Department of Classics & Archaeology
Christian Van Campen (Thesis)
Supervisor: F. Colovicchi
Salt Production in Central Italy from the Bronze Age to Augustus () 10-2025
Salt has played an important role in human history since our earliest days as a species. It is an essential nutrient for our survival (and that of all animals) and is appreciated beyond its culinary value in a variety of industries. In Central Italy, salt production first occurred on a major scale in the Early Bronze Age, via a technique known as briquetage. Technological advancements in hydraulic engineering would eventually lead to the region producing salt via solar salterns, a more efficient method that relied on more specific environmental conditions. This project analyzes both methods of salt production, but especially the transition from briquetage to salterns, using both archaeological evidence and ancient literary sources. The primary tool used for this is data visualization, which facilitates the examination of statistical data through graphs to emphasize key periods in Central Italian history. Overall, the transition between salt production methods seems to revolve around the area at the mouth of the Tiber River, a region contested by Rome and Veii early in the history of both states. At some point in the 9th or 10th centuries BCE, the sudden introduction of salt water into a nearby industrial area appears to have led to the foundation of solar salterns, inciting conflict between Rome and Veii surrounding control of the essential resource.
Olivia Foran (Thesis)
Supervisor: F. Colovicchi
Transportation Amphorae from Caere: XRF Analysis of Ceramics () 09-2025
This paper aims to explore the ways in which chemical analysis can enhance our understanding of classics and archaeology. My research will focus on ceramics, specifically amphorae, using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) as a technique of chemical analysis to determine the provenance of these vessels. The amphorae samples have been taken from Caere, an ancient Etruscan city located about 43 km north of Rome. By studying these amphorae, this paper will examine whether their chemical signatures align with our current knowledge of their presumed place of production and production methods, providing a deeper understanding of their origins and the technological processes behind their creation. This project will also seek to determine if X-Ray Fluorescence allows for this type of analysis when it is used on its own, as well as if this could be a helpful tool if implemented in field work.
Julianna Taylor (Thesis)
Supervisor: C. Zaccagnino
The Urban Sanctuary of Metapontum: A Review and Re-Analysis () 09-2025
The city Metapontum was one of the most important Greek apoikiai of Magna Graecia. In the urban sanctuary, stood four monumental temples and several other religious buildings, of which only the foundations remain. For most of these temples, the identity of the deity worshipped in them is still debated. In lieu of relevant literary evidence, the attribution of the temples relies almost exclusively on the categorization and analysis of archaeological remains. This thesis explores the development of sacred spaces within the urban sanctuary, examining the archaeological data for each structure. The proposals for each temple’s attribution have been consolidated and compared in order to better understand how these arguments affect and interact with one another and to reconstruct the Metapontine pantheon. This thesis considers recurrent thematic motifs which reflect the religious beliefs of the inhabitants and may contribute to future investigations on communal religion in the urban sanctuaries of Magna Grecia.
Tess Moffat (MRP)
Supervisor: D. Lehoux
Going Back to the Source: The Reintroduction of Human Dissection in Medieval Bologna and the Emulation of the Classical World () 09-2025
The restoration of human dissection within academia, an event that occurred in the thirteenth-century at the University of Bologna and widely attributed to professor of surgery Mondino de Liuzzi, was the result of several factors. However, the reintroduction and intensification of the study of philosophical and medical patristic and classical works, which started near the beginning of the eleventh century in Western Europe, was the most influential to this revival. Examining the birth of the medieval university, also called the studium generale, and the medical school, ancient theories and practices were integral for the creation of these institutions and associated intellectual developments, especially the resurrection of dissection as a teaching demonstration. Primarily, medieval masters, such as Taddeo Alderotti, employed classical texts and philosophies to support their methodologies and ideologies, especially Galen’s emphasis on rationality and empirical observation and Aristotle’s Natural Philosophy.
