Dating Gods: Radiocarbon Dates from the Sanctuary of Zeus on Mt. Lykaion (Arcadia, Greece)

Abstract

This paper reports the results of the application of a calcined bone dating protocol to samples collected from the Sanctuary of Zeus on Mt. Lykaion in southern Greece. The site is a mountaintop ash altar rich in anthropogenic sediments, burned bone, and artifacts offered to the god Zeus. Experiments involving time series hydrolysis measurements were conducted on calcined bones from stratified layers throughout the sequence to determine if any of the samples underwent surface contamination from carbonate exchange with the surrounding sedimentary matrix. It was determined that such exchange was unlikely, but samples were acid-etched before pretreatment as a precautionary measure. Paired samples of seeds, charcoal, and calcined animal bone collected from a sediment column in the altar demonstrate the effectiveness of the calcined bone dating technique in this context. The results of dating indicate that the altar was in use from the Mycenaean period through the late Classical period, though samples were not collected from the upper levels of the site due to possible mixing of surface sediments. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements were taken and crystallinity index values calculated, confirming that the bone samples are indeed calcined. The results presented here correspond with literary accounts of ritual animal sacrifice from historical texts from the 8th century BCE, including the Homeric epics.

Mycenaean Burnt Animal Sacrifice atEleusis

“…Finally, at Mt Lykaion, burnt animal bones found in the bedrock layer of the altar in contexts dating from LH IIB and stretching into the Late Mycenaean period have been ritually burnt, but one must await the publication for more information (Romano and Voyatzis in press; Starkovich et al . in press).…”

A diachronic investigation of ‘local’ pottery production and supply at the sanctuary of Zeus, Mount Lykaion, Arcadia, Peloponnese

“…The exact character of the site during the Neolithic (6500-3200 BC) -Early Helladic (EH, 3200-2050 BC) -Middle Helladic (MH, 2050-1600, and whether it had been used as a cult place already in these earlier periods, remains unclear (for the absolute chronologies, see Warren and Hankey, 1989). The Late Helladic (LH, 1600-1065 to Early Iron Age (EIA, 1065-around 900 BC) pottery, however, can be safely related to ritual practises: the coexistence of large amounts of LH drinking cups with figurines, calcined bones, and ash suggest that some behaviours during the so-called Mycenaean period are similar to those carried out in later periods, in particular the ʹthysiaʹ ritual and ritual dining (Wright, 2004;Starkovich et al, 2013).…”

Cypro-Archaic Bird Iconography: Types, Uses, and Meanings

“…ravens and crows) are commonly shown near altars on Greek decorated vessels. 137 About the formation of ash altars, see Starkovich et al (2013). 138 A large quantity of Cypriot artifacts have been discovered within the Heraion (Ohly 1940;Gehrig 1964;Samos VII;Kyrieleis 1989;Kyrieleis 1991;Walter-Karydi 1997).…”