Harbours of the Aegean in Late Antiquity and the Medieval Period
Thessaly, Maritime Connectivity, and the Eastern Mediterranean Seascape
By (author) Alkiviadis Ginalis
Paperback (Published)
(January 2025)
ISBN: 9781803279190
8.07 x 11.42 inches
Price: $77.00
In stock
A comprehensive study of Aegean harbours and maritime connectivity, focusing on both major and local infrastructures. It provides a framework for interpreting coastal facilities and examines the Byzantine East’s port networks. Thessaly serves as a case study, with diverse maritime landscapes and activities from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages.
Harbours of the Aegean in Late Antiquity and the Medieval Period presents the first comprehensive introduction to the archaeological study of harbours and maritime connectivity in the Aegean that goes beyond the investigation of individual sites. By synthesising the evidence for different harbour infrastructures and their functionality, a framework for the correct interpretation and thus hierarchical interaction of coastal facilities is developed. This offers a general understanding of the complex picture of seascapes in the Eastern Mediterranean in Late Antiquity and the medieval periods. In contrast to most studies, the book examines not only port cities and major harbour sites, but incorporates and focuses also on local and regional infrastructures as the diachronic backbone of the maritime economy. This results in a comprehensive analysis of historical and architectural developments, as well as an in-depth understanding of port networks and maritime connectivity in the Byzantine East. A detailed archaeological examination of the province of Thessaly is used as a representative case study. It constitutes not only an ideal region to gain a balanced spread of information for the Early to the Late Byzantine periods, but also to compare independent regional and imperial building activities. Furthermore, by featuring very diverse maritime and coastal landscapes, it encompasses a large variety of coastal sites and thus reflects the full spectrum of maritime activities in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. These include gulfs, open coastlines, peninsulas, archipelagos and river deltas.
Preface
I. Introduction
The purpose and methodology of this study – State of research
The chronological and geographical framework
II. The Understanding and Interpretation of Harbour Sites
Introduction
Function, purpose and hierarchy of coastal installations
Characteristics and elements of harbour structures
III. The Coastal Sites of Thessaly
Introduction
The western coast of the Pagasetic Gulf
The Pelion peninsula
Aghia
The Pineios river delta
The Northern Sporades
IV. Conclusions: Byzantine Ports – Tradition or Innovation
The history of Thessaly’s coastal sites
The harbour architecture from the Early to the Late Byzantine periods
Port network and the hierarchy of coastal installations
Bibliography
- By (author) Alkiviadis Ginalis
‘The most significant contribution of the author’s work lies in his critical analysis of newly collected data, derived from recent terrestrial and underwater surveys, complemented by the examination of bibliography, aerial imagery, Google Earth data, as well as historical photographs and cartographic sources. Ginalis’ publication represents a substantial addition to Byzantine and Mediterranean harbour archaeology.’ - Jelena Čelebić (2025): International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
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