Approaching Marginal Landscapes in Archaeology
The Case of Ravenna’s Reclaimed Wetlands
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6435573 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Michele Abballe (0000-0002-0557-1449, Ca' Foscari University of Venice), Marco Cavalazzi (0000-0002-2157-456X, University of Bologna, corresponding author), Paolo Maranzana (0000-0002-7782-9381, Bogaziçi University), Daniele Bortoluzzi (0000-0001-9006-7281, Independent researcher), Enrico Dinelli (0000-0002-3870-544X, University of Bologna), Marco Taviani (0000-0003-0414-4274, Institute of Marine Research—National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISMAR)) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 680-699 |
| Publication date | 2025-06-10 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Field Archaeology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0093-4690 • E-ISSN: 2042-4582 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00934690.2025.2509367 |
| OpenAlex | W4411185461 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 63 |
Among the diverse types of marginal landscapes, reclaimed wetlands present interpretive challenges due to the rapid sedimentation resulting from reclamation activities, which hinders traditional fieldwork methods. In this paper, we therefore adopt a multiscalar approach that integrates historical, geomorphological, sedimentological, geochemical, and paleontological data, along with remote sensing, to investigate the human-environment interactions in the northern and northwestern hinterland of Ravenna. These areas were originally dominated by wetlands, which have been extensively reclaimed from the Middle Ages to the present day. The integration of these datasets enabled us to better contextualize both previous findings and those collected through recent surveys, as well as to carry out a detailed analysis of the landscape transformations, largely driven by reclamation processes and flood events. Finally, we reflect on the unique interpretive challenges posed by reclaimed wetlands, discuss their presumed “marginality,” and emphasize the need for a creative research agenda to overcome the specific limitations of these landscapes, as highlighted by ongoing debates in the field
Ancient history · Archaeology · Geoarchaeology · Geography · Land reclamation · Radiocarbon dating · Ravenna · Wetland · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Archaeological Research and Protection · Ecology · Geology · History · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology
Medieval Rural Settlement in Marginal Landscapes
Testacea utriusque siciliae eorumque historia et anatome tabulis aeneis illustrata /
Selve oscure e alberi strani. I boschi nell’Italia di Dante
Marginal lands in Europe—causes of decline
Panarchy
Encyclopédie Méthodique ou par ordre de matières
Geoarchaeology and PalaeoDEMs Modelling to Assess the Archaeological Potential of Ravenna and Its Hinterland
Determining the settlement history of Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine sites in the Galilee, Israel
The Agency of the Displaced? Roman Expansion, Environmental Forces, and the Occupation of Marginal Landscapes in Ancient Italy
Tracing holocene paleoenvironmental changes along the northern Tyrrhenian coast (Cornia and Pecora coastal plains, Tuscany, Italy)
Introduction
Questioning the Concept of Marginality
From Wet Lands to Dry Spaces (and Back Again)
Landscapes of Failure
Wetland Reclamation and the Development of Reclamation Landscapes
Between reclamation and restoration
Divisions of floodplain space and sites on riverine 'islands
Of water-wings and wellingtons
Integrated Approaches to Understanding Complex Long-Term Reclamation Processes in the Hinterland of Ravenna (Italy)
Concealed Communities
Holocene landscape evolution in northern Henan Province and its implications for archaeological surveys
Geoarchaeology and Archaeological Site Patterning on the Middle Gila River, Arizona
Bayesian Analysis of Radiocarbon Dates
Pretreatment Protocols Performed at the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (Rich) Prior to Ams 14 C Measurements
The IntCal20 Northern Hemisphere Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curve (0–55 cal kBP)
Wetland Archaeology and Beyond
Surveying along the Slopes
The Concept of the Margin in the Medieval English Economy
On the nature of empiricism in archaeology
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |