[Authors and titles are listed at the end of the review]
This book contains a collection of the papers presented at the 8th Sympozjum Egejskie. Throughout the years, the Sympozjum Egejskie has provided young scholars in Aegean Bronze Age archaeology with an opportunity to present their works, with the primary objective of highlighting the “future directions” of Aegean archaeology and the diversity of interests held by those who will determine the direction of future research. The 2021 conference had the additional objective of filling the void in academia left by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 by providing a space where young scholars could establish fruitful connections and meet, discuss, and share ideas after a long period of isolation.
The book incorporates a wide range of papers both geographically, extending from Crete to present day Bulgaria and the Eastern Mediterranean, and chronologically, spanning from the Neolithic to the Early Iron Age. Following a chronological organization, the book begins with Valentine Martin’s contribution on metal “ring idols” in the Neolithic Aegean. In this chapter, experimental archaeology is combined with a chaîne-opératoire approach to test assumptions on Neolithic metal production, that proposed two alternative chaîne opératoire for “ring idols” (cutting out a pre-cast hammered metal sheet into a ring shape, or pre-casting the ring shape directly). The results of experimental work with a blacksmith, carefully compared with the existing archaeological record, reveal a complex picture of technological know-hows and contribute to expand our perspective on the origins of metallurgy in the Aegean.
Focusing on chipped stone assemblages from the Bronze Age, Georgios Stergiou also applies a technological approach to the analysis of regional production traditions. Through the wide-ranging inter-site comparisons between the northern and the southern areas of the Aegean, this chapter draws attention especially to chipped stone assemblages from Bronze Age Macedonia. Due to complex technological, economic and socio-political dynamics, these assemblages display different production strategies, that are not, however, technologically inferior to those from the South Aegean. By evoking agency and social strategies in evaluating technological differences, this chapter challenges the deterministic view that used to oppose “cultured” and “uncultured” societies of the South and North of the Bronze Age Aegean. Consequently, it can also be considered as stemming from the recently growing criticism to the center-periphery approach,[1] following its prevalence in the 1980s and the 1990s.[2]
Petar Minkov’s chapter examines Early (EBA) and Middle (MBA) Bronze Age zoomorphic figurines from the Upper Thrace Valley, in modern-day Bulgaria. A dataset of 43 figurines is used to empirically establish a typology and a chronological sequence spanning the beginning of the EBA to the MBA. As the author himself acknowledges, the evaluation of this category of finds is hindered by the limited dataset and the frequent lack of contextual information, which weakens any interpretation of their significance and use in settlements. While some of the group types are represented by only a couple of specimens, and no conclusive relationship could be drawn between the figurines and other finds, the chapter still manages to highlight the prevalence of two main types (birds and domestic cloven-hoofed animals with horns), their similarities with Anatolian figurines rather than those from Central Greece and the Peloponnese, and their prevalent EBA II chronology.
Assunta Mercogliano discusses recently excavated Early (EH) and Middle (MH) Helladic pottery from the settlement of Trapeza in Achaea. This chapter presents a group of previously unpublished fragments from ongoing excavations that contribute to a better understanding of the EH to MH transition in the western Peloponnese. While acknowledging the impossibility of closer contextual dating for the sherds, as they do not come from primary contexts, the author highlights their importance as evidence for an EH III-MH I occupation of Trapeza. The settlement can now be included among the few others known to have been inhabited during the EH to MH transition in Achaea. Furthermore, some fragments show possible Cycladic and Cetina-type influences demonstrating the site’s interconnections, especially with the eastern mainland.
