The early Bronze Age cemetery at Chalandriani on Syros (Cyclades, Greece) Hekman, Jan Jakob

Transcription

1 University of Groningen The early Bronze Age cemetery at Chalandriani on Syros (Cyclades, Greece) Hekman, Jan Jakob IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below. Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Publication date: 2003 Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database Citation for published version (APA): Hekman, J. J. (2003). The early Bronze Age cemetery at Chalandriani on Syros (Cyclades, Greece). Groningen: s.n. Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum. Download date:

2 The Early Bronze Age cemetery at Chalandriani on Syros (Cyclades, Greece)

3

4 RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT GRONINGEN The Early Bronze Age cemetery at Chalandriani on Syros (Cyclades, Greece) Proefschrift ter verkrijging van het doctoraat in de Letteren aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen op gezag van de Rector Magnificus, dr. F. Zwarts, in het openbaar te verdedigen op donderdag 15 mei 2003 om uur door Jan Jakob Hekman geboren op 17 november 1958 te Assen

5 Promotor: Prof.dr. M. Kleibrink Beoordelingscommissie: Prof.dr. P.A.J. Attema Prof.dr. J.L. Bintliff Prof.dr. H.R. Reinders

6 The Early Bronze Age cemetery at Chalandriani on Syros (Cyclades, Greece) Jan Jaap Hekman Assen, 2003

7 The work for this dissertation was made possible through the financial support of: - The Faculty of Arts of the University of Groningen - The Institute for Aegean Prehistory, New York - Stichting Kyklos Cover design: Henk Stadman Lay-out: Jan Jaap Hekman Computer drawings: Huib Waterbolk and Erwin Bolhuis Ink-drawings: Huib Waterbolk, Annie Bakker and Jan Jaap Hekman Production and printing: Jan Hindriks and Henk Stadman copyright: J.J. Hekman, 2003

8 For Annie, Rosalinde and Josephine

9 SYRA (A TRANSMITTED REMINISCENCE.) Fleeing from Scio s smouldering vines (Where when the sword its work had done The Turk applied the torch) the Greek Came here, a fugitive stript of goods, Here to an all but tenantless isle, Nor here in footing gained at first, Felt safe. Still from the turbaned foe Dreading the doom of shipwrecked men Whom feline seas permit to land Then pounce upon and drag them back, For height they made, and prudent won A cone-shaped fastness on whose flanks With pains they pitched their eyrie camp, Stone huts, whereto they wary clung; But, reassured in end, come down)) Multiplied through compatriots now, Refugees like themselves forlorn)) And building along the water s verge Begin to thrive; and thriving more When Greece at last flung off the Turk, Make of the haven mere a mart. Above a tented inn with fluttering flag A sunburnt board announced Greek wine In self-same text Anacrean knew, Dispenced by one named Pericles. Got up as for the opera s scene, Armed strangers, various, lounged or lazed, Lithe fellows tall, with gold-shot eyes. Sunning themselves as leopards may. Off-shore lay xebecs trim and light, And some but dubious in repute. Bur on the strand, for docks were none, What busy bees! no testy fry; Frolickers, picturesquely odd, With bales and oil-jars lading boats, Lighters that served an anchored craft, Each in his tasseled Phrygian cap, Blue Eastern drawers and braided vest; As Proserpine s upon the coin. Such chatterers all! like children gay Who make believe to work, but play. I saw it in its earlier day)) Primitive, such as isled resort As hearthless Homer might have known Wandering about the Ægean here. Sheds ribbed with wreck-stuff faced the sea Where goods in transit shelter found; And here and there a shaty-shop Where Fez-caps, swords, tobacco, shawls Pistols, and orient finery, Eve s)) (The spangles dimmed by hands profane) Like plunder on a pirate s deck Lay orderless in such loose way As to suggest things ravished or gone astray. I saw, and how help musing too. Here traffic s immature as yet: Forever this juvenile fun hold out And these light hearts? Their garb, their glee, Alike profuse in flowing measure, Alike inapt for serious wirk, Blab of grandfather Saturn s prime When trade was not, not toil, nor stress, But life was leisure, merriment, peace, And lucre none and love was righteousness. Herman Melville The Collected Poems (Chicago, 1996),

10 Preface Ever since the discovery and the subsequent publication of finds from the cemetery at Chalandriani it has played an important role in the development of our knowledge of the prehistoric cultures in the Cyclades and in the Aegean world as a whole. Directly after the first reports on ancient graves found in the northeastern part of the the island of Syros many antiquarians and archaeologists have taken this site into their itineraries through the Aegean or have studied the objects found in the graves. References to this cemetery and the finds are found in nearly every textbook on the Aegean prehistory. Unfortunately, these studies are all, by necessity, based on an incomplete picture of the cemetery, since no study of all the excavations results has yet appeared. In the present study we will present a detailed summary of all available information regarding the cemetery at Chalandriani, and of all the finds from the tombs known today. Every study using results of older excavations faces a number of specific problems. First, the views, goals, and methods of the excavator may differ from those of the person who completes the study. This is all the more likely when a very long period passed between the excavation and its final publication. Examples of similar studies of older excavations, which have inspired me to continue when it seemed almost hopeloss to do so, are Hodson s treatment of the Hallstatt burial site in Austria, and Chapman s study of the Los Millares cemetery in Southeast Spain. Unfortunately, in such cases many insights and questions in modern archeology cannot be investigated since no account was given to such aspects during the time of excavation. Secondly, there may be many practical or logistical problems. The documentation of the excavation (e.g. notes, daybooks, drawings, field maps, photographs) may have become incomplete or even missing. But also finds may have become misplaced or even lost. These problems should be anticipated when research is carried out which involves the use of results from older excavations. In order to be able to merit this kind of research it is necessary to present a detailed account of the relevant events which have interferred with the data over the period between the excavation and the final publication. This kind of account may be called the post-excavation history. Unfortunately it appears all to often that not all lacunae and hiatuses in the available documentation may thus be explained. Specially when the period between the excavation and the time of its final publication amounts to more than one hundred years. In her book on the history of archeological research of the Greek Bronze Age, J. Lesley Fitton observed that... it is, for example, a melancholy possibility that all, or almost all, Early Cycladic cemetery sites have been discovered, and in many cases despoiled, so that we may never have further Cycladic figurines from excavated contexts to explain the many uncertainties surrounding their use and meaning. (page 193). To advance our knowledge of the Cycladic culture in the Early Bronze Age one might wish to excavate an unspoiled large cemetery or settlement. However, this action i

11 inevitably also involves its destruction, besides the fact that modern standards of excavation involve many specialists and generally take years to complete, whereby only a small part of the site will be fully excavated. This is not to mention the fact that archeological excavations have become a very expensive tool for archeologists. Illicit excavations and destructions of many archaeological sites in the Cycladic islands was to a large degree fuelled by the demand for Early Cycladic stone figurative art. In this quest for commercial spoils much important information is lost. The possibility of finding a large cemetery such as Chalandriani still lying somewhere undetected is extremely small. This is a further incentive to return to older excavations and see whether we can add from these sources to our knowledge of the Cycladic culture. One way of advancing our knowledge of any culture is by critically studying the results of previously executed excavations, and specially those which have not yet been fully investigated or published. In doing so we may gain much new information at relatively low cost and in addition fulfill a promise of completing work once started. Moreover, it has the advantage of giving finds which may have been stored in museum depots for years or put on display without proper background a more considered provenance and context. Essentially this has been the case for the work I undertook with the results from the excavations carried out by Christos Tsountas at Chalandriani. The Cycladic culture of the Early Bronze Age has partly become a victim of its aesthetic succes. The stylized marble figurines have attracted the attention of many people who give no qualms about their provenance or legitemacy of the appearence of such objects on the art market. Archaeologists cannot abscond themselves completely as a partner in this proces. Publications and exhibitions of the Early Cycladic Culture have wetted the interest of the collectioneurs. However, this is an inevitable development that occurs within any domain of scholarly and scientific research. Scientists and scholars must accept that any advancement of knowledge also brings about negative side-effects. This, however, should not prevent any researcher from continuing his work, albeit within a socially accepted ethical framework. From the start the research of the excavation results from Chalandriani aimed at four general goals. The first involved a detailed study and reconstruction of the location and dispersal of the cemetery at Chalandriani in northeast Syros. Secondly, the research aimed at carefully documenting the archeological remains still visible at the site of the cemetery and specially the location and construction of the tombs. This would include carrying out fieldwork at the area of the site. The third aim involved the study of all available finds from the Tsountas and Stephanos excavations at Chalandriani. These finds are for the most part in the Prehistoric Collection of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Small groups of finds are located in the Archaeological Museum in Ermoupolis on Syros, and in a number of different museum in western Europe. The aim of studying all these finds would be the construction of a typological classification of the variations observed in these finds. From these observations we can determine the chronological position of the cemetery and perhaps its period of use could be established. Finally, the fourth aim of this research was directed at the study of the inventories of the tombs as they were excavated. Through careful analysis of the variations and similarities between different tomb inventories it would be possible to formulate inferences about the social background of the people who buried their dead at Chalandriani. The results of the various activities are presented in the chapters below. The first chapter recapitulates our knowledge of the Cycladic culture in the Early Bronze Age with particular attention to the various interpretations proposed to explain its origins and development. Furthermore, this chapter deals with physical and social geographical background of the island of Syros. In the second chapter the results of the fieldwork carried out at Chalandriani in the summer of 1991 are presented and discussed. Both the lay-out of the original cemetery and the description of its typical type of tombs are discussed. Chapter three discusses the problems involved in studying the finds from the excavations. The detailed descriptions of each individual object are presented in the first two ii

12 appendices (1 and 2). Also, each object that was available for study is illustrated in drawing at the end of the book. A typological classification of all these finds is presented in chapter four together with the chronological placing of the cemetery in the wider context of the Early Bronze Age in the Aegean. Finally, chapter five presents various analyses of the variations between tomb inventories and their interpretation. Based on the recontruction of a large number of tomb inventories a number a specific aspects regarding the mortuary practices at Chalandriani are investigated. The scope of these aspects not as wide as one would wish. The chapter concludes with an estimation of the population of the community living at the settlement at Chalandriani and its implications for its social organisation. The remainder of this book is formed by a bibliogaphy and a Dutch summary after wich several appendices present detailed and additional information on the tomb inventories and other aspects of the research. Finally at the end all available objects from the tombs are presented in illustrations. iii

13

14 Acknowledgements This research could not have been accomplished without the support of a great many people and institutions. At the risk of omitting some I have tried to acknowledge all those who have at various stages of the work contributed to the final result. In the first place I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the late professor dr. Georgos E. Mylonas, dr. B. Petrakos, dr. D. Dontas and professor dr. C. Doumas of the Archaeological Society of Athens, who granted me permission to study and publish the results and finds from the excavations carried out at Chalandriani by Christos Tsountas and Klon Stephanos. During various visits to the offices, archive and library of the Etaireia I have received many welcome advise and support. The Ephoria of the Cyclades, through the kind offices of dr. Ph. Zapheiropoulou and dr. M. Marthari, have granted me permission for several visits to the collection of the Archaeological Museum in Ermoupolis on Syros. Mrs. Kati and Mr. Barouzos were always helpfull during our stay in their museum. The Institute for Aegean Prehistory in New York favoured my application for a reseach grant generously and have thus made the fieldwork campaign on Syros not only possible, but also a great joy. For which I specially like to thank the director, professor dr. P.P. Betancourt and the staff members of the Institute. A great many people have come to my aid during the time I studied the finds from the prehistoric cemetery at Chalandriani. I would specially like to thank Dr. K. Demakopoulou and her staff of the Prehistoric Collection of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. N. Divari- Valakou and D. Kokkevi-Fotiou assisted me during my study visits to the Prehistoric Collection. During visits to the three museum collections in Great Britain with objects from Chalandriani I receiced kind assistence from dr. J. Lesley Fitton and Mr. R. Abdy of the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities of the The British Museum in London; dr. P. Wilson of the Department of Antiquities of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge; drs. D. van der Meulen, dr. A. Brown and dr. M. Vickers of the Department of Antiquities of the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford). Dr. B. Knittmayer of the University Collection of the University of Heidelberg kindly send me information regarding the few items from Chalandriani in their collection. The pan in the collection of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens was made available to me for study through the kind offices of dr. R.R. Bridges. The libraries of the American School, the British School, the École francaise and the German Institute were in many ways essential in obtaining as much detail regarding the archeological researches in Syros and at Chalandriani in particular. For which I thank its respective staff members. v