Given the flourishing cultural and intellectual atmosphere of medieval Bologna, the intensified study of classical and patristic works within the studium generale, and the importance of Natural Philosophy to the scholastic curriculum, dissection was revived at Bologna. However, there were distinct religious, cultural, and educational factors to take into consideration that made the adoption of human dissection possible, including the Italian perception of the sanctity of the body, the reliance on the cadavers of criminals, and the importance of a physical demonstration for the development of memory. The medieval revival of human dissection illustrates how the theories, texts, and ideologies of the Classical World were adapted to suit the needs of a different intellectual atmosphere and culture, demonstrating ingenuity in a period so often described as ‘dark.’
Peter Ash Cutajar (Thesis)
Supervisor: F. Colovicchi
Piety Before Politics: Worship of the Emperor in Roman Gaul () 09-2025
The imperial cult has often been a point of interest for the inquisitive Romanist. Scholars have diligently answered the concrete questions of the topic: the who, what, where, and when questions. The more ethereal questions, why the emperor was worshipped and how this worship should be interpreted, remain subjects of debate. Previous scholarship has tended to focus on the political element of emperor worship, seeing the institution as a way to pacify and Romanize provincial populations. This is due to a tendency for research on emperor worship to be conceptualized in a modern religious understanding, not within the Roman religious framework. This analysis seeks to challenge these perceptions by reinterpreting the archaeological, epigraphic, and textual evidence from the Gallic Provinces. As a result, it will show that the imperial cult ought to be seen as a primarily religious phenomenon and not only as an instrument of imperial political power.
Alexandra Freitas (MRP)
Supervisor: A. D'Elia
Examining the Griffin: Iconography in Art through the Ages () 09-2025
The griffin as an artistic motif can be found across various cultures spanning a wide geographical area, dating back millennia. A hybrid creature combining the characteristics of lions with those of birds of prey, griffins have been protectors, antagonistic forces, and gold-guarding entities whispered to have been lurking at the edges of the world. The numerous examples found in visual works from the Near East and Greco-Roman worlds demonstrate how the changes in griffin imagery across these various cultures and time are a testament to its adaptability and enduring symbolism. The objective of this paper is to explore how the griffin has evolved as a motif in its context and meaning in the ancient Mediterranean world and through the Medieval period.
Sarah Karelsen (MRP)
Supervisor: F. Colovicchi
Archaic Quarrying and Construction in the Urban Area of Caere () 08-2025
Excavations carried out by Queen’s University in the Vigna Marini Vitalini, which is located within the urban centre of the ancient city of Caere, have revealed significant evidence of quarrying activity. These quarries have been discovered in several locations across the Vigna Marini Vitalini, and were all backfilled to provide space for later urban expansion. The closure of most of the quarries discovered here, as well as elsewhere in Caere, can be dated to various points of the Archaic period, which was an era of notable social and political change for the city. This paper will investigate the techniques and material extracted from these quarries to answer questions about their role in the construction and industrial activity of the urban centre, and the broader structure and development of urbanization at Caere in the Archaic Period.
Tina Al-Soof (MRP)
Supervisor: F. Colovicchi
The History of Archaeological Work and Attitudes Towards Antiquities at Nineveh and Uruk ()
Archaeology as a discipline is deeply connected and blurs into politics, colonialism, national identity and economic interests. The history of ancient regions and civilizations, such as that of Mesopotamia, can be studied with these themes in mind in order to understand how these civilizations evolved and the ways their cultural, social, and technological contributions have shaped aspects of the modern world. Many ancient Mesopotamian sites have been revealed since the emergence of archaeological exploration, including the two sites known as Nineveh and Uruk. Nineveh, (or Kouyunjik, the name it was known by during the Ottoman Empire period), was the largest city and capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (911 BC–609 BC, Nineveh as the capital from 705–612 BC). Uruk, also known as Warka, is an ancient Mesopotamian site in southern Iraq that has been the focus of archaeological exploration for over 165 years. These sites are a key point of reference for understanding the development of early urbanisation, writing, architecture, production, and social structure.
