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Kythera Survey: preliminary report on the 1998 season1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2013

Cyprian Broodbank
Cyprian Broodbank
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, University College London
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Abstract

This article is a preliminary report on the first (1998) season of the Kythera Survey, an intensive fiels survey concentrating on the central-eastern part of the island. This survey forms part of a wider projecr, whose aim is to explore the long-term insular dynamics of Kythera as a stepping stone, filter, and island with its own identy. Another central aim of this project, expanding on excavations at Kastri and the peak sancturary of Agios Georgios, is to shed new light on minoanisation as a spatial phenomenon in the island's landscape. In 1998 c. 13 sq. km were investigated, revealing 26 archaelogical sites. The peak periods of settlement in the surveyed area are the Early Bronze Age. Second Palace Period, Classical-Roman periods, and the last few centuries before the present. Poorly represented, or absent, are sites of later Neolithic, First Palace Period, Third Palace Period, Post-Palatial to Archaic, and Late Roman to Medieval date. Early Bronze Age sites are of Early Helladic character, whilst the Second Palace Period sites follow the minoanised culture of Kastri; together with a few finds of early minoanising material on Early Helladic sites, and the absence of evidence for the First Palace Period, these results provide new perspectives on the process of minoanisation on Kythera.

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Articles
Information
Annual of the British School at Athens , Volume 94 , November 1999 , pp. 191 - 214
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 1999

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References

2 Kythera for publication of the excavations by Coldstream and Huxley at Kastri. and a synthesis of the island's archaeology as it was then known: Τα Κύθηρα: 55–92 for a list of sites known by the early 1980s: for earlier lists, Prehistoric Laconia II, 148–60 and Ionian Islands. 245 6.

3 Minoan Religious Influence. Also Sakellarakis, J. A., ‘Το μινωϊκό ιερό τον Κυθήρων’, in Λοιβή: εις μνήμην Α. Γ. Καλοκαιρινού (Herakleion, 1994). 195–203Google Scholar.

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9 Other examples may exist, but have yet to yield the incontrovertible evidence that is provided by the excavations at Agios Georgios. Sakellarakis, in Minoan Religious Influence, 92–8, reviews the evidence for peak sanctuaries elsewhere in the archipelago.

10 Peatfield, A. A. D., ‘The topography of Minoan peak sanctuaries’. BSA 78 (1983), 273–80Google Scholar; id., ‘Palace and peak: the political and religious relationship between palaces and peak sanctuaries’, in Hägg, R. and Marinatos, N. (eds.), The Function of the Minoan Palaces (Stockhom, 1987), 89–93Google Scholar; id., ‘Minoan peak sanctuaries: history and society’, Op. Ath. 17 (1990), 117–31.

11 Τα Κύθηρα, 64. Minoan pithos sherds reported by Beaton near the tombs excavated by Staïs at Lioni, in southern Kythera, may indicate another burial of this type or alternatively, perhaps another small settlement similar to those discovered in the 1998 season; Ionian Islands, 245; Staïs, V., ‘Ανασκαϕαὶ ἐν Κυθήροις’ A. Delt. 1 (1915), 191–4Google Scholar.

12 For a pioneering example of this approach. J. L. Davis and J. F. Cherry, ‘Spatial and temporal uniformitarianism in Late Cycladic I: perspectives from Kea and Milos on the prehistory of Akrotiri’, in D.A. Hardy et al. (n. 7), 185–200.

13 For Thera, ibid.; for recent work on Rhodes. T. Marketou, ‘Excavations at Trianda (Ialysos) on Rhodes: new evidence for the Late Bronze Age I period’. BICS 41 (1996).113–4.

14 Perhaps Kythera's closest parallel is the similarly sized, but far more rugged, island of Karpathos in the south-east Aegean, part of the island chain between Crete's eastern extremity and the Anatolian mainland, and like Kythera separated from Crete by a smaller island (Kasos in this sense being equivalent to Antikythera). For strong signs of 2nd millennium BC: minoanization in the landscape of Karpathos. see Melas, E. M., The Islands of Karpathos. Sams and Kasos in the Neolithic and Bronze Age (SIMA, 68: Göteborg, 1985). 159–62, 173–5Google Scholar.

15 This re-study was undertaken by Cyprian Broodbank, Valasia Isaakidou-Broodbank and Evangelia Kiriatzi. The sampling was undertaken by Kiriatzi as a Fitch Laboratory project (British School at Athens). The samples are undergoing laboratory analysis.

