In the others we see ourselves. Questioning identities and change in rural Lusitania

Abstract

In Horta da Torre Roman villla (Fronteira, Portugal), ongoing excavations since 2012 have revealed a major double-apsed room with a stibadium, belonging to a major villa. The space has probably been used as a triclinium aestivalis, where an elaborated decorative programme and sophisticated architectural solutions show the opulence displayed by the owner. During the 5th century BC, the area was carefully abandoned, but further occupation(s) left archaeological evidences. The construction of a perishable structure documents the precarious presence of people and animals (fauna recollected) in the once sophisticated room. This evidence reflects new patterns of daily activities that strongly contrast with the previous occupation. Contextual analysis and stratigraphic evidence of ceramics and faunal remains allow us to interpret dramatic changes in economic strategies and cultural backgrounds. Questioning this evidence, we can search for patterns of change: in the funerary sphere; in material culture, and also in the connections be- tween villae and urban sites in Lusitania, trying to characterize the agents in the territory. In this perspective, it is important to question how these major shifts oc- curred, their causes and the protagonists in the ground.