Vrije Universiteit Brussel
POCA 2008ABSTRACTSLuca BOMBARDIERI & Francesca CHELAZZI Sourcing of Pottery Fabrics for Coarse Wares in the Kouris River Valley Area The ‘Kouris River Valley Survey Project’ of the University of Florence, in collaboration with the University of Chieti and Pescara, started in 2007 with a second season in 2008. This research fits into the recent increasing interest in sourcing areas for pottery fabrics and it is build upon both campaign seasons. The research goal is to investigate production and distribution of different Coarse Wares, from the Bronze Age to the Roman period, in relation with potential sources of pottery fabrics.
Vanessa BOSCHLOOS Egyptian Scarab-Shaped Seals from the Northern Levant and Cyprus: Current Research Since the mid 1970s, scarab-shaped seals have been the subject of an increasing number of publications, the great majority of which concentrating on Egyptian or Palestinian series (e.g., the pioneering Studies on Scarab Seals (1978-1994) and invaluable contributions by O. Keel, D. Ben-Tor, B. Brandl). The latter emphasize the need for further studies on the glyptic evidence from the Northern Levant, Mesopotamia, Cyprus, Anatolia, Iran, … especially because of their importance to the study of Egyptian-Levantine relations. Although in recent years some progress has been made on scarabs found outside Egypt, most publications focus on a specific site, a particular collection or a defined period and more panoramic approaches remain scarce: for the Near East, a –rather incomplete- survey was presented by A. Nunn BAR.IS 1205 (2004). My PhD research on scarabs from Syria and Lebanon intends to complete the research started by, amongst others, the aforementioned authors.
Joachim BRETSCHNEIDER The Excavation of Tell Tweini in Syria: Architecture and Stratigraphy Since 1999 an interdisciplinary research team from the Syrian Directorate-General of Antiquities and from the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), consisting of archaeologists, historians and a paleo-environmentalist, has been working at the site of Tell Tweini, the ancient city Gibala, with the aim to further investigate this society in a diachronic perspective. The paper will focus on the recent results in field A where public buildings and domestic structures from the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age are being investigated. Bretschneider J., Al-Maqdissi M., Vansteenhuyse K. , Driessen J. & Van Lerberghe K., Tell Tweini, “Ancient Gibala, in the Bronze Age”, in: Agypten und Levante. Egypt and the Levant. International Journal for Egyptian Archaeology and Related Disciplines XIV 2005, 215-230.
Aurélie CARBILLET Some Aspects of the Hathoric Figure in Amathous during the Cypro-Archaic Period The image of the Egyptian deity Hathor appears in Cyprus on a variety of iconographic supports dated from the Middle Bronze Age to the Iron Age and coming from every part of the island. During the Cypro-Archaic period, this deity becomes very popular in Cyprus, particularly in the city of Amathous. There, the discovery of many Hathoric capitals in the area of the palace and of the sanctuary of Aphrodite seems to indicate that she was adopted by the royal power and maybe adored as a local form of the Great Goddess.
Skevi CHRISTODOULOU Water Supply and Distribution during the Hellenistic and Roman Periods in Cyprus. Spatial and Social Considerations Throughout the long history of the island of Cyprus, water availability was a vital criterion for the establishment of settlements and urban centres. During the Hellenistic and Roman periods, in particular, the exploitation and control of water as a natural resource can be evaluated through the study of public works and construction of the first aqueducts on the island. The socio-political connotations of water supply and distribution are reflected in the spatial organisation of the towns (public fountains, public toilets, nymphaea and private residences) and, most importantly, in the widespread and efficient operation of public baths.
Jan COENAERTS & Melissa SAMAES Regional Exchange in South-East Cyprus during the Late Bronze Age Our presentation will focus on the organisation and regional exchange in south-east Cyprus during the Late Bronze Age. In this region, ‘Hala Sultan Tekke’ and Kition, the major coastal sites, share an extensive and fertile hinterland with many other archaeological sites. Imported goods and prestige objects are not only found in the major coastal sites, but also more inland. Traditionally, all the major coastal sites are said to control their own hinterland. Previous studies and local exchange models emphasized the close connection of regional exchange and the socio-political organisation in Late Cypriot society.