Over nearly two centuries, changing politics, methods of archaeology and attitudes towards antiquities have affected the way these sites were handled. My major research paper focuses on those critical changes which reveal the evolution of archaeology from a Western-dominated affair to a more inclusive practice. In this paper, I will discuss and evaluate the history of archaeological work and attitudes towards antiquities at Nineveh and Uruk with an emphasis on the teams that excavated there, their methods of excavation, the conditions of the permits they were given, as well as the significant finds and their subsequent distribution. The analysis will be divided into historical time periods (from the Ottoman Empire period to Iraq after the US-led invasion of 2003) based on the modern history of this region. Governmental and professional policies are also explored in regard to antiquities laws, methods of archaeology and local versus foreign involvement.
Madeleine Merskey (Thesis)
Supervisors: C. Zaccagnino & J.M. Carbon
Another City Upon a Hill: Heroes, Myth, and Narrative in Fifth-Century Athens ()
In the fifth century BCE, Athens rose to prominence as a hegemonic power in the Mediterranean. Accompanying this growth was the development of pre-existing mythic narratives into ones which could be used to justify Athens’ political actions to a variety of audiences. This was driven by a belief amongst Athenians that the state deserved its increasingly prominent position due to the ostensibly exceptional nature of its mythic history. This thesis explores the evolution of three heroes’ narratives over the course of the fifth century BCE in order to examine some of the trends in how these narratives shifted. Those heroes are: Erechtheus, Ion, and Theseus. These case studies are thematically interconnected. Yet, they also demonstrate how each narrative functioned independently to cater to its anticipated audience. These audiences were: Attic, Pan-Ionian, and Panhellenic. In general, the overlapping themes identified all concerned Athenian self-definition, with a particular emphasis on the hero’s autochthony. The narrative evolutions of these heroes are examined by analysing a large variety of primary sources. Particular attention is paid to several of Euripides’ tragedies, vase painting, sculptural representations, and epigraphy. By combining these different types of primary evidence, a fuller understanding of the overall trends in these narratives and their supposed popularity was achieved. Further, this method illustrates the flexibility of myth as a form. It demonstrates how the creator’s intent and context will affect the precise content of a narrative, while its core themes will remain constant. Ultimately, this thesis observes how myths evolve in conversation with the zeitgeist that produces them in order to reflect sociopolitical concerns and ideologies.
Ceilidh H. Stringer (MRP)
Supervisors: C. Zaccagnino
Art, Archaeology, and the Museum: The Place and Value of Classical Antiquities in the Capitoline Museums, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the Acropolis Museum ()
Through three case studies, this research project examines sample groups of classical antiquities in modern museums: their collection in conjunction with the formation of the museum, their display and valuation as part of an inherent narrative, and their interpretation as artistic or archaeological objects. The case studies evaluate classical antiquities from the collections of the Capitoline Museums of Rome, Italy, the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto, Canada, and the Acropolis Museums of Athens, Greece. The antiquities provide insight into the development and function of each museum, as well as the role of classical antiquities within the formation of national identities for the three modern museums and countries, which is demonstrated in the way that each object is valued and interpreted by the museum as either art or archaeology.
Maximilian Biezenski (MRP)
Supervisors: D. Lehoux
Stoics Against Coddled Minds: A New Angle on Stoicism’s Surging Popularity ()
Ancient Stoicism has enjoyed a steep rise in popularity in recent decades, both inside and outside of the academy. A few scholars have briefly offered reasons as to why, such as increased interest in virtue ethics, and the ease with which Stoic ethical maxims may be accessed and memorized through short, digestible quotations. This paper not only collects data on the observable phenomenon of Stoicism’s resurgence and current popularity and details the available, and plausible, arguments as to the cause, but it also argues for a new and significant part of the story. Stoicism’s popularity comes, in addition, as a reaction to current dominant values of extreme safety, that is, safetyism, the view that safety, both physical and emotional, is sacred and overrides all competing concerns. On analysis, the arguments of Stoicism are shown to be antithetical to the arguments of safetyism. Given that the current cultural popularity of Stoicism entirely regards the philosophy’s teachings on ethics and emotions, given the evidence of growing dissatisfaction with safetyism and the search by many for alternatives, and given Stoicism’s stronger philosophical position, I argue for a causal connection between Stoicism’s popularity and the distaste of many for safetyism.
