Creta Antica (E-Journal - Università di Catania)
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RESTI FAUNISTICI PROVENIENTI DAL SAGGIO SOTTO IL VANO XIX A FESTÒS
Full text linkThe faunal remains include a bone sample comprised of 679 fragmentary bones and 86 sea-shells. These finds have been divided into two groups: one attributed to the FN and the other to a period ranging from FN to MM IB. Both groups are largely comprised of sheep/goats, followed by pigs and cattle. Dog, marine turtle and agrimi are attested by very scant remains. In the FN-MM IB group, sheep/goats are prevalent over the other domesticated species – pigs and cattle – which are instead well represented in the FN sample. The bivalvisGlycymeris is the most represented species among the sea-shells. The murex (Trunculariopsistrunculus and Thais haemastoma), the Semicassisundulata, the patelle (Patella caerulea) and the tellina (Donax), might also have had use as food. These species document the exploitation of both rocky and sandy coastlines, and of the sea-bottom. The cut marks and burning traces attested on the bones show that this sample was mainly formed of food remains
UNA RAPPRESENTAZIONE ARCAICA DI PAN A CRETA? NOTE SU UNA PLACCHETTA LITICA DA FESTÒS
Full text linkA small stone plaque discovered in 1928 in the area of the Upper Western Court of the Minoan Palace at Phaistos bears an incised decoration representing Pan (very probably in a cave) with lagobolon and syrinx behind a plant. The paper aims to determine chronology and meanings of the stone plaque: in spite of the presence of a huge Hellenistic building in the same Court, an Archaic chronology can be inferred for the small object. This very ancient chronology of the representation of Pan (the most ancient one outside the Arcadia) is of some importance in view of the mention of a particular genealogy of Pan expressed by the Cretan Epimenides. It is inferred a possible link between the Pan representation and the male initiation rites known in Crete from the literary sources; the plan represented in the plaque behind the god could be identify with the «epimenideian» scilla, used in an Arcadian male ritual to strike a statue of Pan
REVISIONI FESTIE II
Full text linkThis article continues the programme of revision of the stratigraphies, chronologies and functions of the Protopalatial spaces and buildings uncovered by Levi at Phaistos, and focuses on the so-called BastioneOvest. This is a building located on the N-W border of the west court, which represented the ceremonial area par-excellence in MM IB-MM II. Re-examination of the excavation notebooks and of the materials associated with the various architectural structures of which it is comprised has allowed us to detect two major phases of use characterised by a distinct plan and internal articulation, both within MM II. The position of the building, its relationship with Vasca XXX in both phases, and the composition of the scarce floor assemblages, suggests that BastioneOvest should be attributed to the same liturgical sphere as Vasca XXX, and Levi’s hypothesis that its main function was to host a group of soldiers so as to defend the palace should be rejected. Although it was destroyed after the MM II earthquake, the N-W corner of the building was partially re-used in the so-called fasedeiSacelli as a modest service room. One of the most important outcomes of this research is a new proposal for the plan and function of the later building, the back wall of which coincided with the eastern wall of the earlier building. Stratigraphy and a few materials attributable to the new structure (building CIV) allow a chronology to be proposed within MM IIIA, and suggests that it had inherited the function of the Protopalatial building
UN NUOVO «PROPYLON» AD HAGHIA TRIADA E GLI SPAZI RECINTATI NELLA CRETA NEOPALAZIALE
Full text linkThe soundings made during cleaning operations at Ayia Triada in 2006 have allowed a better understanding of the complex that delimits the northern border of Piazzale Inferiore 10 of the Villa. The court tourned out to be delimited by a precinct wall (not only a retaining wall, as supposed until now), entered by a gateway accessed by a ramp. The foundations of this gateway had already been drawn by Stefani, but not recognized as such. It seems to constitute a true «Propylon», rectangular in plan, of which a reconstruction is proposed after a thorough examination of the archaeological and iconographical comparanda
LO SCAVO DEL 2007 SULLA PATELA DI PRINIÀS. RELAZIONE PRELIMINARE
