Abstract
The present study deals with the characterization of a ceramic assemblage from the Late Mycenaean (Late Helladic III) settlement of Kastrouli, at Desfina near Delphi, Central Greece using various analytical techniques. Kastrouli is located in a strategic position supervising the Mesokampos plateau and the entire peninsula and is related to other nearby coeval settlements. In total 40 ceramic sherds and 8 clay raw materials were analyzed through mineralogical, petrographic and microstructural techniques. Experimental briquettes (DS) made from clayey raw materials collected in the vicinity of Kastrouli, were fired under temperatures (900 and 1050 °C) in oxidizing conditions for comparison with the ancient ceramics. The petrographic analysis performed on thin sections prepared from the sherds has permitted the identification of six main fabric groups and a couple of loners. The aplastic inclusions recognized in all fabric groups but one confirmed the local provenance since they are related to the local geology. Fresh fractures of representative sherds were further examined under a scanning electron microscope (SEM/EDS) helping us to classify them into calcareous (CaO > 6%) and non-calcareous (CaO < 6%) samples (low and high calcium was noted in earlier pXRF data). Here, the ceramic sherds with broad calcium separation are explored on a one-to-one comparison on the basis of detailed mineralogical microstructure. Moreover, their microstructure was studied, aiming to estimate their vitrification stage. The mineralogy of all studied samples was determined by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), permitting us to test the validity of the firing temperatures revealed by the SEM analysis. The results obtained through the various analytical techniques employed are jointly assessed in order to reveal potters’ technological choices.
Highlights
The Late Mycenaean (Late Helladic III) settlement of Kastrouli is located about 3 km east of Desfina and southeast of one of the most important sanctuaries of Greek antiquity Delphi (Figure 1)
The results obtained from the analysis of the ceramic sherds were provided by means of their petrographic examination through optical microscopy, their mineralogical evaluation through X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and complementary scanning electron microscopy (SEM/energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS)) performed on 27 selected sherds, aiming to observe microstructural changes due to firing and obtain compositional information for the clay matrix
The thin section petrographic analysis of the sherds from Kastrouli led to their assignment in six main petrographic fabric groups, whereas some few of them were unclassified due to their peculiar petrographic characteristics
Summary
The Late Mycenaean (Late Helladic III) settlement of Kastrouli is located about 3 km east of Desfina and southeast of one of the most important sanctuaries of Greek antiquity Delphi (Figure 1). The Mycenaean site of Kastrouli is located on a 700 m height hill having a strategic position for controlling the Mesokampos plateau and is certainly related to other coeval settlements in the vicinity. Throughout centuries, the Kastrouli fort was a checking point controlling the communication between the two important harbors of Itea and Antikyra and possibly a seaport at Steno [7,8]. It has been identified as the Homeric site of Anemoreia in Homer’s Catalogue of Ships (Iliad, 2.521). The site is not discussed more by Homer with its heroes, Schedius and Epistrophus, remaining among the most obscure [7,9]
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