Artemis Karnava | University of Crete (original) (raw)
Bronze Age Aegean archaeology by Artemis Karnava
AEΣΘΕ 6-2018, 2022
This paper presents the results of the study of the Late Bronze Age phase of the habitation site ... more This paper presents the results of the study of the Late Bronze Age phase of the habitation site of Kastro-Palaia conducted between 2015 and 2017. A most important outcome has been the retrieval of two fragmentary sheets of gold in a habitation layer of the LH I period in 2014. The study of the finds dating to that period reveals the importance and the wealth of the site in a habitation phase immediately preceding the Mycenaean phases.
The project, which started in 2009, continues with the study of pottery as well as land and sea fauna. Additionally, the study of the metallurgical objects from the site and their metallographic and chemical analyses
has provided secure evidence concerning the high level of technological knowledge of copper metallurgy at Kastro-Palaia from the EBA to the PG period. The pilot study on lead isotope ratios of ores, slag and artefacts
shows that the LBA workshop operating on the site had access to metallic tin, supporting the theory that the LBA workshop was part of a palatial establishment with access to high value commodities. Our data confirm
that the workshop had access to a range of metal sources, probably including some of the major copper sources of the Bronze Age in Jordan/Israel, Bulgaria and either Lavrion or Northern Greece.
This chapter examines the archaeological evidence from the island of Crete for the period known a... more This chapter examines the archaeological evidence from the island of Crete for the period known as ‘Mycenaean’, which lasted some 350 years. The phase starts in c. 1450 BC with the collapse of the so-called Minoan world, for which the nascent Mycenaean world is nowadays viewed as largely responsible. Palaces and palatial sites are destroyed and abandoned, only the Knossos palace persists through c. 1375 BC, and a palace that must have existed in Kydonia (Chania) seems to function until c. 1250 BC. After that, evidence for the existence of any central authority, at least on the local, Cretan level, is lacking. No major destructions are observed in Crete in c. 1200 BC, at the time when multiple sites in the mainland are largely abandoned. Still, the 12th century BC is considered a time of turbulence in Crete, since the few sites that were inhabited during the 13th century are abandoned, and Crete’s Mycenaean ‘interlude’ comes to a close in c. 1100 BC.
The excavation of the foundation shafts for the pillars of the new shelter over the site of Akrot... more The excavation of the foundation shafts for the pillars of the new shelter over the site of Akrotiri in Thera (1999-2003) necessitated the continuation of archaeological investigations around Sector Alpha, which, until then, was the northernmost excavated area of the settlement. The area presented in this paper extends to the north of the House of the Ladies and Sector Alpha, as well as to the northeast of Sector Alpha.
Our research was based initially on the information from the archival data of the first excavations in the vicinity, as well as that of the tunnels during those same years (1967-1969). Spyridon Marinatos, when first faced with the problem of an ancient site shrouded in tons of volcanic pumice, tried to investigate it by opening (underground) tunnels in the pumice, in order to track buildings but also leave the landscape above ground intact. The method was abandoned and the tunnels with time collapsed. But what prompted this paper was the (deluge of) new information from investigations in connection with the construction of a new shelter: surface volcanic materials were removed, and proper archaeological excavations took place where the new shelter pillars would be erected.
The presentation follows a chronological sequence from the earliest levels to the latest, and follows the evidence of human activities and interventions from the Early Cycladic period until the latest pre-eruption phase.
Les études menées pendant les dernières décennies ont montré: – Que les palais étaient des constr... more Les études menées pendant les dernières décennies ont montré:
– Que les palais étaient des constructions qui subissaient des transformations plus ou moins continues, dont on ne connaît que les grandes phases de destruction ;
– que cette transformation continue avait une influence considérable sur le réseau urbain environnant, qu’il est donc nécessaire d’examiner en parallèle ;
– et que les palais connaissent des phases d’occupation très différentes les uns des autres, ce qui a pu être mis en rapport avec l’évolution des équilibres politiques dans l’île ;
– en outre, les méthodes administratives, attestées par une série de documents écrits et de scellés, mis au jour dans ces palais mais aussi dans d’autres types de bâtiments, montrent des changements politiques et économiques à travers le changement des systèmes d’écriture et de scellement.
The paper details the results of the last three years (2012-2014) of the interdisciplinary resear... more The paper details the results of the last three years (2012-2014) of the interdisciplinary research program carried out by the Ephorate of Magnesia with a multitude of collaborators. The aim of the project is to study, re-evaluate and publish the archaeological data from the excavations conducted by Dimitris and Maria Theoharis during the period 1956- 1961, in the settlement of the Late Bronze Age, on the "Kastro-Palaia" hill, the historical core of the modern city of Volos.
The results include: a) the geological research both on the hill of Palaia and on the two-storey building complex, which the excavator had interpreted as a "palace", b) its stratigraphic and archaeological documentation, with the reconstruction of the know-how of the society of "Iolitis Coast" during the Late Bronze Age, regarding construction materials and building techniques and methods, c) the study of pottery, d) the archaeo-metallurgical and archaeometric study of crucibles and metal objects. The technological level of the metal object manufacturing workshops of the settlement during the Bronze Age, and the commercial contacts of the region with the rest of the world and especially with the Balkans, are discussed.
Finally, a brief reference is made to the consolidation and conservation study, which was prepared with the aim of preserving the building complex of the Late Bronze Age. The complex is part of the prosperous Mycenaean administrative center at the " Kastro-Palaia" site, the only archaeological site in the Pagasitikos area with uninterrupted habitation since the middle of the 3rd mill. BC.
Excavations at Akrotiri in the years 1999-2002 yielded new evidence on the history of habitation ... more Excavations at Akrotiri in the years 1999-2002 yielded new evidence on the history of habitation at the site from the Neolithic period to the LC I/LM IA final phase of the settlement and uncovered new sectors of the LC I town at the north part of the as yet excavated area. This paper presents evidence from this newly-excavated north sector, with emphasis on the nature of the domestic units uncovered in the north/northwest part and the activities of the inhabitants during the disruptive phase before the volcanic eruption.
The expansion of the LC I settlement to the north was apparently a communal decision implemented during the reorganisation of the layout of the town at the end of the MC period. The limited evidence for earlier remains in the area and the configuration of the new sector by the same principles of urban planning evident in other parts of the settlement (with provision for roads, squares, sewage system) demonstrate that the transformation of the physical landscape in response to particular needs complied with rules set on the community level. Of particular interest is the comparison of the newly-uncovered two-storied domestic units with other buildings and complexes in the settlement, in terms of function and interdependence. Moreover, the ample evidence for systematic and well-planned re-organisation activities attested in the settlement as a result of collective action in the period just before the eruption, further substantiates the argument for a high level of social integration in the community. In light of the absence, as yet, of any building that could qualify as the administrative seat of a ruler or a body of rulers at Akrotiri, the discussion on the role of Houses in the political and economic organisation of the community certainly affords due consideration.
