EthWAL · Ethnoarchaeology of Western Alpine upland Landscapes: Italian and French case studies

Ethnoarchaeology of Western Alpine upland Landscapes: Italian and French case studies

The EthWAL project aimed at understanding how alpine communities shaped their seasonal upland landscapes. This project integrated ethnoarchaeological and ethno-historical approaches, landscape archaeology, spatial analysis and archaeological science, in order to provide a reliable and complete framework for the interpretation of human-environment interaction in the western Alps. Two study areas were considered: the Vallée de Freissinières (Dept. des Hautes-Alpes, France) and the Val Maudagna (Cuneo province, Italy). The EthWAL project was developed around three main objectives: 1) Developing an ethnoarchaeological comprehension of upland exploitation strategies in order to enable the interpretation of archaeological mountain landscapes 2) Developing an anthropological comprehension of upland seasonal landscapes in order to protect the structures in the studied areas and curate traditional seasonal rural activities 3) Creating a GIS based ethnoarchaeological model that could be tested and applied to different case studies, both for anthropological and archaeological purposes. Work carried out: With the EthWAL project the fellow (F. Carrer) had high quality training in different techniques at the University of York, including lipid analysis, photogrammetry, soil analysis, X-ray fluorescence. The fellow coordinated fieldwork campaigns in the Alps, to collect archaeological, ethnographic and historical data. He analysed the data using GIS and applying sophisticated statistical methods. Besides, he joined an interdisciplinary research group (biologists and archaeologists) in order to achieve his specific objectives. Main results: The three main objectives of the project were achieved by the fellow. 1) Identifying the triggers of change in the historical upland landscapes of the western Alps The comparative study of ethnographic data, ethnoarchaeologial data and historical sources, provided crucial information for understanding the evolution of upland landscapes in the western Alps during the last three centuries (19th – 21st century). A strong correlation between socio-economic strategies (e.g. preservation or transformation of traditional upland dairying) and landscape evolution was identified, thus suggesting that historical processes more than environmental constrains affected human occupation of mountain environments. Archaeological excavation in the two study areas provided evidence of the chronological and functional complexity of upland landscapes. In the Vallée de Freissinières, a well preserved dry-stone structure turned out to be occupied during the Medieval Ages (13th century AD). This stimulated reflection about the possible continuity of use of some upland structures, and about the relationship between upland structures and local mines, exploited during the same period. In the Val Maudagna, a pastoral hut currently exploited by herders was used at least since the 16th-17th centuries AD. This suggested that traditional pastoralism and pastoral landscapes in Val Maudagna had ancient origins, and therefore represented an important cultural heritage for local communities. 2) Using the ethnoarchaeological and ethno-historical data to protect and manage the structures in the studied areas The ethnographic and historical significance of the investigated landscapes suggested that some initiatives for their protection and promotion were desirable. Public lectures, newspaper articles and a leaflet regarding two pastoral huts in Val Maudagna enabled the importance of these structures to be highlighted. Similar initiatives will be undertaken for the uplands of the Vallée de Freissinières. Here activities and products will be developed in collaboration with the Parc National des Ecrins, national park within which the Vallée de Freissinières is incorporated. 3) Assessing the preservation of intra-site activity areas in seasonal contexts and their post-depositional displacements The quantitative analysis of the position of objects/material culture within two pastoral huts in the Val Maudagna provided interesting analogical data for interpreting depositional and post-depositional processes in archaeological contexts. The clustering of objects in specific areas of the huts indicated the existence of activity areas. The correlation between location of objects and their size mirrored the effect of trampling. This evidence is of great importance for understanding spatial patterns within seasonal archaeological sites. Conclusions: The EthWAL project shed new light on the processes that determined the formation and transformation of upland landscapes in the Alps. According to the results of this project, socio-economic dynamics played a crucial role. The difference between the traditional landscapes of the French and Italian Alps seems mainly due to the different historical evolution of these two areas. These processes are still occurring nowadays, and are still affecting the landscapes of the two study areas: the uplands of the Val Maudagna have been transformed into a ski area, while those of the Vallée de Freissinières have been integrated into a national park. The quantitative analysis of spatial patterns of objects within pastoral huts enabled intra-site activity areas and effects of trampling to be highlighted. This test confirmed the potential of spatial analysis for detecting activity areas and trampling, and the importance of the use of quantitative methods for creating useful ethnoarchaeological models. Impact: The scientific impact of this project is highly significant. It will improve our understanding of the processes behind landscape transformation, and for this reason it will be extremely useful for landscape archaeology but also for landscape history and human ecology. It will contribute to the theoretical debate about the goals and the applications of ethnoarchaeology. Besides, it is one of the few applications of spatial analysis to an ethnoarchaeological context. The results of the EthWAL project will be shared with local communities and policy-makers, to contribute to landscapes management strategies. As a matter of facts, the identification of the historical importance of the investigated landscapes showed that these landscapes are bearer of cultural and identity values, and need to be preserved by local communities. This will enable local authorities to promote novel policies to protect and manage them. Project website: http://ethwalproject.blogspot.co.uk/

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз