IKLAINA ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT

Transcription

1 IKLAINA ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT 2010 Internet report Michael B. Cosmopoulos The fourth excavation season of the Iklaina project took place for six weeks from May 28 to July 10, The project is conducted under the auspices of the Athens Archaeological Society and funded by the Hellenic Government-Karakas Foundation Chair in Greek Studies of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, the Loeb Classical Library Foundation, the Institute for Aegean Prehistory, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Geographic Society. The research team is composed of Meredith Reifschneider (site supervisor); Demetris Brellas, Barbara Eleutheriou, Jennifer Glaubius, Joanna Potenza, Allisa Stoimenoff, Jennifer Elam, and Rebecca Worsham (trench supervisors); Chris Mundigler (topography, GIS), Michael Nelson and Steven Clarke (architects), Kate Bracher (lab director), Deborah Ruscillo (faunal/marine remain analyst), Maria Liston (physical anthropologist), China Shelton (palaeobotanist), Cynthia Shelmerdine, Joann Gulizio and Jackie Dibiasie (ceramics analysts), John Wallrodt (IT/Database management), Vassilis Petrakis (illustrator), and Stefania Veldemiri (conservator). In the excavation participated 55 students of the University of Missouri-St. Louis and other US and Canadian institutions. Excavation progressed in two areas: the Cyclopean Terrace and its adjacent buildings (South Sector) and the area of Megaron Γ (North Sector) (Figure 1, Figure 2). The total surface under excavation is 2100 sq. m. CT BUILDING MEGARON Γ Figure 1: Aerial view of the excavated area from the east 1

2 1KLAINA 2010 REPORT ',. u ltt '. 'u' < z \. ' (... 1 \" " ' Figure 2: Pian ofthe site showingthe two major phases. Blue: Period 1 ("slœwed'; LH IJ-LHIJIA2 early); Fœd: Period 2 ("cardinal", LH IIJA2/ate-LH IJIB); Yellow: drains 2

3 SOUTH SECTOR The continuation of the excavation in the area to the south and east of the Cyclopean Terrace (squares M14j1θ1, N14a1α1-γ3) allowed us to define better the architectural remains associated with this terrace and to reach some basic understanding of their chronology. The removal of the rubble that covered the area to the south of the long wall CT-001 revealed three small rooms (T1-T3 in Figure 3), which for convenience have been grouped into Unit T (Figure 3, Figure 4). Figure 3: Plan of Units T, S, and Y Rooms T1 and T3 are two small rectangular rooms that were used for storage; they are separated by space T2, which is closed to the nw., sw., s. and se., but to the ne. it forms a narrow passage that continues towards the east along the long wall CT-001. The finds in these rooms include pottery dating to LH II-LH IIIA1 (no identifiable LH IIIA2 pieces were found), as well as 62 fragments of frescoes (some of which joined with fresco fragments found in 2009). Recognizabe representations include at least two female figures and one representation of a ship (Figure 5). The spatial patterning of the findspots of these fragments suggests that they originated in rooms extending over spaces T1-T3. Figure 4: Units S, T, and Y from the south 3

4 Figure 5: Photographs (top) and painted reconstructions of the face, hand, and ship frescoes (bottom) Immediately to the south of Unit T, in squares N14a1α2-β3, there is an apsidal Unit, Unit S (Figure 3, Figure 4). From the earliest phase of this Unit survive only the curved wall CT-020 and part of the crosswall CT-015. At a later stage the apse (wall CT-019) and the crosswall CT- 017 were repaired or rebuilt, the long walls CT-006 and CT-016 were added to the original structure, as was wall CT-018, which may have served as the back wall of this room. A break in the north end of call CT-017 served as a door leading from the western, apsidal space, to the central room. A pebble floor found in the south part of room S2, in the interior corner of walls CT-016 and CT-017 represents the floor of this room, on which sat an early Mycenaean bowl (Figure 7); in the center of the room and on this floor there was an irregular burned area, approximately 85 cm in diameter and 48 cm thick, which represents the remains of a hearth (section Figure 6). Figure 6: Section of the interior of room S2, showing the hearth (locus 19) 4