Full text linkThe excavation campaign conducted in 2007 in the archaic settlement of Priniàs has focused on two areas in the central part of the town: the area of Temple A and the area to the south of Temple B, continuing the research conducted in 2003 and 2005.In the first area the sector to the west of temple A was investigated, i.e. where Pernier’s excavations had already identified the presence of a few large rooms (WB, WC, WD) which were oriented exactly as the other structures of the town, and which were clearly obliterated when Temple A was constructed. During the removal of the stones that filled them, two fragments of stones sculptures were found.A geometric and orientalising period level was found in the portion of room investigated, which belonged to the last period of use of the rooms, and which was superimposed over an earlier level of use that provided sub-Minoan and Protogeometric pottery. The presence of a large quantity of clay, of a large hearth and of tools suggests that this area was used for artisan activities.The exploration of room VE was completed in the area to the south of Temple B. A foundation deposit that was probably related to the nearby monumental building had been found in a corner of this room during the previous excavation. The room communicated with corridor TU through a door, of which the places of the sockets are preserved, and revealed two levels of use. The later one was characterised by the presence of a column base in stone, in the centre of the room; the earlier level, which was contemporary to the foundation deposit (late geometric/early orientalising) provided several fully preserved pots that included two-handled bowls with an overall dark-black slip and white decoration. A large number of discs cut-off from pots (tokens) was also found.In the western end of the large monumental building, room VD, the only one which had not yet been explored, was excavated. Two levels of use were also distinguished in this case, the earlier belonging to the late geometric period, and the later to the late orientalising period. Since the moment of construction, a trilithic structure consisting of a central stele and two small side pillars was located along the western side of the room. This structure resembles the Tripillar Shrine of Kommos, and might have had a similar religious meaning. The sacred function of the room is also demonstrated by the presence of votive depositions, comprised of vases, burnt materials and an arrow-head above the earlier floor. In the later period of use of the room, other pillars and stone slabs were added in the room, especially along the southern wall. The scarce materials suggest a religious or cultic activity in this case as well
UNA GENEALOGIA FESTIA IN CINETONE SPARTANO. DATI PER UNA CRONOLOGIA
Full text linkoai:ojs.www.cretaantica.unict.it:article/126This article examines a Cretan genealogy present in the work of the Spartan poet Cinaethon (VII-VI B.C.) and reported by Pausanias (VIII 53.5). This genealogy considers Rhadamanthys to be the son of Hephaistos, who was in turn son of Talos, son of Kres the king of the Kouretes and eponym of the Cretans. Using new arguments in support of LudolfMalten’s old proposal of reading Phaistos (eponym of the city of Phaistos) instead of Hephaistos, the article proceeds to the historical analysis of the fragment, evaluating the role of archaic Phaistos in the creation of a genealogy which exalts the name of its eponym as a descendant of the more antique inhabitants of the island, the Kouretes, and father of the «true» Rhadamanthys.The politico-cultural milieu of the genealogy is identified in the Phaistos of the end of the VIIth century BC, which made itself an autonomous polis and established a cult to an important figure in kouretic and pre-Olympian Cretan mythology, Rhea. From the end of the VIth century BC the establishment, in the area of Phaistos, of the motif of Europe and the labours of Herakles evidently marks the decline of the Kouretic motifs exalted in the genealogy of Cinaethon: Rhadamanthys becomes a son of Europe, Phaistos a son of Herakles.The construction of the so-called Temple of Rhea in Phaistos (last quarter of the VIIthcentury BC) and the assertion of the «Olympian» and «Heraklean» motifs (VI-Vth centuries BC) thus also become useful cut-off points for reconsidering the chronology of the poet Cinaethon of Sparta
BATHS IN ROMAN AND LATE ANTIQUE CHERSONISSOS: PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON THEIR TOPOGRAPHY, ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDING HISTORY
