Showing papers in "American Journal of Archaeology in 2016"

Crisis in Context: The End of the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract: Explanations for the Late Bronze Age crisis and collapse in the eastern Mediterranean are legion: migrations, predations by external forces, political struggles within dominant polities or system collapse among them, inequalities between centers and peripheries, climatic change and natural disasters, disease/plague. There has never been any overarching explanation to account for all the changes within and beyond the eastern Mediterranean, some of which occurred at different times from the mid to late 13th throughout the 12th centuries B.C.E. The ambiguity of the evidence—material, textual, climatic, chronological—and the differing contexts involved across the central-eastern Mediterranean make it difficult to disentangle background noise from boundary conditions and to distinguish cause from effect. Can we identify the protagonists of the crisis and related events? How useful are recent explanations that focus on climate and/or chronology in providing a better understanding of the crisis? This article reviews the current state of the archaeological and historical evidence and considers the coherence of climatic explanations and overprecise chronologies in attempting to place the “crisis” in context. There is no final solution: the human-induced Late Bronze Age “collapse” presents multiple material, social, and cultural realities that demand continuing, and collaborative, archaeological, historical, and scientific attention and interpretation. This article is available as open access on (AJA Online).

Politics of Periodization and the Archaeology of Early Greece

Abstract: 239 Periodization is a fundamental exercise for archaeology and for historical studies in general, aimed primarily at clarity in communication. However, this exercise imposes particular modes of conceptualizing specific periods. An attractive case study for research in the historiographical processes that shape periodization is posed by the period of Greek archaeology extending from the end of the second to the early first millennium B.C.E. This study analyzes the different conceptual baggage of each of the many names used for this period and focuses on the terminological struggle between the Dark Age(s) and the (Early) Iron Age. Ι argue that this struggle was shaped not only by discussions within classics but also by debates in other historical disciplines and developments in the political history of 20th-century Greece. The struggle over the name of the period has served as an arena for the unfolding of broader politicized debates in classics, Greek history, and the archaeology of the Mediterranean.1

Tortoise-Shell Lyres from Phrygian Gordion

Abstract: Contrary to the prevalent assumption that stringed instruments were absent from Phrygian music, tortoise-shell lyres excavated at Gordion show that such instruments were played in Phrygia during its heyday. Since the shells—or carapaces—are early and potentially the first from outside the Greek world, their identification is based on cautious analysis of worked edges, scrape marks, and a symmetrical pattern of drill holes that reveal details of the lyres’ construction and zoomorphic aesthetic. Two well-preserved examples from an abandonment deposit in the cellar of an extramural house on Gordion’s Northeast Ridge beneath Tumulus E can be dated stratigraphically to the first quarter of the seventh century B.C.E. This context of instruments and domestic artifacts preserves string music as the accompaniment to weaving, dining, and the worship of Matar (Cybele) in a prosperous household. These lyres clarify the musical culture of Anatolia, which is otherwise heavily abstracted in Greek myths and theoretical writings. Those instruments that Phrygia was best known for, the aulos and cymbals, are also materially and pictorially attested at Gordion, but the lyres expand the Phrygian soundscape to include a largely unknown polyphony. Additional figures can be found under this article’s abstract on AJA Online.

The Columns of the Heraion at Olympia: Dörpfeld and Early Doric Architecture

Abstract: This article presents the first results of an ongoing investigation of the Temple of Hera at Olympia. Because it is traditionally believed that the temple was designed with wooden columns that were only later replaced by the stone columns now in situ, the Heraion has been widely cited as a key example for the tectonic theory of the origins of Doric architecture. However, a review of the archaeological evidence at Olympia and comparable sites, the testimony of Pausanias, and the findings from recent fieldwork demonstrate that the Heraion’s peristyle was very likely stone from the beginning. This challenge to the traditional understanding of the construction history of the Heraion has broad ramifications for our understanding of early Doric architecture.

