Rural Estate Research Articles

Community-based water governance for adaptation to water reduction and scarcity in Badulla district of Sri Lanka

AbstractSustainable Development Goal number 6 declares safe drinking water for all as a human right and it can be used as an indicator to measure development. While urban and municipal residents benefit from safe drinking water through centralized water supply systems, water supply for rural areas and estates were decentralized due to large construction costs, according to the demand-driven approach introducing community governance mechanism for water sources and water supply in rural areas. Community-based water societies emerged as a consequence of this situation. In Badulla district of Sri Lanka, 47% of community-based water societies depend upon natural water springs benefitting 46% of households in a particular area. Recently, two natural water springs dried up affecting 191 households and 10 community-based water societies who depend on natural water springs are regulating their water supply hours due to a long and extended drought situation. This affected 1,953 households in Badulla. Further it represents 8.4% of households who depend upon natural water springs. Owing to the present water scarcity, 37 community-based water societies started catchment protection initiatives with the support of government and non-governmental agencies. One community-based water society in this district has collapsed due to lack of water with the drying up of their natural water spring and another is functioning with an alternative water source. Other community-based water societies are functioning to a varying extent because of water level reduction in natural water springs. While the climate is changing, there are development initiatives that, in particular, are affecting natural water springs.

FEATURES OF URBAN PLANNING SOLUTIONS AND THE EVOLUTION OF SETTLEMENTS FOR DISPLACED PERSONS FROM THE CHERNOBYL ZONE

In the article, the author presents the results of her full-scale studies of the evolution of settlements for migrants from the Chernobyl zone, built in 1986-1987 of the twentieth century. Strategies and consequences of their placement, integration into the structure of existing villages, features of planning blocks, rural estates, residential and outbuildings are considered. The article analyzes the consequences of architectural and urban planning design decisions made 30 years after their implementation. Nowadays in Ukraine, there is a situation where villages and urban-type settlements urgently need to develop or update new general plans that would correspond to the present. It is known that currently there is a certain proportion of villages in Ukraine that do not have general plans at all or have them outdated. Taking into account all aspects of this problem, the results of the design, construction and evolution of villages for displaced persons from the Chernobyl zone are interesting and useful. Taking into account the tragic circumstances that led to their appearance, these villages represent a large-scale urban planning experiment in the field of rural housing construction, which represents the embodiment of the latest knowledge in the theory of village architecture in the mid-80s of the twentieth century. It was 30 years after the construction and settlement of these villages that it became possible to check the compliance of design standards with their compliance with the real needs of the village, from the standpoint of the current design standards, which are fundamentally no different from the design standards of 1986. Comparing the results of research (the study of general plans of villages of displaced persons and general plans that are being developed at the present stage), it turned out that the basis of those villages for Chernobyl victims was the main goal of socialist ideology, namely, erasing the differences between the city and the village. The author sees in modern design a similar problem, which directly leads to further degradation of the Ukrainian countryside. And nowadays, just against the background of this phenomenon, it is time for urbanists to understand the difference between a block of manor development for citizens and a rural street of a Ukrainian village.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL GREEN TOURISM IN THE TRANSCARPATHIAN REGION

The article examines the activities of households that provide services in the field of rural green tourism in Transcarpathian region. The main prerequisites which helped rural residents to start their own business in the sphere of rural green tourism are analyzed; the main indicators of rural tourism homesteads activity according to COVID-19 and in the pre-crisis period are reviewed; the main factors influencing the realization of social and economic potential of households in rural green tourism and its effective use in crisis situations are revealed. The purpose of the article is to conduct socio-economic analysis and assessment of impact of the main generating and destructive factors affecting the functioning of rural tourist estates in Transcarpathian region, which form the basis for the development of anti-crisis measures to improve their socio-economic potential, which can be used by the owners of rural green estates. Methodology. The study was conducted on the basis of the results of sociological monitoring of owners of rural estates in the Transcarpathian region, conducted by the Transcarpathian Regional Center for Socio-Economic and Humanitarian Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in 2021. The monitoring covered 95 respondents, of whom 51.6% were women and 48.4% were men. 74% of the respondents were economically active people between the ages of 35 and 56. The monitoring was conducted on the basis of the method of personal structured interviews according to a stochastic sample, which is representative for the population of the region at the age of 18 and older. The results of the study confirm that the functioning of the majority of rural tourist estates in the Transcarpathian region, in addition to objectively negative consequences of the crisis COVID-19 is affected by many destructive factors at the micro- and macro level, the elimination of which ensures their functioning in case of recurrence of crisis situations. The results of the study showed that only 4% of entrepreneurs were able to increase the potential and profitability of their own business during the crisis period. Also 23.7% of entrepreneurs, despite the crisis, plan to diversify and expand their business in the future. According to the results of sociological research anti-crisis measures to improve the effectiveness of rural tourist estates were developed, such as increasing the level of education and qualifications of owners of rural tourist estates, business diversification and expanding the range of services, reorientation to a new category of consumers, the development of e-tourism, strengthening of integration and cooperation between different economic actors in the region.

