Greek Archaeology Research Articles

Demography and burial exclusion in Mycenaean Achaia, Greece

The Late Bronze Age period in Greece, known as the Mycenaean period (Figure 1), has been an influential research topic in Greek archaeology since the excavations at Mycenae (Figure 2) by Heinrich Schliemann in the late 19th century. The mortuary record in particular, with exceptional contexts such as the Shaft Graves filled with golden funerary masks, and the elaborately constructed beehive stone-built tholos tombs (pl. tholoi), have encouraged discussions of conspicuous consumption and shifts of power in early Mycenaean (MH III-LH I) Greece.

Journal of Greek Archaeology Volume 3: Editorial

True to our initial aims, this volume runs the whole chronological range of Greek Archaeology, while including every kind of material culture. We start with an overview of the major project of Nena Galanidou and her colleagues, investigating Palaeolithic environments, human settlement and other activities in the Ionian Islands.

Retrospective Photogrammetry in Greek Archaeology

This paper addresses the advantages as well as the obstacles in practicing photogrammetry based on archival photos of archaeological sites and examines how the results can be put to use for further research, preservation, restoration and monitoring rates of deterioration. While the extensive use of historic aerial photographs has been applied to photogrammetric modeling, archaeological excavation archives have been largely ignored. Historically archaeological excavations have been vigorously documented photographically and many of these photographs are available in archives. Not all photo archives are suitable for photogrammetry as they were not photographed with the intention of overlap and other photogrammetric qualities. By selectively choosing photographs with common points and manipulating exposures, cropping and other properties to enhance commonality, 3D models of past structures and excavations can allow us to revisit them, produce accurate measurements and view angles that were never photographed. Some sites are still available for modern comparison and surveying, allowing us to quantitatively compare conditions at the time of excavation with the current state of those sites. Given the right treatment, retrospective photogrammetry will have impacts in the preservation, restoration and monitoring of the deterioration of archaeological sites. Examples from the Athenian Agora: the state prison and Omega House, and Ancient Corinth: the Fountain of the Lamps, will be used to demonstrate these possibilities.

Introduction & overview

Over the past year, Greek archaeology has seen a remarkable number of new publications, both fieldwork data reports (ADelt vols 65–68 for 2010–2013 in ten fascicules, AEMTh 25 and AEThSE 4, among others) and conference proceedings, exhibition catalogues, monographs and Festschriften that include much new and unpublished material. Regular updates continue to appear in AGOnline, but it has been impossible to process all this material in the space of a few months for publication in this year's Archaeology in Greece. Some of the new exciting discoveries are, however, presented in the ‘Newsround’ section, and we hope to provide further updates in next year's AG.

Archaeological textiles excavated in Greece

This paper offers an account of the archaeological textiles excavated in Greece, consideration of the challenges one has to deal with when studying such materials and a discussion of ways to overcome them. A complete list of archaeological textiles excavated in Greece is not within the scope of this paper, since such comprehensive studies have been published previously (Spantidaki and Moulhérat 2012; Moulhérat and Spantidaki 2016) and, of course, the corpus of such textiles is continuously expanding.The study of textiles is an emerging and fast-growing field of Greek archaeology (Gleba 2011). The number of archaeologists and conservators working with and studying archaeological textiles is steadily increasing, thus raising the general awareness of textiles and expanding the corpus of known ancient fabrics. In recent years, several research projects have investigated ancient Greek textiles, such as those conducted by the Centre for Textile Research at the University of Copenhagen (for example Textile Economies in the Mediterranean Area), several funded by Marie Skłodowska Curie Action grants and some by European Research Council grants (for example Production and Consumption: Textile Economy and Urbanisation in Mediterranean Europe 1000–500 BCE hosted by Cambridge University).

Archaeodiet in the Greek World: Dietary Reconstruction from Stable Isotope Analysis

Archaeodiet in the Greek World: Dietary Reconstruction from Stable Isotope Analysis

An Archaeology of/for the Disenfranchised

International debates and practices of current public archaeologies have reached the heritage sector in Greece, albeit with some delay. These are especially (but not exclusively) focused on young learner involvement, local community education and politicized relics. Public archaeology practitioners showcase much enthusiasm, imagination, and perseverance. However, the Greek archaeological establishment cannot be called ‘inclusive.’ In this article, I explore the systemic limitations to public archaeology in Greece, identify the audiences disenfranchised by current approaches, and discuss the means and reasons why this is happening. Finally, I propose solutions and suggest that Greek archaeology has significant potential to become a prime example of inclusive public engagement.