The interdisciplinary research programme entitled “The Late Bronze Age Site of Kastro-Palaia on t... more The interdisciplinary research programme entitled “The Late Bronze Age Site of Kastro-Palaia on the Bay of Volos”, which is underway since 2009, focuses on the review, study, re-evaluation and publication of the archaeological and archival material from the excavations conducted by D. and M. Theocharis on the hill of Kastro-Palaia during the period 1956-1961, as well as on the contemporary stratigraphical documentation of the two-story Mycenaean building complex which the excavators had interpreted as the Palace of Iolkos.
The programme’s team of researchers aims to fill in the gaps in the study of the settlement, which have been created both from the partial and preliminary nature of the study and publications, as well as the interruption in systematic excavations in the 1960s. The study of the architectural remains and the assemblage of finds, and the archaeometric, paleo-environmental, geological and geomorphological data are expected to render a more complete picture of the economic, social and administrative system of the settlement in the Mycenaean period, and to present this both to the scientific community as well as the general public. The discovery of two fragments of Linear B tablets is unique in all of Thessaly, and thus the study of the total available evidence aims at a holistic understanding of the significance and character of this important Mycenaean administrative centre, a site which was inhabited uninterruptedly from the 3rd millennium BC until today.
Ancient Cyprus by Artemis Karnava
The Malios Collection features the fragment of a bronze bowl dating to the 1st mill. BC, which ca... more The Malios Collection features the fragment of a bronze bowl dating to the 1st mill. BC, which carries an inscription in the Cypriot syllabary.
Archaeology can track the connectivity of ancient lands through the mobility of objects. Both inc... more Archaeology can track the connectivity of ancient lands through the mobility of objects. Both incoming and outgoing objects tell the story of contact, demand, commercial ties and cultural encounters. It is with this view that this paper examines inscribed pottery found in tombs of the 5th–4th centuries BC in the extensive necropoleis of Marion in northwestern Cyprus. The inscribed vases were manufactured in Attica and imported in great quantities to the port site of Marion. Sometime after their arrival, inscriptions were incised under their bases in the Cypriot writing system, the syllabary. The graffito inscriptions contain usually either full names or abbreviated forms of names. The vases were ultimately placed in tombs, excavated mostly in the second half of the 19th century. The paper discusses old and new epigraphic evidence collected for the purposes of the corpus of Cypriot syllabic inscriptions of the 1st millennium BC, edited under the auspices of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and published as part of the Inscriptiones Graecae series.
For the edition of the corpus of Cypriot syllabic inscriptions of the 1st millennium BC, IG XV 1,... more For the edition of the corpus of Cypriot syllabic inscriptions of the 1st millennium BC, IG XV 1,1, which was published in 2020, a close collaboration between epigraphy and numismatics was inaugurated by the authors of the present paper. The fruits of this collaboration can be seen in the coin sections of the corpus (IG XV 1, 85-92, coins of Amathous ; IG XV 1, 406-410, coins of Marion).
Cypriot coins of the 5th and 4th centuries are exceptional sources of historical information, since they carry royal names in most cases unknown from other primary sources. This paper traces the history of the intertwined study of Cypriot numismatics and epigraphy, highlights the conventions of this new edition that follow the editing principles of both fields, and discusses new, corrected readings of Cypriot kings’ royal names.
During the 2019 excavation season of the University of Cyprus on the Kouklia-Hadjiabdoulla platea... more During the 2019 excavation season of the University of Cyprus on the Kouklia-Hadjiabdoulla plateau in southwest Cyprus an inscribed sherd (ostrakon) was unearthed. It bears a painted inscription in the Cypriot (Paphian) syllabary and records different quantities of a specific product. The ostrakon is the first evidence of the existence of an organized state administration functioning in the Cypro-Classical citadel of ancient Paphos.
In May and June 2019 I was documenting inscriptions found in the 20th century in the temenos of R... more In May and June 2019 I was documenting inscriptions found in the 20th century in the temenos of Rantidi, a site located in the vicinity of ancient Paphos (modern Kouklia). This material is to be included in the epigraphic corpus of Cypriot syllabic inscriptions, which will be published in the series Inscriptiones Graecae (IG XV 1, 1-3).
This article discusses amended readings of one of the syllabic inscriptions found in the temenos, which reveals the identity of the deity worshiped there. It therefore puts an end to a hundred-year-old mystery, while demonstrating the need to re-examine ancient material, which is presumed to be known, in the light of new evidence and using modern working tools. As is the case with the answers to our scholarly questions, the new reading begets more questions, which will need to be answered by specialists in religion, political economy, and ancient history.
The first (of three) fascicles of IG XV 1, which contains inscriptions from Amathous, Kourion and... more The first (of three) fascicles of IG XV 1, which contains inscriptions from Amathous, Kourion and Marion in the Cypriot syllabary.
Amathous and its surroundings testify to the use of the common Cypriot syllabary for the producti... more Amathous and its surroundings testify to the use of the common Cypriot syllabary for the production of some 50 syllabic inscriptions. Although the number presents no match for Paphos (with over 500 inscriptions) and Marion (with over 300 inscriptions), or even Egypt with its rock-carved ‘signatures’ (over 140 inscriptions), it puts Amathous together with Kourion and Salamis in terms of the quantity of known syllabic inscriptions, barely behind Kafizin and Golgoi (with 70 inscriptions each).
What is impressive in the case of Amathous however is not so much the quantity of syllabic inscriptions, as the variety of its syllabic epigraphic material, with numerous incised and painted vase inscriptions, carved stone inscriptions (tomb stones and dedications), a stone seal as well as coinage. Some of its biggest stone inscriptions remain enigmatic in their content, due to the fact that they are suggested to have recorded a language other than Greek, the conventionally called ‘Eteocypriot’, the presumed native tongue of the inhabitants; among the stone inscriptions, a now lost bilingual and biscript stone inscription stands out. The main bulk of the syllabic epigraphic material dates to the Classical and Hellenistic periods and a few inscriptions date back to the Archaic period.
All the known and surviving syllabic inscriptions from Amathous have been documented in the course of study for a corpus of Cypriot syllabic inscriptions of the 1st mill. BC and are included in the forthcoming first volume of the corpus. The presentation will focus on old and new syllabic material from Amathous, so as to address some of the main issues within Amathousian epigraphy pertaining to its palaeography, dating and history.
