Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (793 page)

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Wilton
[CP].
A series of later Stone Age microlithic industries found widely across southern Africa and dating to the period 6000 bc through to ad 500 or later. Named after a small rock-shelter near Alicedale in the eastern Cape Province of South Africa, the lithic industries include small convex scrapers, thumbnail scrapers, adzes, segmented blades, and crescent-shaped backed blades, but organic materials are also known, together with occupied caves and burials. Rock painting is well represented. The economy was based on the exploitation of a wide range of plant and vegetable species and marine, aquatic, and animal resources including melkhoutboom and antelope. Changes in the relative percentage of different classes of stone tools can be seen over the duration of the tradition, and a
Coastal Wilton
and
Interior Wilton
are widely recognized. After the early 1st millennium
ad
pottery began to be made and used in some areas and this is sometimes referred to as the
Post-Climax Wilton
or
Ceramic Wilton
.
Winchester, Hampshire, England
[Si].
Large historic town in central southern England situated beside the River Itchen. At the time of the Roman conquest the site was already a major tribal centre, and was soon adopted as the capital of the new administrative area and named Venta Belgarum. Defences were constructed in ad 60–70 and the rectangular grid of streets was established at about the same time within the walls. By the 2nd century
ad
the town covered 58ha. After the decline of Roman power Winchester continued to be occupied, and in the 7th century a substantial church was built: the Old Minster. There was a major revival in its fortunes in the later 9th century
ad
when it became a
BURH
with planned streets and a strong defensive system. The Old Minster was extended several times, and in the 970s the open-air tomb of St Swithin was incorporated into the structure. The town again rose to prominence to became the capital of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex.Winchester continued to thrive through later centuries as a regional centre, market, and the seat of a bishopric. Today it is the county town of Hampshire. In 1961 Winchester achieved a special significance in archaeological terms in being the first English town to have a permanent field unit established to carry out both rescue and research projects in and around the city. Headed by Martin Biddle , the Winchester Archaeological Unit has carried out numerous excavations and surveys, and continues to do so.
[Sum.: T. B. James , 1997,
Winchester
. London: Batsford and English Heritage].
Winchester ware
[Ar].
Late Saxon (Saxo-Norman) style of earthenware pottery typical of the period ad 850 to 1150 and found widely in southern England and occasionally beyond. The ware is wheel-thrown in a hard sandy fabric usually with a yellowish-red or green-coloured glaze. The range of vessel types includes spouted pitchers, cups, bowls, jars, tripod pitchers, and bottles. The last-mentioned appear to be skeumorphic copies of leather prototypes. Winchester ware is often decorated with lines, rouletting, stamped osettes, cordons, or applied strips.
Winckelmann , Johann Joachim
(1717–68)
[Bi].
German scholar and antiquarian who made numerous contributions to the integration of archaeology and art history, emphasizing that classical texts were not the only source of information on ancient times. Born in Stendal, Prussia, he attended the local grammar school before a brief period in Berlin and from 1737 he studied theology at the University of Halle. From 1743 he was a private tutor and school teacher until in 1748 he found a position as librarian of the collection of Imperial Count Heinrich von Bünau near Dresden. Fascinated by the library and Dresden, it was here that he developed his interest in the history of art. In 1755 he moved to Rome where he remained for thirteen years, tirelessly searching for new knowledge and working in a variety of libraries. He is best known in archaeological circles for his work on the art of
POMPEII
and
HERCULANEUM
.
[Bio.: M. Kunze , 1999, Johann Joachim Winckelmann . In T. Murray (ed.),
Encyclopedia of archaeology I
.
The Great Archaeologists.
Oxford: ABC-Clio. 51–63]
BOOK: Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology
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