Faculty of Humanities
R.A.E. Kok
drs. R.A.E. (Raphaëlle-Anne) Kok
Capaciteitsgroep Archeologie University of Amsterdam


Turfdraagsterpad 9
1012 XT Amsterdam
Room: 2.05

http://home.medewerker.uva.nl/r.a.e.kok/
Email



Home

PhD-thesis

Collective Identities and Socio-Cultural Dynamics in a Frontier Zone – the Necropolis of Melfi-Pisciolo (Basilicata, Southern Italy)

My research aims to reconstruct the social organisation of the pre-Roman society in the Melfese (Basilicata, Southern Italy). Due to its geographical position between the eastern Adriatic and the western Tyrrhenian coasts as well as between the north and the Ionic coast, the Melfese was an important crossway of different (material) cultures, which is reflected in the archaeological record.

The social organisation of a society is based on collective identities that can among others be determined by class, gender and age. The context that is very well suited for the analysis of collective identities is the necropolis. Some of these identities can be recognised by a synchronic analysis of the data of the burial contexts. Nevertheless, they have to be considered also in a diachronic perspective that permits us toperceive changes in time, which could be defined as socio-cultural dynamics.

The necropolis of Melfi-Pisciolo, (mostly unpublished) will be used as a case study as it presents an extensive collection of data with an exceptional continuity from the 6 th until the 4 th century BC. Moreover, it offers the possibility to gather information about the relatively unknown 5 th century that traditionally is considered as a period of crisis in Southern Italy. The results of the case study and comparative research with surrounding, culturally different sites, will be used to gain insight into the way socio-cultural dynamics have been ‘expressed’ and whether the frontier-position of the site has influenced this expression.

 

CV

Publications

2011 ‘Un nucleo di tombe della necropoli di Melfi-Pisciolo. Riflessioni sulla rappresentazione dell’identità nello spazio funerario’, in: Lo Spazio della Memoria - Necropoli e rituali funerari nella Magna Grecia indigena, Siris 10, 2009, Bari, 65-80.  

2010 ‘Muro Tenente. La cinta muraria interna’ in G.J. Burgers, C. Napolitano (a cura di), L'insediamento messapico di Muro Tenente. Scavi e ricerche 1998-2009, Oria.

2009 ‘Una piccola comunità sepolta sulla collina di Melfi-Pisciolo: considerazioni preliminari’, in FOLD&R 133, 1-16, www.fastionline.org/docs/FOLDER-it-2009-133.pdf.

2009 ‘L’identità nello spazio funerario: un nucleo della necropoli di Melfi-Pisciolo,Zona A’ , in AIACNews Anno 5, n. 1-2 2009, 11-12.

2009 ‘Collectieve identiteiten in het grafritueel: de case-study van Melfi Pisciolo’, in TMA 42, jaargang 21, 9-18.  

2011, forthcoming ‘ Le tombe di San Pancrazio Salentino (BR)’

 

 

Presentations/Lectures

 

  • 13 January 2012 - Lecture 'Collectieve identiteiten in het grafritueel - de casus van Melfi-Pisciolo, Basilicata, Zuid-Italië', Triilthon Symposium 2012, Universiteit van Amsterdam.
  • 11 December 2009 - Lecture ‘ Un nucleo di tombe della necropoli di Melfi-Pisciolo. Riflessioni sulla rappresentazione dell’identità nello spazio funerario’. Tavola Rotonda ‘Lo spazio della memoria. Necropoli e rituali funerari nella Magna Grecia indigena ’, at Matera (MT), Basilicata, Southern Italy.

  • 30 July 2009 - Lecture ‘ Risultati preliminari della campagna di scavo a Muro Tenente. La cinta muraria interna’, Museo archeologico Granafei, Castello, Mesagne .

  • 17 November 2008 - Lecture ‘ L’identità nello spazio funerario: un nucleo di tombe della necropoli di Melfi Pisciolo, Pontificio Istituto di archeologia Cristiana, Rome .

  • 23 September 2008 - Poster presentation ‘ Un nucleo della necropoli di Melfi Pisciolo’ during the session ‘Death and Religion in Classical Antiquity’ in the American Academy of Rome , during the XVII International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Meetings between Cultures in the Ancient Mediterranean,Rome 22-26September 2008

 

 

Research supported by

May-July 2008 - Grant by the Gerda Henkel Stiftung, procuring financial and material support at theDeutsches Archäologisches Institut Rom , for the publication of a part of the necropolis of Melfi-Pisciolo.