Introduction

Introduction

Cypriote Antiquities in Reading: The Ure Museum at the University of Reading and the Reading Museum (Reading Borough Council)

Cypriote Antiquities in Reading: The Ure Museum at the University of Reading and the Reading Museum (Reading Borough Council)

Charles Brian Rose: The Archaeology of Greek and Roman Troy.

Charles Brian Rose: The Archaeology of Greek and Roman Troy.

Editorial: Volume 2

This issue maintains our mission to publish across the whole time range of Greek Archaeology, with articles from the Palaeolithic to the Early Modern era, as well as reaching out from the Aegean to the wider Greek world. Lithics and Ceramics are accompanied by innovative Art History and Industrial Archaeology. Our book reviews are equally wideranging. Our authors are international, and include young researchers as well as longestablished senior scholars. I am sure you readers will find a feast of stimulating studies and thoughtful reviews.

The Forgotten Pioneer: Valerios Stais and his research in Kythera, Antikythera and Thessaly

Kytherian Valerios Stais is widely recognised for his efforts as a curator of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens and as the first excavator of the temple of Poseidon at Sounio, Attica, Greece. Even though there are two published biographies of Stais, one appearing after his death 1923 and the other in 1992, the rest of his work on the Antikythera mechanism and the prehistory of Thessaly is largely forgotten today. In this paper, the lifelong achievements of Valerios Stais are presented and a special focus has been given on the importance of his pioneering work on the acropoleis of Sesklo and Dimini and the recognition of the unique technological achievement represented by the Antikythera mechanism. In evaluating Stais’s achievements, we meet a persona with a unique influence on the formation of modern Greek archaeology.

Ceramic analysis in Greece

Scientific, analytical or ‘archaeometric’ techniques for investigating ceramic material have been used within archaeology for over 50 years and now constitute an indispensable tool for archaeologists in the Aegean world (see Jones 1986 for a detailed summary of early work in Greece and Italy) and beyond (Santacreu 2014). This paper provides a brief historical overview of research themes investigated by ceramic analysis in Greek archaeology along with reports on a small number of recent studies, in order to demonstrate current methodologies and results. The narrative is not chronological, either by the date of analysis or the material analysed, but instead focuses on the types of archaeological questions that ancient ceramic analysis can address in order to shed light upon who produced, distributed and consumed the ceramics under consideration. Ceramic analysis investigates both the composition and technology of fired clay vessels, evidenced most frequently in the ubiquitous broken pot sherd, which can then be used to identify provenance, production sequence and cultural tradition, as well as to provide a relative date for production, in combination with typological and seriation techniques.

Online-Only Content

Next article FreeOPEN ACCESS ON AJA ONLINE (www.ajaonline.org)Online-Only ContentPDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreOnline-only content accompanying American Journal of Archaeology Volume 120, Number 4 (October 2016)VOLUME INDEXVolume 120 (2016) IndexSUPPLEMENTARY CONTENTImage Gallery: Tortoise-Shell Lyres from Phrygian Gordion, by Samuel HolzmanImage Gallery: Archaeology in Jordan, 2014 and 2015 Seasons, by Glenn J. Corbett, Donald R. Keller, Barbara A. Porter, and China P. SheltonBOOK REVIEWSThe Archaeology of Kinship: Advancing Interpretations and Contributions to Theory, by Bradley E. Ensor. Reviewed by Katherine HarrellDeath and Changing Rituals: Function and Meaning in Ancient Funerary Practices, edited by J. Rasmus Brandt, Marina Prusac, and Håkon Roland. Reviewed by Borja Legarra HerreroCommunity and Identity in Ancient Egypt: The Old Kingdom Cemetery at Qubbet el-Hawa, by Deborah Vischak. Reviewed by Leslie Anne WardenThe Old Kingdom Town at Buhen, by David O’Connor. Reviewed by Christian KnoblauchCommunities of Style: Portable Luxury Arts, Identity, and Collective Memory in the Iron Age Levant, by Marian H. Feldman. Reviewed by Erika Fischer and Dirk WickeL’art du siège néo-assyrien, by Fabrice De Backer. Reviewed by Jan P. StronkThe Prehistory of the Paximadi Peninsula, Euboea, by Tracey Cullen, Lauren E. Talalay, Donald R. Keller, Lia Karimali, and William R. Farrand. Reviewed by John F. CherryFouilles exécutées à Malia: Les abords Nord-Est du palais I. Les recherches et l’histoire du secteur, edited by Pascal Darcque. Reviewed by Elisabetta BorgnaThe Archaeology of Greek and Roman Troy, by Charles Brian Rose. Reviewed by Nicholas K. RauhL’alabastre attique: Origine, forme et usages, by Isabelle Algrain. Reviewed by Panayota BadinouCorpus vasorum antiquorum. Germany 97. Dresden, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Skulpturensammlung 2: Attisch rotfigurige Keramik, by Eva Hofstetter-Dolega. Reviewed by Victoria SabetaiIndustrial Religion: The Saucer Pyres of the Athenian Agora, by Susan I. Rotroff. Reviewed by Sarah A. JamesChildren in the Hellenistic World: Statues and Representation, by Olympia Bobou. Reviewed by John H. OakleyLes potiers d’Étrurie et leur monde: Contacts, échanges, transferts. Hommages à Mario A. Del Chiaro, edited by Laura Ambrosini and Vincent Jolivet. Reviewed by Dominique FrèreThe North African Boom: Evaluating Economic Growth in the Roman Province of Africa Proconsularis (146 B.C.–A.D. 439), by Matthew S. Hobson. Reviewed by David L. StoneList of Books Received Next article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by American Journal of Archaeology Volume 120, Number 4October 2016 The journal of the Archaeological Institute of America Views: 21Total views on this site Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.3764/aja.120.4.online Copyright © 2016 by the Archaeological Institute of America. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Book Review of The Archaeology of Greek and Roman Troy, by Charles Brian Rose