The Cypriot syllabic inscriptions from Rantidi in Paphos remain, to this day, an unappealing and ... more The Cypriot syllabic inscriptions from Rantidi in Paphos remain, to this day, an unappealing and difficult to comprehend epigraphic material. Their testimony is nonetheless precious with regard to the early history of writing in the 1st mill. in Cyprus, particularly to the early history of the Paphian version of the Cypriot syllabary, the so-called archaic Paphian. They make up for a quarter of some 500 inscriptions we have in the Paphian syllabary and about a tenth of the 1,400 syllabic inscriptions we have overall from Cyprus. Additionally, they constitute part of the scarce evidence for the cult of an unknown male deity [NB: now known, see Karnava 2019 in CCÉC 49], venerated in a rather isolated forest area through dedications bearing the name of the dedicant, liquid offerings and figurines. This sanctuary, although not connected to a known urban center, is assumed to have been situated within the limits of the Paphian polity, since the dedicatory material is inscribed in Paphian.
This paper details the history of Rantidi through the testimony of its syllabic inscriptions, as it was first discovered through the investigations of Max Ohnefalsch-Richter.
Prehistoric Aegean scripts and seals by Artemis Karnava
A fragmentary discoid loomweight from the early LB site of Garipa in Telos (Dodecanese, Greece) b... more A fragmentary discoid loomweight from the early LB site of Garipa in Telos (Dodecanese, Greece) bears an incised mark.
The time period in Greek prehistory defined as the ‘Bronze Age’ lasts roughly for two millennia. ... more The time period in Greek prehistory defined as the ‘Bronze Age’ lasts roughly for two millennia. From the later part of the period, the 2nd millennium BC, we have both texts and other material culture remains as sources of evidence for a discussion on how time was perceived, defined and even administered. Time in human terms is understood and delegated on the basis of the movements of celestial bodies, namely the sun, the moon and the (visible) planets, they therefore constitute the focus of interest here.
First the evidence of written texts is examined, mostly the Linear B records dating to the later half of the millennium. It has long been established that the Linear B tablet registrations make explicit references to years and months, and some of the month names were also recorded and are in this way known. The parameters of month definition on the tablets pertain to religious practices and events, but what was of course of interest to the authorities was the administrative and economic aspect of this time management.
Along with the textual evidence, there is also a more challenging set of evidence, that of material remains in general. We have iconographic evidence on seals and preserved seal impressions of the sun, the moon, the sky and the stars. Recent archaeological finds include a possible sun-decorated warrior armor from Pylos in Messenia as well as more seal iconographic evidence, that have the potential to update the discussion on the importance of celestial symbols and Minoan-Mycenaean iconography and religion. Iconographic evidence appears to be more challenging because it allows for a variety of interpretations with its inherent ambiguity. The meaning and eventual importance of celestial bodies in Aegean iconography of the 2nd mill. BC is assessed and discussed in conjunction with the previously known textual evidence.
Ο αρχαίος οικισμός στον τεχνητό γήλοφο του Κάστρου-Παλαιών, στο ιστορικό κέντρο της πόλης του Βόλ... more Ο αρχαίος οικισμός στον τεχνητό γήλοφο του Κάστρου-Παλαιών, στο ιστορικό κέντρο της πόλης του Βόλου, γνωστός στην αρχαιολογική έρευνα για πάνω από 100 χρόνια, κατοικείται αδιάλειπτα από την ΠΕ ΙΙ περίοδο μέχρι σήμερα. Οι αρχαιολογικές έρευνες, που κορυφώθηκαν στη δεκαετία του 1950 με τις έρευνες των Δ. και Μ. Θεοχάρη, 1) τεκμηρίωσαν τόσο τη διαχρονική κατοίκηση της θέσης, όσο και την ύπαρξη εκτεταμένου και οργανωμένου νεκροταφείου, 2) ανέδειξαν την οικιστική οργάνωση της θέσης των μυκηναϊκών χρόνων με επαφές με την Αίγινα, την Κρήτη, την Κύπρο και τις ακτές της Συρο-Παλαιστίνης και 3) έθεσαν προς συζήτηση πολλά και πολύπλοκα ζητήματα για τον χαρακτήρα του μυκηναϊκού πολιτισμού στο πλαίσιο της περιοχής της Μαγνησίας, αλλά και της Θεσσαλίας ευρύτερα.
Από το 2009 αρχίσαμε ένα διεπιστημονικό ερευνητικό πρόγραμμα μελέτης και δημοσίευσης των αρχαιολογικών δεδομένων της ΥΕΧ των ανασκαφών Θεοχάρη στο λόφο των Παλαιών, που στοχεύει στην επανεξέταση των δεδομένων και την τελική δημοσίευση των παλαιότερων, αδημοσίευτων ανασκαφών, από τη νέα οπτική γωνία των πρόσφατων δεδομένων της έρευνας του μυκηναϊκού πολιτισμού και της εξέλιξης των γεωφυσικών, βιοαρχαιολογικών και αρχαιομετρικών εν γένει επιστημών. Προκαταρκτικά πορίσματα των νέων ερευνών ήδη έχουν παρουσιαστεί σε συνέδρια και άρθρα και η μελέτη βρίσκεται σε εξέλιξη.
Τα στοιχεία, που προκύπτουν από τη μελέτη των ευρημάτων του οικισμού στο Κάστρο-Παλαιά, οδηγούν σε επανεξέταση από νέα οπτική γωνία του υποτιθέμενου «περιφερειακού» χαρακτήρα της Θεσσαλίας στον μυκηναϊκό κόσμο και ανακινούν το ερώτημα του πώς θα μπορούσαμε να ορίσουμε, εντέλει, τόσο το κέντρο αυτού του κόσμου, όσο και τη μικρότερη κλίμακα, σε ενδο-θεσσαλικό επίπεδο.
Στην παρούσα ανακοίνωση θα προσεγγίσουμε το πολυεπίπεδο ζήτημα του κέντρου και της περιφέρειας από την σκοπιά των τεκμηρίων της Γραμμικής Β γραφής. Μία από τις σημαντικότερες συνεισφορές του νέου προγράμματος μελέτης ήταν η εύρεση δύο θραυσμάτων πινακίδων Γραμμικής Β σε αποθηκευμένους σάκους κεραμεικής από τις ανασκαφές Θεοχάρη, οι οποίες δημοσιεύθηκαν το 2012.