2006 - (Study) grant of the Reiman-de Bas Fonds (Cultuurfonds)

February - April 2005 - (Study) grant and stay at the Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut Rome

 

 

Archaeological working experience

  • Porticus Aemilia, Rome (Testaccio), Italy

Responsible for the Dutch section of the excavation of the Roman commercial structure and for the didactics of the students, in collaboration with the Soprintendenza Speciali per i Beni Archeologici and the Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut Rome, scientific direction Dr. R. Sebastiani & Dr. G.-J. Burgers. Period: September 2011.

  • Muro Tenente, Mesagne (Puglia), Italy

Responsible for the excavation of a Messapian/Hellenistic settlement and for the didactics of the students for the Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut in Rome (in 2008, 2009 and 2010). Scientific direction: Dr. G.J. Burgers. Period: July 2010, July 2009, July 2008, in July-August 2001 and June-July 2000 as a student.

  • Campo Testaccio, Rome, Italy

Excavation in collaboration with the Soprintendenza Speciali peri BeniArcheologiciand the Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut Rome, scientific direction Dr. R.. Sebastiani. Period: June 2010.

  • San Pancrazio Salentino (Puglia), Italy

Excavation of a Messapian/Hellenistic settlement and collaboration for the realization of an archaeological park, as a senior archaeologist in 2009, junior archaeologist in 2007). In collaboration with the Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut Rome, scientific direction Dr. G.J. Burgers, for Giardini & Paesaggi s.r.l., Napoli . Period: May-June 2009, August – November 2009; May-June 2007 for Conti s.r.l., Rome.      

  • Ascoli Satriano (FG, Puglia), Italy

Realization of an archaeological map for the communal territory of Ascoli Satriano , for Nostoi srl. Period: November-December 2008.

  • Canosa (BA, Puglia), Italy

Surveillance of building activities for the maintenance of the aqueduct in Canosa, for Nostoi srl. Period: October 2008.

  • Rignano Garganico (FG, Puglia), Italy

Preventive survey with report as a preparation for the realization of an eolic park in the territory of Rignano Garganico , for Nostoi srl.

Period: September-October 2008.

  • Orta Nova (FG, Puglia), Italy

Preventive survey with report as a preparation for building activities around Orta Nova, for Nostoi srl. Period: August-September 2008.

  • Tell Mishrifeh (Qatna), Syria

Bronze Age and Iron Age excavation with the University of Udine , scientific direction: Prof. D. Morandi-Bonacossi. Period: August-October 2007, August-October 2006.

  • Pantelleria (Sicily), Italy

Excavation of a Punic-Roman settlement, with the Scuola di Specializzazione in Archeologia, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Matera , scientific direction: Prof. M. Osanna . Period: July-August 2007.

  • Laterza - Matera (Basilicata), Italy

Preventive survey between Laterza andMatera , as a preparation for the realisation of a gas conduct, in collaboration with the Soprintendenza ofBasilicata, dir. Dott. A. De Siena, for the Fondazione Lerici, Rome . Period: January 2007, May 2006.

  • Pompei (Campania), Italy

Excavation at the temple of Venus , with the Scuola di Specializzazione in Archeologia, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Matera , scientific direction: Prof. E. Curti . Responsible for a pit in 2006. Period: June-July 2006, May-June 2005.       

  • Taureana (Palmi , Calabria), Italy

Excavation of an indigenous/Roman settlement, with the Scuola di Specializzazione in Archeologia, l’Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Matera , scientific direction: Prof. M. Osanna. Responsable for a part of the excavation in 2005 . Period: July 2005, July 2004, July 2003.

  • Ciminna (Sicily), Italy

Excavation ofan indigenous sanctuary, with Scuola di Specializzazione in Archeologia, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Matera , scientific direction: Prof. E. Curti. Period: August-September 2004.

  • Torre di Satriano (Basilicata), Italy

Excavation of a sanctuary with the Scuola di Specializzazione in Archeologia, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Matera , scientific direction: Prof. M. Osanna. Period: October 2003, July 2002.

  • Ostuni (Puglia), Italy

Survey, with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam,scientific direction: Dr. G.J. Burgers. Period: August 2000.

  • Lieshout, NL

Excavating trenches with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, scientific direction: Prof. N. Roymans. Period: July 1999.