The Basilica, Bouleuterion, and Civic Center of Ashkelon

Abstract: Five seasons of excavation (2008–2012) undertaken by the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon in the area of the forum of Roman Ashkelon (ancient Askalōn), a major seaport on the southern Levantine coast, have revealed a continuous sequence of occupation and building activity from the Hellenistic to the Crusader periods. Of primary interest are two monumental Roman phases: a first-century C.E. basilical structure that housed the city’s bouleuterion and a Severan enlargement and renovation of this building. Most of the Severan phase has been revealed, as well as substantial portions of the earlier basilica/bouleuterion phase and a monumental Hellenistic complex. This article provides an overview of these architectural phases, the evidence for their date, suggestions for reconstruction, and a conspectus of the preand post-Roman use of this area of the city. As some of the few systematically excavated examples of these building types in the southern Levant, these structures shed light on the principal monuments and the urban development of an important seaport at the height of its prosperity, and the evidence for the dismantling of the bouleuterion in late antiquity provides a glimpse into the end of Roman civic organization in an important city of the east.1

Funerary variability in late Eighth-Century B.C.E. Attica (Late Geometric II)

Abstract: Attic mortuary practices of the last three decades of the eighth century B.C.E. (Late Geometric [LG] II) are principally marked by the dominance for adults of inhumation over cremation. Nevertheless, this transformation was not universally applied at all burial sites in Attica. Instead, funerary rites present a high degree of variability unprecedented in earlier periods. The Late Geometric burial record has been considered in certain quarters to be a reflection of the changes in contemporary social structures affected by the emergence of the polis. The collection and study of all LG II funerary evidence, not only that from Athens or the well-excavated and published necropoleis of Attica, lead to several interesting observations that demand a reconsideration of the attested funerary variability and the proposed interpretations. The treatment of the deceased seems to have largely depended on their age, with all age groups represented in the organized necropoleis. Thus, the discerned horizontal dimension of the mortuary rites needs to be addressed within the framework of contemporary Attic social developments.

Abuse or Reuse? Public Space in Late Antique Emerita

Abstract: 67 Throughout late antiquity, long after the collapse of the Roman administrative system, Augusta Emerita (Merida, Spain) retained its role as a primary center for economic, political, religious, and social exchanges. However, the nature and the physical setting of many of those interactions changed significantly in this period. In particular, Emerita’s archaeological record from the fourth and fifth centuries confirms a trend away from the classical ideals that had contributed to the city’s early urban structure. This article argues that the sweeping urban changes experienced by the city are not just symptomatic of economic decline but that these changes should also be taken as important examples of the ongoing vitality of the Late Antique city center. As residents and officials encountered a new set of economic, political, religious, and social demands, they reshaped their urban environment to adapt to these new circumstances. The end result is most clearly distinguished in the remains of the late fifth-century city, but this post-Roman city has its roots in the Late Roman context of the fourth century.1

The Zoninus Collar and the Archaeology of Roman Slavery

Abstract: This article analyzes slave collars of the fourth and fifth centuries C.E. as a way of contributing to current debates about the archaeology of Roman slavery. Taking as my case study the well-preserved Zoninus collar, I first trace its history in antiquarian collecting and publishing in the mid 18th century. This scholarship was characterized by a profound split between text and object that has had lasting effects on the material we have now and how we approach it. In the second half of the article, I propose a two-part remedy: reintegrating the collars’ visual, material, and textual aspects, and exploring the very different perspectives of slave owners, audiences, and collared slaves. Approached in this way, these objects illuminate the lived experience of urban slavery; they also show how deeply slavery was woven into Roman visual, epigraphic, and material culture. These artifacts thus have implications for drawing material culture more fully into the study of slavery, and slavery more fully into the study of material culture.

Reconsidering Technological Transmission : The Introduction of the Potter’s Wheel at Ayia Irini, Kea, Greece

Abstract: This article examines processes of cultural and technological transmission by focusing on the effects of the introduction of the potter’s wheel. Since distinct production choices are tied to both micro- and macroscale processes that drive change in material culture, a study of such choices provides insight into processes of acculturation, technological transmission, and local social dynamics. The authors therefore examined macroscopically a large corpus of complete vessels from Ayia Irini, Kea, for evidence of the manufacturing technique(s) used in the production process. These locally produced pots, dating to the period spanning the Middle and Late Bronze Age in the Aegean (ca. 1900–1400 B.C.E.), when Ayia Irini acted as a hub of interregional exchange, attest to the adoption of the wheel by the local potters, presumably through contact with Cretan communities of practice who were already using this technique. Evidence for connections between local, Cretan, and Cycladic communities of practice is presented, and the reasons driving the process of innovation are considered. The results of this study confirm some established narratives about the introduction of the wheel but at the same time reveal significant differences between Aegean communities in their adoption of this new technology. A free, downloadable appendix can be found under this article’s abstract on AJA Online.