Κάτω από το πρίσμα και άλλων νέων, πρόσφατων ανακαλύψεων τεκμηρίων Γραμμικής Β σε θέσεις της Πελοποννήσου, θα συζητηθούν οι προοπτικές της χιλιετίας, που διανύουμε, και οι προβληματισμοί για τον χαρακτήρα και την κατανομή των αρχείων Γραμμικής Β, και πώς αυτά διαμορφώνουν την άποψή μας για την ιστορική πραγματικότητα της μυκηναϊκής εποχής στη Θεσσαλία.
Arthur Evans’ “Scripta Minoa I” (1909) is a monumental volume, in the sense that it is still, to ... more Arthur Evans’ “Scripta Minoa I” (1909) is a monumental volume, in the sense that it is still, to this day, viewed and handled with awe, as one would do with a ‘monument’. It constitutes both a Cretan Hieroglyphic script documents corpus, as well as a synthetic study on this particular writing system and of writing in general, it continues therefore to be awe-inspiring.
All monuments, however, do not stand on the most solid foundation. The author, for instance, treats the Phaistos script and the Cretan Hieroglyphic as belonging to the same step in the evolutionary process of writing, namely the ‘hieroglyphic’. As far as Evans is concerned, it is understandable how he was inspired: based on his evolutionary belief that writing emerged from picture-writing, he considered all ‘pictography’ as the most primitive and ancient form of writing, wavering between art and writing. But, was it truly so? The paper explores whether Evans’ belief, that first came the pictures and then writing, holds any merit.
In 2014 the Ephorate of Antiquities of Rethymno started an excavation at Kalo Chorafi in Mylopota... more In 2014 the Ephorate of Antiquities of Rethymno started an excavation at Kalo Chorafi in Mylopotamos under the direction of A. Tzigounaki. The site dates to the Neopalatial period and is part of a series of port sites in the north Cretan shore. Some 13 rooms that have been partially or completely excavated so far span to an area of 330 sq.m. and they belong to a building complex of the MM III-LM I period. In the paper we discuss finds from the site, such as pottery vessels with Linear A script signs, two impressed pottery fragments, a seal, but also a unique find, a Cretan discoid loomweight with a Cypro-Minoan script sign.
Σε όρμο της βόρειας ακτής της κεντρικής Κρήτης ξεκίνησε το 2014 συστηματική ανασκαφική έρευνα της Εφορείας Αρχαιοτήτων Ρεθύμνου υπό τη διεύθυνση της Α. Τζιγκουνάκη σε εκτεταμένη μινωική εγκατάσταση στη θέση «Καλό Χωράφι» Μυλοποτάμου. Πρόκειται για θέση της μινωικής νεοανακτορικής περιόδου που εντάσσεται σε σειρά παράκτιων εγκαταστάσεων της ευρύτερης περιοχής της βόρειας ακτογραμμής. Οι έως τώρα ανασκαμμένοι ολικώς ή μερικώς 13 χώροι στη θέση Καλό Χωράφι, έκτασης περ. 330 τ.μ., ανήκουν σε ευρύτερο οικοδομικό συγκρότημα της ΜΜΙΙΙ-ΥΜΙ περιόδου. Στο άρθρο συζητάμε ευρήματα από τη θέση, όπως αγγεία με σημεία της Γραμμικής Α, δύο ενσφράγιστα τμήματα αγγείων, μία σφραγίδα, αλλά και ένα μοναδικό εύρημα, μία κρητική δισκοειδή αγνύθα με σημείο των κυπρομινωικών γραφών.
AEΣΘΕ 6-2018, 2022
This paper presents the results of the study of the Late Bronze Age phase of the habitation site ... more This paper presents the results of the study of the Late Bronze Age phase of the habitation site of Kastro-Palaia conducted between 2015 and 2017. A most important outcome has been the retrieval of two fragmentary sheets of gold in a habitation layer of the LH I period in 2014. The study of the finds dating to that period reveals the importance and the wealth of the site in a habitation phase immediately preceding the Mycenaean phases.
The project, which started in 2009, continues with the study of pottery as well as land and sea fauna. Additionally, the study of the metallurgical objects from the site and their metallographic and chemical analyses
has provided secure evidence concerning the high level of technological knowledge of copper metallurgy at Kastro-Palaia from the EBA to the PG period. The pilot study on lead isotope ratios of ores, slag and artefacts
shows that the LBA workshop operating on the site had access to metallic tin, supporting the theory that the LBA workshop was part of a palatial establishment with access to high value commodities. Our data confirm
that the workshop had access to a range of metal sources, probably including some of the major copper sources of the Bronze Age in Jordan/Israel, Bulgaria and either Lavrion or Northern Greece.
This chapter examines the archaeological evidence from the island of Crete for the period known a... more This chapter examines the archaeological evidence from the island of Crete for the period known as ‘Mycenaean’, which lasted some 350 years. The phase starts in c. 1450 BC with the collapse of the so-called Minoan world, for which the nascent Mycenaean world is nowadays viewed as largely responsible. Palaces and palatial sites are destroyed and abandoned, only the Knossos palace persists through c. 1375 BC, and a palace that must have existed in Kydonia (Chania) seems to function until c. 1250 BC. After that, evidence for the existence of any central authority, at least on the local, Cretan level, is lacking. No major destructions are observed in Crete in c. 1200 BC, at the time when multiple sites in the mainland are largely abandoned. Still, the 12th century BC is considered a time of turbulence in Crete, since the few sites that were inhabited during the 13th century are abandoned, and Crete’s Mycenaean ‘interlude’ comes to a close in c. 1100 BC.
The excavation of the foundation shafts for the pillars of the new shelter over the site of Akrot... more The excavation of the foundation shafts for the pillars of the new shelter over the site of Akrotiri in Thera (1999-2003) necessitated the continuation of archaeological investigations around Sector Alpha, which, until then, was the northernmost excavated area of the settlement. The area presented in this paper extends to the north of the House of the Ladies and Sector Alpha, as well as to the northeast of Sector Alpha.
Our research was based initially on the information from the archival data of the first excavations in the vicinity, as well as that of the tunnels during those same years (1967-1969). Spyridon Marinatos, when first faced with the problem of an ancient site shrouded in tons of volcanic pumice, tried to investigate it by opening (underground) tunnels in the pumice, in order to track buildings but also leave the landscape above ground intact. The method was abandoned and the tunnels with time collapsed. But what prompted this paper was the (deluge of) new information from investigations in connection with the construction of a new shelter: surface volcanic materials were removed, and proper archaeological excavations took place where the new shelter pillars would be erected.