Polina Kapsali explores the firing technologies behind the production of two well-known MH pottery classes, the Grey and Dark Burnished. Supported by a solid theoretical discussion on the social aspects of pottery production and consumption, this chapter combines scientific analyses and macroscopic observations of published material. Especially in the case of Grey and Dark Burnished pottery, where control over a consistent reducing atmosphere is crucial, firing technologies play a key role in a vessel’s aesthetic value. Consumers in different communities may expect different formal features in response to varying aesthetic values, which could also be influenced by processes of cross-media interactions. This can eventually result in differences in production practices for similar classes. The author’s preliminary considerations on two case studies from Pefkakia Magoula and Ayios Stephanos in Laconia emphasize the importance of investigating craft production alongside the social environments in which it was implemented.
Anastasia Vergaki revisits the “Minoan Hall”, considered to be one of the main features of Minoan “palatial” architecture, and argues the connection of its design to storage practices. Integrating a contextual and spatial analysis, and following the assumption that the function of a room shapes its design, the author examines nine Minoan Halls, eight from Cretan sites and one from Akrotiri, highlighting in particular their connections to storerooms. After embracing the more fluid “System of Hall” definition, this chapter argues that their layout was specifically designed to facilitate the circulation of people and goods. The connection to storage areas and the proximity to entrances may have served for elites’ social display. In open contrast to traditional, “top-down” approaches that interpret data according to biased preconceptions, the author calls for a reopening of the debate in the light of new data and new theoretical knowledge.
In her reexamination of bird imagery in Cretan and Theran figurative styles, Julia Binnberg reframes the term “naturalism” in relation to Minoan and Minoanizing frescoes by adopting a more comprehensive analysis that considers modern art history and iconographic theories. Unlike Egyptian frescoes, which depict birds with meticulous precision as a form of exerting control over the chaos of nature, Minoan frescoes focus on representing lively, natural scenes that engage with the viewer. Treating the figurative expressions of Theran and Minoan frescoes as a single stylistic expression risks of overshadowing the socio-cultural differences between the communities from these two islands. However, this chapter’s reassessment of Aegean “naturalism” and Egyptian “realism” in bird imagery is helpful in highlighting the importance of adopting a contextual, Bronze Age, perspective, instead of applying modern, anachronistic, standards.
Anna Belza’s approach to the Neopalatial and Mycenaean Cyclades reexamines the complex cultural interactions commonly referred to as Minoanization and Mycenaenization, without preconceived interpretations. Using site-specific data, the chapter identifies different settlement patterns on the islands. During the Neopalatial period some centers on nodal islands (e.g. Kea, Thera, Melos) thrived within the Minoan network, whereas smaller islets (e.g. Kimolos) were not included. Following the Late Helladic IIB/Late Minoan II transitional phase, for which few data are available only for Ayia Irini on Kea, Mycenaeanization once again varied in pace and intensity between the islands, and only some centers had continued habitation (e.g. Naxos, Melos and Kea). While awaiting the results of recent research projects on the “Small Cyclades” to hopefully provide new data,[3] this chapter follows scholarship on insularity and connectivity[4] and emphasizes the active role of local Cycladic communities in determining their own inclusion within broader Aegean maritime and cultural networks.
Piotr Zeman and Katarzyna Dudlik decided to revisit the very site where Mycenaean archaeology originated. Combining a relational approach with theories from contemporary urban archaeology, the authors analyze the various developmental stages of Mycenae as a settlement comprising a citadel, a lower town and a funerary area. The formal planning, and the complex interplay of functions and symbolic values attributed to these areas reflect the emergence of social hierarchy (e.g. with the citadel’s the symbolic appropriation of a previously easily accessible cemetery), and the evolution and collapse of the palatial structure. Local trajectories are then placed within a broader regional context, with particular attention to Tiryns. Overall, this chapter responds to the argument that it is redundant to further discuss Mycenae with a useful collection of relevant bibliography and a case study for a more integrated settlement analysis.
