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Books by Zetta Theodoropoulou-Polychroniadis

Copper-based artefacts of small size recovered by Valerios Stais (1897-1915) from the Poseidon an... more Copper-based artefacts of small size recovered by Valerios Stais (1897-1915) from the Poseidon and Athena sanctuaries at Sounion include weapons, miniature anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines and jewellery, all studied typologically and contextually by Theodoropoulou Polychroniadis (2015). The typological analysis is here complemented by the archaeometallurgical examination of a selection of copper-based objects. The combined results address their typology, technology and function, and make some initial observations on their provenance. This data set encourages further analytical exploration into the provenance and treatment of the metal alongside typological considerations in order to comprehend their pattern of original dedication and deposition around the time of the Persian Wars (480/479 BC).

This book, published by Archaeopress Archaeology (ISBN 978 1 78491 154 6), is part of a wider re... more This book, published by Archaeopress Archaeology (ISBN 978 1 78491 154 6), is part of a wider research project, still in progress, on the sanctuaries of Poseidon and Athena on the promontory of Sounion. It is the first detailed and comprehensive examination and interpretation, of a wide selection of unpublished small finds of different categories and materials discovered in the bothroi (pit-deposits) and the landfills and sets them into their contexts. It is complemented by a detailed catalogue. The limited archaeological records on the excavations of the sanctuaries conducted by Valerios Stais in the years 1897–1915, which were and still are the only extensive excavations undertaken are re-evaluated.
The author revisits the two sanctuaries and takes a fresh look at the structures within them in an attempt to cast light on the early phases of their establishment, development and their significance for the socio-economic growth of south east Attica, by drawing upon the evidence of archaeological data and ancient literary sources. The book thus provides answers on the early cults with emphasis on the identity of the deities worshiped at Sounion from the Late Geometric to the dawn of the Classical period. The illustrations of the finds are integrated with the relevant text for easier reference.

Lectures & Seminars by Zetta Theodoropoulou-Polychroniadis

A Celebration of Greek Language and Culture Education in the UK, Hellenic Centre, London, 11th Ju... more A Celebration of Greek Language and Culture Education in the UK, Hellenic Centre, London, 11th June 2016

University of Oxford, Institute of Archaeology, Greek Archaeology Group 7th June 2016 Sounion, ... more University of Oxford, Institute of Archaeology, Greek Archaeology Group
7th June 2016

Sounion, the southernmost promontory of Attica, was inhabited from the 3rd millennium BC: it commanded communication routes on both land and sea. Numerous literary testimonia, referring to the promontory as ‘ἄκρον’, imply that Sounion remained a well-known and important landmark over the centuries. North-east of the promontory and at a distance of approximately 500m, a hill rises to a height of 40m above sea-level, visible from the sea when sailing from the east or the west. This hill and the promontory were the sites where early cult activity can be traced and were to develop into the sanctuaries of Athena and Poseidon respectively. The geographical and strategic position of the promontory – it commands two harbours and like the nearby prominent hill is situated close to the metalliferous area of the Laureiotike – were the main factors in the establishment of two, initially rural, coastal sanctuaries. Homer describes Sounion as a ‘sanctuary’ (‘Σούνιον ἱρόν’), which implies that cult was practised there, even before the burial of Phrontis.
Sounion was no exception to the ‘8th century renaissance’ in the Attic countryside. Here at around 700 BC, two religious centres developed: that of Poseidon and that of Athena. These two sanctuaries fell early under Athenian sovereignty. Around 600 BC, kouroi were set up in both sanctuaries, testament to the fact that already in the Archaic period the Cape was a focus of cult. Both ultimately developed into sanctuaries of Athenian "territorial sovereignty": that of Poseidon no later than 490 BC, as indicated by the erection of its Archaic temple and later by its Classical one, while that of Athena immediately after the end of the Persian Wars, testified by the erection around 460/50 BC of its marble Classical temple.
Valerios Stais’ excavations at Sounion, conducted between 1897 and 1915, were — and still are — the only extensive project ever undertaken at the two sanctuaries.
The material from both sanctuaries which I will present is part of my research project conducted over several years, and still in progress, on these two enigmatic coastal sanctuaries. The research which draws upon the evidence of the numerous, and until recently unpublished small finds of diverse material and on the ancient literary sources, as well as the structural remains of the architecture in the two sanctuaries, provides fresh insight into the early cults. Emphasis is given on hero cult/s and the deities worshipped here from the Late Geometric to the early Classical periods.