The presentation follows a chronological sequence from the earliest levels to the latest, and follows the evidence of human activities and interventions from the Early Cycladic period until the latest pre-eruption phase.
Les études menées pendant les dernières décennies ont montré: – Que les palais étaient des constr... more Les études menées pendant les dernières décennies ont montré:
– Que les palais étaient des constructions qui subissaient des transformations plus ou moins continues, dont on ne connaît que les grandes phases de destruction ;
– que cette transformation continue avait une influence considérable sur le réseau urbain environnant, qu’il est donc nécessaire d’examiner en parallèle ;
– et que les palais connaissent des phases d’occupation très différentes les uns des autres, ce qui a pu être mis en rapport avec l’évolution des équilibres politiques dans l’île ;
– en outre, les méthodes administratives, attestées par une série de documents écrits et de scellés, mis au jour dans ces palais mais aussi dans d’autres types de bâtiments, montrent des changements politiques et économiques à travers le changement des systèmes d’écriture et de scellement.
The paper details the results of the last three years (2012-2014) of the interdisciplinary resear... more The paper details the results of the last three years (2012-2014) of the interdisciplinary research program carried out by the Ephorate of Magnesia with a multitude of collaborators. The aim of the project is to study, re-evaluate and publish the archaeological data from the excavations conducted by Dimitris and Maria Theoharis during the period 1956- 1961, in the settlement of the Late Bronze Age, on the "Kastro-Palaia" hill, the historical core of the modern city of Volos.
The results include: a) the geological research both on the hill of Palaia and on the two-storey building complex, which the excavator had interpreted as a "palace", b) its stratigraphic and archaeological documentation, with the reconstruction of the know-how of the society of "Iolitis Coast" during the Late Bronze Age, regarding construction materials and building techniques and methods, c) the study of pottery, d) the archaeo-metallurgical and archaeometric study of crucibles and metal objects. The technological level of the metal object manufacturing workshops of the settlement during the Bronze Age, and the commercial contacts of the region with the rest of the world and especially with the Balkans, are discussed.
Finally, a brief reference is made to the consolidation and conservation study, which was prepared with the aim of preserving the building complex of the Late Bronze Age. The complex is part of the prosperous Mycenaean administrative center at the " Kastro-Palaia" site, the only archaeological site in the Pagasitikos area with uninterrupted habitation since the middle of the 3rd mill. BC.
Excavations at Akrotiri in the years 1999-2002 yielded new evidence on the history of habitation ... more Excavations at Akrotiri in the years 1999-2002 yielded new evidence on the history of habitation at the site from the Neolithic period to the LC I/LM IA final phase of the settlement and uncovered new sectors of the LC I town at the north part of the as yet excavated area. This paper presents evidence from this newly-excavated north sector, with emphasis on the nature of the domestic units uncovered in the north/northwest part and the activities of the inhabitants during the disruptive phase before the volcanic eruption.
The expansion of the LC I settlement to the north was apparently a communal decision implemented during the reorganisation of the layout of the town at the end of the MC period. The limited evidence for earlier remains in the area and the configuration of the new sector by the same principles of urban planning evident in other parts of the settlement (with provision for roads, squares, sewage system) demonstrate that the transformation of the physical landscape in response to particular needs complied with rules set on the community level. Of particular interest is the comparison of the newly-uncovered two-storied domestic units with other buildings and complexes in the settlement, in terms of function and interdependence. Moreover, the ample evidence for systematic and well-planned re-organisation activities attested in the settlement as a result of collective action in the period just before the eruption, further substantiates the argument for a high level of social integration in the community. In light of the absence, as yet, of any building that could qualify as the administrative seat of a ruler or a body of rulers at Akrotiri, the discussion on the role of Houses in the political and economic organisation of the community certainly affords due consideration.
The interdisciplinary research programme entitled “The Late Bronze Age Site of Kastro-Palaia on t... more The interdisciplinary research programme entitled “The Late Bronze Age Site of Kastro-Palaia on the Bay of Volos”, which is underway since 2009, focuses on the review, study, re-evaluation and publication of the archaeological and archival material from the excavations conducted by D. and M. Theocharis on the hill of Kastro-Palaia during the period 1956-1961, as well as on the contemporary stratigraphical documentation of the two-story Mycenaean building complex which the excavators had interpreted as the Palace of Iolkos.
The programme’s team of researchers aims to fill in the gaps in the study of the settlement, which have been created both from the partial and preliminary nature of the study and publications, as well as the interruption in systematic excavations in the 1960s. The study of the architectural remains and the assemblage of finds, and the archaeometric, paleo-environmental, geological and geomorphological data are expected to render a more complete picture of the economic, social and administrative system of the settlement in the Mycenaean period, and to present this both to the scientific community as well as the general public. The discovery of two fragments of Linear B tablets is unique in all of Thessaly, and thus the study of the total available evidence aims at a holistic understanding of the significance and character of this important Mycenaean administrative centre, a site which was inhabited uninterruptedly from the 3rd millennium BC until today.
The Malios Collection features the fragment of a bronze bowl dating to the 1st mill. BC, which ca... more The Malios Collection features the fragment of a bronze bowl dating to the 1st mill. BC, which carries an inscription in the Cypriot syllabary.
Archaeology can track the connectivity of ancient lands through the mobility of objects. Both inc... more Archaeology can track the connectivity of ancient lands through the mobility of objects. Both incoming and outgoing objects tell the story of contact, demand, commercial ties and cultural encounters. It is with this view that this paper examines inscribed pottery found in tombs of the 5th–4th centuries BC in the extensive necropoleis of Marion in northwestern Cyprus. The inscribed vases were manufactured in Attica and imported in great quantities to the port site of Marion. Sometime after their arrival, inscriptions were incised under their bases in the Cypriot writing system, the syllabary. The graffito inscriptions contain usually either full names or abbreviated forms of names. The vases were ultimately placed in tombs, excavated mostly in the second half of the 19th century. The paper discusses old and new epigraphic evidence collected for the purposes of the corpus of Cypriot syllabic inscriptions of the 1st millennium BC, edited under the auspices of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and published as part of the Inscriptiones Graecae series.
For the edition of the corpus of Cypriot syllabic inscriptions of the 1st millennium BC, IG XV 1,... more For the edition of the corpus of Cypriot syllabic inscriptions of the 1st millennium BC, IG XV 1,1, which was published in 2020, a close collaboration between epigraphy and numismatics was inaugurated by the authors of the present paper. The fruits of this collaboration can be seen in the coin sections of the corpus (IG XV 1, 85-92, coins of Amathous ; IG XV 1, 406-410, coins of Marion).
