At Empire's Edge: Project Paphlagonia.

• Author: Gercek, Ilgi N.
• Position: Book review

At Empire's Edge: Project Paphlagonia. Edited by ROGER MATTHEWS and CLAUDIA GLATZ. British Institute at Ankara Monograph, vol. 44. London: BRITISH INSTITUTE AT ANKARA, 2009. Pp. xi + 273, illus. $100, (Distributed by the David Brown Book Co., Oakville, Ct.]

The volume under review is the final publication of a multi-period archaeological survey entitled Project Paphlagonia, led by Roger Matthews during his tenure as Director of the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara. Fieldwork was conducted between 1997-2001 in Inner Paphlagonia (modern Cankiri province and parts of Karabuk province), combining extensive survey of the entire region (8,454 [km.sup.2]) and intensive survey of ten carefully selected sample areas.

The primary objective of Project Paphlagonia, as elucidated by Matthews in the introduction (chapter one), is to explore long-term settlement patterns and the "dialectic between people and place" (p. 73). Other key issues in the project include settlement patterns and ways of living in "border zones," how these were altered by imperial entities, and the methods of combining textual and archaeological evidence. The previously unexplored Cankiri Province, with its diverse landscape and "border zone" nature throughout most of its history, proved to be the optimal place to explore these issues. These research questions necessitated a thorough investigation of the geography, geology, and geomorphology of Inner Paphlagonia with special attention to available resources and communication routes, the results of which are presented in chapter two.

Survey results are presented in six chronologically organized analytical chapters covering the Paphlagonian past from the Paleolithic period through the Ottoman era, concluded by a final chapter (chapter eight) of summary and synthesis. These chapters are richly illustrated with maps, photography, site catalogues, and drawings.

Chapter three presents the prehistory of Paphlagonia. Extensive occupation of Inner Paphlagonia began in the Early Bronze Age; survey yielded very little evidence from the Paleolithic period (Lower and Middle Paleolithic), virtually no evidence of Neolithic occupation, and scant evidence from the Chalcolithic period. Matthews suggests the availability of certain raw materials (e.g., rock salt) and the proximity to the Black Sea region (presenting an opportunity for maritime trade/communication) as the main attractions for prehistoric communities. An important point...