Hellenistic grape and olive diversity: A case study from rural estates in Greece

Grapevine and olive are thought to have been intensively cultivated during the Hellenistic period, as part of an agrarian system which included agricultural choices specializing in the production of their secondary products. The discovery of large assemblages of carbonized grapes and olives at three sites in Pieria, Macedonia, Greece, provides a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of grape and olive cultivation, the production of wine and olive oil, and their position in the agricultural regimes in this region of Greece. In this paper, we report on morphometric analyses performed on these assemblages to distinguish wild and domesticated subspecies, and to identify ancient morphotypes that may correspond to the wild form or other varieties of olives and grapes. The comparison of olive and grape assemblages from three different sites, geographically close but different in terms of size and architecture, shows a wide range of cultivated types of both olive and grapevine, as well as possible local selection processes, especially for the grapevine.

Evaluation and optimization of the use of tourist resources of the region

Introduction. Assessing the potential of tourist resources on the basis of sound methodology is an important step in developing measures to optimize the use of tourist potential of the region. The aim of the study. The purpose of the study is to improve and adapt the methodology for assessing the potential of tourist resources in the region, as well as its testing on the example of Vinnytsia region of Ukraine. Materials and methods. Based on O. Beidyk’s method of scoring the tourist and recreational potential of the region and the results of a study by a number of other authors formed a method of assessing the potential of tourist resources adapted for Vinnytsia region. Methods of mathematical statistics and cartographic, as well as the method of zoning are used. Results. The potential of tourist resources of administrative districts of Vinnytsia region is analyzed, the geospatial organization of tourist destinations is investigated and tourist zoning is carried out. A system of regional policy measures differentiated by selected subregions has been developed to optimize the use of tourist resources. Conclusions. Based on the study of the geospatial organization of tourist resources of Vinnytsia region, ways to optimize them are proposed, including the development and expansion of a network of excursion routes; expansion of the network of accommodation establishments; formation of a network of medical and health institutions; updating the material and technical base of sanatoriums; improvement of transport infrastructure, in particular highways; wider attraction of foreign tourists; optimization of recreational use of the river network; intensification of development and expansion of the network of rural tourism estates.

UBC Excavations of the Roman Villa at Gerace, Sicily: Results of the 2018 Season

A fifth season of excavation at the late Roman rural estate of Gerace (Enna province, Sicily) took place in 2018. A rectangular kiln of the fifth century ad, partially excavated in 2017, was confirmed as having internal walls of mud brick, hardened by successive firings. It was reduced in size in a secondary period. Investigation was conducted on another of the vertical shafts, extraordinarily hacked through the thickness of parts of the mud-brick walls of this kiln in the sixth century, in order to create rudimentary furnaces, but their function remains unknown. In the bath-house of ca. 380 ad, the rest of the frigidarium, partly investigated in 2017, was uncovered. The geometric mosaic floor has an inscription on all four sides, uniquely so in the Roman Empire; it names the estate as the praedia Philippianorum. Roundels on the mosaic include monograms of ‘Asclepiades’ and ‘Capitolini’, both also named in the inscription. The text of the inscription is discussed, and possible interpretations of what it might mean are offered. Excavation found that the walls of the cold room were never finished and a horseshoe-shaped cold pool on its north side was never installed, suggesting that the baths were left incomplete, although they were used. Further evidence was found of serious earthquake damage that occurred in the second half of the fifth century. It may have happened at night if burn marks on one part of the mosaic come from dislodged torches; they and a glass lamp suggest that night bathing was practised, in line with its increasing popularity elsewhere in late antiquity. An attempt was made to repair the baths after the earthquake, but this was aborted while still in full swing, and the baths were abandoned. A small part of the early Byzantine settlement which replaced the elite buildings on the estate soon afterwards, was excavated nearby; three phases were identified, belonging to the sixth and seventh centuries. Five appendices present evidence of kiln temperature, animal bones, carbonized seeds, and wood charcoal, as revealed during the 2018 season, as well as a selection of pottery from key deposits which aids the dating of individual phases.