Russell Webb revisits dry food storage practices in Mycenaean palatial settlements and focuses on the function of ceramic storage containers, creating a typology based on morphometrical analysis and capacity. Apart from large pithoi, two other smaller storage jar types are identified: wide-mouthed jars with horizontal handles and narrow-necked, belly-handled jars. Attention is also drawn to unbaked clay bins, which played a significant role in settlements’ storage practices but have often been misinterpreted in the archaeological record, as well as to architectures designed for storing foodstuffs without the use of vessels (e.g. silos and granaries). Through a careful discussion of morphometrical features as a proxy for specific storage functions and a detail-oriented architectural analysis, the author provides a more varied picture of storage practices, highlighting how imprecise views have been perpetuated regarding this crucial aspect of Mycenaean palatial societies.
Lastly, Dimitris Papageorgiou focuses on “Aegean-type hearths” in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Late Bronze to Early Iron Age transition. Regardless of their architectural context, hearths are examined from structural and contextual perspectives. Two main types of Aegean hearths from the Levant are identified and their chronology and spatial distribution are traced. Associated finds are also examined in relation to cooking practices. Aegean and local cooking pots are used on selected hearth-types, and attention is drawn to the combined introduction of Aegean-type cooking pots and hearths in the 12th century Eastern Mediterranean. Unfortunately, Papageorgiou chooses to not discuss the deeper cultural implications that such identified changes to local culinary practices may have had,[5] nor their relation to the debated issue of the so-called “Aegean migration” to the Levant at the end of the Bronze Age.[6] However, it may serve as a starting point for future research.
From this overview, the absence of a common theme could at first glance appear to be a weakness of the book. However, this can also become a strength that helps highlighting the research threads in Aegean (and Mediterranean) prehistory. The authors in this book revisit material culture assemblages to create extensive datasets and empirically re-evaluate common assumptions in Aegean Bronze Age scholarship. The contextual approach, which considers multiple aspects of the archaeological record, is often supported by scientific analyses using a multidisciplinary approach, that aligns with the trend in archaeology to strive for a more “holistic” perspective.[7] Last but not least, many papers directly or indirectly demonstrate an awareness of the role of human choices in shaping the archaeological record. This echoes the post-processual attention to individual and social agency[8] as a defense against determinisms (e.g. technological, socio-economical, geographical) and as a mean of empowering local communities, particularly in the light of the decolonization of archaeology.[9]
To conclude, the 4th volume of the Papers in Aegean Archaeology is inspiring, not solely for the intrinsically interesting research of its contributors, but because it both captures current trends in the archaeological debate and shows the future directions of Bronze Age Aegean archaeology. Theoretical self-reflection on methods and approaches is being merged with the engagement in scholarly debate. The perspective is widening geographically and chronologically, and we are learning to cooperate with other fields and to apply new techniques. Hopefully, the Sympozjum Egejskie conferences will continue to provide an opportunity for early career scholars to show how they will tackle future challenges. The 9th conference was held in 2023, and the 10th is planned for 2025. It will be interesting to see how the themes presented here have developed and which new trends are emerging.
References
Broodbank, C. 2000, An Island Archaeology of the Early Cyclades, New York: Cambridge University Press.
Dakoronia F. (ed.) 1999, Η περιφέρεια του μυκηναϊκού κόσμου: Α´ διεθνές διεπιστημονικό συμπόσιο (Λαμία, 25–29 Σεπτεμβρίου 1994), Athens: Hypourgeio Politismou, 14. Ephoreia Proistorikōn kai Klassikōn Archaiotētōn.
Hruby J. and Trusty D. (eds.) 2017, From Cooking Vessels to Cultural Practices in the Late Bronze Age Aegean, Oxford: Oxbow Books.
Kiparissi Anatolikà N. and Papakostantinou M. (eds.) 2003, Η Περιφέρεια του Μυκηναϊκού κόσμου = Τhe periphery of the Mycenaean world: πρακτικά / B’ Διεθνές Διεπιστημονικό Συμπόσιο (Λαμία, 26–30 Σεπτεμβρίου 1999), Athens: Hypourgeio Politismou, 14. Ephoreia Proistorikōn kai Klassikōn Archaiotētōn.
