Diet, Economy and Society in the Ancient Greek World : Towards a Better Integration of Archaeology and Science / edited by Sofia Voutsaki and Soultana Maria Valamoti.

Proceedings of the International Conference Held at the Netherlands Institute at Athens on 22-24 March 2010.

Includes bibliographical references.

Towards a better integration of archaeology and science in the study of ancient diet : an introduction / S. Voutsaki and S. M. Valamoti -- Archaeological science, scientific archaeology and the Big Questions in the long-term development of Greek society from prehistory to Roman times / J. Bintliff -- The quest for prehistoric meals : towards an understanding of past diets in the Aegean : integrating stable isotope analysis, archaeobotany and zooarchaeology / A. Papathanasiou, T. Theodoropoulou and S. M. Valamoti -- An interdisciplinary approach to the study of cooking vessels from Bronze Age Akrotiri, Thera / M. Roumpou, N. S. Müller, N. Kalogeropoulos, P. M. Day, I. Nikolakopoulou and V. Kılıkoglou -- Integrating geochemical survey, ethnography and organic residue analysis to identify and understand areas of foodstruff processing / B. Derham, R. Doonan, Y. Lolos, A. Sarris and R. Jones -- Occlusal molar microwear texture analysis and the diet of the Neanderthal from Lakonis / S. El Zaatari, K. Harvati and E. Panagopoulou -- The Horse, the lake and the people : implications for the Late Glacial social landscapes at the foot of the Pindus mountain range, north-western Greece / E. Kotjabopoulou -- The Neolithic site of Makriyalos, Northern Greece : a reconstruction of the social and economic structure of the settlement through a comparative study of the finds / M. Pappa, P. Halstead,... [et al] -- Food storage and household economy at late Early Helladic II Thebes : an interdisciplinary approach / K. Psaraki, M. Roumpou, V. Aravantinos and N. Kalogeropoulos -- Food storage in the context of an Early Broze Age household economy : new evidence from Archontiko Giannitson / A. Papanthimou, S. M. Valamoti, E. Papadopoulou, E. Tsagkarakı and E. Voulgari -- Reconstructing thermal food processing techniques : the application of FTIR spectroscopy in the analysis of clay thermal structures from Early Bronze Age Archontiko / E. Papadopoulou and Y. Maniatis -- Living off the fruits of the sea : new evidence for dinnig at Papadiokampos, Crete / T. Brogan, C. Sofianou, J. E. Morrison, D. Mylona and E. Margaritis -- Middle Helladic Lerna : diet, economy, society / S. Voutsaki, E. Milka, S Triantaphyllou and C. Zerner -- Diet, Health and social differentiation in Middle Helladic Asine : a bioarchaeological view / A. Ingvarsson-Sundström, S. Voutsakı and E. Milka -- Bioarchaeological investigations at Kollonna, Aegina (Early Helladic III to Late Helladic III) / A. Galık, G. Forstenpointner,... [et al] -- Smelly barbarians or perfumed natives? An investigation of oil and ointment use in Late Bronze Age northern Greece / S. Andreou, C. Heron,... [et al] -- Integrating archaeology and science in a Greek sanctuary : issues of practice and interpretation in the study of the bioarchaeological remains from the Sanctuary of Poseidon at Kalaureia / D. Mylona, M. Ntinou,.. [et al] -- Cooking in an Iron Age pit at Karabournaki : an interdisciplinary approach / M. Tiverios, E. Manakıdou,.. [et al] -- Are we what we eat? Reconstructing dietary patterns of Greek Byzantine populations (7th-13th centuries AD) through a multi-disciplinary approach / C. Bourbou -- The institutional framework of scientific analyses in Greece : administrative procedures and some statistics for the period 2002 - 2009 / R. Charalampopoulou -- Institutional framework and ethical obligations : doing archaeological science in Greece - the Round Table discussion / S. Voutsaki, S. M. Valamoti and The Participants.

The last decades have witnessed the adoption and refinement of various scientific techniques that allow us to reconstruct past diets, but also to understand the role of food in social interaction. These are exciting developments, but the proliferation of analytical techniques may also lead to over-specialization and fragmentation of the field. The papers in this volume explore the relation between diet, economy and society in the ancient Greek world by integrating different analytical techniques. Examples include the analysis of plant and animal remains, the bioarchaeological study of human remains, stable isotope and dental microwear analysis as well as the examination of organic residues. However, the aim of this volume is not only to compare different methods of analysis, but also to integrate method and theory and to reflect more widely on the integration of science and archaeology. The volume concludes with the report of a Round Table discussion on the institutional framework and the regulations surrounding the practice of archaeological science in Greece, as well as the ethical obligations of the practitioners.