Tracking Roman lead sources using lead isotope analysis. A case study from the imperial rural estate at Vagnari (Puglia, Italy)

Recent studies have utilised isotopic analysis for an understanding of the supply sources of lead to major Roman cities in Italy to good effect. Far less attention has been focused on contemporary rural sites in Italy or on the evidence for lead ore sources and the use and processing of lead in such locations. Rather than the more common focus on the isotopic analysis of lead pipes and ingots, this study concentrates on the lead processing and recycling debris, as well as the finished utilitarian objects, excavated in the central village of an imperial estate at Vagnari in south-east Italy. The archaeological and isotopic evidence indicates that the source of lead used in the production of implements here was not uniform, rather the ores stem from various regions within the Roman empire ranging from Italy, Spain, and Greece, to France or possibly Britain.

The Lost Narrative of Natalia Shabelsky’s Collection of Russian Textiles

A culturally significant, vibrant group of textiles gathered in the nineteenth century by Natalia Leonidovna Shabelsky, praised by critics and celebrated worldwide, was nearly lost to history. Born in Taganrog, Russia, in 1841, Shabelsky moved after her marriage to a rural estate in the Lebedinsky region where she developed an interest in the indigenous textile practice of ethnic Russia. She collected and preserved examples of embroidery and lace, as towel ends and costume accessories, all filled with traditional motifs such as the Tree of Life, the Sirin, and the Mother Goddess in her various guises. At the end of the nineteenth century, Shabelsky exhibited her collection at numerous world’s fairs. After the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, Shabelsky, her two daughters, and the collection remained in France. Shabelsky died in 1904; her daughters ensured that the collection was properly documented and published. Neither of Shabelsky’s daughters had children; they entrusted Count and Countess Basil Musin Pushkin to exhibit and sell the collection to museums in the United States. In the early 1930s, the Brooklyn Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, all purchased Shabelsky textiles. Within Cleveland’s collection, only Pushkin’s name was associated with the original accession records, omitting key provenance information. This unfortunate error led to the deaccession of a portion of this influential collection. My paper will address Shabelsky’s biography, the history of her collection, and its current status in museums and private collections. In keeping with the theme of this conference—Hidden Stories, Human Lives—I hope not only to unravel the narrative of this collection and its hidden story, but to emphasize the necessity of revealing and preserving the histories of women in the arts, in this case Natalia Leonidovna Shabelsky, champion and savior of Russian textiles.

RECREATION AND TOURIST RESOURCES AS AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS OF THE WESTERN REGION OF UKRAINE