ABSTRACT ….Σούνιον ἱρὸν ἀφικόμεθ᾽, ἄκρον Ἀθηνέων, …..to holy Sunium, the cape of Athens.. (Homer... more ABSTRACT
….Σούνιον ἱρὸν ἀφικόμεθ᾽, ἄκρον Ἀθηνέων,
…..to holy Sunium, the cape of Athens.. (Homer, Odyssey,III, 276-285) : a new approach

This paper aims to provide an overview of the influence of the natural environment of Cape Sounion on the gradual development of its regional identity, as well as on the growth of its socio-economic and political status. An important aspect of these factors was the establishment of cults on two different but in close proximity sites on the Cape which gradually developed into two flourishing and important Attic sanctuaries, that of Poseidon and of Athena. The literary sources, several referring to the significance of the environmental features of Sounion and which span almost fourteen centuries, together with the analysis of the archaeological finds, recovered from the two sanctuaries between 1898 and 1915 by Valerios Stais are reviewed here, in order to highlight the importance of Cape Sounion over this long historical period.

Zetta Theodoropoulou Polychroniadis, BA, MA, MPhil, PhD

École pratique des hautes études, 'Religions et institutions en Grèce ancienne,' Conférence de Fr... more École pratique des hautes études, 'Religions et institutions en Grèce ancienne,' Conférence de François de Polignac. Paris, December 1, 2015.

Metallurgy in Numismatics, The Royal Numismatic Society, Special publication No. 56, 2020

The excavations of Valerios Stais (1897-1915) at the sanctuaries of Poseidon and Athena at Sounio... more The excavations of Valerios Stais (1897-1915) at the sanctuaries of Poseidon and Athena at Sounion, brought to light large and small scale diverse offerings. While monumental sculpture and architectural spolia have been published, the small finds have only recently been studied thoroughly, and their publication is in press. The excavation in 1907 of the bothros situated on the south east corner of the sanctuary of Poseidon, has revealed an interesting group of small objects of various materials including metal; among the latter one stands out, a bronze cast tool, a punch, first studied by Petros Calligas in 1997. His interpretation however, as well as those of other scholars, are challenged in this paper which will attempt to cast light on the most likely use of this tool, its importance and the circumstances that may have led to its presence in the sanctuary and its subsequent deposition inside the bothros, before 480/479 BC.

At this illustrated lecture, unpublished diverse material from the bothroi of the sanctuaries of ... more At this illustrated lecture, unpublished diverse material from the bothroi of the sanctuaries of Poseidon and Athena in Sounion will be presented. Though both sanctuaries were excavated by Valerios Stais between 1897 and 1915, the majority of the finds from the bothroi remain unpublished.

The detailed study of the finds has enabled the speaker to reach conclusions on their provenance and function. The nature of these offerings has shed light on the development of the sanctuaries, the cosmopolitan character of Sounion, as well as its overseas contacts and its close relations to Athens. To place the above in context, the speaker will briefly outline the history of Sounion. In conclusion, the speaker will explore the identity of the worshippers and will attempt to elucidate the early cults at these important sanctuaries of Attica.

At this illustrated lecture, unpublished diverse material from the bothroi of the sanctuaries of ... more At this illustrated lecture, unpublished diverse material from the bothroi of the sanctuaries of Poseidon and Athena in Sounion will be presented to the audience for the first time. Though both sanctuaries were excavated by Valerios Stais between 1897 and 1915, the majority of the finds from the bothroi remain unpublished.

Papers by Zetta Theodoropoulou-Polychroniadis

Les Carnets de l'ACoSt, 2014

Les Carnets de l'ACoSt, 2016

proceedings of the XXth International Congress on Ancient Bronzes, Resource, reconstruction, representation, role, 2019

An interesting group of small-scale bronze artefacts were recovered from the excavations of Vale... more An interesting group of small-scale bronze artefacts were recovered from the excavations of Valerios Stais (1897-1915) at the sanctuaries of Poseidon and Athena at Sounion. These finds derive from the Poseidon sanctuary pit-deposit, as well as from the pit-deposit and artificial fill in the sanctuary of Athena and are exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. The assemblage comprises functional and non-functional weapons, miniature anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines, jewellery and a unique tool which have been studied and published by Theodoropoulou-Polychroniadis (2015).
The study was also complemented by the archaeometallurgical examination by Orfanou of a selection of copper-based objects. Compositional characterisation was conducted with the use of a handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) as a starting point. Results revealed the use of unalloyed copper, bronze and leaded bronze, as well as traces of a conservation treatment of the early twentieth century which has enriched the artefacts’ surfaces in noticeable amounts of zinc (Dr G. Moraitou, Head of Conservation, NMA , pers. com.). Thus these results can only be used as semi-qualitative, while the discovery of the conservation treatment which the objects underwent, tells an interesting story about their object biographies. Invasive archaeometallurgical study of the assemblage is in progress.
The present paper aims to set the bronze offerings within a broader context of the metalliferous region of the Laureotike, Attica, by addressing the significance and the circumstances that may have led to their dedication at the two sanctuaries and to their subsequent deposition in the hallowed sites before and shortly after the Persian Wars (480/479 BC), as well as their typology, provenance, technology, function and use.