Elizabeth CORY-LOPEZ Technological and Material Approaches to Cypriot Middle Chalco-lithic Picrolite The carving of picrolite is synonymous with prehistoric societies on Cyprus. Its particular association with the Cypriot Middle Chalcolithic period and the distinctive array of pendants and cruciform figurines is well recorded. Yet, by the Late Chalcolithic the picrolite cruciform tradition all but disappeared; although the stone continued to be used to a lesser extent. What was it about this material that made the Chalcolithic Cypriots connect it to such a socially significant object? Why and how did it cease to be so?
Stella DIAKOU Aspects of Middle Bronze Age Cyprus The purpose of this paper is to look at the available evidence of Middle Bronze Age Cyprus in order to evaluate the socioeconomic complexity of this period. With the greater goal of understanding Cypriot prehistory, it is necessary to explore the Middle Bronze Age in Cyprus as a separate unit in order to fully grasp the processes and developments that are happening on the island at this time.
Maria DIKOMOU Red Polished Fabrics across the Island! Considering Issues of Ceramic Production, Technology, and Provenance This paper presents the results of a large-scale analytical project on Red Polished ware, the predominant ware throughout the Early and Middle Cypriot Bronze Age (ca. 2400-1700 BC). More than one hundred Red Polished samples from the prehistoric settlement of Marki-Alonia and other contemporary sites across Cyprus were analysed using XRF, SEM-EDS and optical microscopy. The chemical and mineralogical study of the ceramic samples provided a diachronic reconstruction of the ceramic tradition at a single settlement, and at the same time, a preliminary island-wide picture regarding the selection of raw materials and their processing. Overall, this study has allowed the most comprehensive understanding of the manufacture of the widespread Red Polished ware across Cyprus, whilst providing some broader insights into the organisation of production, the consolidation of technological traditions, and the adaptation of local resources to an island-wide tradition.
Roald DOCTER The Cypriot Facies of Carthage The contribution to the conference will present and discuss the Cypriot material found in Phoenician-Punic Carthage. The finds, mostly stemming from recent excavations in the settlement, have hitherto remained unpublished and unnoticed.
Takashi FUJII Imperial Cult and Imperial Statues in Roman Cyprus The Cypriots accepted the cult of the Roman emperor at the beginning of the Principate and performed it hereafter during the Empire with considerable enthusiasm. Emperors and their family members were worshipped through erection of statues, temples and sanctuaries, and organisation of athletic games. Priests of the imperial cult, hotly contested posts among the higher-ranking Cypriots, supervised worship of the emperor in each city as well as the whole island.
Michelle GAMBLE A Bioarchaeological Study of Souskiou-Laona Chalcolithic Ceme-tery: Preliminary Results and Future Directions Bioarchaeology uses human remains to answer problem-oriented archaeological questions. Souskiou-Laona Chalcolithic cemetery is the earliest cemetery on Cyprus which has been comprehensively excavated using modern anthropological standards, therefore it provides an excellent site for bioarchaeological research. This paper will discuss the methodology behind a preliminary study on the health status of the cemetery population, using linear enamel hypoplasias as an indicator of general physiological stress in childhood, conducted by the author under the supervision of Dr. Lorentz. The human remains in Chalcolithic Cyprus are relatively poorly preserved, however, as this preliminary study shows, there is hope for positive results. Patterns of occurrence of LEH within the mortuary population allowed for discussion of demographic grouping based on age and sex. 19.5% of canine teeth at Souskiou-Laona displayed LEH, with females displaying slightly higher levels of occurrence. The cemetery data was compared to data collected from the settlement sites of Lemba-Lakkous and Kissonerga-Mosphilia, with no statistically significant difference between the two burial contexts. The relatively low levels of LEH indicate that the population suffered few physiological stresses in childhood. This preliminary research leads to more questions and the current avenues of research which are being pursued will be discussed within the framework of bioarchaeological research.