16 Kythera, 305–8.

17 Ibid., 39: Prehistoric Laconia II, 157; Τα Κύθηρα, 61–2.

18 Kythera. 39 (= ‘Gonies’): Prehistoric Laconia II 157; Τα Κύθηρα, 60–1.

19 Prehistoric Laconia II, 157; Τα Κύθηρα, 65.

20 See Site 24. below.

21 For a recent summary. Rutter, J. B., ‘Review of Aegean Prehistory II: the prepalatial Bronze Age of the southern and central Greek mainland’. AJA 97 (1993), 747–54Google Scholar. For a more detailed discussion of methods closely similar to those adopted on the Kythera Survey, see Cherry, J. F.. Davis, J. L., Demitrack, A., Mantzourani, E., Strasser, T. F., and Talalay, L. E., ‘Archaeological survey in an artifact-rich landscape: a Middle Neolithic example from Nemea, Greece’, AJA 92 (1988), 159–76Google Scholar; Cherry, J. F., Davis, J. L., Mantzourani, E. and Whitclaw, T. M., ‘The Survey Methods’, in Cherry, j. F., Davis, J. L., and Mantzourani, E., Landscape Archaeology as Long-term History: Northern Keos in the cycladic Islands from Earliest Settlement to Modern Times (UCLA Institute of Archaeology Monumenta Archaeologica, 16: Los Angeles. 1991), 13–35Google Scholar: Davis, J. L., Alcock, S. E., Bennet, J., Lolos, Y. G. and Shelmerdine, C. W., ‘The Pylos Regional Archaeological Project, part I: overview and the archaeological survey’. Hesp. 66 (1997), 400–2Google Scholar.

22 To date, no earlier Neolithic or pie-Neolithic material has been found on Kvthera.

23 Dickinson, O. T. P. K., The Aegean Bronze Age (Cambridge, 1994Google Scholar).

24 Kythera, 83–94, 275–8, figs. 36–7 and pls. 18–21. Close parallels for the material of EM III MM I A date at Kastri exist at the sites of Chania and Psathi in western Crete; see Godart, L. and Tzedakis, Y., Témoignages archéologiques et épigraphiques en Crète occidental du Néolithique au Minoen récent III B (Incunabula Graeca, 93: Rome. 1992). 29–40Google Scholar and pl. 47–1; Tzedakis, Y.. ‘Αρχαιότητες καὶ μνηεία δυτικής’. A. Delt. 35 (1980). Chr. 509–11Google Scholar: Mytilinaiou, D. K., ‘Προανακτορική κεραμική απο ψαθί Κυδωνίας’ Κρητική Εστία 6 (1997–1998), 195–236Google Scholar, the phrase ‘First Minoanizing’ is a provisional working term and is intended to apply only to material found on Kythera: its full implications and corrlation with minoanizing material found elsewhere in the Aegean require further analysis.

26 For parallels at Kastri, Kythera, 217 and pl. 61. 43. 167–9. 374 a–b.

26 For parallels at Kastri. ibid., 278 and pl. 21. 19–21. 25–8.

27 Cf. n. 17.

28 Cavanagh, W., ‘The Neolithic pottery’. in Cavanagh, W., Crouwel, J., Catling, R. W. V., and Shipley, G., Continuity and Change in a Greek Rural Landscape: The Laconia Survey, ii: Archaeological Data (London, 1996). 2–3Google Scholar and fig. 11.1. 1–2: Koumouzeli, M.. ‘Η κεραμική απο την “Α Κουβελεική Σπηλιά” Αλεποχωριού Λακωνιας’. AAA 22 (1989), fig. 13Google Scholar: Phelps, W. W.. The Neolithic Pottery Sequence in Southern Greece (Ph.D. dissertation. Institute of Archaeology, University of London, 1975). 338Google Scholar.

29 Maltezou, C., ‘Le famiglie degli Eudaimonoiannis e Venier a Cerigo dal XII al XIV secolo: problemi di cronologia e prosopografia’. Rivista di studi bizantini e slavi, 2 (1982), 207Google Scholar; on the appearance of Mitata in the 1583 list of Petros Kastrophyiakas. ead. ‘A contribution to the historical geography of the island of Kythera during the Venetian occupation’, in Laiou-Thomadakis, E. (ed.). Charanis Studies: Essays in Honor of Peter Charanis (–New Brunswick, 1980). 159Google Scholar.

30 Cf. n. 18. Classical and Hellenistic material is abundant: Roman material is reported by Waterhouse and Hope Simpson (Prehistoric Laconia II, 157.

31 Viaradika appears m the 1721 census records; see Maltezou, C., Marmareli, A. K., Patramani, M. G., and Drakakis, E. G.. Απογραϕές πληθυνσμού Κυθήρων (180ς αιώας),Τομοςς Α', (Etaireia Kythiraïkon Meleton, 8: Athens, 1997). 71–3Google Scholar.

32 These tombs were indicated to us by Aris Tsaravopoulos, whom we warmly thank.

33 Cf. n. 19.

34 Cherry, J. F.. ‘The first colonization of the Mediterranean islands: a review of recent research’. Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology, 3 (1990), 158–71Google Scholar.

35 Kythera, 273.

36 Cf. n. 28.

37 Minoan Religious Influence. 91 n. 96.

38 for sample, Cherry, J. F. and Torrence, R.. ‘The earliest prehistory of Melos’. in Renfrew, C. and Wagstaff, M. (eds). An Island Polity: The Archaeology of Exploitation in Melos (Cambridge, 1982), 33–4Google Scholar. Given the variable stale of exploration of many of the Aegean islands, the most plausible interpretation of single finds such as these is likely to vary according to the context of the find and the degree ol exploration in the region. It should also be noted that finds of a small number of such points in Early Bronze Age levels at Lerna may indicate some continuity of usage into this period (Runnels, C. N.. ‘The bronze-age flaked-stone industries from Lerna: a preliminary report’. Hesp. 54 (1985). 372Google Scholar), although no such objects were found in Deposit α at Kastri (Kythera, 217. and further confirmed by study of the material).

