All’s Well that Ends Well. An In-Depth Look at how Objects Entered Aegean Late Bronze Age Wells

Abstract

This paper forms part of a broader project to examine the few known Aegean Late Bronze Age hoards from the perspective of their context. The Orchomenos Hoard, a group of over 100 bronzes, was reportedly recovered from a well and is the only Aegean Late Bronze Age hoard claimed to have been found in such. In order to understand the implications of this unique context it is first necessary to investigate how and why objects entered wells during this period. In this paper a number of Aegean Late Bronze Age wells are examined to identify patterns in the way that objects entered wells, to aid in the interpretation of the Orchomenos Hoard if further information about the circumstances of its deposition comes to light. Using the interpretative framework for well deposition set out by Penelope Mountjoy as a starting point, issues arising from previous theories and trends observed in this study are discussed, including the role of wells in ritual practice, the impact of earthquakes on wells and the use of wells for burials and the deposition of metalwork. The findings suggest that the Orchomenos Hoard was probably deliberately deposited but not as a religious offering, and that information concerning its position within the stratigraphy of the well would be of paramount importance for its interpretation.