5 Figure 7: Early Mycenaean bowl in room S2 Attached to the exterior corner of walls CT-006 and CT-004 there is a semi-circular structure that may have served as a storage bin. Unit S seems to have been in use from LH I/II to LH IIIA1, although a few MH coarse sherds were also found. Outside this Unit, immediately to the west of the curved wall CT-019 was found a bronze ring (Figure 24e). Figure 8: Aerial view of Room Y1, showing the ramp and steps At a distance of 4.60 m. to the northeast of Unit S there is another unit, Unit Y, in squares N14a1γ1-γ2 (Figure 3). The excavation in these squares has not been completed yet, but it appears that Unit Y may have had two rooms: room Y1 is defined by walls CT-002, CT-004, and CT-005 and encloses the steps exposed in 2009; in the west end of this room we uncovered this year the end of a stepped ramp constructed of twelve large flat stones (Figure 8), which leads from Unit S up to the terrace and into space Y2. This space is only defined in the west and north by walls CT-002 and CT-003 respectively, but appears to have been open to the east (see next paragraph). The pottery from Unit Y is predominantly late MH/early Mycenaean, with some LH IIIA1 admixtures. A bronze nail was found in the topsoil above room Y2 (Figure 23f). 5

6 Figure 9: Possible extent of courtyard A large outdoor area opens up to the east, south, and southeast of room Y2. This area is devoid of artifacts and at spots preserves patches of a floor made of a layer of reddish clay, which may suggest that it was used as a courtyard. This floor is supported by a thick (more than 1m. in N14a1γ4) artificial fill made of red soil with dense pebble and small stone inclusions; this fill becomes thicker towards the south/southwest,where the ground slopes more. Its purpose was to create an artificial terrace over the sloping ground in the sw. part of this open area. The size and plan of this open area cannot be established yet, but it appears to have been bordered to the west by rooms Y1-Y2, to the north by the CT Unit, to the south by walls ST-001 to ST-004 and to the east by Units X and Z (Figure 9). Figure 10: View of open area from the south 6

7 Figure 11: Plan of walls ST-001 to ST-004 Figure 12: View of walls ST-001 to ST-004 from the north Wall ST-002 is a long (excavated l ) and thick (avg. w. 1.05) wall, which runs in a nw.- se. direction, starting at approximately 7 m. to the se. of room S2 and along the same line as wall CT-015 (Figure 11, Figure 12). It is constructed with large blocks of stone, the largest of which measures 0.75 x 0.60 m. and forms a right angle with wall ST-001, preserved to a length of 3.20 m., and built in the same construction manner. These two walls may have functioned as support for the artifical terrace supporting the courtyard; a number of smaller crosswalls running in a swne. direction appear to have provided extra support to the long wall ST-002, which carried the main load of this fill. To the east the courtyard seems to have been bordered by two buildings, which are only partially preserved. The first is Unit X (Figure 13, Figure 14). Only a small portion, the wall return CT-015 has been excavated, which defines a socle composed of a row of flat stones (avg. l. 7

8 2.75, w. 1.75), worked on their upper surfaces and partially worked on their front, or exposed, faces. The socle course was meant to receive another course of stones, undoubtedly blocks, as indicated by the careful leveling of its top surfaces; in fact, this surviving socle course of Unit X would be appropriate for orthostate-like construction. Although nothing survives above the socle course, an orthostate-slab-like block was re-used as a drain cover for drain δ. The socle encases an interior floor constructed of medium-sized flat stones, which was only partially excavated. The function of this structure and its relationship to the drains will be investigated next year. Figure 13: Plan of Units X and Z Figure 14: Drains ζ and η with the se. corner of Unit X from the south 8

9 Another building that bordered the open area to the east is Unit Z. In reality, there are two separate rooms, partially preserved: Z1 is defined by walls CT-010, CT-011, and CT-013 and Z2 is defined by walls CT-012 and CT-014. These rooms have tentatively been grouped into one unit, because of the similarities in their orientation and construction manner, as the associated walls are made of similar rubble and employ ashlar blocks as corner antae (one anta block preserves cutting indicative of a wooden armature, Figure 15). The thickness of these walls suggests that these rooms may have supported more than one storey. Figure 15: View of the nw. anta of wall CT-014 Figure 16: View of the road from the s. 9