Detailing safetyism, I draw heavily on the cultural diagnosis of Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, in their book The Coddling of the American Mind (2018). Some examples of safetyism include the creation of “safe spaces,” the concept of “microaggressions,” and the censorship of speech, which all seek to remove causes of distress rather than strengthen individuals. The authors argue that, though with good intentions, these practices and values do more harm than good. Arguing instead in favour of the practices of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which has direct philosophical roots in Stoicism, I utilize some of the author’s arguments in demonstrating Stoicism’s stronger philosophical position. Stoicism and CBT both operate on the premise that if emotional distress is caused by perception and judgment, then a remedy lies in altering perception and judgment. Furthermore, they both argue that we are strengthened by stress and challenge, not weakened. CBT is already widely successful in treating emotional distress, and many are finding that Stoicism, too, offers a preferable alternative system of values to those of avoidance and suppression of the external world. As a final consideration, I also investigate the question of why Stoicism is more popular among men.
Dakota Urban (Thesis)
Supervisors: R. Ascough & J.M. Carbon
Expressions of Diasporic Identity: Transcultural Language in Jewish-Greek Inscriptions ()
The diasporic Jewish experience is characterized by the dynamics of acculturation and enculturation, a twofold process entailing a degree of integration into the majority culture and at the same time a strong retention of the Jewish identity. The primary purpose of my thesis is to demonstrate how diasporic Jewish communities in the Graeco-Roman world adapted to different contexts in which they were the minority, while cultivating their identity within these contexts and making it accessible and receptive for non-Jews. To achieve this, I explore how transcultural language in Greek inscriptions expresses the Jewish identity in a manner fitting both the boundaries of Judaism and the larger societal framework of the Graeco-Roman world. By transcultural language, I refer to cross-culturally shared vocabulary that occurs in situations of cultural negotiation between diasporic Jews and their host culture. My thesis consists of two independent case studies which explore inscriptions from the Bosporus Kingdom and Asia Minor. In each case study I conduct an analytical investigation of transcultural terms - first within the term’s own functional capacity, then in reference to other relevant terms within the inscription. I then contextualize each term within a cultural and religious setting: a) Graeco-Roman society; b) Jewish theology; and c) outside of the Jewish-Greek dichotomy. In each circumstance the findings demonstrate a unique materialization of the diasporic Jewish experience. My research thereby contributes significantly to the growing scholarly focus on how cross-cultural interactions enriched ancient Jewish identity.
Katrina Johnston (Essay)
Supervisor: D. Lehoux
Challenging the Use of Ancient Greek and Roman Medical Information in Paul of Aegina's Epitome of Medicine
Paul of Aegina (c. 625-690 CE) was one of the foremost Byzantine medical authorities. His only surviving text, Epitome of Medicine, was written in seven books and instructed physicians on both surgical and non-surgical treatments. The Epitome addressed the remedy of ailments ranging from medical treatments for “persons bitten by a man” to surgical procedures to fix aneurysms. Indeed, Paul identifies nearly 600 plants and 200 animal products as helpful ingredients in recipes for pharmacological interventions. Paul’s medical ideas were extremely influential. His encyclopedia was originally published in Greek before being translated into several different languages. His techniques may be traced in the methodologies of later physicians including Rhazes (864-925 CE ) Albucasis (936-1013 CE) and Avicenna (980-1037 CE). It is also apparent that Paul relied heavily upon the works of ancient medical writers such as Galen (129- 216 CE) and Hippocrates (460-375 BCE) when he was compiling his Epitome. In this study, I explore classical influences on the surgical portion of Paul’s encyclopedia. I observed the techniques that remained the same, those that show an evolved medical understanding, and new procedures that appear in the text. This research strategy will elucidate how the growing compendium of medical knowledge affected the evolution of surgical techniques between antiquity and early Byzantium.
