Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant: Transformation of Gallo-Roman Culture

研究过去的人类行为，特别是仪式活动，可以深入了解今天的仪式实践和宗教信仰。埃德曼的项目在彼得·威尔斯博士的指导下，研究了高卢-罗马时期（公元前50年-公元450年）祭祀祭品作为与超自然世界交流的手段的作用。法国塞纳河畔沙蒂永的一个淡水泉，被称为杜伊之源，将被用作与其他遗址进行比较的重点。这些被发现的还愿祭品的数量以及该遗址两千年来几乎持续不断的使用包含了一些数据，这些数据可以帮助回答以下问题：存放在神圣空间中的物品，特别是那些存放在水中的物品，是如何被用作交流工具的？文物的类型是否会随着时间的推移而改变？如果是的话，如何用考古学证据来解释这些变化？然后，从杜伊克斯获得的证据将用于多层次的比较分析，例如与其他当地保护区、区域水域（其他泉水、河流和湖泊）以及与母鲸有关的区域保护区进行比较。详细的存在/不存在分析将记录每个位置的对象类型，所代表的材料或媒体，以及每个位置的神灵类型。通过对这些数据的详细比较，将有可能认识到不同地方的供品模式，这些模式将有助于阐明供品的目的。除了将一种新的方法和视角应用于早该进行更高级解释的考古材料之外，这项研究的学术价值在于，它有可能通过侧重于仪式做法和宗教的物质方面而影响多个学科。将祭品视为因其交流价值而选择的物品，这一想法有可能影响所有时期和地点的宗教考古学和人类学研究。以这种方式检查产品也可能有助于古典世界的研究，宗教研究和物质文化研究。这项研究的初步结果已经在国家和国际会议上以及在最近的一本书的章节中向考古界传播。其他计划包括已经在进行的关于该网站的合作专著。这项研究的结果将通过沙蒂隆纳国家博物馆向当地居民和游客传播，从而产生更广泛的影响。每年有成千上万的游客参观杜瓦克斯博物馆的藏品，但公众几乎无法获得相关信息。Douix为游客提供了一个独特的教育机会，可以看到考古遗址和从春天恢复的文物，因为它们彼此之间都在步行距离之内。更好地了解在杜伊克斯举行的仪式，以及与泉水和藏品互动的能力，将使过去变得生动，并将在这个考古丰富的地区培养更强的遗产意识。

Examining human behaviors in the past, particularly ritual activity, can provide insight into ritual practices and religious beliefs today. Erdman's project, under the guidance of Dr. Peter Wells, examines the role of ritual offerings as devices for communicating with the supernatural world through their deposition into sacred watery places in the Gallo-Roman Period (50 BC - AD 450).A freshwater spring, known as the Source of the Douix, in Châtillon-sur-Seine, France will be used as a focus for comparison to other sites. The quantities of recovered votive offerings and the near continuous use of the site over two thousand years contain data that can help to answer the following questions: How are the objects deposited in sacred spaces, particularly those in water, used as communicative devices? Do the types of objects change over time, and if so, how can these changes be explained using archaeological evidence? Evidence from the Douix will then be used for multiple levels of comparative analyses, such as comparison to other local sanctuaries, regional watery sites (other springs, rivers and lakes), and regional sanctuaries associated with mother goddesses. Detailed presence/absence analysis will record the types of objects at each location, the materials or media represented, and the types of deities at each location. Through detailed comparisons of such data, it will be possible to recognize patterns of offerings from place to place, and such patterns will help illuminate the purpose of the offerings.In addition to applying a new approach and perspective to archaeological material that is overdue for more advanced interpretation, the intellectual merit of this study is its potential to influence multiple disciplines through its focus on the material side of ritual practices and religion. Looking at offerings as objects chosen for their communicative value is an idea that has the potential to influence archaeological and anthropological studies of religion from all periods and locations. Examining offerings in this way may also contribute to studies of the Classical world, Religious Studies, and Material Culture Studies. Preliminary results of this study have already been disseminated to the archaeological community at national and international conferences and in a recent book chapter. Additional plans include the collaborative monograph about the site which is already in progress. The results of this research will be disseminated to both local inhabitants and tourists via the Musée du Pays Châtillonnais, thus having a significant broader impact. The collection from the Douix is visited by thousands of visitors a year, but little information is available to the public. The Douix represents a unique educational opportunity for visitors to see the archaeological site and the artifacts recovered from the spring as they are within walking distance from one another. A better understanding of the ritual practices that took place at the Douix, and the ability to interact with the spring and the collection, will bring the past alive and will foster a stronger sense of heritage in this archaeologically rich region.