10 Between Units X and Z there existed a shaped limestone slab paving, partly constructed of orthostate slabs in second use (Figure 13, Figure 14). To the ne. of rooms Z1 and Z2 we cleared a road running in a se.-nw. direction, parallel to and defined by walls CT-010, CT-013, CT-014. The road (Figure 16) is constructed with rectangular blocks of stone, regularly cut and placed flat on a subfloor of hard packed earth and pebbles. The road originally would have extended over a system of two drains, located in squares N13a10ε9/δ9, both running in a se.-nw. direction (Figure 13, Figure 14). Drain δ was followed in squares N13a10δ9, N13a10ε8 and N13a10δ8 to a length of 7.5 m. It is covered with flat stones, of which the largest is a rectangular white limestone block (l. 1.28, th. 0.31, w. 0.73), originally an orthostate, which was laid flat to cover the drain; the rest of the drain is covered with smaller rectangular white limestone blocks, as well as flat dark grey limestone slabs (avg. size 0.25 x 0.38). Drain ε runs parallel to drain δ, approximately 2 m. to the sw. It was followed to a length of 7.25m from the nw. corner of N13a10ε9, along the sw. corner of N13a10ε8 and into the e. edge of N13a10δ8. It is mostly uncovered and has an average w. of 0.48 and an average depth of 0.46 m. Its se. section (N13a10ε9) is composed of large vertical slabs of dark limestone (average l. 0.57, w. 0.26, th. 0.33). The central part of the drain is covered by a group of five rectangular blocks (0.79 x 0.37x 0.18) forming a a covering or potential crossing area. To the nw., the drain is uncovered, forming a channel lined up with smaller, irregularly shaped stones (avg. 0.30x0.22x0.12). Along the e. face of the drain in N13a10ε8, there is a layer of white plaster that has fallen face down; the fragments of this plaster are aligned with the drain and may have come from a wall that ran parallel to the drain, a possibility that is reinforced by the numerous fragments of disintegrated mudbricks found in the area. The plaster is of the plain thin unpainted whitewash variety (Figure 17). Figure 17: Plaster in situ next to drain II 10

11 NORTH SECTOR The North Sector includes the part of the settlement that extends to the n./ne. of the CT Unit. In previous years we had uncovered a number of separate units (A, B, Γ, Δ, Ε) and this year s excavation aimed at understanding better their arrangement and history. The earliest structures in this area are Units Units A and B (Figure 2). Further clearing of the e. side of Unit B showed that wall N-041 abutts wall N-039 and may have defined another room of the same building complex. The size and plan of this room are obscured by the dense later construction in this spot. In the triangular space formed by the east end of wall N-041 and the south wall of drain α (square N13a10ζ1, locus 24), there was a pit (Figure 19), approximately 1 m. deep, containing a large number of burned pottery sherds and a fragment of a Linear B tablet (Figure 18). The pit contained LH IIB/IIIA1/early LH IIIA2 sherds. It should be noted that the final study of the ceramic assemblage from this locus has not been completed and that some sherds are not more closely datable than LH IIIA-B". The tablet is under study for publication by Professor Cynthia Shelmerdine, the ceramics and Linear B expert of the project. For more information about the tablet please the project director. Figure 18: Photographs of the tablet (left: side a; right: side b) Another room of the same phase and attached to the ne. side of Unit B (room B2) is defined by walls N-075, N-038, N-040, and N-022. These walls are founded in a thick layer of burned soil and ash, which lies at a depth of and extends in squares N13a9ζ10/ η10 and N13a10ζ1/θ1. Figure 19: Wall N-041 with the burned pit from the west 11