Higher-Order Settlements in Early Hellenistic Italy: A Quantitative Analysis of a New Archaeological Database

Abstract: The article presents and discusses the results, relevant to the period 350–300 B.C.E., from an interrogation of a new archaeological database containing 583 (proto)urban centers (≥2 ha) of the Italian peninsula. Quantitative and geospatial analyses of site numbers, dated fortifications, and instances of regularized town planning reveal that the Early Hellenistic period was the most dynamic period of peninsular settlement growth in classical antiquity. Analyzing settlement patterns at the peninsular level counterbalances the strong regionalism of existing studies. Although there is already awareness of the processes described, here they are defined at the peninsular level for the first time, quantitatively and geographically, thus providing a reference for future research. This article also considers the challenges presented by the stark variances in the sources, quality, and quantity of data relevant to the archaeological sites. The project’s research design and methodology is described. A preliminary discussion on the causes of this settlement growth assesses existing regional explanations. Known contemporary supraregional processes are also discussed, including the rise in the number of rural sites and the Roman conquest. It is suggested that the vibrancy of major settlements might be linked with novel agricultural strategies or systems of landholding, and possible directions for future research are proposed.

The Place of Sustainability in Architectural Education: Discussion and Suggestions

Abstract: Architecture is a unique discipline that facilitates spatial solutions for human needs and has a fundamental responsibility to ensure a sustainable built environment. Signified as a combination of technology and design, architecture is strongly related to diverse disciplines such as sociology, psychology and physics. Furthermore, the contextual political and economic conditions are influential on architectural practice. Within this multi-faceted nature, it is necessary to recognize architecture as a combination of creativity, scientific knowledge and technological innovation. Essentially a contested concept with a multitude of approaches and sustainability is considered vital for architecture discipline. Nonetheless it is either underestimated or dominates design approaches with technological superiority. Similarly, teaching sustainability in architectural education is by agreement defined essential; however, the majority of curricula are inefficient in integrating sustainability with a comprehensive approach. However, in order to envision a sustainable built environment, the architecture curriculum has to cover a basic understanding of the link between sustainability, technology and design. Therefore, built upon the arguments in literature, this theoretical paper discusses the means to underpin concepts of sustainability within a responsive architecture curriculum. In a constantly evolving architectural practice, the need for a mind-shift for educators, students and professionals regarding sustainability approaches is an essential constituent to provide holistic design approaches. In order to achieve such progress, revisions in the architecture curricula that establish a balanced comprehension between creativity and integration of sustainability approaches are of utmost importance.

The Rise and Fall of the Transport Stirrup Jar in the Late Bronze Age Aegean

Abstract: It is generally accepted that Cretan transport stirrup jars were the preferred bulk liquid transport container of the Late Bronze Age Aegean, but the reasons behind their invention, relatively rapid dissemination and widespread use, and sudden disappearance are not well understood. To explain the rise and fall of the transport stirrup jar, this article offers a quantitative comparison of the distribution and production of Cretan transport stirrup jars in relation to the amphora, the other major transport container on the island, from the Middle Minoan II to the Late Minoan (LM) IIIC period. Based on these data, it seems that the mode of production and distribution patterns remained relatively consistent for amphoras, but production of the transport stirrup jar fluctuated greatly, rapidly reaching an apex during the LM IIIB period. In the LM IIIC period, however, the production and distribution patterns of both shapes changed, and the amphora was reestablished as the dominant transport container. I suggest that the comparatively short lifespan of the transport stirrup jar may be due to political intervention in the LM IIIA2–B periods. This article therefore contributes to our understanding of the sociopolitical underpinnings of changes in broad ceramic trends visible in the archaeological record.

