Creta Antica (E-Journal - Università di Catania)
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ALCUNE CONSIDERAZIONI SUL RUOLO DI ROCA NEI RAPPORTI TRA CRETA E L’ITALIA NEL II MILLENNIO A.C.
Full text linkThe archaeological exploration of the peninsula of Roca (Lecce), carried out by the University of Salento, has brought to light one of the most important prehistoric settlements of the central Mediterranean. A rich series of Aegean and Aegean-type ceramics has been found in the site. Apart from pottery, many items of clear Minoan origin have also been found, which became particularly relevant with regard to the legendary tradition of the landing of shipwrecked Cretans on Apulian shores, referred to by Herodotus.This paper examines some recent discoveries, which seem to confirm the hypothesis of a close relationship between Apulia and Crete during the Bronze Age. The new archaeological evidence concerns both technological processes, in particular the production of red purple dye, and cult activities, such as animal sacrifices, ceremonial depositions of bull-heads (bucrania?), and rites possibly connected with the worship of the sun
LES FRESQUES DU PALAIS DE CNOSSOS: ART MINOEN OU ART NOUVEAU ?
Full text linkThe early twentieth century restoration of the site of Knossos has provoked controversy for more than a hundred years. Critics attack not only the architectural reconstructions, but also the restoration of many of the frescoes. They are often depicted as being marked by the artistic and cultural context of the time, but these arguments are lacking. How should we consider the material legacy of the English archaeologist Arthur Evans? Closer to an amusement park, or simply worthy of a scientific caution? This article attempts to assess the reliability of the restoration of the frescoes, and to better understand their resemblance to Art Nouveau. It is possible that there were contemporary influences. In order to measure their importance, the training and artistic tendencies of restorers are first discussed. Finally, the restoration of the most emblematic frescoes of the site of Knossos is analyzed
ARTISANS IN EGYPT, THE NEAR EAST AND THE AEGEAN IN THE SECOND MILLENNIUM BC: THE CASE OF VITREOUS MATERIALS
Full text linkIn this paper an attempt has been made to trace Master Artisans in Egypt, the Near East and the Aegean using the existing textual as well as archaeological evidence. Artefacts made of vitreous materials have been used as the vehicle to identify Master Artisans or Schools of luxury products in palatial centres in the Aegean
UNA TESTINA FITTILE DEDALICA DA FESTÒS
Full text linkThis paper deals with a Daedalic terracotta head recently found in Phaistos – dating from the first half of the 7th Cent. BC – and with the few other Daedalic works found on this site
LEGEND AND TRUTH IN THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE ODYSSEY
Full text linkThis paper opens with a brief overview of the geographical world of Homer. Based mainly on the Homeric text itself and ancient sources, it is then maintained that the adventurous travels of Odysseus do not have the placeless «logic» of fable, as many believe, but are located in the then-known, real world of the Greek colonies in Sicily and Southern Italy. They may be local legends which Homer «adapted poetically» (Strabo).Hesiod, Thucydides, Euripides and Callimachus are not arbitrary in locating Circe, Aeolus, the Cyclopes, Thrinacia, Ogygia and Scheria. The references in the Odyssey to constellations and especially winds which determine the direction of Odysseus’ ships, then one ship and finally his raft, have been carefully studied by the poet and indicate specific, actual places all west of the Ionian Sea. Only Hades lies at the end of the world, beyond the Ocean, near the western «gate» of the Sun.The Homeric descriptions of Crete, Ithaca and the a¬μfì (surrounding) islands are most precise. The cqamalækaìpanupertáth (low-lying and highest) Ithaca, facing pròvzófon (towards dusk, i.e. towards the west), is the a¢stu (city) of Ithaca, at the north-western, coastal end of the island, where Odysseus’ seat actually was.The re-examination of these subjects by a researcher who has seen all the places mentioned from Crete and the Ionian Islands to Southern Italy and Sicily, may be useful at a time when amateurs are once more expressing completely unfounded views on Homer and his geography
THE LM III FRESCOES FROM THE VILLAGGIO AT HAGHIA TRIADA: NEW OBSERVATIONS ON CONTEXT AND CHRONOLOGY
Full text linkThis paper deals with the LM IIIA1-A2 frescoes discovered in the Villaggio of HagiaTriada. Drawing on an analytical interpretation of Halbherr’s and Paribeni’s excavation day-books, and taking advantage of an unpublished plan drawn by Enrico Stefani in 1911, it tries to solve three main problems: 1) the exact location of the groups of frescoes belonging to the Fossa degliaffreschi, namely the «Great Procession» and «Woman and Altar» respectively. It is argued here that they were found on the floor of room A of Casa VAP, not far from the East and South walls, making it plausible that they originally belonged to the decoration of that room. A third assemblage, the «Little Procession», dated to LM II/IIIA1, might possibly be identified with a group of frescoes that Halbherr discovered under the floor of room B of Casa VAP in 1911. 2) The chronology of both the creation and destruction of these assemblages: the frescoes from the Fossa degliaffreschi were created in ripe LM IIIA2, and fell from the walls of Casa VAP after its abandonment in LM IIIB; the «Little Procession» could have been destroyed, perhaps in a fire, during early LM IIIA2. A lowering in date of the creation of the Painted Sarcophagus (late LM IIIA2) is also suggested. 3) The wider context of the frescoes of Casa VAP. The latter is the only residential building dis-covered to date at HagiaTriada, and should have belonged to the household which was in charge of the site from LM IIIA2 through LM IIIB. The frescoes belong to a main figurative cycle, which was probably intended to mark the beginning of an entirely new era in the political history of the settlement