Book Review of The Archaeology of Greek and Roman Troy, by Charles Brian Rose

RESENHA - ROSE, Ch. B. The archaeology of Greek and Roman Troy

RESENHA - ROSE, Ch. B. The archaeology of Greek and Roman Troy

Politics of Periodization and the Archaeology of Early Greece

239 Periodization is a fundamental exercise for archaeology and for historical studies in general, aimed primarily at clarity in communication. However, this exercise imposes particular modes of conceptualizing specific periods. An attractive case study for research in the historiographical processes that shape periodization is posed by the period of Greek archaeology extending from the end of the second to the early first millennium B.C.E. This study analyzes the different conceptual baggage of each of the many names used for this period and focuses on the terminological struggle between the Dark Age(s) and the (Early) Iron Age. Ι argue that this struggle was shaped not only by discussions within classics but also by debates in other historical disciplines and developments in the political history of 20th-century Greece. The struggle over the name of the period has served as an arena for the unfolding of broader politicized debates in classics, Greek history, and the archaeology of the Mediterranean.1

THE PIRAEUS FROM 86 BC TO LATE ANTIQUITY: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN THE LANDSCAPE, FUNCTION AND ECONOMY OF THE PORT OF ROMAN ATHENS

Modern perceptions of the ancient Piraeus have been monopolised by the urban image and function of the port as the naval stronghold of Classical Athens. Existing scholarship so far has tended to consider the post-Classical centuries, especially the era following the sack of the port in 86bcby the Romans, as a period of decline. Such preconceptions, based on largely superficial readings of a few ancient literary texts and a near-total disregard of the material evidence, have created a distorted image of the Piraeus and its significance in the Roman period. Drawing upon textual sources as well as archaeological evidence, this paper explores the changing nature of urban settlement, maritime functions and the economy of the port from the time of its destruction in 86bcto around the sixth centuryad. Particular emphasis is placed on a re-examination of the existing evidence from rescue excavations conducted by the Greek Archaeological Service as they relate to the topography of the Roman port and its long-term evolution. This combined study offers a more complex picture of the infrastructure, urban image and operational capability of the port during the Roman period than was hitherto possible. It also permits a more balanced understanding of the port's function at local, regional and provincial levels, and thus enables comparisons with other Roman ports in the Aegean and the rest of the Mediterranean.

Apostolos Sarris (ed.). Best practices of geoinformatic technologies for the mapping of archaeolandscapes

This edited volume is a product of the POLITEIA project / Action KRIPIS funded by the Ministry of Education, Greece and the European Regional Development Fund / European Commission and contains 25 articles of varying length and scope. It is evident from the title of the volume that there is a theme running through the articles that draws on concepts relating to best practice in a variety of geoinformatic technologies. Furthermore, the imagery and case studies that populate the pages of the volume are familiar to those with an interest in Greek archaeology, or the broader Mediterranean zone.

Zetta Theodoropoulou Polychroniadis and Doniert Evely (eds). AEGIS. Essays in Mediterranean archaeology presented to Matti Egon by the scholars of The Greek Archaeological Committee

As its title makes clear, this is a collection of 23 papers presented as a festschrift to Matti Egon, the founder of The Greek Archaeological Committee UK, by a selection of past holders of scholarships granted by the Committee (some were unable to contribute for lack of time available). As such, it offers a good idea of the laudably wide range of topics that the Committee has been willing to support but, inevitably, it has no common theme. Although the majority of papers are concerned in some way with the Greek world, five lack any substantial ‘Hellenic’ link, two relating to Cyprus, one to Troy, one to the Phoenicians of southern Spain, and one to Mount Sinai.