Recherches sur les Messapiens. IVe - II siècle avant J.-C.

École Française de Rome, Palais Farnèse, 1996. X,661p. Richly ills.(B&W line drawings and photographs). Hard bound. Upper corner front cover a tiny bit damaged. Lower corner front cover a little bit bumped. Series: Bibliothèque des Écoles Françaises d'Athènes et de Rome, Fascicule 292. ?As is to be expected for a people who left so few written records, over half the text of L.?s work is dedicated to cataloguing the archaeological material from all over Messapia. this seven the dual purpose of providing an invaluable tool for research and also defining the geographical limits of Messapian culture. (?) The second half of the work is an examination of the Messapian people from economic, cultural, and linguistic standpoints.Here, archaeology is combined with history and epigraphy as L. looks at transport and roads, agriculture, urbanism and urban centres, political and social organisation, art, and architecture. The aids to the reader are tremendous; there is no lack of maps, tables, and diagrams; moreover, plates provide a visual image of almost every site, and L?.?s excellent cross-referencing makes the volume very user-friendly. The book culminates with a chapter on culture and religion, where the depth of L.?s research and dedication to this large project shines through. (?) L. has succeeded in writing the definitive work on Messapian archaeology and history, His exhaustive research, attention to detail, and excellent presentation have combines to shed a new light on the study of Messapia, and has paved the way for a new look at the importance of the indigenous peoples of southern Italy.? (JOHN SERRATI in The Classical Review (New Series), 2000, pp.670-671). From the library of Prof. Carl Deroux.