Evidence for Two Planned Greek Settlements in the Peloponnese from Satellite Remote Sensing

Abstract: Satellite remote sensing at Mantinea and Elis in the Peloponnese has identified an extensive network of near-surface orthogonal streets and sections of city blocks. This new and valuable information reveals the general organization of urban space and its parameters, showing that Mantinea and Elis were planned settlements at some point in time. In presenting the evidence for buried archaeological features, the report describes the wider urban layout of each city and outlines a partial reconstruction of an orthogonal network of streets. As Peloponnesian settlements, Mantinea and Elis are considered more broadly within the traditions of Greek town planning. In particular, the report highlights the evidence for planned settlements in the Peloponnese and in doing so challenges the misconception that the region was disinclined to adopt trends in Greek town planning. Finally, an argument is made for the wider integration of satellite remote sensing applications in archaeological fieldwork projects throughout Greece, where until now they were generally lacking. Additional figures can be found under this article’s abstract on AJA Online.

Drawing the Line: Seals, Script, and Regionalism in Protopalatial Crete

Abstract: 159 A boundary between eastern and central Crete has been proposed for the Protopalatial period on the basis of the distribution of various types of material culture, most notably pottery. The distribution of Protopalatial seal groups, the production of which can be localized to specific regions on the island, is here added to this discussion. Malia and eastern Crete show a preference for prismatic seals with hieroglyphs and pictographic images, whereas central Crete produces mainly seals of other shapes with round seal faces and ornamental motifs. Evidence from seals is discussed in conjunction with evidence for the earliest attestations of script in Crete. From this perspective, a hypothesis is here suggested that, in contrast to what was previously thought, in Middle Minoan I/ II Cretan Hieroglyphic was “at home” in Malia and the eastern part of the island, while Linear A was native in southern and possibly north-central Crete. In this context, the Hieroglyphic Deposit of Knossos is seen as intrusive in north-central Crete. This article explains the presence of Hieroglyphic documents at Knossos on the basis of theories that view the Minoan palaces as ritual centers potentially open to corporate groups from various regions on the island.1

The Nike of Samothrace: Another View

Abstract: The recent conservation and reinstallation of the Nike of Samothrace, the restudy of its archaeological context and petrology, the collapse of the consensus that it celebrated the Rhodian naval victories at Side and Myonessos in 190 B.C.E., and the growing accord among naval historians that its ship is not a trihēmiolia together prompt a reexamination of its date and purpose. Fortunately, the monument offers three significant clues, all previously overlooked or underappreciated. First, why was it dedicated on the remote island of Samothrace, and not, for example, on independent Delos? Second, although ancient galleys could not fight in gales and never did, why is it battling one? And third, why is its ship made of imported Rhodian marble and probably a quadrireme, a vessel superseded elsewhere by the quinquereme but still favored by the Rhodians? The Great Gods’ rescue of pious initiates from storms at sea and second-century B.C.E. naval history point to one occasion in particular: Prousias II of Bithynia’s abortive invasion of Pergamon in 155, his impious assaults on the sanctuaries en route, his fleet’s sudden destruction by a storm, and the Rhodian contribution of five quadriremes to Attalos II’s successful naval counteroffensive in 154. Additional figures can be found under this article’s abstract on AJA Online.

Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Service User Perspective on Ageing Transition(S)

Abstract: The health, social, educational aspects as well as the research in treatment and diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have largely focused on the younger population. In contrast, very little is known about ageing with ASD. In order to address both the current knowledge about the ageing in ASD and the real needs of the ageing ASD subjects, we conducted a survey of 45 individuals who were either formal or informal carers of people with ASD or themselves had the diagnosis. Participants identified long-term management, diagnosis and awareness regarding ageing in ASD to be major topics for further work and investment rather than aetiology and treatment. They also identified two major themes for action: person-centred care (to include accurate diagnosis of ASD irrespective of age) and long-term support and care in community.

