Per una "gerarchia sociale" a Thapsos : analisi contestuale delle evidenze funerarie e segni di stratificazione

Abstract

Tha aim of this work is to sketch a picture of the social stratification of the Thapsos’ centre (the name-site of the sicilian Middle Bronze Age), filling a gap in the litterature avalaible so far. This analisys is based upon the funerary data provided by the rock-cut tomb cemetery of the centre. Within a strongly context-oriented framework, we shall seek to distinguish each funerary assemblage (in each fase of the Thapsos’ cemetery) on the basis of its quali- tative and quantitative composition. We intend: a) to highlight the various levels of “richness” of the tombs and of the related uman groups; b) to compare the value of the different classes of items of the funerary assemblages; c) to seek the correspondece between particular objects and specific uman groups, trying to explain this link with special attention to the class of the imported ceramics and to that of the formal imitation of foreign pottery; d) to verify if this correspondece can shed light over the social role of the uman groups. Moreover, we shall seek to compare the data as they come from tomb contex- ts with the few ones at our disposal from the residential quarter. We shall valuate if the different levels of richness are consistent with the architectural features of the tombs, e.g. dimensions/volume of the chamber and other elements like the tholoi-like profile of the grave. Finally, we shall try to give a historical interpretation of the data.