The article reviews the functional structure of agricultural lands of the Western region. The agricultural lands are comprehensively analyzed by the following types: agricultural lands, including arable land, hayfields, pastures and fruit and berry plantations. More 42,7 million hectares of agricultural land are concentrated in rural areas, which is 68,8% of the total area of Ukraine. Rural areas ofUkraineare characterized by a high concentration of land resources. Among the regions of the Western region ofUkraine, the provision of land resources is the highest in Lviv, Volyn and Ternopil regions. Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi and Zakarpattia regions are marked by the poorest land resources inUkrainein general. The share of areas of territories and objects of separate categories in the nature reserve fund of the Western region is analyzed. The objects of the nature reserve fund of national importance include reserves, natural monuments, botanical gardens, zoological parks, deontological parks and parks-monuments of landscape art. The peculiarities and priorities of development of recreational and tourist resources as an additional source for development, use and development of rural territories are revealed. The main share of recreational lands in the region falls on nature conservation lands – 9,26 % of the area of the Western region. Ivano-Frankivsk (17,6 %) and Zakarpattia (11,4 %) regions are the leaders in terms of the share of recreational lands in the total area. By area, the largest share of nature reserves is accounted for by national nature reserves (11,19 %) and reserves (9,45 %) and regional landscape parks (6,91 %). The analysis of collective accommodation establishments of the region in 2000-2020 by types showed that hotels make up the predominant share (on average 66 % and 34 % are specialized accommodation establishments). It is proved that among domestic tourists today the favorite places are the countryside. It is analyzed that the TOP 3 regions of the Western region for the greatest achievements of income through the tourist tax, which came to local budgets in 2020 were: Lviv region; Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattia regions. These suggestions facilitate the search for ways to revitalizes its development. Key words: assessment, rural area, agricultural land, recreational and tourism resources, rural estates, region.

The Gypsies and Military Service in the Russian Empire in the Second Half of the 18th - First Half of the 19th Century

The complication of the national composition of the population due to new ethnic groups as well as incorporation of new territories into the Russian Empire were ones of the consequences of an active foreign policy in the XVIII - XIX century. The Poles, Jews, Gypsies, Finns, and many others needed to be incorporated into existing state, public, social institutions. Most of the activities carried out against, for example, the Jews or Gypsies, aimed at their violent adaptation. The tsarist administration made repeated attempts to persuade various groups of the gypsy population to a settled way of life under the aegis of combating vagrancy in the 1770s - 1820s. Their incorporation in the taxable urban and rural estates implied the imposition of state and district taxes and duties on them. This fully related to recruitment service in its natural or monetary form. But, the Gypsies, unlike Ashkenazi Jews, was not a united nation. This fact forced the government to take different approaches to their recruiting duties in different regions. In Crimea and Bessarabia, the Gypsies were an integral part of local communities. The authorities found it impossible to separate them, for example, from the Crimean Tatar Muslim societies. On this basis they were freed from recruitment same as the Tatars. But some militarized and military institutions (correctional troops of the engineering department, battalions of military cantonists) were used in a repressively educational spirit. If the first were supposed to stop the vagrancy of the Gypsies and promote their sedentary, the second were to contribute to the socialization of young Gypsies and make them useful members of society. This article for the first time in historiography raises the question of the attitude of the state towards the Gypsies of Russia from the point of view of military service. The article is written on the basis of published sources and unpublished documents from the central and regional archives, which are first introduced into scientific circulation.

УДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ПРАВОВИХ ОСНОВ СИСТЕМИ ДРІБНОГО СІЛЬСЬКОГОСПОДАРСЬКОГО КООПЕРАТИВНОГО КРЕДИТУ В УКРАЇНІ ЗА ЧАСІВ СТОЛИПІНСЬКИХ РЕФОРМ (1906-1917 рр.)

У статті досліджено процес формування правових основ системи дрібного сільськогосподарського кооперативного кредиту, початок якому було покладено «Зразковим статутом» ощадно-позичкових товариств, схваленим Міністерством фінансів Російської імперії 19 липня 1871 р. Згідно з цим правовим актом, основним завданням ощадно-позичкових товариств було формування обігових коштів, необхідних дрібним сільськогосподарським товаровиробникам з ряду непривілейованих станів для купівлі насіння, худоби, знарядь праці, без чого господарювати на землі практично неможливо. У наступні десятиліття імперський центр вжив цілу низку актів нормативного характеру, з тим щоб унеможливити масове розорення широких мас так званих «сільських станів», які, як відомо, були основними платниками податків і, відповідно, від яких залежало формування державного бюджету. Наступним, після 1871 року, ключовим етапом у становленні кооперативного кредиту на українських землях Російської імперії були: «Положення про установи дрібного кредиту» від 1 червня 1895 року та «Положення про установи дрібного кредиту» від 7 червня 1904 року. Останній законодавчій акт став своєрідним фундаментом цілої низки правових актів 1906–1917 років, результатом яких у тогочасній країні сформувалась чітка система кредитної кооперації, якою досить активно користувалися непривілейовані стани від початку столипінських перетворень і до відомих соціальних потрясінь 1917року.

