House and household: a contextual approach to the study of South Arabian domestic architecture. A case study from seventh- to sixth-century BC Yala/ad-Durayb

The present work focuses on the organization of the domestic space and the location of the activity areas within that space, based on the distribution of the house contents. Every archaeological context inevitably undergoes formative processes that can cause a more or less evident change in the actual distribution of materials and the activities carried out in a single space. Nevertheless, proper excavation techniques, as well as a carefully conducted examination of the artifacts discovered in the various spaces of the house, can help to form a much more complete picture of its occupation. It has been possible to carry out a contextual analysis of the architecture of the 'House A' in Yala. The term 'Archaeological Context' here refers to the location of the artifacts in the level of habitation. Thus, it is composed of the architectural space itself and the materials therein contained. The theoretical assumption of the present work is the reciprocity of the relation existing between architecture and the materials found in the architectural space. This approach aims to rediscover the spatial relationships of domestic behavior.