Katherine Freimuth
Research Mentor: Giulia Saltini Semerari
Mentor Department: Anthropology/UMMAA, LSA
Author(s): Katherine Freimuth, Giulia Saltini Semerari, Arantxa Bertholet del Barrio
Session: Session 2 (10:00 AM – 10:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 69
Abstract
Ginostra is a small village located on the Aeolian Island of Stromboli, which currently has an active volcano. The village is situated on steep terrain, and its small port is exposed to the northwest where all major storms and winds come in. Due to the rugged nature of the terrain, it is unlikely that the inhabitants were ever fully self-sufficient. This project aims to reconstruct the interplay of the small coastal community of Ginostra with the rest of the Mediterranean and external world. The findings will aid in an effort to better understand how ecological, economic and political conditions outside Ginostra shaped the population dynamics from pre-history to the present. Data collection for the prehistoric phases will occur through archaeological research. Information captured from medieval times to the late 18th century will be mostly collected through archival research. Data from more recent times include oral testimonies, ethnographic data and the study of traditional architecture. All this information will be collected and organized through a Geographic Information System (GIS). This first phase of the project is focused on 1) setting up the GIS and 2) making a map of the present town to store the layered memories of the community composed of stories, legends, photos and traditional architectural features. Change can be seen across the community due to emigration, globalization, increase in mass-tourism, and climate change. The results of this project will allow for the most recent 100-200 years of change to be salvaged in a multi-media map so that a fuller understanding of the community’s past can be understood by future generations.
