Bramiana : salvaging information from a destroyed Minoan settlement in southeast Crete

This volume presents the salvage excavation of a Minoan settlement at Bramiana in southeastern Crete that was destroyed during the creation of a new system of agriculture in the 1980s. Excavation of the site provides new evidence for a Bronze Age economy based on trade, agriculture, and craftwork. This publication is a test case for a highly successful new system of organizing all the pottery based on its petrography, sorting it by materials and workshop practices. The results show the existence of an unsuspected large trade network operating across hundreds of kilometers for the routine distribution of cooking pots and other clay vessels and their contents. The Minoan settlement used the lustrous and silky smooth fine ceramics invented presumably in the still undiscovered palace near modern Ierapetra; this technology would be used for the fine Mycenaean tableware of the Late Bronze Age. Figure 1. Pottery in Cretan South Coast Fabric coarse (1–7). Scale 1:3. Figure 2. Pottery in Cretan South Coast Fabric coarse (8–13). Scale 1:6 except as marked. Figure 3. Pottery in Cretan South Coast Fabric coarse (14–27). Scales 1:3 (14, 20–27) and 1:6 (15–19). Figure 4. Pottery in Cretan South Coast Fabric fine (28–47). Scale 1:3. Figure 5. Pottery in Cretan South Coast Fabric fine (48–60), fine with clay pellets (61–63). Scale 1:3. Figure 6. Pottery in Cretan South Coast Fabric fine with clay pellets (61–88). Scale 1:3. Figure 7. In-and-out bowls, Group A (89–92). Interior views on top and exterior views below for 90 and 92. Scale 1:3. Figure 8. In-and-out bowls, Group A (93–97), Group B (98–100). Interior view on top and exterior view below for 98. Scale 1:3. Figure 9. In-and-out bowls, Group C (101–103), Group D (104), Group E (105, 106). Pottery in Mirabello Fabric (107–110). Interior view on left and exterior view on right for 106. Scale 1:3. Figure 10. Pottery in Mirabello Fabric (111–122). Scale 1:3. Figure 11. Pottery in Mirabello Fabric (123–133). Scale 1:3. Figure 12. Pottery in Mirabello Fabric (134–147). Scales 1:3 (134–137) and 1:6 (138–147). Figure 13. Pottery in Mirabello Fabric (148–166). Scales 1:6 (148–153) and 1:3 (154–166). Figure 14. Pottery in Mirabello Fabric (167–182). Scale 1:3. Figure 15. Pottery in Mirabello Fabric (183–191). Scale 1:3. Figure 16. Pottery in metamorphic fabrics (192–206). Scale 1:3. Figure 17. Pottery in Metamorphic Fabric with Silvery Phyllite from Palaikastro (207–215). Ritual vessels in Mirabello Fabric (216, 217). Scale 1:3. Figure 18. Ritual vessels in Mirabello Fabric (218–224). Pottery in Calcite-Tempered Fabric (225–231), calcareous fabric with quartz (232, 233), and Fine Fabric with Clay Pellets and Microfossils (234). Scale 1:3. Figure 19. Ground stone tools (235–240). Scale 1:3. Plate 1. Pottery in Cretan South Coast Fabric coarse (1–6, 9, 10, 13–21). Scale 1:3. Plate 2. Pottery in Cretan South Coast Fabric fine (28–33, 35–38, 43–46, 50–60). Scale 1:3. Plate 3. Pottery in Cretan South Coast Fabric fine with clay pellets (62, 64, 65, 68–73, 75–88). Exterior view on left, interior view on right for 64, 75, and 79. Scale 1:3. Plate 4. In-and-out bowls (89–106). Exterior views on top, interior views below, single sherds are exterior views. Scale 1:3. Plate 5. Pottery in Mirabello Fabric (111, 114, 115, 119, 123, 124, 126, 128, 131, 133–138, 140–143, 145–148). Exterior view on left, interior view on right for 133 and 135. Scale 1:3. Plate 6. Pottery in Mirabello Fabric (149–160, 162–167, 169, 171–175, 177, 191). Scale 1:3. Plate 7. Pottery in metamorphic fabric (192–194, 198, 203), Metamorphic Fabric with Silvery Phyllite from Palaikastro (207–209, 211, 213), and ritual vessels in Mirabello Fabric (216–219). Two views of 211, interior views of 216, exterior view on left and Plate 8. Ritual vessels in Mirabello Fabric (223, 224). Pottery in Calcite-Tempered Fabric (225–229, 231), calcareous fabric with quartz (232, 233), and Fine