Marie McMenamin (Essay)
Supervisor: G. Bevan
Detecting Change in High Temporal Resolution UAV Photogrammetry at Active Archaeological Excavations: International Field School Excavations at NI Stobi 2018
Photogrammetry is a common technique used in the documentation of archaeological excavations; it has been integrated into several sites since the early 20th century. Photogrammetry allows researchers to analyze and document important finds and structures. The cost of photogrammetry today has declined significantly since the early 20th century making it possible to perform daily RPAS photogrammetry over an active archaeological site. Most researchers today use photogrammetry to create orthophotos that can be traced with 2D line work, but the 3D data is essentially thrown out. This 3D data can provide valuable information using change detection. Photogrammetric change detection analysis is common when it comes to the protection of cultural heritage sites but is not commonly used on active archaeological sites. Using 3D data, we can compare Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) and Point Clouds, resulting in defined locus boundaries that can enhance the archaeological documentation. This study utilizes RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems) data gathered during an international field school at Stobi, an archaeological site in the Republic of North Macedonia, in 2018. Using two different programs, 3DM Analyst and CloudCompare, this project shows the subtle changes that occur on an active archaeological excavation. These programs have special features that allow the user to compare the data to calculate and visualize these differences. Information gathered from field journals and locus sheets assists in the analysis of the changes that occur within the locus boundaries. The 3D information gathered can provide important information in understanding how the excavation is proceeding and what the next steps are.
William Vanstone (Essay)
Supervisor: C. Zaccagnino
Male Homosexuality under the Julio-Claudian Dynasty
This paper explores the nature of Roman attitudes, both elite and non-elite, regarding male homosexuality under the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Through examining Roman laws, art, and literature from the period, these attitudes will be revealed and understood to the extent in which one can understand a past society through its history and artifacts. When exploring attitudes through art, special attention is paid to the Warren Cup, an intriguing artifact of uncertain provenance whose authenticity has been debated vigorously by contemporary scholars. The nature of Roman attitudes towards homosexuality is highly related to Roman social hierarchy and where one fell within that hierarchy. Depending on one’s status and the status of their partner, desires for emotional or sexual connections with members of the same sex and gender could be viewed as either perfectly normal and legitimate, or unusual and unmanly.
Bjorn Bols (Thesis)
Supervisor: F. Colivicchi
Wrestling's Grip on the Past: A Comprehensive Study of Ancient Greek Wrestling
Wrestling was the first non-running event added to the ancient Olympics in the 18th Olympiad in 708 BC. Wrestling continued to appear in Greek and Roman art and literature all the way until the end of antiquity, leaving behind a large cultural legacy over a period of a thousand years. This long history reflects a level of importance and prestige associated with the sport that is deserving of further study. By applying a modern and practical understanding of grappling sports to the descriptions and images from the ancient world, this research aims to illuminate further details about the ancient sport and its cultural function in Greco-Roman art and literature. Due to the similar general rule sets and lack of equipment, modern knowledge of wrestling can help inform details about ancient images and texts and correct misunderstandings and confusion between the modern and ancient sports. With its proven pervasiveness in Greco-Roman culture, wrestling can serve as a valuable nexus point to examine many aspects of ancient life, from art and entertainment, healthcare and philosophy, politics and class, and religion and war. This thesis will present its information in sections to discuss wrestling as it relates to a variety of different topics and artistic mediums. Through the analysis of wrestling in the context of myth, literature, art, and other modern interpretations, this work will aim to prove the importance of wrestling to Greek culture and identity in the ancient world and how a practical knowledge of wrestling techniques can help inform these subjects overall.