15 I was particularly fortunate in having with me during the fieldwork on Syros the members of the field team, drs. M.J. Grond, drs. J.W. Beestman, drs. C.G. Williamson and drs. A.J. Bakker, with whom the research carried out at the site of the cemetery at Chalandriani became such a great succes, and also contributed much through the lively discussions both during and after each workday. The Netherlands Institute in Athens have at various occassions assisted me in my work and specially with the applications for permits to study material in museum collections in Greece and the application for carrying out the fieldwork at Chalandriani. For their continuing support I thank the directors, profesor dr. G.J.M.J. te Riele, drs. M.J. Haagsma M.Phil., and the assistent directors drs. M.J. Grond and dr. J.P. Crielaard. During my visits to Syros I received welcome support and advise from staff member of the Municipal Library of Ermoupolis, dr. X. Loukos and staff members of the Municipal Archive of Ermoupolis, and furthermore from the Dutch honorary consul in Syros, Mr. G. Krinos, the mayor of Ano Syros, Mr. G. Papitsis and the bishop of Syros-Melos-Santorini, monseigneur F. Papamanolis. Mr. A. Kartas and Mr. S.L. Vartalitis assisted me in obtaining various small scale maps of the area of Chalandriani. A mention of special thanks must go to professor dr. M. Kleibrink, who as promotor continuously gave much advise and critical support during the long stage of completion of the research. It was through her unwavering support that I have finally succeded in bringing the work to a close. The members of the reading committee, professor dr. P.A.J. Attema, professor J.L. Bintliff and professor dr. H.R. Reinders, are thanked for their enthousiast support and remarks. Various staff members of the Groningen Institute of Archaeology have assisted me during this research, among them was the former director of the Institute, professor dr. L. Hacquebord, and specially drs. H. Waterbolk, who kindly and patiently completed the many drawings of the objects and maps for publication. His sudden death was a shock and to my great regret he did not live to see his work published in this dissertation. During the time I have spent carrying out my research I have met many collegues with whom I had the pleasure of discussing aspects of the work and who each in a different way contributed to the final publication. Among these I must mention, in addition to those already mentioined earlier, staff members and students of the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, professor dr. J.H. Crouwel, professor dr. C. Renfrew, professor dr. J.L. Davis, professor J. Rutter, dr. T. Carter, dr. G. Nakou, dr. C. Broodbank. I thank drs. F. Steringa who supplied me with the poem on Syra by the American writer Herman Melville. During the final stage of completing the manuscript I received much appreciated help from drs. C.G. Williamson who kindly read the complete text and corrected my English spelling and saved me from too many errors. With my brother, mr. A.H. Hekman, she also acted as paranimf during the public defence of the dissertation at the University of Groningen. Mr.J. Hindriks finally took the manuscript from my hands and transformed it into the book you are currently holding. In the final proces of completing the manuscript for publication Mr. H. Stadman kindly and patiently assisted me through the complexities of computer printing. From the beginning until its completion I was fortunate to receive much support and guidance both in practical matters as in critical advise and textual corrections from my wife, Annie Bakker. Her continuous backing allowed me to persevere in my researches when domestic and other pressing obligations pulled me away at times from the work. vi

16 Contents Preface... i Acknowledgements... v 1. INTRODUCTION Prehistoric Cyclades (4) 1.2. The Emergence of Civilisation (10) 1.3. Beyond the Emergence (15) 1.4. Natural environment (22) Climate and water supply (26) Geology (29) Soils (31) Vegetation (33) Geography (34) Land use and agriculture (39) Settlement and population (41) 2. THE CEMETERY AT CHALANDRIANI Landscape and topography (46) 2.2. History of excavations and studies (50) 2.3. Topographical survey (54) 2.4. Spatial organisation of the cemetery (56) 2.5. Description of the tombs (61) 2.6. Burial architecture (77) Ground plan (78) Dimensions (80) Orientation (80) 2.7. Burial arrangements and furnishings (81) Tomb furnishings (81) Body posture and position (81) Placement of offerings (82) Human remains (83) 2.8. Prehistoric habitation at Chalandriani (85)

17 3. THE FINDS Excavations at Chalandriani other than by Tsountas (88) 3.2. Excavations by Tsountas (89) 3.3. Current location of finds from Chalandriani (90) 3.4. Estimation of the number of frinds from Chalandriani (93) 3.5. Finds out of context (96) 4. TYPOLOGY AND CHRONOLOGY Pottery (101) Fabrics (102) Shapes (105) Surface treatment (107) Decoration (108) The pottery from Chalandriani (110) Typological classification of pottery shapes (114) 4.2. Stone vases (133) 4.3. Stone figurines (140) 4.4. Stone objects (144) 4.5. Metal objects (148) 4.6. Bone objects (157) 4.7. Obsidian tools (161) 4.8. Shells (161) 4.9. Terracotta objects (163) Colouring material (163) Chronology (164) 5. SOCIETY AND DEATH Mortuary variability (168) 5.2. Tomb form (170) 5.3. Collective versus individual burial (174) 5.4. Quantitative variation in tomb inventories (174) 5.5. Typological variation of tomb inventories (178) Typological variation and the size of the tomb inventories (179) Cluster analysis of types (182) 5.6. Spatial arrangements within burials (187) 5.7. Population at Chalandriani (189) 5.8. Mortuary variability and social organisation (191) APPENDICES Description of tomb inventories (201) 2. Finds out of context and surface finds (259) 3. Other prehistoric finds from Syros (287) 4. Tables (295) Bibliography Samenvatting (Dutch summary) Figures of tomb inventories viii