Anna GEORGIADOU Les dialogues du « Bronze » Nous allons présenter certains documents qui peuvent être associés au « Bronze d’Idalion ». Compte tenu de la meilleure compréhension à laquelle nous apporte cette célèbre inscription concernant la structure de la cité-royaume d’Idalion, sa juxtaposition avec d’autres documents historiques pourrait non seulement élargir nos connaissances sur cette cité-royaume, mais elle pourrait aussi déclencher un nouvel agenda de recherche sur d’autres cités-royaumes et d’autres sociétés grecques de la même période. A collection of documents is presented that can be associated with the ‘Idalion Bronze’. Considering that this famous inscription engenders some important insights about the structure of the city-kingdom of Idalion, its juxtaposition with other historical documents may not only widen our knowledge about that city-kingdom, but it may also start up a novel research agenda about other city-kingdoms and other Greek societies of the same era.
Iosif HADJIKYRIAKOS Islamic ‘Proskinitaria’ in Christian Churches The evolution of taste in Cyprus during the Ottoman domination is one of the most interesting studies, through which it is possible to detect the feelings, the emotions and the temperament of the locals. The proskinitaria are elements that are easily influenced by stylistic and ornamental tendencies, because of their unofficial nature in a holy space, the church. These were frequently private votive offers and, as very private offer, they express the status of their donor.
Sam HARDY Treatment of Cultural Heritage in Cyprus, 1963-1974 Between 1955 and 1974, archaeological excavation and survey in Cyprus was periodically interrupted by intracommunal, intercommunal and international violence and Cypriot communities’ cultural heritage was damaged and destroyed. This paper will explore relationships between nationalist politics, the destruction of cultural heritage, and the illicit antiquities trade.
Ariane JACOBS & Barbara BORGERS Understanding Ceramic Variability: Some Techniques of the Alassa Potters This paper aims to highlight ceramic variability observed at the LC IIC – LC IIIA site of Alassa-Pano-Mandilaris. Considering the pottery assemblage of this settlement, it becomes apparent that plain ware vessels form the largest group of ceramics uncovered on site. The production of these plain wares indicates a wide variation in fabrics and shapes, which is assumed to be the consequence of regional production. This study is concerned with categorising these variations and understanding how they may be reflective of pottery traditions used at Alassa. A first level of variations consist of the different fabrics used to produce plain ware vessels and a preliminary typology was established based on fabric attributes, namely technique, texture, inclusions, firing and fabric colour. Petrographic analyses have confirmed some of these categories and this paper will consider the results of both studies. An attempt will be made to see to what extent variations observed on a macro scale can be related to variations on a micro scale. Other variations seem to result from deliberate technological choices, which point to organised patterns in the production of plain wares. A few observations on the forming techniques, firing traditions and finishing of a vessel will be presented to demonstrate that there is evidence for well considered choices made by the potter throughout the whole chaîne opératoire.
Priscilla Keswani Storage and Politcal Economy in Late Bronze Age Cyprus The importance of storage in Late Bronze Age Cyprus is amply attested by the ubiquity of pithos sherds in the ceramic assemblages from settlements of this era. The large jars from which these pithos sherds derived could have been used to store a variety of subsistence products including olive oil, grain, and wine. The scale and characteristics of storage practices appear to have varied considerably, however, among the major towns of the Late Cypriot period. It is possible that these variations were related to differing local systems of political economy. The largest storage complex known to date is found at the site of Kalavasos-Ayios Dhimitrios. The total capacity of the pithos magazines associated with the impressive ashlar Building X is estimated at 50,000 litres, and several lines of evidence suggest that olive oil may have been the principal commodity stored. In this paper I use the material data for storage and olive oil production at Kalavasos as a starting point for the reconstruction of political economy. What were the land and labour requirements associated with large-scale olive production and processing? How was olive oil used in antiquity, and can we estimate ancient per capita consumption levels? Using the statistics that emerge from this analysis, along with catchment studies and population estimates, I consider the viability of alternative models for the politico-economic organization of olive production, storage, and redistribution in the Kalavasos region.
