A proposed archaeological survey of Tegea

Abstract

This paper proposes a plan for an archaeological survey of the ancient Greek city of Tegea, in Arcadia. Excavations at the temple of Athena Alea in Tegea have uncovered evidence of cult practice that extends into the tenth century BC, which provides the basis for further archaeological investigation. An archaeological survey would connect known developments within the religious sphere to developments in the social and political spheres of the surrounding territory. The survey will be an intensive, pedestrian, and all-period survey, will follow the methodology of the Cambridge/Bradford Boeotian Expedition, and will use computer databases and GIS. From the diachronic changes in settlement pattern discovered, we can infer the answers to questions regarding the social, political and economic structures in all periods from the Neolithic to modern times. The materials collected by the survey will provide opportunities for research beyond their immediate usefulness to the survey itself.