Architecture

 

When we excavate we find the remnants of houses which enable us to reconstruct what they might have looked like. Some elements we find might also give us clues about the activities taking place in certain parts of the house; for example, the presence of ovens, wells or pithoi (large storage jars).

 

Botanical and Faunal assemblages

 

Parts of the fruit, vegetables (botanical) and animals (faunal) people eat are preserved in the archaeological record.

 

Seeds and pits (macro remains), for example can be found in cesspits. Pollen and phytoliths (micro remains) can also be analysed to tell us about the plants used/consumed at a location. In the same way bones, shells, scales etc. can inform us about animals used/eaten at a location.

 

 

Isotope Analysis

 

What we eat and drink leaves traces in our bones and teeth in the form of stable isotopes. Bone recovered from archaeological sites can be analysed isotopically.

 

for information regarding diet and migration. Tooth enamel and soil surrounding or clinging to the remains may also be used in isotopic analysis. For a more detailed explanation of isotope analysis you can visit this website: www.pbs.org.

 

 

 

Artefact Assemblages

 

An assemblage is an archaeological term meaning: ‘a group of different artifacts found in association with one another’, that is, in the same context. All the artefacts put together can help us in many ways; for example to reconstruct past activities and as dating evidence.

 

 

 

Written Sources

 

The Byzantines left behind a large amount of texts. Some of them inform us about aspects of daily life. For example on what type of items were present in houses and what people were eating.

 

Religious texts inform us about the rules surrounding diet, for example, what foods were forbidden to eat. Although very insightful, it has to be remembered that these texts are not necessarily reflections of reality.