Georgia Landgraf (Thesis)
Supervisor: C. Zaccagnino
Domestic Depictions: Women of the Home in 5th-Century Attic Vase Painting
Mortal women in the Ancient Greek world are generally understudied when compared to their male counterparts. This is partially due to a lack of information from antiquity and a lack of interest from modern scholars. Second wave feminism acted as a catalyst in the study of women in academia, however, larger scale studies of women on Attic vase painting were not seen widely in major scientific journals and books until the 1980s. This thesis attempts to fill in this gap in knowledge through the examination of women depicted in domestic space on 5th-century Attic vessels. This wide time span allows for the evaluation of the changing attitudes towards women as related to historical events within Athens over the century. Through the study of a selection of vessels from the Beazley Archive Pottery Database (BAPD), scenes of mortal women were divided into seven major types: marriage preparations, childcare, household labour, women at leisure, music, a warrior’s departure, and funerary practices. The scenes on these vases are also compared to grave stele of the fifth century due to their similar iconography. Representations of women on the 5th-century vases do not necessarily show the daily lives of the average Athenian housewife, but rather express the important socio-political role women played for both the oikos and the polis serving as a symbolic motif of Athenian prosperity. The iconography of vessels such as these allows for modern viewers to understand the ancient societal expectations placed upon Athenian women throughout the turbulent political context of the fifth century.
Laurence Bouchard (Major Research Paper)
Supervisor: B. Reeves
Reassessing the Presence of Women at Humayma in a Regional Context Across the Nabataean and Roman Cultures ()
First recognized by scholars as an important area of study in the 1970s, research on the female presence and experience in antiquity has grown to become a major area of scholarship in classical studies and archaeology. However, notwithstanding this important rise in popularity, delving into questions of gender and inquiries pertaining to the life of ancient women remains to this day a laborious enterprise due to the androcentric nature of the field. Ҵý have indeed long slighted the subject of antique females altogether, limiting their mention of a feminine presence to heavily stereotyped mythological or literary characters and to a few, often controversial, historical figures. Moreover, as the surviving written accounts mostly recall the point of view of the Greek and Roman elite, the study of gender and women’s presence in antiquity also remained for the longest time confined to the Greek and Roman states, thus leaving aside any other ancient civilization. Over the last two decades, this prejudiced literary-based view started to be challenged by members of the scholarly community who turned to the analysis of material culture to fill in those historical and regional lacunae.
In an attempt to further this line of inquiry, this research paper will address how the presence of ancient women can be substantiated by the material evidence uncovered in archaeological contexts using examples from the site of Humayma, an antique desert settlement in southern Jordan that witnessed and thrived through a large spectrum of occupation. Focusing on the material record associated with the Nabataean and Roman cultures uncovered at the site while also taking into account relevant finds from other similar contexts, this research paper will offer an overview of the ways in which inscriptional, skeletal and artefactual evidence can attest to the presence of ancient females in an antique Near Eastern settlement. More specifically, several types of written documents, inscriptions, epitaphs, graffiti, skeletal remains, grave goods, as well as different categories of artefacts associated with a feminine presence will be discussed in order to offer a more holistic approach to the analysis of women’s presence at the site of Humayma, thereby shining a light on the female experience in the ancient Near East.
Annabeth Deakin (Major Research Paper)
Supervisor: F. Colivicchi
Shedding Light on Caere’s Ceramic Oil Lamps: Typological Analysis and Discussion ()
Throughout Queen’s University’s 2013-2015 excavations at the Etruscan and Roman city of Caere, numerous Roman ceramic oil lamps were found in the Vigna Marini-Vitalini, the modern name for one area located within the city’s urban centre. This project aims to input these lamps into their respective typological classifications in order to relate them to the overall chronology of the site, specifically in correlation with their contexts, and with a focus on the Roman period of occupation.
To investigate this, the paper provides a historical background to Caere, during the ancient period, and an overview of the excavations conducted on the site. Next, there is a brief introduction to the study of lamps, and how typologies work as a methodology. Then the paper will examine the archaeological data to understand the lamp’s archaeological contexts by analyzing their deposition, with a subsequent typological discussion. Thus, this compiled research will shed light on the material culture of Caere during the Roman period and provide broader discourse on the techniques of pottery production and distribution during the late Roman Republic to early Imperial periods.
