Technology in Transition A.D. 300-650

This publication, volume four of the Late Antique Archaeology series, surveys the aspects of technology of the period and explores technological continuity, stagnation, and decline; the papers presented in this volume are derived from a meeting of Late Antique Archaeology held in 2004. Lavan (archaeology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK) first provides introductory and bibliographic material relevant to the topic, then divides the book into subject topics including agriculture, production (metal, ceramic, and glass), engineering, and building; multiple papers are presented in each section. Sources are pulled from archaeology and text, and continuity from the preceding periods to Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages are sought, as well as references to the technological heritage of the Islamic world. The geographic scope for this title is primarily Italian, though some consideration is given to North Africa, Asia Minor, and the Near East, and the generous date range runs from the Roman period to the tenth century. This title provides a particularly valuable resource for scholars of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, especially in examining the technological transition between the eras. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Luke Lavan is Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Kent, Canterbury. His doctorate (Nottingham 2001) considered Provincial Capitals in Late Antiquity. He has edited conference volumes on late antique urbanism, the countryside and historical methodology, and is series editor of Late Antique Archaeology.Enrico Zanini is Senior Lecturer in Methodology of Archaeological Research at the University of Siena. His research interests are focused on Byzantine Archaeology in Italy and the Mediterranean basin, involving excavations in the ‘Byzantine Quarter’ of Gortyn, Crete. He has authored Introduzione all’archeologia bizantina (Roma 1994) and Le Italie bizantine (Bari 1998).Alexander Sarantis works for the Central Administration (Business Services and Projects Division) of the University of Oxford. His Ph.D. (Oxford 2006) explored The Balkans during the Reign of Justinian and he has recently authored articles on A.H.M. Jones and the Gepids. His interests focus on the East Roman provinces and imperial relations with the barbarian peoples within and beyond them.