39 Kythera, 77–83, 272–74.

40 Prehistoric Laconia II, 149.

41 Ibid., 149: according to Waterhouse and Hope Simpson, the toponym covers two Early Bronze Age scatters about 1 km apart.

42 Cf. material from Agios Stephanos (D., and French, E., ‘Appendix: provisional pottery report on Ayios Stephanos excavations 1959“. BSA 67 (1972), 263–5Google Scholar), Pavlopetri (Harding, A., Cadogan, G., and Howell, R.. ‘Pavlopetri. an underwater Bronze Age town in Laconia’. BSA 64 (1969), 133 and fig. 14Google Scholar). Kouphovouno (Renard, J.. Le Site néolitluque et hélladique ancien de Kouphovouno Lacanie: Fouilles de O.-W. von Vacano (1941) (Aegaeum. 4: Liège. 1989Google Scholar;. and the Laconia Survey (W. Cavanagh and J. Crouwel. ‘The Early Helladic pottery’, in W. Cavanagh et at. n. 27). 5–16).

43 Prehistoric Laconia II, 146–8. 157 for the close relations between northern Kythera and Elaphonisos.

44 Cf n. 26.

45 Rutter: n. 21. 773: Forsén, J.. The Twilight of the Early Helladics: A Study of the Disturbances in East-Central and Southern Greece towards the End of the Early Bronze Age (SIMA Pocketbook 116: Jonsered. 1992). 105–7. 105–7. 172Google Scholar.

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47 Minoan Religious Influence, 87 and pl. 20 d: also Sakellarakis n. 3. 198.

48 This would parallel trends seen in the First Palace Period on several of the Cycladic islands, such as Melos, Naxos, and and Paros. For Melos. see J. F Cherry ‘A preliminary definition site distribution on Melos’, in Renfrew and M. Wagstalf (n. 37) fig. 24. For Naxos. see O. Hatzianastasiou, ‘Naxian pottery and external relations in Late Cycladic I–II’, in Zerner, C. with Zerner, P. and Winder, J. (eds), Wace and Blegen: Pottery as Evidence for Trade in the Aegean Bronze Age 1939–1989 (Amsterdam, 1993). 257Google Scholar and fig. 1. For Paros the evidence is less well documented, but see Renfrew, A. C., The Emergence of Civilisation: The (Cyclades and the Aegean in the Third Millennium Bc (London, 1972. 517–17Google Scholar) and Overbeck, J. C., The Bronze Age Pottery from the Kastro at Paros (SIMA Pocket-book. 78; Jonsered, 1989Google Scholar).

49 The pithoi found near Lioni and Lazanamka. in south and south-west Kythera, may mark the presence of other small communities and/or their cemeteries (cf. n. 11).

50 Davis and Cherry (n. 12).

51 Cf. n. 13.

52 Cherry (n. 48) and Hatzianastasiou (n. 48).

53 For the end of the Bronze Age. Rutter, J. B.. ‘Some thoughts on the analysis of ceramic data generated by site surveys’, in Keller, D. R. and Rupp, D. W. (eds), Archaeological Survey in the Mediterranean Area (BAR. S155; Oxtord, 1983), 138Google Scholar.

54 Kythera, 34, 304–5.

55 Prehistoric Laconia II, 149.

56 Kythera, 34.

57 Ibid., 34, 263–5. pls. 84–5; Staïs (n. 11).

58 Τα Κύθηρα, 63 mentions sherds from cups and stirrup jars. Similar material of this date is found in several Cretan caves, e.g. cups and stirrup jars at Koumaro. and a Linear B inscribed stirrup jar at the Mameloukou Trypa (Rutkowski, B. and Nowicki, C. (eds), The Psychro Care and Other Sacred Grottoes in Crete (Studies and Monographs in Mediterranean Archaeology and Civilisation, Series 2. vol. i: Warsaw, 1996), 58–9, 62Google Scholar). The Kataphygadi finds may therefore suggest an intriguing continuation of Cretan-inspired depositional practices on Kythera in the Third Palace Period. I thank Peter Tomkins for discussion of this matter.

59 Kythera. 34.

60 Ibid., 37, 267, pl. 86, 4: Prehistoric Laconia II, 158.

61 Cf. n. 16.

62 Iron-working debris has also been noted at Vithoulas, a site which has a Classical component (Prehistoric Laconia II, 149).

63 Cf. n. 29.

64 For recent pottery and pottery-making on Kythera, Psaropoulou, B, Η Κεραμική του χθες στα Κύθηρα και στην Κύθνο (Athens, 1990Google Scholar).

65 Leontsinis, G. N., The Island of kythera: A Social History (1700–1863) (Athens, 1987). 191–2Google Scholar table 1.