Project Report. Household is the Machine: Demarcating the spatial layout and social agency of Late Cypriot households

Past approaches to architecture examined houses from a functionalistic point of view and considered them machines for living in. In contrast, anthropological research identified households as the smallest and most abundant active groups on the social web. However, it is only through the study of the material record that we may reconstruct households and understand the strategies employed to address their productive and reproductive needs. The domestic environment of the Late Cypriot period was indeed set on the epicenter of past research. Nevertheless, that is only in regards to monumental buildings that stand out in the archaeological record. Therefore, less elaborate habitation units are usually excluded from the discourse. This research project shifts attention to the core of the Late Cypriot communities, i.e., lower-tier social structures. This approach affords a better understanding of past societies. The application of the space syntax analysis in Late Cypriot habitation units of different communities pinpoints diverse patterns of social organization in Cyprus during the Late Bronze Age.

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During the academic year 2023–2024, I was awarded the Pre-Doctoral fellowship in Hellenic Studies by the Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies. My appointment as a fellow proved to be a crucial step forward, towards both my academic and personal development. I am deeply indebted to the Center for Hellenic Studies of Harvard University and the Academic Committee for awarding me the Pre-Doctoral Fellowship. During the year of my appointment, I worked on the project entitled “Household is the machine: Demarcating the spatial layout and social agency of Late Cypriot households.” The project is part of my PhD thesis, which investigates the importance and social role of households in the social organization of Late Bronze Age Cyprus.

Following the words of Claude Lévi-Strauss, who stated that the social phenomena may not be perceived outside their social space and time, this research project brought space to the epicenter of the discourse. The project applies the Space Syntax analysis so as to first investigate the spatial configuration of Late Cypriot habitation units and, second, to interpret their social significance. The spatial layout is an aspect that is usually overlooked by research, especially when it comes to lower-tier structures. In this project, though, space is not perceived as a static entity, but rather as an active and dynamic one. As recent research highlights, space is actively constructed through the synthesis of objects and people. Therefore, the configuration and use of space is a paramount implication in any attempt to demarcate the socioeconomic processes incorporated within households.

Three Late Cypriot case studies were investigated: Alassa-Pano Mantilaris, Pyla-Kokkinokremos and Kalavasos-Ayios Dhimitirios, which are located in different geographical and environmental settings. The focus was placed on the tracing of intra-house activities and social interaction. In order to address the questions that were set, I applied a combination of traditional and innovative methods. First of all, an intra-house spatial analysis was produced with the use of the DepthmapsX software. The maps that were generated reflect the most and least crowded rooms of a building and provide invaluable information about circulation on the interior of habitation units as well as in the surrounding area. The results of the space syntax analysis were discussed and interpreted through a contextual approach.

The contextual and spatial analysis conducted provided a significant insight into the social aspect of the household structures in the communities under study. More specifically, different patterns of social bonding and diverse levels of inter-dependence were recognized. These results alter past approaches that perceived the social organization of the Late Cypriot period in a more monolithic way. The results of the project were published in the 12th volume of the Center for Hellenic Studies Research Bulletin.

During the research itself, as well as during the process of writing and preparation of the publication, I received invaluable support, for which I am deeply indebted. I would like to first and foremost acknowledge Prof. Spyridon Rangos, who was my advisor throughout my appointment as a fellow. His advice, guidance, and insightful comments significantly contributed to the success of this project. Moreover, the remote access to the online Harvard Hollis library system significantly facilitated the painstaking research process. Furthermore, the considerable funding we received greatly assisted in addressing various ongoing research expenses.

The results of our research, though, were not only published in the Bulletin of the Center for Hellenic Studies; they were also presented in the workshop organized by the Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington, DC. This workshop was the stimulus that provided us with the unique opportunity of traveling to the States and of being integrated with colleagues from around the world. The presentation of our projects in Washington was followed by an inspiring discussion. The constructive and encouraging feedback I received from other fellows of the Center for Hellenic Studies and attendants of the workshop promoted my ongoing research.

Besides our stay on the premises of the Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington, we were also given the great chance to spending a couple of days in Boston, MA. In Boston, we visited the facilities of Harvard University, and we met faculty members and students with whom we exchanged ideas and insights. Except for the workshop in Washington, another workshop will be held in September 2024 at the premises of the Center for Hellenic Studies in Nafplion, Greece. Τhe much anticipated upcoming workshop in Nafplion will be another great occasion for academic interaction and engagement.

Last but not least, I would like to acknowledge my two co-fellows, Despina Vertzagia and Ioannis Karakirisidis, with whom I’ve had the luck to share the trip to Boston and Washington. Their genuine interest in my project cultivated a productive discourse, which offered me significant insights into particular implications of my research. Additionally, I am grateful to them for their sincere words of encouragement and overall support.