12 In the Megaron Γ complex (Figure 20), the continuation of wall N-006 towards the east defines the rectangular room Γ10 (2.30 l. x 2.40 w.), as well as the edge of another room, Γ11, which has not been excavated. These two rooms are separated by the n-s running wall stub N- 064, which survives only to a length of 1 m; the interiors of these two rooms are covered with rubble and their excavation will continue in To the same architectural phase as rooms Γ10 and Γ11 belong walls N-056 and N-058, which are founded at the same elevation and are built similarly; these walls may have defined another room, Γ12, but the relationship of this room to rooms Γ10 and Γ11 is not clear. At a later phase were built walls N-059, N-060, and N-061which define a long rectangular room, Γ8; the notable feature of this room is that drain δ starts from its interior. Wall N-065, which belongs to the same phase, seems to define another room, Γ9, from the interior of which started drain δα. Both rooms Γ8 and Γ9 opened up to the east, under the later walls N-054, N-055, and N-057. Overall, it would appear that this complex underwent through two main architectural phases. In the first phase was built the core unit Γ1- Γ3, along with rooms Γ10, Γ11, and Γ12 (marked in red in Figure 20); at a later phase the main hearthroom Γ3 was divided by crosswalls into three smaller spaces and to the main unit were added rooms Γ4-Γ9 (yellow in Figure 20). The smaller rooms Γ4- Γ7 appear to have been used for storage, whereas rooms Γ8 and Γ9, from the interior of which start the drains, may have been used for industrial purposes. Figure 20: Plan of Megaron Γ and adjacent walls A group of rooms to the south of Megaron Γ have been tentatively grouped as Unit E (Figure 21). Room E1, partially uncovered in 2009, is rectangular, measures 2.25 x 2.30 and is defined by walls N-049, N-050, N-051, and N-072. From its interior starts the large drain γ, which continues towards the north-west and feeds into drain α in square N139ζ10. This, in combination with the finds from the interior of the room, suggest that it was used for industrial purposes. A small rectangular room (1.35 x 2.30), E3, defined by walls N-071, N-072, and N-051 may have been used for storage. A large rectangular room E2, opens up to the south of E1. It measures 5.25 x 4 and is defined by walls N-051, N-052, N-066, and N-067. The excavation of this room is not completed, but the massive drain γ seems to start from the outside of its southwest corner. An open area measuring 3.90 x 4 m is attached to the west of wall N-052 and contains three 12

13 floors: the top one, at an elevation of is made of large pebbles and packed earth and is 0.5 m. thick; the second one is found in the south part of this area (elevation ) and is 1 cm thick, made of small pebbles set in plaster; the third one, 3 cm thick was traced in patches of the northwest part of this area and is made of plaster (lime). A post hole was found in the southwest part of this area, suggesting that perhaps it was an open space (Figure 22). The middle floor, which survives the best, slopes into a channel (w. 0.20, pres. L. 1. 3), which in turns slopes towards the north and seems to end in a series of horizontal slabs that may indicate the beginning of another drain. Figure 21: Plan of Unit E Figure 22: Floor with posthole Figure 23: Spindle whorls 13