Cypriot coins of the 5th and 4th centuries are exceptional sources of historical information, since they carry royal names in most cases unknown from other primary sources. This paper traces the history of the intertwined study of Cypriot numismatics and epigraphy, highlights the conventions of this new edition that follow the editing principles of both fields, and discusses new, corrected readings of Cypriot kings’ royal names.
During the 2019 excavation season of the University of Cyprus on the Kouklia-Hadjiabdoulla platea... more During the 2019 excavation season of the University of Cyprus on the Kouklia-Hadjiabdoulla plateau in southwest Cyprus an inscribed sherd (ostrakon) was unearthed. It bears a painted inscription in the Cypriot (Paphian) syllabary and records different quantities of a specific product. The ostrakon is the first evidence of the existence of an organized state administration functioning in the Cypro-Classical citadel of ancient Paphos.
In May and June 2019 I was documenting inscriptions found in the 20th century in the temenos of R... more In May and June 2019 I was documenting inscriptions found in the 20th century in the temenos of Rantidi, a site located in the vicinity of ancient Paphos (modern Kouklia). This material is to be included in the epigraphic corpus of Cypriot syllabic inscriptions, which will be published in the series Inscriptiones Graecae (IG XV 1, 1-3).
This article discusses amended readings of one of the syllabic inscriptions found in the temenos, which reveals the identity of the deity worshiped there. It therefore puts an end to a hundred-year-old mystery, while demonstrating the need to re-examine ancient material, which is presumed to be known, in the light of new evidence and using modern working tools. As is the case with the answers to our scholarly questions, the new reading begets more questions, which will need to be answered by specialists in religion, political economy, and ancient history.
The first (of three) fascicles of IG XV 1, which contains inscriptions from Amathous, Kourion and... more The first (of three) fascicles of IG XV 1, which contains inscriptions from Amathous, Kourion and Marion in the Cypriot syllabary.
Amathous and its surroundings testify to the use of the common Cypriot syllabary for the producti... more Amathous and its surroundings testify to the use of the common Cypriot syllabary for the production of some 50 syllabic inscriptions. Although the number presents no match for Paphos (with over 500 inscriptions) and Marion (with over 300 inscriptions), or even Egypt with its rock-carved ‘signatures’ (over 140 inscriptions), it puts Amathous together with Kourion and Salamis in terms of the quantity of known syllabic inscriptions, barely behind Kafizin and Golgoi (with 70 inscriptions each).
What is impressive in the case of Amathous however is not so much the quantity of syllabic inscriptions, as the variety of its syllabic epigraphic material, with numerous incised and painted vase inscriptions, carved stone inscriptions (tomb stones and dedications), a stone seal as well as coinage. Some of its biggest stone inscriptions remain enigmatic in their content, due to the fact that they are suggested to have recorded a language other than Greek, the conventionally called ‘Eteocypriot’, the presumed native tongue of the inhabitants; among the stone inscriptions, a now lost bilingual and biscript stone inscription stands out. The main bulk of the syllabic epigraphic material dates to the Classical and Hellenistic periods and a few inscriptions date back to the Archaic period.
All the known and surviving syllabic inscriptions from Amathous have been documented in the course of study for a corpus of Cypriot syllabic inscriptions of the 1st mill. BC and are included in the forthcoming first volume of the corpus. The presentation will focus on old and new syllabic material from Amathous, so as to address some of the main issues within Amathousian epigraphy pertaining to its palaeography, dating and history.
The Cypriot syllabic inscriptions from Rantidi in Paphos remain, to this day, an unappealing and ... more The Cypriot syllabic inscriptions from Rantidi in Paphos remain, to this day, an unappealing and difficult to comprehend epigraphic material. Their testimony is nonetheless precious with regard to the early history of writing in the 1st mill. in Cyprus, particularly to the early history of the Paphian version of the Cypriot syllabary, the so-called archaic Paphian. They make up for a quarter of some 500 inscriptions we have in the Paphian syllabary and about a tenth of the 1,400 syllabic inscriptions we have overall from Cyprus. Additionally, they constitute part of the scarce evidence for the cult of an unknown male deity [NB: now known, see Karnava 2019 in CCÉC 49], venerated in a rather isolated forest area through dedications bearing the name of the dedicant, liquid offerings and figurines. This sanctuary, although not connected to a known urban center, is assumed to have been situated within the limits of the Paphian polity, since the dedicatory material is inscribed in Paphian.
This paper details the history of Rantidi through the testimony of its syllabic inscriptions, as it was first discovered through the investigations of Max Ohnefalsch-Richter.
A fragmentary discoid loomweight from the early LB site of Garipa in Telos (Dodecanese, Greece) b... more A fragmentary discoid loomweight from the early LB site of Garipa in Telos (Dodecanese, Greece) bears an incised mark.
The time period in Greek prehistory defined as the ‘Bronze Age’ lasts roughly for two millennia. ... more The time period in Greek prehistory defined as the ‘Bronze Age’ lasts roughly for two millennia. From the later part of the period, the 2nd millennium BC, we have both texts and other material culture remains as sources of evidence for a discussion on how time was perceived, defined and even administered. Time in human terms is understood and delegated on the basis of the movements of celestial bodies, namely the sun, the moon and the (visible) planets, they therefore constitute the focus of interest here.
First the evidence of written texts is examined, mostly the Linear B records dating to the later half of the millennium. It has long been established that the Linear B tablet registrations make explicit references to years and months, and some of the month names were also recorded and are in this way known. The parameters of month definition on the tablets pertain to religious practices and events, but what was of course of interest to the authorities was the administrative and economic aspect of this time management.
Along with the textual evidence, there is also a more challenging set of evidence, that of material remains in general. We have iconographic evidence on seals and preserved seal impressions of the sun, the moon, the sky and the stars. Recent archaeological finds include a possible sun-decorated warrior armor from Pylos in Messenia as well as more seal iconographic evidence, that have the potential to update the discussion on the importance of celestial symbols and Minoan-Mycenaean iconography and religion. Iconographic evidence appears to be more challenging because it allows for a variety of interpretations with its inherent ambiguity. The meaning and eventual importance of celestial bodies in Aegean iconography of the 2nd mill. BC is assessed and discussed in conjunction with the previously known textual evidence.