The Sanctuary of Artemis at Sardis: Preliminary Report, 2002–2012

Abstract: Excavations in the Sanctuary of Artemis between 2002 and 2012 clarified problems of chronology and reconstruction. Evidence for occupation of this area in the Lydian period was ambiguous: pottery suggests that there was activity here, but no deposits were found. Surviving monuments from the Persian period include a calcareous tufa altar (LA 1) and a roughly square sandstone “basis.” In the Hellenistic period, a new temple was laid out with the sandstone basis in the center of its cella, while the tufa structure was incorporated within a larger altar. The Hellenistic builders thus constructed the largest temple possible between these earlier monuments, but they brought its west front so close to the altar that a normal colonnade on the front would not have been possible. In the Roman period, the temple was divided into two back-to-back cellas, and work on the exterior colonnade began on the new east front. Ceramic evidence indicates that the foundations were laid in the mid first century C.E. During this phase, the Hellenistic columns in antis still stood in situ, but the interior columns were removed, perhaps to accommodate colossal statues of the imperial family. The columns in antis were removed in late antiquity, during a major transformation of the building. This article is available as open access on AJA Online.

Exploring Aredhiou: New Light on the Rural Communities of the Cypriot Hinterland during the Late Bronze Age

Abstract: This paper explores social practices and the material world at Aredhiou Vouppes, a Late Bronze Age rural community in the Cypriot hinterland. In-depth analysis of the excavation results demonstrates that this site was more complex than current typologies of inland production centres, based mainly on survey data, would suggest. Instead it was multi-functional and played an important economic role within the wider Cypriot landscape. This paper explores the evidence for initial occupation at Aredhiou during MC III-LC I, but the main focus is on the substantial LC IIC remains. Through a detailed contextual analysis, and the identification of a multiplicity of activities practiced at the site, it examines social practice, gender relations and ritual performance within a small farming community.

The Fate of Temples in Noricum and Pannonia

Abstract: The abandonment and destruction of temples in late antiquity has become the subject of widespread discussion in recent years. However, the provinces of the Danubian frontier have been left largely understudied in this respect. This article seeks to add new data and observations to this debate by determining several points regarding the temples of Noricum and Pannonia, including when a decline in their construction becomes evident, how sources of temple benefaction alter over time, and how these changes relate to building work undertaken across the civic sphere. It also looks at the abandonment of temples, focusing particularly on when they became common sources of spolia for other building projects, what evidence there is for the violent closure of temples, and who might have been responsible for this. I argue that there is an evident decline in the construction and restoration of temples from the early third century onward, while temple building materials became increasingly used as spolia from the Tetrarchic period onward. I also show that the violent destruction of temples in the fourth century was uncommon, and, in instances where it did occur, the identity of the perpetrators is open to interpretation.

The Arch of Augustus at Pisidian Antioch: Reconstructing Archaeological Context Through Digital Analysis of an Excavation Archive

Abstract: This article presents for the first time a complete discussion of the archaeological basis for the architectural form of the Arch of Augustus at Pisidian Antioch as excavated, recorded, and graphically restored by a University of Michigan team in 1924. A three-dimensional digital model of the excavated state of the monument, produced via analysis of archival photographs, supplements the discussion of the excavation archive. The results confirm that the overall form was a triple-bayed arch with four engaged Corinthian columns flanking the passageways, and that the arch stood atop a monumental stairway punctuated by four projecting pedestals and four small fountains. The blocks with sockets for the attachment of the dedicatory inscription are published, and alterations to the restored decorative program, including the addition of a combined representation of the clipeus virtutis and corona civica flanked by winged Tritons, are presented. Uncertain features, such as the articulation of the rear facade and the possible presence of a transverse passageway, are discussed. Finally, a review of evidence concerning the inscribed Res Gestae Divi Augusti shows that the inscription is likely to have been located not on the arch itself but rather on some nearby wall or monument. Additional figures can be found under this article’s abstract on AJA Online.