Joyce R. A. and Lopiparo J. 2005, “PostScript: Doing Agency in Archaeology,” Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 12, 365–374.
Karantzali Ε. (ed.) 2021, Η περιφέρεια του μυκηναϊκού κόσμου: Γ´ διεθνές διεπιστημονικό συμπόσιο (Λαμία 18–21 Μαΐου 2018), Athens: Hypourgeio Politismou, 14. Ephoreia Proistorikōn kai Klassikōn Archaiotētōn.
Knapp A.B. 2007, “Insularity and Island Identity in the Prehistoric Mediterranean,” S. Antoniadou and A. Pace (eds.), Mediterranean Crossroads, Athens: Pierides Foundation, 37–62.
Knapp A.B. 2021, Migration Myths and the End of the Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Nakassis D. 2021, “Why the Periphery Should Be Central to Mycenaean Studies,” E. Karantzali (ed.), Η περιφέρεια του μυκηναϊκού κόσμου: Γ´ διεθνές διεπιστημονικό συμπόσιο (Λαμία 18–21 Μαΐου 2018), Athens: Hypourgeio Politismou, 14. Ephoreia Proistorikōn kai Klassikōn Archaiotētōn, 21–26.
Preucel R. and Hodder I. 1996, “Communicating Present Pasts,” R. Preucel and I. Hodder (eds.), Contemporary Archaeology in Theory. A Reader, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 3–20.
Tilley C. 1998, “Archaeology as Socio-Political Action in the Present,” D.S. Whitley (ed.), Reader in Archaeological Theory: Post-Processual and Cognitive Approaches, Routledge Readers in Archaeology, London: Routledge. 305–330.
Authors and Titles
Introduction (Stephanie Aulsebrook, Katarzyna Żebrowska, Agata Ulanowska)
Metal “Ring idols”: A Material Approach to Metalworking in the Aegean Neolithic (Valentine Martin)
The Cultural Practices of Bronze Age Aegean Societies as Demonstrated by Chipped Stone Assemblages: The North/South Debate Revisited (Georgios Stergiou)
Early and Middle Bronze Age Zoomorphic Figurines and Depictions from the Present-Day Area of Bulgaria (Petar Minkov)
The Settlement of the Trapeza (Eastern Achaea, Greece): An Insight into the Beginning of the Middle Helladic Period in Achaea (Assunta Mercogliano)
Exploring the Social Fabric of Ceramics through Firing Treatment: The Case of Middle Helladic Pottery (Polina Kapsali)
Storage Determines Design: The Example of the Minoan Hall (Anastasia M.A. Vergaki)
Naturalism and Movement in Bird Imagery from Minoan Crete and Thera (Julia Binnberg)
Between Crete and the Mainland: From the Neopalatial to the Mycenaean Cyclades (Anna Belza)
A Tale of a Mycenaean Palatial Town: Development of the Late Bronze Age Site of Mycenae (Piotr Zeman, Katarzyna Dudlik)
An Archaeological Perspective on Food Storage on the Mycenaean Mainland (13th–12th Centuries BC) (Russell Webb)
Tracing the Distribution of ‘Aegean-Type Hearths’: Type and Construction Techniques through Space and Time (Dimitris Papageorgiou)
Notes
[1] E.g. Nakassis 2021 in the third conference in the series Η Περιφέρεια του Μυκηναϊκού κόσμο (Karantzali 2021).
[2] See for example Dakoronia 1999; Kiparissi Anatolikà and Papakostantinou 2003.
[3] https://smallcycladicislandsproject.org/
[4] Broodbank 2000; Knapp 2007.
[5] See e.g. Hruby and Trusty 2017.
[6] Knapp 2021.
[7] Already in Preucel and Hodder 1996.
[8] Joyce and Lopiparo 2005 with previous bibliography.
[9] On the matter already Tilley 1998.