The Houses of Hellenistic–Roman Tel Dor: A Study of Domestic Social Practices and Economic Activities

Abstract

This article engages the houses of the southern Phoenician coastal city of Tel Dor as a means to explore the social practices and smaller-scale economic activities of residents. It uses access and lighting analyses alongside observations of architectural planning and decoration in four case-study houses from distinct areas of the city. The approach elucidates how particular domestic spaces function and the social logic that shapes them. It shows that socially diverse residents lived within the city. While there is a locally distinctive approach to domestic architecture connecting these Hellenistic- to Roman-era case studies, preferences for the articulation of space vary by neighborhood and status. Even within social class, some houses show greater receptivity to new planning and decorating styles. Finally, it demonstrates that only the very finest house clearly eschews the broader Roman trend of incorporating household industries to support the economic growth of the residents.