Women along the Catumbela River, 1797: land ownership, agricultural production, labour and trade

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the multifaceted roles of women along the Catumbela River Basin, the “breadbasket” of Benguela, during a particular moment of its long agricultural history. It draws, first and foremost, upon an as yet unexploited census carried out along this river in 1797, which followed a short period of particularly high numbers of slaves being exported into the Atlantic world through Benguela. My contribution focuses on women in agricultural production, both as owners of rural estates and as free, freed or enslaved labourers, as well as in distributing agricultural produce via trade to the nearby urban market of Benguela, with its slightly less than 3200 permanent consumers. By capturing the various roles of women along the Catumbela River during a particular year, this paper highlights female agency within the context of a male-dominated world, expands our understanding of the development of agricultural properties, and adds to an ever-growing historiography that seeks to debunk simplistic and often anachronistic views of women in the African past.

Regularización dominial de inmuebles rurales para agricultores familiares

El presente artículo analiza la modificación efectuada por la Ley N° 27.118 a la Ley N° 24.374 (conocida como Ley Pierri, cuyo objeto es la regularización dominial de inmuebles urbanos), alcanzando con su entrada en vigencia a los agricultores familiares poseedores de inmuebles rurales donde residan y produzcan, como beneficiarios de la ley, concediéndoles de tal modo la posibilidad de acogerse a los beneficios de esta ley de regularización dominial para obtener su título de propiedad. Asimismo, se reflexiona sobre la ausencia a la fecha, de reglamentación en la provincia de Buenos Aires de la Ley N° 27.118, y se enumeran algunos aspectos a tener en cuenta, fundamentalmente con la finalidad de poder incluir como beneficiarios de la regularización a los agricultores familiares que habitan y producen en la zona denominada "cordón flori-frutihortícola de La Plata", considerado uno de los sectores de mayor producción de frutas y verduras del país.

POLESYE HORSE: HISTORY OF ORIGIN AND CURRENT SITUATION

POLESYE HORSE: HISTORY OF ORIGIN AND CURRENT SITUATION

«Гетеротопия усадьбы» в романе З. Н. Гиппиус «Роман-царевич» (1913)

<p>The article studies the space-semiotic organization of one of the central symbolist novels of the Silver age, associated with the “estate topos” in Russian literature. Most of the action in the “Roman-Prince” by Z. N. Gippius takes place in the 1910s on the territory of country estates in different parts of Russia, as well as in the Western European castle near the Pyrenees, where Russian revolutionaries live. The duality of the Russian revolution manifested as late as in Decembrist movement (the “autocratic” dictatorship of P. I. Pestel and the Christian democratism of S. I. Muravyov-Apostol) echoed in Gippius’s novel in the form of the opposition between Roman Smentsev and Mikhail Rzhevsky, along with his supporters Florenty and Litta. Gippius’s discovery consists in the fact that she found in the field of “estate topos” a meaning that goes back to the activities of the Decembrists-noble revolutionaries of the first quarter of the 19th century, often large landowners. The “Estate topos” appears in the “Roman-Prince” as the topos of the Russian religious revolution in a number of local variations. The ideological and artistic circulation between its three loci unites the Western European castle, reminiscent of the educationist roots of the Russian “estate culture” with its ideal of a free personality, a noble estate of the Golden age, which brings Russia’s first apostles of religious revolution, and eclectic intelligent-landowner estate of the Silver age, the inhabitants of shich are under the evil power of the Antichrist of the revolution, genetically ascending to Stavrogin of the novel “Demons” by F. M. Dostoevsky. At the same time, they maintain the ability to break the fatal circle outlined by Smentsev thanks to the heterotopic connection with the other two estate projections presented in the novel. So, the scientific novelty of the article is that: here, in the material of the Gippius’s novel is identified and discussed an important modification of the “estate topos” in the literature of Russian symbolism — a landowner’s rural estate as a topos of the religious revolution, and for understanding of its structure a new category — “heterotopia of the estate” — is used.</p>