The Value of Sharing: Seal Use, Food Politics, and the Negotiation of Labor in Early Bronze II Mainland Greece

Abstract: Although the importance of seal use on the Greek mainland during the Early Bronze Age has long been recognized, its significance still remains difficult to grasp. The pervasive priority given to the analysis of social complexity has meant that seal use is addressed as part of an early administrative apparatus employed to control the distribution of goods. The failure of the material to meet the expectations raised by this interpretation is often ignored and has yet to spur a reconsideration of the theoretical grounds on which analysis of seal use was built. Highlighting that such difficulties are the result of particular demands placed on this material, demands that are shaped, in turn, by untested assumptions about the function of the sealings, this article proposes the significance of seal use as a value-producing and transformative material practice. In this framework, it brings forward and discusses the employment of Early Bronze Age II (Early Helladic II) sealings in the organization of food practices as sustaining the circulation of agricultural labor. This reorientation is consonant with a more general shift from seeking to identify predetermined social formations with their concomitant modes of material management to placing strategies of goods reallocation within a continuous, and significantly open-ended, process of social association.

Ontology, World Archaeology, and the Recent Past

Abstract: Five years ago, Harrison argued that the modernist trope of archaeology-asexcavation no longer served the discipline well.1 Instead, Harrison suggested that we invest in the trope of archaeology-as-surface-survey. Excavation presents archaeological practice as peeling back superimposed layers to reveal their hidden origins. The risk of this search for origins is that it occludes, or at least marginalizes, contributions to an unrealized present as well as opportunities to recognize the past still present, visible, and active in our world. For Harrison, the archaeology of the contemporary world offers a challenge

Peace by Piece: (Re) imagining Division in Belfast’s Contested Spaces through Memory

Abstract: This paper investigates processes and actions of diversifying memories of division in Northern Ireland’s political conflict known as the Troubles. Societal division is manifested in its built fabric and territories that have been adopted by predominant discourses of a fragmented society in Belfast; the unionist east and the nationalist west. The aim of the paper is to explore current approaches in planning contested spaces that have changed over time, leading to success in many cases. The argument is that divided cities, like Belfast, feature spatial images and memories of division that range from physical, clear-cut segregation to manifested actions of violence and have become influential representations in the community’s associative memory. While promoting notions of ‘re-imaging’ by current councils demonstrates a total erasure of the Troubles through cleansing its local collective memory, there yet remains an attempt to communicate a different tale of the city’s socio-economic past, to elaborate its supremacy for shaping future lived memories. Yet, planning Belfast’s contested areas is still suffering from a poor understanding of the context and its complexity against overambitious visions.

Archaeology in Jordan, 2014 and 2015 Seasons

Abstract: The 2016 edition of the “Archaeology in Jordan” newsletter presents short reports on selected archaeological projects conducted during 2014 and 2015 in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Reports are generally organized geographically, starting with the eastern panhandle and then moving from north to south. In all, 43 projects are presented, and, where possible, footnotes and bibliographic references have been included to provide clarity and additional context; please contact the authors directly for more information. The authors’ email addresses as well as a list of works cited can be found at the end of the report. Additional figures can be found under this article’s abstract on AJA Online.

Kinetic Architecture and Foldable Surface

Abstract: In the recent decades, the flexibility of the modern human requirements and the growing need for economic sustainability have increased the interest in architecture with changeable configuration. In this sense, there are many examples defined as interactive or responsive architectures, in which the configuration can adapt to users' requirement or climate changes. In particular, a series of activities, from humanitarian or environmental emergencies to social and cultural events, require lightweight, easily transportable and transformable objects. An answer to these requirements can be provided by the use of a type of mechanism that is defined as “folding”. The University of Catania has formed a multidisciplinary research group addressed to develop a project called KREO (Kinetic Responsive Envelope by Origami). The goal is to realize a pre-folded reusable envelope, in composite material. In the present article the first results are shown, related to the analysis of the state of the art, the base material and the possible applications.

In Search of Fundamentals of Thai Architectural Identity: A Reflection of Contemporary Transformation