Fabric with Clay Pellets and Microfossils (234). Exterior views on top and interior views below f Plate 9. Ground stone tools (235–240). Scale 1:3. Acknowledgments Preface List of Abbreviations Introduction and Methodology Vili Apostolakou, Philip P. Betancourt, and Thomas M. Brogan Petrographic Analysis of the Pottery from Bramiana Eleni Nodarou Coarse Cretan South Coast Fabrics Philip P. Betancourt Fine Cretan South Coast Fabrics 1 Amie S. Gluckman Fine Cretan South Coast Fabrics 2: With Pellets Amie S. Gluckman and Philip P. Betancourt Fine Cretan South Coast Fabrics 3: In-and-Out Bowls Florence S.C. Hsu Granitic-Dioritic (Mirabello) Fabrics Sydney R. Sarasin Metamorphic Fabrics 1 Lily Bonga Metamorphic Fabrics 2: Fabric from Palaikastro Lily bonga Ritual Vessels Lily Bonga Calcite-Tempered Fabrics Philip P. Betancourt and Eleni Nodarou Uncommon Fabric Groups Philip P. Betancourt Ground Stone Implements Heidi M.C. Dierckx Vitrified Clay Fragments Antonia Stamos, Eleni Nodarou, and Philip P. Betancourt Building Materials Philip P. Betancourt and Eleni Nodarou Other Finds Philip P. Betancourt Conclusions on the Clay Vessels and Their Fabrics Philip P. Betancourt Trade at bramiana Thomas M. brogan Reconstructing the History of bramiana Philip P. betancourt and Thomas M. brogan Before and After: Reconstructing the Bramiana Landscape through Historical Aerial Imagery Konstantinos Chalikias Final Comments Philip P. Betancourt and Thomas M. Brogan References Bramiana Excavation Numbers (BR) and Catalog Numbers Index Illustration 1. Map of Crete showing some sites mentioned in the text. Drawing P. Betancourt. Illustration 2. Map of the isthmus of Ierapetra and the neighboring regions with some sites mentioned in the text. Drawing P. Betancourt. Illustration 4. Satellite image of the region surrounding the Bramiana Reservoir and south to the coast. The white rectangles are greenhouses. Photo Google Earth. Illustration 5. Satellite image of the Bramiana Reservoir showing the site and the dam. Photo Google Earth. Illustration 6. The site of Bramiana on the peninsula, looking north from the center of the dam in 2015. Photo P. Betancourt. Illustration 7. Looking south from the center of the dam in 2015 with eucalyptus trees at the base of the dam and the plastic roofs of greenhouses visible in the distance on the left. Photo P. Betancourt. Illustration 8. Olive trees growing on the flattened area near the archaeological remains at Bramiana in 2015, looking north. Photo P. Betancourt. Illustration 9. Map of the larger region around the Ierapetra Isthmus. Contour interval 100 m. Drawing P. Betancourt. Illustration 10. Plan of the sectors (S) and trenches (E) at Bramiana. Drawing A. Stamos. Illustration 11. Fieldwalkers conducting the surface survey in Sectors S300 and S400 at Bramiana in 2011, looking southwest. Photo M. Eaby. Illustration 12. Sectors S100 and S200, looking west. Photo P. Betancourt. Illustration 13. Sector S200, area flattened by the bulldozers, looking north. Photo P. Betancourt. Illustration 14. Sectors S301–S305 after excavation in 2011, from the east. Photo M. Eaby. Illustration 15. Sectors S301–S305 after excavation in 2011, from the west. Photo M. Eaby. Illustration 16. Concordance of the vessels sampled for petrographic analysis, in order by fabric group. Illustration 17. Petrography sections: (a) Fabric Group 1, Metamorphic Fabric with Silvery Phyllite (BRM 13/89, 210); (b) Fabric Subgroup 2a, metamorphic (BRM 13/79, 204). Magnification x25. Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 18. Petrography sections: (a) Fabric Subgroup 2b, metamorphic with elongate phyllites (BRM 13/51, 200); (b) Fabric Group 2, metamorphic loner (BRM 13/95, 201). Magnification x25. Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 19. Petrography sections: (a) Fabric Group 2, metamorphic overfired (BRM 13/23, 199); (b) Fabric Group 3, Cretan South Coast, low fired (BRM 13/101, 24). Magnification x25. Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 20. Petrography sections: (a) Fabric Group 4, Cretan South Coast, jar fabric (BRM 13/13, 10) (x50); (b) Fabric Subgroup 5a, granitic dioritic with fine matrix and clay pellets (BRM 13/18, 126). (x25). Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 21. Petrography sections: (a) Fabric Subgroup 5b, granitic dioritic, biotite rich (BRM 13/1, 123); (b) Fabric Subgroup 5c, granitic dioritic, calcareous (BRM 13/33, 113). Magnification x25. Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 22. Petrography sections: (a) Fabric Subgroup 6a, granitic dioritic, red with frequent granitic inclusions (BRM 13/9, 110); (b) Fabric Subgroup 6b, granitic dioritic with micritic inclusions (BRM 13/112, 222). Magnification x25. Photomicrogra Illustration 23. Petrography sections: (a) Fabric Subgroup 6c, granitic dioritic, low fired (BRM 13/24, 188); (b) Fabric Group 6, granitic dioritic, overfired (BRM 13/28, 189). Magnification x25. Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 24. Petrography sections: (a) Fabric Subgroup 7a, semi-fine to fine with clay pellets (BRM 13/4, 76); (b) Fabric Subgroup 7b, very fine with clay pellets (BRM 13/7, 81). Magnification x25. Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 25. Petrography sections: (a) Loner 1 (BRM 13/151, 89); (f) Loner 2 (BRM 13/158, 97). Magnification x25. Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 26. Petrography sections: (a) Loner 3 (BRM 13/164, 92); (b) Loner 4, fine with clay pellets and microfossils (BRM 13/108, 234). Magnification x25. Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 27. Petrography sections: (a) Fabric Group 8, calcareous with quartz (BRM 13/59, 232) (x50); (b) raw material from the plain of Bramiana; Magnification (x25). Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 28. Petrography sections: (a) Fabric Group 9, calcite and grog tempered (BRM 13/2, 225); (b) Loner 5, grog tempered (BRM 13/50, 231), G = grog fragments Magnification x25. Photomicrographs E. Nodarou. Illustration 29. Mudbrick collected from the surface of Sector S300 in 2011. Photo M. Eaby. Illustration 30. Aerial image of the Bramiana valley taken in 1945. The same features are visible in this photo and in Illustration 31: (1) path connecting the valley to the southern coast; (2) road leading to the village of Kalamaphka; (3) low hill; (4) Illustration 31. Satellite image of the Bramiana valley taken in 2016. The same features are visible in this photo and in Illustration 30: (1) path connecting the valley to the southern coast; (2) road leading to the village of Kalamaphka; (3) low hill; ( Illustration 32. Aerial image of the Bramiana valley taken in 1945: (a) detail of farmland, terraced fields, and buildings in the northwestern part of the valley; (b) detail of the hill with the Minoan site in the southeastern side of the valley. Photo He Illustration 33. Features superimposed onto a 1945 aerial image of the Bramiana valley. Red lines are terraces. Red, orange, and blue dots are paths. Blue line is a river. Green squares are buildings that date from the late 19th to early 20th century, the _GoBack _GoBack _GoBack _GoBack The Minoan site at Bramiana in southeastern Crete provides evidence for a Bronze Age economy based on trade, agriculture, and craftwork. This publication uses a new system of organizing the pottery by petrography—sorting it by materials and workshop practices—revealing a trade network of cooking pots and other clay vessels and their contents. Minoan,civilization;,archaeology;,Aegean,Bronze,Age;,pottery;,petrography;,trade Minoan civilization,archaeology,Aegean Bronze Age,pottery,petrography,trade "The Minoan site at Bramiana in southeastern Crete provides evidence for a Bronze Age economy based on trade, agriculture, and craftwork. This publication uses a new system of organizing the pottery by petrography-sorting it by materials and workshop practices-revealing a trade network of cooking pots and other clay vessels and their contents"-- Provided by publisher.