Emily Croft (Major Research Paper)
Supervisor: C. Zaccagnino
Duplicating Drapery: Examining Painted Imitations of Hanging Textiles in Roman Italic Contexts ()
Within Pompeian-influenced Roman mural decoration, the motif of the hanging textile was consistently popular from the Second Style through to the Fourth Style. The following work is the result of the analysis of a catalogue of 42 examples of painted imitations of curtains, tapestries, and drapes within primarily Italic religious and domestic contexts. Following a discussion on the production of physical textiles and the state of modern scholarship on painted imitations, the main body of work is comprised of the comparison of the two subsets of imitation curtains, i.e. realistic and stylised examples, among their grouping. When analysed both separately and as a whole, the catalogue produces meaningful trends in pigment colour, decorative elements, as well as placement and function within the overall scheme of their respective walls. This study subsequently focuses on the settings in which textile imitations are found, particularly within the domestic contexts of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Raphaelle Walsh-Beauchamp (Thesis)
Supervisor: C. Zaccagnino
An Investigation of Nineteenth-Century Archaeological Evidence for Roman Britain and its Contemporary Reception within British Society ()
This project will analyze nineteenth-century archaeological records for Roman-British sites and policies involving artefacts and museums. I will use findings to form connections between archaeological activity during the Victorian period and contemporary British thought on Britain’s past, racial hierarchies, and imperialism. Particularly pertinent to this study is the way in which Britons used their perceived Roman past to justify the expansion and maintenance of their empire. This period of archaeological excavation was a unique time in which science and storytelling intermingled to create a picture of Britain’s past. The sudden increase in finding the remains of Roman Britain was attributed to the demands of urbanization during the nineteenth century. Thus far, Victoria Hoselitz’s work Imagining Roman Britain: Victorian responses to a Roman past (2007) is the only study I have come across to utilize a similar approach to that of my project in order to draw conclusions about British culture during the Victorian period. In order to complete my research, I have consulted nineteenth-century excavation reports by various British antiquarians. In addition, rare, published works and physical remains at various institutions, including the British Library and the British Museum, have been consulted.
Anton Strachan (Major Research Paper)
Supervisors: F. Colivicchi; C. Zaccagnino
A Cistern System at Caere ()
Over the course of the 2013-15 Queen’s University excavations at the Etruscan city Caere, a complex water storage system was uncovered in the Vigna Marini Vitalini, within the central urban area. Connecting to two cisterns is a system of tunnels, pipelines, basins, and wells. This study examines the archaeological data and aims to gain a better understanding of how the system functioned as well as its chronology, especially in how it relates to the rest of the urban site. This study will provide a clearer picture of the cistern system, shed light on the use of this area of the city, and aid in identifying further areas of investigation and excavation at the site.
Kasuni Jayathilake (Major Research Paper)
Supervisors: F. Colivicchi; C. Zaccagnino
Idealizing the Nude Venus: An Exploration of the Classical Tradition in the Italian Renaissance Art ()
The figure of nude Venus that was a popular theme in the ancient Greco-Roman art also had its continuous presence in the European art during the Renaissance. While the iconography of the Venus portrayals produced during the Renaissance was loaded with aspects of the Classical tradition, they were also characteristic for timely and contextual innovations. This paper explores the use of the nude Venus figure from antiquity to the 16th century Italian Renaissance art with special reference to Titian’s Venus and the musician series and Lavinia Fontana’s Isabella Ruini as Venus. In existing scholarship adequate emphasis has not been laid on the Classical tradition in the chosen case studies, and the paintings need to be interpreted in relation to Neoplatonism and the Renaissance concepts of beauty, music, and conjugal love where applicable. The study reveals that while the nude Venus was idealized in antiquity as an icon of beauty, sensuality, and a matronly persona in both everyday life as well as in the funerary context, her role expanded beyond that during the Renaissance. She was perceived, in addition to her traditional spheres of activity, as an embodiment of harmony between the beauty of the female body, nature and music both with and without restraint.