greek Ministry of the Environment and Land-use)
  

2. archaeological

a. fieldwork

• design of sampling programme
• confirming sites already discovered
• contour transects, line transects, kilometer squares, moseys, free excavations
• special intensive collection of large sites such as Loutro/Phoinix and Anopoli ("vacuuming")
• revisiting and recording sites
• drawing plans for sites with standing remains (Roman houses, Byzantine churches)
• site photography
  

b. post-fieldwork

• diagramming and date-diagramming
• study of finds by specialists on
• pottery
• stone tools
• bones
• coins
• drawing artefacts
• construction of databases
• finds photography
  

3. documentary

• Graeco-Roman tomb inscriptions
• Graeco-Roman texts (e.g. Theophrastus on cypress trees)
• Byzantine MSS
• Venetian reports (relazioni), drawings, and maps
• Turkish tax records
• 18th c. land sale documents
• ecclesiastical records
• foreign travellers' accounts (e.g. Randolph, quoted in EMC/CV 1989)
• novels (Patouchas, Waugh)
• songs (mantinades) and proverbs
  

4. local

• toponyms
• water sources
• agricultural practices (e.g. vines, grain)
• shepherding
• bee-keeping
• weaving
• use of lime kilns
• timing of work throughout the year
• routes (footpaths, kaldirimia = built mule tracks, car roads)
• trade and exchange (e.g. lumber from Samaria for grain from the Messara Plain to the E; pottery)