Ο αρχαίος οικισμός στον τεχνητό γήλοφο του Κάστρου-Παλαιών, στο ιστορικό κέντρο της πόλης του Βόλ... more Ο αρχαίος οικισμός στον τεχνητό γήλοφο του Κάστρου-Παλαιών, στο ιστορικό κέντρο της πόλης του Βόλου, γνωστός στην αρχαιολογική έρευνα για πάνω από 100 χρόνια, κατοικείται αδιάλειπτα από την ΠΕ ΙΙ περίοδο μέχρι σήμερα. Οι αρχαιολογικές έρευνες, που κορυφώθηκαν στη δεκαετία του 1950 με τις έρευνες των Δ. και Μ. Θεοχάρη, 1) τεκμηρίωσαν τόσο τη διαχρονική κατοίκηση της θέσης, όσο και την ύπαρξη εκτεταμένου και οργανωμένου νεκροταφείου, 2) ανέδειξαν την οικιστική οργάνωση της θέσης των μυκηναϊκών χρόνων με επαφές με την Αίγινα, την Κρήτη, την Κύπρο και τις ακτές της Συρο-Παλαιστίνης και 3) έθεσαν προς συζήτηση πολλά και πολύπλοκα ζητήματα για τον χαρακτήρα του μυκηναϊκού πολιτισμού στο πλαίσιο της περιοχής της Μαγνησίας, αλλά και της Θεσσαλίας ευρύτερα.
Από το 2009 αρχίσαμε ένα διεπιστημονικό ερευνητικό πρόγραμμα μελέτης και δημοσίευσης των αρχαιολογικών δεδομένων της ΥΕΧ των ανασκαφών Θεοχάρη στο λόφο των Παλαιών, που στοχεύει στην επανεξέταση των δεδομένων και την τελική δημοσίευση των παλαιότερων, αδημοσίευτων ανασκαφών, από τη νέα οπτική γωνία των πρόσφατων δεδομένων της έρευνας του μυκηναϊκού πολιτισμού και της εξέλιξης των γεωφυσικών, βιοαρχαιολογικών και αρχαιομετρικών εν γένει επιστημών. Προκαταρκτικά πορίσματα των νέων ερευνών ήδη έχουν παρουσιαστεί σε συνέδρια και άρθρα και η μελέτη βρίσκεται σε εξέλιξη.
Τα στοιχεία, που προκύπτουν από τη μελέτη των ευρημάτων του οικισμού στο Κάστρο-Παλαιά, οδηγούν σε επανεξέταση από νέα οπτική γωνία του υποτιθέμενου «περιφερειακού» χαρακτήρα της Θεσσαλίας στον μυκηναϊκό κόσμο και ανακινούν το ερώτημα του πώς θα μπορούσαμε να ορίσουμε, εντέλει, τόσο το κέντρο αυτού του κόσμου, όσο και τη μικρότερη κλίμακα, σε ενδο-θεσσαλικό επίπεδο.
Στην παρούσα ανακοίνωση θα προσεγγίσουμε το πολυεπίπεδο ζήτημα του κέντρου και της περιφέρειας από την σκοπιά των τεκμηρίων της Γραμμικής Β γραφής. Μία από τις σημαντικότερες συνεισφορές του νέου προγράμματος μελέτης ήταν η εύρεση δύο θραυσμάτων πινακίδων Γραμμικής Β σε αποθηκευμένους σάκους κεραμεικής από τις ανασκαφές Θεοχάρη, οι οποίες δημοσιεύθηκαν το 2012.
Κάτω από το πρίσμα και άλλων νέων, πρόσφατων ανακαλύψεων τεκμηρίων Γραμμικής Β σε θέσεις της Πελοποννήσου, θα συζητηθούν οι προοπτικές της χιλιετίας, που διανύουμε, και οι προβληματισμοί για τον χαρακτήρα και την κατανομή των αρχείων Γραμμικής Β, και πώς αυτά διαμορφώνουν την άποψή μας για την ιστορική πραγματικότητα της μυκηναϊκής εποχής στη Θεσσαλία.
Arthur Evans’ “Scripta Minoa I” (1909) is a monumental volume, in the sense that it is still, to ... more Arthur Evans’ “Scripta Minoa I” (1909) is a monumental volume, in the sense that it is still, to this day, viewed and handled with awe, as one would do with a ‘monument’. It constitutes both a Cretan Hieroglyphic script documents corpus, as well as a synthetic study on this particular writing system and of writing in general, it continues therefore to be awe-inspiring.
All monuments, however, do not stand on the most solid foundation. The author, for instance, treats the Phaistos script and the Cretan Hieroglyphic as belonging to the same step in the evolutionary process of writing, namely the ‘hieroglyphic’. As far as Evans is concerned, it is understandable how he was inspired: based on his evolutionary belief that writing emerged from picture-writing, he considered all ‘pictography’ as the most primitive and ancient form of writing, wavering between art and writing. But, was it truly so? The paper explores whether Evans’ belief, that first came the pictures and then writing, holds any merit.
In 2014 the Ephorate of Antiquities of Rethymno started an excavation at Kalo Chorafi in Mylopota... more In 2014 the Ephorate of Antiquities of Rethymno started an excavation at Kalo Chorafi in Mylopotamos under the direction of A. Tzigounaki. The site dates to the Neopalatial period and is part of a series of port sites in the north Cretan shore. Some 13 rooms that have been partially or completely excavated so far span to an area of 330 sq.m. and they belong to a building complex of the MM III-LM I period. In the paper we discuss finds from the site, such as pottery vessels with Linear A script signs, two impressed pottery fragments, a seal, but also a unique find, a Cretan discoid loomweight with a Cypro-Minoan script sign.
Σε όρμο της βόρειας ακτής της κεντρικής Κρήτης ξεκίνησε το 2014 συστηματική ανασκαφική έρευνα της Εφορείας Αρχαιοτήτων Ρεθύμνου υπό τη διεύθυνση της Α. Τζιγκουνάκη σε εκτεταμένη μινωική εγκατάσταση στη θέση «Καλό Χωράφι» Μυλοποτάμου. Πρόκειται για θέση της μινωικής νεοανακτορικής περιόδου που εντάσσεται σε σειρά παράκτιων εγκαταστάσεων της ευρύτερης περιοχής της βόρειας ακτογραμμής. Οι έως τώρα ανασκαμμένοι ολικώς ή μερικώς 13 χώροι στη θέση Καλό Χωράφι, έκτασης περ. 330 τ.μ., ανήκουν σε ευρύτερο οικοδομικό συγκρότημα της ΜΜΙΙΙ-ΥΜΙ περιόδου. Στο άρθρο συζητάμε ευρήματα από τη θέση, όπως αγγεία με σημεία της Γραμμικής Α, δύο ενσφράγιστα τμήματα αγγείων, μία σφραγίδα, αλλά και ένα μοναδικό εύρημα, μία κρητική δισκοειδή αγνύθα με σημείο των κυπρομινωικών γραφών.