Abstract: The long historical development of Thai Architecture has revealed inherent fundamentals of architectural identity that reflect enduring Thai wisdom. Upon closer scrutiny of contemporary architecture, fundamental Thai characteristics persist in the present-day context, and unveil the inherent approach to Thai architectural identity development. The objectives of this research focus on: 1) reviewing theories, concepts and guidelines in the development of modern Thai architectural identity; 2) making architectural surveys in various regions of Thailand, especially prominent works relevant to modern Thai identity transformation; 3) identifying the concepts, inspirations and directives of creation held by architects and academics. Twenty specified architects and academics were interviewed and the outputs were analyzed through content analyses based on the research conceptual framework. Through integrated analyses of these studies, five major categories of fundamentals were revealed. The abstract qualities reflect the enduring Thai spirit nurtured through conditions of tropical climate and Thai wisdom. The non-abstract characteristics are mainly the outcomes of localism for both traditional and contemporary architecture such as the use of local materials and the applications of formal pattern. Among the various dimensions of aesthetics, the two dominant characteristics are the use of curvilinear lines, such as the graceful catenary curve, and refined ornamentation. Symbolism through the application of iconic images is apparent in both traditional and contemporary architecture in design elements such as the high-pitched gable roof and lotus-shaped motifs. Symbolism derives from the prevalent belief system in reincarnation and the cosmological model. Thainess encompasses the spirit-driven formal and popular development, and the joyful nature of the Thais regarding the formal multiplicity and colorful manifestation. More research should be focused on the meaningful symbolic intervention rather than the iconic applications of conventional images and elements. Finally, the confirmed fundamentals would be the basis for creating a distinctive Thai architectural identity in the more globalized future.

Between Permeability and Isolation: A Comparative Urban Life Study of Inner- City Railway Stations and their Node Precincts in China

Abstract: Conventional railway station precincts in Chinese cities have a reputation of being chaotic, dirty, crowded, and even unsafe. This negative image prevents them from integrating into the surrounding urban fabric. Past decades have witnessed a large scale redevelopment of rail infrastructure across China, new relationships between the station and city have been shaped through this period. This paper studies this phenomenon as part of a research that investigates the planning and design practices of the emerging new towns oriented at high-speed rail (HSR) in China. Data collected from 30 surveyed inner-city stations is analyzed to support this study. The author starts with building the scenarios of the existing relationships between inner-city railway stations and their node precincts, through defining and categorizing the concept of SIDA (station and influenced development area). Selected cases, including Xi’an and Beijing South Stations, are then studied to disclose the quality of station-city integration in different SIDA scenarios through the analysis of urban life permeability. The conclusion points out that the integration in studied SIDAs is generally weak. The emerging HSR stations and new towns around them should consider re-inventing permeable lives between both precincts.

The Joseph Lemaire Sanatorium in Belgium: A Forgotten Modern Masterpiece

Abstract: The Joseph Lemaire Sanatorium, completed in 1937 in Belgium, is one of the masterpieces of sanatorium typology, which spread from the end of the 18th Century to the 1930s, when they were characterized by the principles of the International Style. Lemaire Sanatorium was designed by Maxime Brunfaut with a main hospital building, a wing for general services and superposed leisure rooms. The Modernity of this work is traceable certainly in the composition and in the constructive technology of the complex, with a capable use of modern materials. Brunfaut’s formal language is strongly modern also thanks to the distinction amongst functions, services, spaces dedicated to clinic duties, to the leisure and to administrative functions. Great importance is also given to the technical features, either under the principles of Hygienism either to the Functionalism of the Modern Movement. Unfortunately at the end of the 1980s it was dismissed, so the building was exposed to degradation and vandalism that transformed this site into a devastated ruin with serious problems affecting fixtures, inner spaces and loaded parts. Despite its inscription as a historical and architectural monument in 1993, only in 2011 the Flemish Minister of Cultural Heritage started its restoration, which is still far from being concluded.

Graphic and Explicit; Photography, punctum and Architectural Appearance

Abstract: Observing a century of relations between architecture and photography in the use of graphic, drawing and photographic practices, this paper follows some conceptual transactions between the two disciplines. Primarily, there is an essential difference however; in a given situation, photographers will seek to capture what is, whereas architects often work to formulate what can be. Over time, there has been a convergence of thinking and practice between the two disciplines, notably on the part of architects such as Neil Denari whose thinking reflects certain practices of photographers like Andreas Gursky and Jeff Wall. In examining these occurrences, it is relevant to note Roland Barthes' critical insight of the binary pair he called the studium and punctum to visualize a cohesive overall background coupled with a specific element occurring in photography, and by inference, in architecture, especially at the conceptual and representational moment.