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UBC Theses and Dissertations
Space, imagination and Vitruvius in archaeological [re]construction : reconsidering a modus operandi Millette, Daniel M.
Abstract
This thesis challenges the way hypothetical Vitruvius-based classical theatre [reconstructions are readily undertaken and accepted in conventional architectural and archaeological research. The cultural matrix born out of the settling of the Roman provinces—in this case, Gaul—was one which evolved out of the adaptation and adoption of mores, crafts, techniques and meanings of meeting cultures; cultural and geographical context were inextricably linked to a region-specific architecture. In Gaul, there remain enough examples to state that the theatre probably deviated substantially from the design tenets elucidated by Vitruvius. Analysis of a hypothetical architecturally [reconstructed theatre—that of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges—reveals that the [reconstruction is based on sparse archaeological evidence and, for the most part, is grounded within an imaginative interpretation of Vitruvius' broad Roman theatre design tenets. The [reconstruction recalls Vitruvius' Book V section on theatres but neglects archaeologically revealed architectonic details that highlight the monument as one which deviates from Vitruvius' Roman model. Thus, from the historical and cultural evidence, including an overview of Gaul's extant theatre remains, and from an analysis of one such [reconstruction, it is unlikely that Vitruvius can be relied upon with any certainty to [reconstruct Gaul's theatres. The epistemology of the interpretation of the De architectura libri decern suggests that the tradition of [reconstructing monuments—in this case, theatres—is mired within a set of "tendencies" that exist within the architectural and archaeological professions: The tendency to borrow Vitruvius as a means to render authority to one's work, the tendency to use the treatise within a didactic framework, the tendency to position the text vis-a-vis the study of classical monuments and vice versa, and the tendency to use "imagined" illustrations within translations of Vitruvius' work and similar treatises, have all been part of a process through which a canonization of Vitruvius' writings has taken place. It is through this process that [re]construction by means of the text has become accepted and condoned within the architectural and archaeological professions.
Item Metadata
Title |
Space, imagination and Vitruvius in archaeological [re]construction : reconsidering a modus operandi
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
1997
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Description |
This thesis challenges the way hypothetical Vitruvius-based classical theatre
[reconstructions are readily undertaken and accepted in conventional architectural and
archaeological research. The cultural matrix born out of the settling of the Roman
provinces—in this case, Gaul—was one which evolved out of the adaptation and adoption of
mores, crafts, techniques and meanings of meeting cultures; cultural and geographical context
were inextricably linked to a region-specific architecture. In Gaul, there remain enough
examples to state that the theatre probably deviated substantially from the design tenets
elucidated by Vitruvius. Analysis of a hypothetical architecturally [reconstructed
theatre—that of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges—reveals that the [reconstruction is based on
sparse archaeological evidence and, for the most part, is grounded within an imaginative
interpretation of Vitruvius' broad Roman theatre design tenets. The [reconstruction recalls
Vitruvius' Book V section on theatres but neglects archaeologically revealed architectonic
details that highlight the monument as one which deviates from Vitruvius' Roman model.
Thus, from the historical and cultural evidence, including an overview of Gaul's extant theatre
remains, and from an analysis of one such [reconstruction, it is unlikely that Vitruvius can
be relied upon with any certainty to [reconstruct Gaul's theatres.
The epistemology of the interpretation of the De architectura libri decern suggests that
the tradition of [reconstructing monuments—in this case, theatres—is mired within a set of
"tendencies" that exist within the architectural and archaeological professions: The tendency
to borrow Vitruvius as a means to render authority to one's work, the tendency to use the
treatise within a didactic framework, the tendency to position the text vis-a-vis the study of
classical monuments and vice versa, and the tendency to use "imagined" illustrations within
translations of Vitruvius' work and similar treatises, have all been part of a process through
which a canonization of Vitruvius' writings has taken place. It is through this process that
[re]construction by means of the text has become accepted and condoned within the
architectural and archaeological professions.
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Extent |
15338165 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-03-25
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0088189
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
1997-11
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.