Before Bedřich Hrozný concluded his scientific career in the 1940s he became interested, among ot... more Before Bedřich Hrozný concluded his scientific career in the 1940s he became interested, among other scripts, in the 2nd mill. BC Aegean writing systems, most notably Linear A and Linear B. There is archival evidence nowadays that his interest was vivacious for a number of years, even after his acute health problems in the mid-1940s. His interest culminated in a proposed decipherment of Linear B.
Hrozný had been one of the 12 scholars to whom Michael Ventris, the man who was going to decipher Linear B after all, had addressed his famous ‘Mid-century Report’ in 1949. This report was a questionnaire aiming to bring into the attention of scholars the complex decipherment problems of the Aegean scripts. Hrozný did not reply to the questionnaire, but was always in the list of recipients of Ventris’ ‘Work Notes’. These notes were a sort of progress report, which Ventris sent out to scholars from 1951 until he reached the desired result in 1954.
A number of scholars such as Helmuth Bossert (1944), Alice Kober (1946), Spyridon Marinatos (1947) and Emmett Bennett (1950) criticized Hrozný’s decipherment attempt of the Linear B script harshly. The reviews concentrated on both dubious recognitions of sign phonetic values, as well as the historical arguments that were used by Hrozný to support his suggestion. Especially criticized was his lump summing of both Linear A as well as Linear B under an interpretation of a unique Indo-European language.
This paper aims to examine the phonetic transcriptions and the historical evaluations proposed by Hrozný at the time, in view of what we now know on the Aegean writing systems in particular, and the Mycenaean civilization in general. His decipherment proposal was one of the first to be presented to the public and was based on the extremely limited Linear B material that had been published at the time. His study of this material was based on the assumption that the Minoan culture was in close contact and affinity with the Near Eastern cultures, a belief that was widespread at the time. An additional clue that led him astray was the fact that simple, ‘linear’ signs, such as the ones used in Aegean writing, were very similar to signs attested in the Egyptian writing systems, in the Hittite Hieroglyphic, in the Indus script and even the Phoenician alphabet.
This paper aims to insert Hrozný’s decipherment attempt in the intellectual circumstances of his era and evaluate its position in the history of the decipherment of the Linear B writing system.
The keeping of archives is one of the most systematic ways of preserving information through the ... more The keeping of archives is one of the most systematic ways of preserving information through the collection of records. The keeping of records is in itself evidence of an intention to take down more than human memory can ever preserve. The Minoan world has produced a number of archival deposits, markers of ‘official’ information processing and preserving efforts, that date from the end of the MMII period and are last attested in the LM IB destruction layers all over Crete. Besides the mnemonic device par excellence, writing, which was put to the service of record-keeping, sealings that were meant to testify and authenticate administrative practices were also collected and kept, even after they had probably served their primal function.
This paper focuses on a small number of sealings found among the sealings retrieved at Akrotiri in Thera that date to LM IA, as well as sealings found in Cretan archival deposits that date to LM IB. The common element of the sealings in question is that they were stamped by the same metal ring bearing the motif of a horse race, and it is remarkable that some 80-120 years separates their manufacture. This (now lost) ring remains, to this day, unique in terms of its motif; unlike bull leaping scenes, that were repeatedly pictured in multiple seals and seal rings, the chariot race ring that stamped these sealings was not ‘replicated’ or imitated in any other administrative ring. The peculiarities of this unique ring and what was their potential significance are here discussed.
Out of 62 discoid loomweights retrieved from the Middle Cycladic layers at Akrotiri in Thera, one... more Out of 62 discoid loomweights retrieved from the Middle Cycladic layers at Akrotiri in Thera, one bears an incised Linear A inscription.
This monograph contains the primary publication of the seals (S1–S16), sealings (N1–N75) and stam... more This monograph contains the primary publication of the seals (S1–S16), sealings (N1–N75) and stamped objects (I1–I3) retrieved at the Bronze Age site of Akrotiri in Thera. Their contexts date from the MC A period, which corresponds roughly to the Cretan MM I period (at the turn of the third to the second millennium BC), until the final volcanic destruction phase that occurred at a mature phase of LC/LM IA (1623/1530 BC). The majority of the objects examined had been manufactured in Minoan Crete and were imported to Akrotiri as readymade items.
The volume is open access and fully downloadable at the following links:
https://e-book.fwf.ac.at/detail_object/o:1267#?q=1267&page=1&pagesize=10
and
https://books.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/propylaeum/catalog/book/372
La Revue Archéologique donne, dans chacun de ses numéros, la liste des ouvrages reçus, mais elle ... more La Revue Archéologique donne, dans chacun de ses numéros, la liste des ouvrages reçus, mais elle ne peut s'engager à rendre compte que des ouvrages qu'elle aurait elle-même demandés.
Fibre crafts are among the oldest technological practices of mankind. Although commonly associate... more Fibre crafts are among the oldest technological practices of mankind. Although commonly associated with textile manufacture, twisted fibres in the form of threads have always had a wider range of use in everyday life. Strings and ropes constitute a humble but essential category of fibre products deriving from the same technology and organic matter as threads. Due to their organic nature, however, they are rarely preserved in the archaeological record, unless special environmental conditions occur. This paper explores the research potential of the imprints of threads and strings in a study focusing on the alternative uses of fibre-spun artefacts. The focus is on the Bronze Age Aegean imprints of threads and strings preserved on objects made of clay and on wall paintings recovered at Akrotiri on Thera. The technical properties of the original threads and strings are evaluated through observation of their imprints, and the fibre technology used for their production is assessed. The methodologies of spindle whorl metrology and experimental spinning are also integrated in the discussion. Ultimately, the use of threads and strings for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to textile production, is discussed.
A topic that recently caused a public debate in Greece is an administrative reform envisaged by t... more A topic that recently caused a public debate in Greece is an administrative reform envisaged by the incumbent government; the reform regards the transformation of a number of public, state-run archaeological museums to legal entities that would be managed by a government-appointed board of trustees. The discussion that ensued presents us with an opportunity to ponder, once more, on the present and future of museums, of the archaeological finds kept in them and of their management by the state through its representatives, the archaeologists of the Greek Archaeological Service. In the current paper the matter is seen primarily as a property issue, an aspect which is current in international literature; yet, it also plays into a wider issue in the field of studies of past societies, namely to whom does antiquity ‘belong’ to, who has a right to speak about antiquity, and who has the right and the responsibility to manage the material remains of past societies.