The upcoming PCMA seminar in the “Heritage Month” series will feature Dr. Marta Lorenzon (University of Helsinki) with a presentation: “Beyond Function: Cultural Choices in Mediterranean Mudbrick Traditions”.
Abstract: This presentation examines a range of case studies from across the Mediterranean, where the integration of ethnoarchaeology and geoarchaeology offers new ways to investigate mudbrick production practices and their significance in the construction and maintenance of social identities. By combining these two approaches, we are able to move beyond purely technical analyses and instead explore the cultural and symbolic dimensions of building traditions.
The selected case studies provide insights into how decisions regarding building materials are made, negotiated, and put into practice. Preliminary results from both ethnoarchaeological observations and geoarchaeological analyses indicate that the choice of raw materials is not determined exclusively by functional or environmental constraints. Rather, these decisions appear to be embedded within broader cultural frameworks and shaped by social values and traditions.
The central aim of EARTH (Research Council of Finland 2022-27) is to present innovative methodological approaches to archaeological studies in diverse Mediterranean contexts, including the Maghreb, Western Asia and the Aegean. By comparing these regions, the study seeks to highlight both common threads and local variations in construction practices, demonstrating how building materials can serve as a window into the intersection of technology, culture, and identity.
The seminar will be held on Thursday, 13th November at 2 pm (Warsaw time) on the Zoom platform.
To receive the link, please email: seminarium.pcma@uw.edu.pl
Dr. Marta Lorenzon is a vice-leader of team 3 “Material Culture and Community Heritage” the Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires, UH an archaeologist and earthen architectural specialist. Since 2005 she has worked in the Mediterranean region, in the Americas and Asia with a research focus in earthen construction, knowledge of production identity construction and community archaeology. Her core expertise lies in the building archaeology, geoarchaeology, and human-environment interactions. Marta Lorenzon is currently an Academy Fellow at the University of Helsinki. She is currently the PI of Building Sustainability (UH project 2020-23), Building in New Lands (Kone Foundation, 2022-26) and EARTH (Academy of Finland, 2022-27).