Archaeologies of Colonialism: Consumption, Entanglement, and Violence in Ancient Mediterranean France by Michael Dietler

Abstract

be used as a reference work in a French culture class, a translation course, and a course on bandes dessinées. Le coq gaulois is a must-read for Astérix aficionados as well as for those who are yet unfamiliar with the French cultural icon whose adventures have been translated into 107 languages and dialects with worldwide sales of over 325 million albums. Ohio University, Athens Lois Vines DIETLER, MICHAEL. Archaeologies of Colonialism: Consumption, Entanglement, and Violence in Ancient Mediterranean France. Berkeley: UP of California, 2010. ISBN 978-0-52026551 -6. Pp. 464. $60. During the sixth century BCE, Phocaeans from a Greek colony in contemporary Turkey arrived in Marseille, naming it Massalia. This event becomes more than a mere historical fact in Dietler’s complex analysis of Mediterranean society during the period 600–100 BCE. Influenced by the myth of Gyptis and its implications , which tells of a Greek man chosen by a native woman, one has a tendency to exalt the civilizing force of the Greek and later Roman world on the conquered peoples. Using archaeology, ancient texts, and anthropological data, Dietler not only disproves these prejudices, but also recreates life in Massalia and its surroundings . He demonstrates the transformation of both the colonizers and the colonized through complex social, economic, and political interaction. Like all conquered peoples, the Massalians picked and chose among the products and perspectives of their conquerors. Wine was the principal commodity imported from abroad, mainly from the Etruscans. They later became wine-producers and exporters themselves to their chora, or colonies they established in the surrounding area after the fourth century BCE. Wine had an exotic appeal, as well as a practical one, since it could be preserved longer than local brews. Archaeological findings reveal stoneware of local origin used for wine, as well as large containers for wheat, imported by the Massalians. They prepared their meat according to local custom with little foreign influence, although cereals remained the most important staples. The early Mediterranean peoples seem to have rejected olive oil, of great importance to the Greeks and Romans. Thus wine and pottery became the principal products exchanged in the area, much of this by sea. Sunken ships and remnants of utensils shed light on the extent of trade in the region. Commerce prior to the Augustan Age was not a state-regulated enterprise , since even the major powers remained loosely connected, with little sense of identity. Merchants were individual entrepreneurs without any national allegiance . While archaeological evidence does not fully support Julius Caesar’s claim of “warring Gauls,” weapons and especially stone ramparts appear after the sixth century BCE, notably in Provence in contrast to Languedoc. The marks of fire and destruction found throughout the region do not necessarily point to largescale war. Dietler proposes rather skirmishes, raids, and feuds, given the small size of the cities. Massalia became the center of conflict on land and sea, particularly after the second century. On the other hand, the richest source of Celtic warrior statues and severed heads has been unearthed in Provence and eastern Languedoc, indicating militaristic religious rites and new political structures. Finally, the homes of the early Mediterranean peoples shed light on their lives. While the urban landscape evolved gradually, it bore little resemblance to 968 FRENCH REVIEW 85.5 Greek cities, with the possible exception of Glanum (near today’s Saint-Rémy de Provence). For some time, small nuclear family units seemed the rule, with wattle and daub constructions replaced by mud bricks and stone. These people later built houses into blocks opening into streets, producing a congested urban atmosphere . Some larger homes, often with inner courtyards, possibly indicate the emergence of social distinctions, or the need for storage space. In contrast to Greek cities, large public areas and ritual spaces did not appear before the second century BCE. Even then, they did not reflect Greek values, but were rather indigenous constructions. While this book contains forty pages of scholarly references, abundantly noted in the text, it remains quite accessible to the general reader. The ample number of photographs and sketches facilitates understanding of the technical aspects. Dietler questions many previously held theories, and provides evidence pointing...