Tharros Archaeological Research Project
Situated on the west coast of Sardinia at the southern tip of the Sinis Peninsula, Tharros, the island’s little California, occupied a strategic location from its foundation by the Phoenicians in the 8th century B.C.E. through its abandonment in the Medieval Period. While the settlement is best known for its unusually rich Punic tombs, The Tharros Archaeological Research Project (TARP), directed by Dr. Steven Ellis from the University of Cincinnati, is focusing on the residential and retail quarters of ancient Tharros in order to better contextualize the city’s urban development, especially during the period following the Roman conquest of island in 237 B.C.E.
As TARP’s Head of Materials, I am further developing the PARP:PS methodological framework that prioritizes a contextual approach to artifact analysis. To this end, I’ve turned my attention toward developing a digital infrastructure that can help us standardize our processes for identifying material types and defining material typologies. It is my hope that, by designing digital tools that can, in many ways, automate the difficult first steps of material analysis, our energy in the field can be devoted more towards contextual synthesis.
For more information about TARP, follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter).
For information about opportunities to work with TARP, especially with some aspect of our material assemblage, don’t hesitate to contact me.
