Lerna : a preclassical site in the Argolid ; results of excavations conducted by the American School of Classical Studies at Athensn8, The historical Greek village

This volume presents the Protogeometric through Hellenistic material (ca. 970-175 B.C.) from ASCSA excavations conducted in the 1950s at Lerna in the Argolid, one of the most important prehistoric sites in Greece. The material derives from two main sources: burials from a Geometric cemetery near the settlement and Late Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic wells from the mound proper. Although the material consists primarily of pottery and other ceramic finds, it also includes human remains, animal bones and shells, coins, inscriptions, and bronze and stone objects. Heather Graybehl provides a petrographic analysis, Mark L. Lawall discusses the transport amphoras and import patterns, David S. Reese presents the faunal material, and David Scahill presents and catalogues two Doric capitals. This study not only gives scholars greater insight into ceramic developments in the Argolid, it brings much-needed focus to the material culture of a historic settlement not known for strategic trading, politics, or military prowess. Lerna VIII will greatly facilitate comparative studies with other modestly sized communities in ancient Greece. Beneath the famous remains of the House of the Tiles and the other Bronze Age remains found at Lerna, a large amount of Neolithic pottery was found during 1950s excavations by the American School of Classical Studies. Although the mixing of material makes it impossible to establish an independent ceramic sequence for the site, the author is able to differentiate Early and Middle Neolithic types using her knowledge of material from the well stratified Franchthi Cave, across the Argolic Gulf. By placing the ceramic material in archaeological context, the author makes a number of important new claims about Lerna's earliest history. While the date of the first settlement is still unclear, the Middle Neolithic was clearly a time of intensive occupation at Lerna, when the digging of at least one long ditch across the site suggests some internal planning. Sherds of the first Late Neolithic phase (Franchthi Ceramic Phase 3/ FCP 3) are totally absent, suggesting that Lerna had been abandoned by the end of the Middle Neolithic but substantial quantities of Final Neolithic pottery, found largely in pits and two graves, suggest ritual re-use in this period. A final chapter summarizes the results of the study, including the changing patterns of burial practices over the course of the Neolithic. This final chapter is repeated in Modern Greek. "The publication of this manuscript on the Neolithic material from Lerna will be of outstanding scientific importance for Neolithic research in Greece. Much to the benefit of the reader, the author has succeeded in making a vividly clear and coherent account out of a highly complex situation." Mats Johnson, Guteborgs Universitet This volume presents the Protogeometric through Hellenistic material (ca. 970-175 B.C.) from ASCSA excavations conducted in the 1950s at Lerna in the Argolid, one of the most important prehistoric sites in Greece. By featuring post-Bronze Age material, it signficantly expands the scope of the Lerna series. The material derives from two main sources: burials from a Geometric cemetery near the settlement and Late Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic wells from the mound proper. Although the material consists primarily of pottery and other ceramic finds, it also includes human remains, animal bones and shells, coins, inscriptions, and bronze and stone objects. This study not only gives scholars greater insight into ceramic developments in the Argolid, it brings much-needed focus to the material culture of a historic settlement not known for strategic trading, politics, or military prowess. Lerna VIII will greatly facilitate comparative studies with other modestly sized communities in ancient Greece Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Preface 8 Contents 14 List of Illustrations 16 List of Tables 24 Abbreviations 25 Prolegomena to the Catalogue 26 1. Historical and Political Narratives 28 2. Geometric Cemetery 60 3. Late Archaic and Early Classical Wells 138 4. Classical Wells 196 5. Early and Middle Hellenistic Wells and Early Hellenistic Pit 286 6. Miscellaneous Pottery, Figurines, Loomweights, and Coins 338 7. Village Society and Economy 386 Appendix I. Petrographic Analysis of Table, Coarse, and Cooking Wares by Heather Graybehl 424 Appendix II. Archaic through Hellenistic Transport Amphoras by Mark L. Lawall 448 Appendix III. Faunal Remains by David S. Reese 464 Appendix IV. Stone Architectural Elements by David Scahill 470 References 476 Index 514 V.5: CD-ROM contains additional information related to the book The Neolithic pottery from Lerna, as well as software, for which rights have been cleared