Daisy KNOX Figurines and Identity in Bronze Age Cyprus The figurines of Bronze Age Cyprus adorn countless front covers, posters and presentations, providing convenient illustrations for an otherwise remote and faceless prehistoric society. Despite their high profile and aesthetic appeal, little comprehensive, contextual research has been conducted in order to understand the function and significance of figurines within Bronze Age Cypriot society. This paper presents the initial stages of my doctoral thesis, which aims to investigate figurines not as detached works of art, but as objects like any other, made for a particular purpose within a specific culture. It is hoped that detailed study of these anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines will be able to shed light on how the social and political structure, trading connections, expressions of individual and group identity and many other aspects of the island changed during this dynamic period of Cyprus’ history.
Sidonie LEJEUNE How Cyprus Entered the Ptolemaic Era: Scripts, Languages and Political Organization in Cyprus in the 3rd century BC The two conquests of the island by Ptolemy constituted a radical break in the history of Cyprus. Despite scanty evidence, we will try to find answers to some important questions. How far was the Ptolemaic policy a coercive one? And the parallel question: how far did Cypriots take an active part into modelling a new order?
Viola LEWANDOWSKI The Berlin Collection of Finds from the Necropolis of Marion In 1886, Max Ohnefalsch-Richter excavated 441 graves in the necropolis of Marion (Hellenistic Arsinoe). While a third of the items remained in Nicosia, the larger part of the finds was put up for auction in Paris in 1887. 338 objects were transferred to Berlin. The rest is dispersed throughout various museums in Paris, London, Copenhagen and private collections. The whereabouts of many of the finds is unknown. During the sale by auction the tomb groups were split up, but fortunately many objects bear numbers of the tombs. Despite the insufficient documentation and the scattering of the finds, the excavation by Ohnefalsch-Richter offers abundant material, which is to a large extent unpublished.
Konstantinos RAPTIS & Styliani VASSILIADOU Early Christian Marble Tables in Cyprus: Typology, Origin and Distribution The Early Christian marble tables found in Cyprus are not widely represented in international publications. Only a limited part of them were known, mainly due to the publication of the marble tables found in the excavation of Salamis by G. Roux. Since the analytical publication of the marble tables from the Episcopal Precinct of Kourion by R. Loverance and the recent publication of the Early Christian marble tables from Cape Drepanon by K.T. Raptis and S. Vassiliadou, there is the potential for a comparative analysis of all the marble tables of the Early Christian period that have been found either on systematic excavations in Cyprus, or as occasional findings and which are kept in various museums.
Virginie RENSON Using Lead Isotopes for Provenance Determination of Pottery from Cyprus This research focuses on the identification of the sources of the raw material utilized for pottery production using lead isotopes. Thirty-nine sherds of the most common pottery types excavated at the Late Bronze Age site ‘Hala Sultan Tekke’ were compared with 40 outcrop samples collected in the vicinity of the site (c. 15 km) and in south-east Cyprus. The selection was based on the outcropping lithologies: Quaternary deposits (sand, silt, clay), Pleistocene terrace deposits (calcarenites, sands), Pliocene, Miocene and Palaeogene marls, weathering products of the ophiolitic complex, which could have been used as primary raw material for the pottery. The lead isotopes were measured using a MC-ICP-MS. The first results show that 16 sherds including two misfired (i.e., local products) display a similar lead isotopic composition. This cluster includes 6 different pottery wares: Plain White Wheel-made Ware, White Painted Ware, Coarse Ware, Black Slip Ware, White Slip Ware and Bucchero Ware. Their lead isotopic composition is similar to that of sediments from different geological units (i.e., Quaternary sediments, Pliocene marls from the Nicosia Formation and Palaeogene marls from the Lefkara Formation) collected in the vicinity. This observation implies the use of local material for different pottery wares. These first results demonstrate the effectiveness of Pb isotopes for tracing pottery provenance. We are now enlarging the scope of our research to include other sites and other periods. Therefore, we collected supplementary sherds from the Late Bronze Age site of Sanidha and from the Iron Age site of Amathous. Samples from potential clay sources were collected in their vicinity. The obtained data will contribute to a refined image of pottery wares in Cyprus and their possible sources of raw material in a time and geographical context.
