Project description
Mapping ancient Mediterranean trade networks
The Greek island of Delos stands out among other archaeological sites due to its historical significance in the study of economics during the late Hellenistic era, although much still remains to be explored about the site. In 69 BC, a fire on the island led to the destruction of thousands of papyrus documents of trade deals. However, it spared around 26 000 burnt clay seals that once sealed these documents together. These seals can be found at the Maison des Sceaux and represent a rare treasure trove in the field of ancient commerce. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DelSeaNet project uses cutting-edge network analysis methods to recreate the trade network of the ancient Mediterranean based on these seals.
Objective
The DelSeaNet project aims to analyse the social and economic networks of the Greek island of Delos, a major place in the Hellenistic Mediterranean (3rd to 1st c. BC). A very large amount of seal imprints discovered 50 years ago will open new perspectives for that when submitted to the interdisciplinary method of Social Network Analysis (SNA). Delos was reputed to be the birthplace of Apollo. Gradually, the trading port became a focal point for Mediterranean networks. After 167 BC, Delos was ruled by Athenians, but the cosmopolitan population settled in the island became majority. In 88 and 69 BC, Delos was ravaged by the king Mithridates VI and never regained its former prosperity. Today, the island is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. The so-called Maison des Sceaux is an edifice of the ancient city, built after 167. It has been destroyed by fire in 69. The enigmatic owners of this vast complex kept many papyri archives, most of which were contracts relating to large-scale trade. In 69 these archives burned, but 26000 seal imprints applied to the clay that sealed the documents baked. The complete set concerns a period of 60 years corresponding to the most active period in Delian history. However specialists of this material have focused uniquely on iconography. My intention is to adapt an innovative method of SNA, employing numerical tools and algorithms, to archaeological sources. I argue that the imprints show interpersonal networks which will help to better understand the trade networks of Mediterranean. These networks will shed light on the way in which private traders, city-states and Hellenistic kingdoms organise the Mediterranean trade networks and reflect a globalizing trend at the scale of the whole Mediterranean space and beyond. Adapting SNA to the context of classical archaeology will be benefit for the scholars, by bridging different fields of research and offering the possibility of reinvesting the method in other sources.
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- humanities history and archaeology history ancient history
- humanities history and archaeology archaeology ethnoarchaeology
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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106 80 ATHINA
Greece
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