ГЕОПРОСТОРОВИЙ АНАЛІЗ РОЗВИТКУ ІНДУСТРІЇ ЗАСОБІВ РОЗМІЩЕННЯ ТУРИСТІВ У РІВНЕНСЬКІЙ ОБЛАСТІ

The aim is to analyze the development of the industry of accommodation of tourists in Rivne region in space and time. Method. The method of research of the industry of means of accommodation of tourists is used. The analysis of hotels by their number, capacity and number of beds; the number of specialized accommodation facilities for tourists and persons staying in institutions and the regional provision of farmsteads were revealed. The system-structural approach, method of generalization and abstraction, economic-static and graphic methods are applied. Regional statistics and reports of relevant agencies were processed. Results. The regional aspects of hotel development as a means of accommodation of tourists in Rivne region are studied, the number and capacity of establishments are estimated. As of 2017, there are 43 units in the region. Most hotels are concentrated within the city of Rivne and Rivne district. In the dynamics we observe an increase in the number of hotel establishments. In 2017, the capacity of hotels in the region decreased by 1.5 times, compared to 2010. We analyzed the health facilities of the region, which are undergoing significant transformations. The number of sanatoriums has decreased to 9 by 2015 and remains unchanged until now. This testifies to the crisis-stagnation phenomena in the sanatorium-resort sphere of the region. The number of people using the services of health resorts is decreasing. In the structure of the tourist accommodation industry an important place belongs to agro-villages. There were 60 rural estates in the region, which are considered as private accommodation for tourists. Most within the territories of Bereznivsky, Demydivsky and Zarichnensky districts, which are characterized by high natural resource potential. To increase the demand for accommodation for tourists in the region will help create a highly profitable tourism sector, able to produce and sell quality, competitive in the tourist market. Scientific novelty. The geographical and chronological aspects of the tourist accommodation industry of the studied region are revealed. Hotels and similar means of accommodation of tourists, specialized establishments as a part of sanatoria and camps of rest and a farmstead are systematically analyzed on an example of the Rivne area. Practical significance. The results of the work reveal the level and state of providing the Rivne region with accommodation facilities for tourists. Can be used in the preparation of regional socio-economic development programs. To be used in the development of possible recommendations for improving and justifying management decisions in the tourism industry on the example of regions.

Roses in rural estates in Ukraine: past and present

Aim. In the conditions of development of rural green tourism, the settlements with the original architectural style of buildings close to the traditional one for a given territory are considered the most attractive. The purpose of the study was to define the assortment of roses for use in landscaping rural hospitable estates. Methods. The research had been conducted based on the field studies of the collection of the National dendrological park “Sofiyivka” of NAS of Ukraine using biometric, comparative morphological and statistical methods. Results. The rose had been used in gardens since the 18th century on the territory of Ukraine. Probably, they were cold-resistant hybrids and decorative forms of various species of wild rose. When selecting roses for estates stylized as traditional rural farms, criteria of hardiness, vigour of growth and ease of care had been used. It was found that Shrub roses (including English roses by David Austin selection, which are characterized by almost uninterrupted flowering inherent in modern roses, the shape of the flower and aroma of old roses) displayed sufficient hardiness in the natural and climatic conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe Zone of Ukraine. They were able to restore their crowns after wintering every year. The article presented an assortment of roses that had been tested in the NDP “Sofiyivka” and could be recommended for use in decorating traditional rural estates. Guidance for agrotechnical measures had been developed. Those measures, contributing to the processes of growth, development and ensuring high flowering performance, met the requirements of environmentally friendly land use. Conclusions. The rose had been the element of rural estates gardening in Ukraine since the 18th century. The collection funds of the NDP “Sofiyivka” contain a wide range of both species and modern roses. They can be used for improvement and landscaping of objects that are created in the style of a traditional rural estate, and also meet modern requirements.