14 Figure 24: Metal finds CONCLUSIONS The buildings excavated this year belong to two main periods. Period 1: Skewed ( LH II-LH IIIA2 early) Units of this period are generally oriented nw-se. In the area of the Cyclopean Terrace, the earliest building seems to have been the apsidal Unit S, which was subsequently repaired or rebuilt. In a second phase a stepped ramp is built on the east side of this Unit, probably leading up to an open area. The third phase is one of intensive building activity, with three monumental buildings and a large paved area. The most prominent of these buildings appears to have been the two- or three-storey CT Unit, constructed on a massive Cyclopean terrace. The second building of this phase is Unit X. Only part of the corner of this building has been excavated, preserving a socle course of carefully levelled and flat stones with a smooth façade. A row of blocks sat on this socle, which have not been preserved in the excavated part; however, an orthostate-slab-like block was re-used as a drain cover for drain II. The surviving socle course of Unit X would be appropriate for orthostate-like construction. The third building of this phase was Unit Z (although, as mentioned above, it is difficult at this point in the excavation to determine whether Units Z1 and Z2 belonged to the same building). The walls of this building are thick enough to support a second storey, employ re-used ashlar blocks as rubble and use ashlar blocks as corner antae. To this phase belongs the shaped limestone slab paving installed in the area between Units X and Z. This is impressive; there are few, if any, examples in the mainland Mycenaean world. In the final phase in this part of the settlement the CT Unit continues to be in use and apparently still retains its importance. This phase is marked by the construction of wall CT-001, which may have been built to cretae a corridor parallel to the south façade of the CT Unit. Unit X was slight enlarged with the addition of wall CT-015 and another wall (not yet fully excavated). The Paved Area may have been partially destroyed in this phase. Drains δ and ζ were in use in this phase, though they may have been built earlier. In the North part of the settlement, the deepest walls of the Skewed period are N-013, N-011, and N-024, but individual rooms or structures cannot be recognized because these walls were built over in later phases. The pottery associated with these walls dates to LH II-IIIA1. To the same general period, but slightly later than those walls are Unit A and the large Unit B, excavated in previous years. A room probably extended to the east of Unit B, as indicated by wall N-041 which bonds with the east wall (N-039) of Room B. Another room may have abutted room B s south end (wall N-062). During the life of Units A and B wall N-041 (and the room it defined) was destroyed by the insertion of Drain Γ. The east wall of Room B was strengthened with the addition of wall N-040 and Room B2, defined by walls N-038 and N-075, was added to the main Unit. Drain Γ was built in this phase. It is a relatively large drain. Its north end goes deep and runs beneath wall N-022. Drain Γ s south end and its course suggests that it skirted a preexisting building at the south. Later, this pre-existing building perhaps provided the foundations, or guidelines for a new building. 14

15 P eriod 2: Cardinal ( LH IIIA2 late -LH IIIB2) Megaron Γ was built at this time. Its south wall was quite thick. A contemporary wall (N- 079) runs parallel to and just south of the south wall of the megaron-like building. This wall too is quite thick. The megaron-like building may have had a corridor running to the south of the main rooms and supported a second storey. The construction of Megaron Γ indicates a marked change in alignment from the earlier buildings in this area, which were oriented towards the nw. At the same time as Megaron Γ was used, Unit B, or a portion of it, seems to have continued in use, as was Drain γ. Both of these features affected the alignment of later structures. A second phase in the Cardinal period is marked by the expansion of Megaron Γ: a room was added onto the west end of the building and the intake of a new drain (Drain β) was installed in its sw. corner. The final phase in the architectural history of the settlement is marked by incrased building activity, and a marked increase in the number of drains. Unit B and Megaron Γ remained in use, but new buildings were constructed to the south and east; in some of these buildings drains were installed, with intakes in the interior of small rooms. Smaller drains (δ, δα, and ε) led to and discharged into the much larger drain α. In general, this year s findings allow us to address important issues regarding not only the historical trajectory of the site itself, but of the Pylian state. As far as the history of the site is concerned, it is possible that the change in the architectural organization and layout of the settlement that took place from the skewed to the cardinal phase may reflect the annexation of the site by the ruler(s) of Ano Englianos. This change, dated in late LH IIIA1/early LH IIIA2, suggests a reorganization of settlement planning, a reasonable explanation for which would be the establishment of a new political authority. If this scenario conforms to reality, the timing of this annexation is later than previously thought (which was late MH/early Mycenaean). Regarding the post-annexation history of the site, the buildings of the later phases in the north part of the settlement seem to have had an industrial character, which would agree with the fact that in the Linear B tablets from Ano Englianos, a-pu2 appears to have been a site of special economic interest to the palace as a metalworking center. Furthermore, the Linear B tablets refer to a-pu2 as a district capital with a local ko-re-te ( governor ) and po-roko-re-te ( deputy-governor ). The late LH IIIA2/LH IIIB Megaron Γ may have served as such a building. Finally, the site seems to have been destroyed in the course of LH IIIB, probably at about the same time as the PN. Regarding the wider issue of the formation of the Pylian state, given the characteristics of the "skewed" phase (monumental architecture, figural frescoes, ashlar masonry, and Linear B records), the possibility should be entertained that Iklaina might have reached state-level complexity before its annexation by the PN. 15