Mia Gaia TRENTIN Latin Commemorative Epigraphs in Venetian Cyprus The 28th of February 1488 (more Veneto) / 28th February 1489 (more commonly) Francesco Prioli, the first bailo of Venice in Cyprus, erected the ‘Gonfalone of San Marco’, the Venice flag, on the island. A commemorative epigraph fixed this event, which occurred after the abdication of Caterina Cornaro, the Venetian wife of the last Lusignan king. Since that moment, during the entire Venetian rule, many commemorative epigraphs, public or private, publicized the actions and the image of the Venetian Republic to the local people and also to the merchants and voyagers passing through the island. Thanks to the formal and textual analysis we will try to retrace the ‘marketing strategy’ used by the Venice Republic to promote a strong and winning image of its reign. The palaeographic form of the letters, the texts, the decoration and the collocation are some of the epigraphic aspects we will analyze to underline the fracture between French and Venetian epigraphs and the forming of a new political identity through this kind of source.
Matteo VIGO The Economic Role of the Troodos Area and Links between Cyprus and Hatti during the Late Bronze Age The relations between Cyprus (cited in Hittite texts as Alashiya) and Hittite Anatolia during the Late Bronze Age are well attested trough Hittite texts (edicts, treaties, economic, religious and political documents), even though they are often fragmentary. Nowadays the hypothesis of Hittite control over the island of Cyprus – or over part of it – is not supported by an adequate number of archaeological findings. However, recent studies have demonstrated that connections between these two political powers were stronger than it is generally accepted. The aim of this paper is to update an old issue in the light of new archaeological evidence. Hence philological and historical suggestions will be presented.
Dimitris VITAS In Search of the Gymnasium of Nea Paphos The Gymnasium was one of the most basic elements of the Greek culture, operating as an educational as well as an athletic centre for the youth of every Greek city.
Hilde WOUTERS Archaeological Window Glass from Cistercian Abbeys Although historical and art historical evidence shows an interesting practice in glazing, profound archaeological research into the flat glass and lead cames of medieval windows has not yet been undertaken. The purpose of this research is to create a methodology to compare and evaluate archaeological window glass collections. For this methodology we will focus on window glass from the Roman period till the mid 19th century. In particular the Belgian site of the Abbey of the Dunes, Koksijde (County of Flanders), with its exceptional window glass collection, is very interesting for the history of fenestration within the order of the Cistercians. The dating ranges from the 13th century to 1578. The principal aim is to place this collection in its context with other Cistercian sites, preferably within the context of the Clairvaux filiations. Therefore we’re looking for other interesting excavations with important window glass collections all over Europe. Specific information about the dating range, the number of fragments, the typology and the historical importance of the sites will lead to a final and limited selection of sites from a geographical area that is as large as possible. The selected sites will hopefully represent sites all over Europe, from the north of England down to Cyprus and from Portugal to Sweden.
Katarzyna ZEMAN-WISNIEWSKA Dancing with the Goddess. Some Remarks about Different Ways to Interpret ‘Goddesses with Upraised Arms’ The so-called Goddesses with Upraised Arms are figurines well attested in Cyprus from the Late Cypriot III down to the Classical Period (especially common during Cypro-Geometric I-II). They represent a standing female, sometimes wearing a tiara, with a long skirt and arms extended upwards. They were most probably brought to Cyprus by Aegean settlers in the Late Bronze Age, and the Cypriot Goddesses with Upraised Arms bear a strong similarity to the Cretan examples. This paper reviews the varied explanations which have been offered for the specific gesture which defines the Goddesses with Upraised Arms. The paper will pay particular attention to the relationship between the raised arms posture and the ritual actions and gestures which may have accompanied cult practice in ancient Cyprus, including prayer, blessing, and the possible role of dance. These interpretations not only take into consideration the meaning of the posture, but the identification of the Goddesses with Upraised Arms as a blessing Goddess, several Goddesses, praying priestesses, or even dancing votaries. Up |
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