Competing Polities of Church and State in Mexican Texas

In the weeks and months following Mexico’s war with Texas, elite Mexican generals returned home to their rural estates and city houses to write lengthy apologias about their role in the devastating and embarrassing loss. These shame-faced generals lashed out at each other, accusing former brothers-in-arms of gross malfeasance, dereliction of duty, and questionable honor. One exception to this pattern is José María Tornel y Mendívil, a statesman who had served as the Mexican Secretary of War during the conflict with Texas. Instead of hoisting blame onto his Mexican peers, Tornel pointed his scorn at the Texans.1 These barbaric Texans, even though they had been invited guests to Mexico and welcomed as new citizens, had never made the necessary concessions to become true Mexican citizens. Their resistance to assimilation took various forms, but none as insidious as their refusal to abide by Mexico’s religious establishment. This angered Tornel, in large part because the Mexican government had been clear in their expectations; a condition of the Anglo Americans’ emigration had been conversion to the Roman Catholic faith. Tornel castigated them: “The prohibition against the erection of places of worship and the practice of other cults than the Roman Catholic was the law of the land at the time when the colonists came and they agreed to conform to it. Why didn't they stay in their own country to raise temples in the vast solitude of the west?”2 In short, they knew the rules when they signed up, and so he was angry that religious toleration had been included in the Texans’ list of grievances against Mexico.

UBC Excavations of the Roman Villa at Gerace, Sicily: Results of the 2017 Season

A fourth season of excavation at the late Roman rural estate of Gerace (Enna province, Sicily) took place in 2017. Two areas of kilns were investigated. In one, fragmentary evidence for six kilns was found, of which the latest was constructed of bricks bearing the monogram of the estate owner, Philippianus. In its back-fill were wasters of two roof-tile types stamped Philippiani, confirming that these were an estate production. A substantial rectangular kiln was also found 40 m to the east, with exterior stone walls but internal structures which appear to have been built of mud brick, hardened only by successive firings. This kiln too produced roof tiles (unstamped), probably in the fifth century. A smaller kiln was inserted within it in a secondary period. Later still, vertical shafts were, extraordinarily, hacked through the thickness of parts of the mud-brick walls in order to make rudimentary furnaces for an unknown purpose; this occurred in the sixth century, as shown by radiocarbon analysis of a burnt sample. In the bath-house of ca. 380 ad up the slope, the rest of the tepidarium partly investigated in 2016 was excavated, as well as a second, smaller tepidarium adjacent. The geometric mosaics of both rooms had been smashed to retrieve the bricks from the hypocausts below when the baths were decommissioned, but enough survived for the floor patterns of both to be reconstructed. Fragmentary wall veneer included coloured marbles imported from Greece, Turkey and Tunisia. Part of the frigidarium was also identified and a cold pool, one of two, was completely excavated. It had a marble floor except for one slab of sandstone, possibly a non-slip device. A fissure in the pool’s back wall suggests that an earthquake was responsible for the building’s abandonment, sometime in the second half of the fifth century. One wall of the frigidarium used pisé, highly unusual in a bath-house. The room’s floor mosaic was partly uncovered; it appears to have an inscription on all four sides, possibly uniquely so in the Roman Empire. One roundel nearer the centre of the floor was also exposed; it bears the name of Philippianus in monogram form. Study of the animal bones revealed an unusually high number of horse bones; this together with the discovery of foal bones and an equine milk tooth suggests the possible presence of a stud at Gerace.

Women and rural industrialization: Garment production reaches old land and new labor in Bangladesh

After the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factories in 2013, international attention turned toward the conditions of garment production in Bangladesh. What occurred next was a shift in the regulatory environment with increased brand oversight and corporate-driven efforts to improve factories. In order to compete amid new regulations, some factories are relocating to rural industrial estates established decades ago. This article presents the social and economic context at one rural estate where a garment factory opened after the Rana Plaza tragedy. Interviews conducted with garment workers and people who live near the factory demonstrate the gendered constraints on women's labor and the experiences of women driven to seek factory work. The article also describes the garment factory itself, which operates in a new building on an old industrial estate. This factory is an early adopter in a national political shift toward rural industrialization, making observations there an important contribution to our understanding of what may be coming.