References
Theodoropoulou-Polychroniadis, Z. (2015) Sounion Revisited: The Sanctuaries of Poseidon and Athena at Sounion in Attica, Oxford.

zetta.theodoropoulou@gmail.com
v.orfanou@geo.au.dk

This paper aims to provide an overview of the influence of the natural environment of Cape Sounio... more This paper aims to provide an overview of the influence of the natural environment of Cape Sounion on the gradual development of its regional identity, as well as on the growth of its socio-economic and political status. An important aspect of these factors was the establishment of cults on two different but in close proximity sites on the Cape which gradually developed into two flourishing and important Attic sanctuaries, that of Poseidon and of Athena. The literary sources, several referring to the significance of the environmental features of Sounion and which span almost fourteen centuries, together with the analysis of the archaeological finds, recovered from the two sanctuaries between 1898 and 1915 by Valerios Stais are reviewed here, in order to highlight the importance of Cape Sounion over this long historical period.

Newsletter of the Association for Coroplastic Studies, 2014

International Conference in Memory of Ios Zervoudaki, Rhodes 26-29 November 2009, Vol. II, 91-106., Aug 2014

Publications by Zetta Theodoropoulou-Polychroniadis

Theodoropoulou-Polychroniads, Z. & Evely, D. (eds). Aegis - Essays in Mediterranean Archaeology presented to Matti Egon by the scholars of the Greek Archaeological Committee UK.

ISBN 978 1 78491 200 0 ISBN 978 1 78491 201 7 (e-Pdf) The Founder of GACUK Matti Egon with the 'u... more ISBN 978 1 78491 200 0 ISBN 978 1 78491 201 7 (e-Pdf) The Founder of GACUK Matti Egon with the 'unusual bouquet' offered by the scholars. i Contents Foreword �� v The value of digital recordings and reconstructions for the understanding of three-dimensional archaeological features �� 1 Constantinos Papadopoulos The contribution of systematic zooarchaeological analysis in understanding the complexity of prehistoric societies: The example of late Neolithic Toumba Kremastis-Koiladas in northern Greece �� 17 Vasiliki Tzevelekidi The Heraion of Samos under the microscope: A preliminary technological and provenance assessment of the Early Bronze Age II late to III (c. 2500-2000 BC) pottery �� 25 Sergios Menelaou Time past and time present: the emergence of the Minoan palaces as a transformation of temporality �� 35 Giorgos Vavouranakis Palaepaphos during the Late Bronze Age: characterizing the urban landscape of a late Cypriot polity �� 45 Artemis Georgiou 'What would the world be to us if the children were no more?': the archaeology of children and death in LH IIIC Greece �� 57 Chrysanthi Gallou-Minopetrou The Late Helladic IIIC period in coastal Thessaly �� 69 Eleni Karouzou The Bronze Age on Karpathos and Kythera �� 85 Mercourios Georgiadis East Phokis revisited: its development in the transition from the Late Bronze to the Early Iron Age in the light of the latest finds �� 93 Antonia Livieratou Early Iron Age Greece, ancient Pherae and the archaeometallurgy of copper �� 107 Vana Orfanou Representations of western Phoenician eschatology: funerary art, ritual and the belief in an after-life �� 117 Eleftheria Pappa Piraeus: beyond 'known unknowns' �� 131 Florentia Fragkopoulou The casting technique of the bronze Antikythera ephebe �� 137 Kosmas Dafas A brief, phenomenological reading of the Arkteia �� 147 Chryssanthi Papadopoulou Cylindrical altars and post-funerary ritual in the south-eastern Aegean during the Hellenistic period: 3rd to 2nd centuries BC �� 155 Vasiliki Brouma Lamps, symbolism and ritual in Hellenistic Greece �� 165 Nikolas Dimakis In search of the garden-peristyle in Hellenistic palaces: a reappraisal of the evidence �� 173 Maria Kopsacheili ii Damophon in Olympia: some remarks on his date �� 185 Eleni Poimenidou Entering the monastic cell in the Byzantine world: archaeology and texts �� 191 Giorgos Makris Discovering the Byzantine countryside: the evidence from archaeological field survey in the Peloponnese �� 201 Maria Papadaki On a Fāṭimid Kursī in the Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai �� 211 George Manginis The discovery of ancient Cyprus: archaeological sponsorship from the 19th century to the present day �� 221 Anastasia Leriou Showcasing new Trojan wars: archaeological exhibitions and the politics of appropriation of ancient Troy �� 235 Antonis Kotsonas