Full text linkBaths count among the most frequent, but generally little studied, type-buildings of the Roman period in Crete. This study draws upon the rich evidence of bath buildings from the rescue excavations by the KG? Ephoreia of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and the 13thEphoreia of Byzantine Antiquities over the past two decades in the area of ancient Chersonissos (modern Limenas Chersonissou) in the Pediada region. The purpose is to discuss aspects of the baths’ distribution in the urban area, their architecture, function and building history and to place them in their regional (Cretan) and supra-regional (provincial and empire-wide) context. In addition, we consider the place of baths and bathing in the Late Antique town, focusing on the evidence for architectural modifications and re-use. The evidence from Chersonissos provides an important addition to the growing number of studies on architecture in Roman Crete and a case-study of the spread and transformation of the bathing habit on the island during the Roman imperial period and Late Antiquity
Sommario
Full text linkCreta Antica 9P. Militello, Un nuovo ‹‹Propylon›› ad Haghia Triada e gli spazi recintati nella Creta neopalaziale R. Guglielmino, Alcune considerazioni sul ruolo di Roca nei rapporti tra Creta e l’Italia nel II millennio a.C. B. De Craene, Les fresques du Palais de Cnossos: Art Minoen ou Art Nouveau? M. Panagiotaki, Artisans in Egypt, the Near East and the Aegean in the second millennium BC: the case of vitreous materials J. Driessen, H. Fiasse, M. Devolder, P. Haciguzeller, Q. Letesson, Recherches spatiales au Quartier NU à Malia (MR III) S. Privitera, The LM III Frescoes from the Villaggio at Haghia Triada: new observations on context and chronology V. La Rosa, Un hyppodamos da Festòs nel TM IIIC? P. Muhly, The Hand, the Mould, the Wheel and the Bull D. Palermo - A. Pautasso - R. Gigli, Lo scavo del 2007 sulla Patela di Priniàs. Relazione preliminare G. Velho, Retour sur les ‹‹Bone enclosures›› de Vrokastro: éléments de datation et pratiques funéraires A. Michelaki - M. D’Acunto, Una testina fittile dedalica da Festòs S. Alexiou, Legend and truth in the Geography of the Odyssey M. D’Acunto, La lissé petre in Od. III, 293-296 ed i territori di Gortina e di Festòs in epoca arcaica E. Federico, Una genealogia festia in Cinetone spartano. Dati per una cronologia D. Grigoropoulos, K. Galanaki, A. Kastanakis, C. Papadaki, I. Triantafyllidi, Baths in Roman and Late Antique Chersonissos: Preliminary remarks on their topography, architecture and building history
RECHERCHES SPATIALES AU QUARTIER NU A MALIA (MR III)
Full text linkSeveral large domestic complexes of the Cretan postpalatial period remain elusive as to the nature of their occupation. Although, in general, many authors favour the existence of an urban Minoan society structured upon a system of nuclear families, the size of several residences by far exceeds the standards of the period, casting doubt on such a hypothesis. This is also the case for Quartier Nu at Malia, a large architectural complex of ca. 750 m? dating to the Late Bronze Age and consisting of about 30 spaces organised around a central court. Its recent excavation has given plenty of archaeological data, which, within a geographical information system (Arcgis 8) generates a series of archaeological plans. At the same time, several analytical methodologies are used which may allow us to answer the following question: what was the nature of occupation in Quartier Nu
LA LISSÈ PETRE IN OD. III, 293-296, ED I TERRITORI DI GORTINA E DI FESTÒS IN EPOCA ARCAICA
Full text linkThis paper deals with a passage of the Odyssey (3.293-296) and other related sources regarding the Southern coast of Crete between Gortyn and Phaistos. According to the interpretation put forward, the lissèpetre here mentioned corresponds to the Lithinos Cape. It is described as the border between the territories of Gortyn and Phaistos. As other sources show, the lissèpetre is also known as Lissès or Lissèn. It does not correspond to the Maleou - mikròslithos, which is referred to in the same Odyssey passage. The latter cape appears to be the small headland that protects Kommos from the South, and which was the harbour of Phaistos.The territory of Phaistos included the Western Mesara. Starting from the early Archaic period it extended from the Lithinos Cape Northwards, including the earlier harbour of Phaistos-Kommos – and the later one – Matala. The latter only became the harbour of Gortyn after it conquered Phaistos around the middle of the 2nd Century BC.The territory of Gortyn comprised the Eastern Mesara. In the Archaic period it developed from the Lithinos Cape Eastwards. On the coastline the territory of Gortyn included the emporion-harbour of Lebena. This harbour goes back as early as the Iron Age, as a newly identified site shows: it is located behind the headland of Lebena. Along the Southern coast there were other harbours in the territory of Gortyn: Lasaia - KaloiLimenes, and the polis and hormos of Amyklaion, which has yet to be found