THE HAND, THE MOULD, THE WHEEL AND THE BULL
Full text linkWheelmade bull figures have been considered by most scholars as an Aegean phenomenon, specific to the end of the Bronze Age and the early Iron Age. This study argues that they should be viewed instead as representing just a stage in the development of hollow animal figures that can be followed in Crete for more than two millennia, in the course of which two other techniques, except for the wheel, were utilized in their production. The factors that affected the technical evolution and popularity of these figures within Crete during this long period, and their dissemination to areas beyond the island are also discussed
RETOUR SUR LES «BONE ENCLOSURES» DE VROKASTRO : ELEMENTS DE DATATION ET PRATIQUES FUNERAIRES
Full text linkThis study aims to make new insights into the twelve bone enclosures discovered at Vrokastro (Eastern Crete) by E. Hall. When she published her excavations, she concentrated her analyses on the material from the settlement and the Chamber Tombs, but the bone enclosures were eclipsed because the finds were less impressive and in a worse state. Following E. Hall, historiography states that the Chamber tombs were prior to the Bone enclosures, as inhumations prior to cremations.As the ceramics were less numerous, poorly accounted for, and now mainly lost, our study concentrates on the case of the small finds, notably the fibulae, which are still available and numerous for each bone enclosure, including the enchytrismoi.This leads us to make some new observations about the local funerary practices of Vrokastro and to offer a more accurate and balanced view of the history of the settlement. This study reveals that it is not accurate to systematically oppose chamber tombs/inhumations and bone enclosures/cremations after SM. During the Protogeometric period, cremation and inhumation rituals were simultaneously available in time and space to the people of Vrokastro. It is also true that during this period we find the ferments of the urban expansion occurring at the end of the IXth century BC
UN HIPPODAMOS DA FESTÒS NEL TM IIIC?
No full textThis paperfocuses on a Mycenaeansherd from the Florence Museum, which was published a fewyears ago withoutprovenance. It depicts a human figure who holds the reigns of two horses in a heraldic pose. Analysis of the archival documentation kept at the Soprintendenza alleAntichità at Florence has shown that the sherd has a Cretan provenance, and it is suggested that it was found at Phaistos.From an iconographic point of view, the scene is interpreted as a simple hippodamos or hippophorbos (a horse tamer or keeper of horses), rather than a potistheròn, (master of animals), which could be dated to a middle-mature phase of LM IIIC. In other words, the warrior connotation is discounted as being less probable.A hippodamos in LM IIIC Crete might represent, at the level of imagérie, not only a new iconographical input, but also an ideological one. The typology of the chariot with charioteer and warrior, which is connected to the apex of palatial power, had in fact developed into two different strands during LH IIIC: the knight on the one hand, and the hoplite (in file) on the other. The horsetamerdoesnotseem to be identifiable with either of the two strands. The currentlyavailabledocumentation has led to the supposition that the new iconographicscheme may have been introduced to Crete from the coast of Palestine. In Crete the scene might have lost its plausibly religious meaning (as it has in the famous craters of Ugarit), in favour of a socio-political interpretation more correspondent to historical conditions in the island.This new iconographical element is therefore inserted within the Cretan LM IIIC context, reproposing the basic issue which is represented by the coexistence and variegated inter-twinings (in the various sites) of the local component with typologies, ceremonial uses and human groups of Mycenaean mainland provenance. The Mycenaean component or tradition, within which the hippodamos can be easily located, represents in any case one of the interpretative keys for the understanding of the historical dynamics of the Cretan Dark Age. It is finally noted that the new iconographical proposal can be inserted into a numerous series which is passed with minimal variations from the Mycenaean imagérie of LH IIIC (with a few examples in LH IIIB) to the Geometric period.The introduction of the iconography of the hippodamos to Crete is probably linked to a new economic and socio-political reality, in which the owners of horses are close to becoming the members of a nascent oligarchy, at the same time as a true change occurs in the cultural history of the island
Sommario
Full text linkCreta Antica 8F. Carinci - V. La Rosa, Revisioni festie I. Caloi, Le ollette a secchiello: analisi di una forma vascolare tipica del MM IB di Festòs L. Girella, Forms of commensal politics in the Neopalatial Crete D. Puglisi, L’organizzazione a terrazze nel «Villaggio» TM I di Haghia Triada F. Blakolmer, Die ‘Schnittervase’ von Agia Triada. Zu Narrativität, Mimi Prototypen in der minoischen Bildkunst M. E. Alberti, The Minoan Textile Industry and the Territory from Neopalatial to Mycenaean Times: sOME First Thoughts V. La Rosa, Un hyppodamos da Festòs nel TM IIIC? D. Palermo - A. Pautasso - S. Rizza - R. Gigli Patanè - K. Perna - G. Biondi, Lo scavo del 2005 sulla Patela di Priniàs. Relazione preliminare V. La Rosa, Di tradizione cretese alcune tombe protostoriche dell’area etnea? M. Pagano, Ricerche sull’acquedotto e sulle fontane romane e bizantine di Gortina (Creta) (con presentazione di A. Di Vita) F. Carinci, Doro Levi and Minoan archaeology (1950-1980). History of a heresy without stakes