Euesperides (Benghazi): preliminary report on the spring 2004 season

Abstract

This article reports on the sixth season of the ongoing project at Euesperides (Benghazi). Excavation in Area P established the date of construction of the penultimate phase (and therefore of the plain pebble mosaic with inscription published last year) as 300-282 BC, following the abandonment and demolition of the antepenultimate phase beneath it. An area used for the preparation and cutting of the materials employed in the final-phase mosaics has been identified. In Area Q the dismantling of the street sequence was completed, and the W building fronting the street found to date from the fifth century BC. In Area R the crushed deposits of Murex shell were removed and working surfaces associated with purple dye production defined. Geological investigations to the west of the city revealed a possible location for the ancient harbour, and showed that the waterlogged deposits of the former sebkha are a good source for further palaeoenvironmental research.Study of the finds also continued. Further work on reconstructing the design of the final phase mosaic in Area P suggests a central motif probably of two dolphins set within a wave-crest surround. The initial results of the analysis of the mosaic samples taken from the final-phase Building A are presented. The study of the wall plaster fragments was begun, enabling some preliminary observations on the decoration. New forms of local black glaze pots have been recovered this year along with fineware imports from Attica, Corinth, East Greece, south Italy and the Punic world throwing light on the interrelations between Euesperides and the Mediterranean world from the fifth to third centuries BC. Full quantification of the coarse pottery assemblages continued this season, doubling the dataset of fully recorded pottery, whilst detailed analysis of vessel forms and their variations identified production techniques and chronological developments of vessel shapes within the local and imported wares. The study of the amphorae identified more Punic amphorae and an unusual basket-handled amphora which may be of Cypriot origin. Initial assessments of environmental and faunal remains were conducted.

Conserving and managing mosaics in Libya (CaMMiL): the final project review

“…The current perimeter wall has, however, collapsed leaving the Upper City open to intruders and the Lower City, where there are also valuable Hellenistic mosaics, continues to be used as a rubbish dump which affects the archaeology and the rare sebkha vegetation (Marzano 2006, fig. 1; Wilson et al 2004, fig. 17).…”

“…The project has its origins in the early 2000s when Andrew Wilson and Paul Bennett invited Will Wootton to join their excavation of the Hellenistic site of Euesperides in Benghazi (see, for example, Bennett et al 2001; Wilson et al 2004; Wilson et al 2005). At this time Wootton became aware of the disastrous deterioration of the Roman mosaics of Berenice, testament to the devastating combination of now defunct conservation techniques, the desire to display the mosaics outside and no systematic monitoring.…”

“…Benghazi's other Classical site, Euesperides, has also been threatened by development, including an electricity substation, illegal bus station and shopping centre (Bennett et al 2001, 221; Wilson et al 2004, 186–87). Focusing on mosaics, the site boasts some very important pebble and tessera pavements, which contribute to our knowledge of the development of tessellation in the early third century BC (Wilson et al 2004, 155–58). Some conservation work has already taken place.…”

Ceramics, clays and classification in Cyrenaica

“…This was initially based on clay sources in their environs of ancient Greek Euesperides, for production of late Archaic to early Hellenistic pottery (c. 530–250 BC; Swift 2005), and its successor Berenice for production of late Republican and Roman pottery (with contexts from the late second century BC onwards; Lloyd 1977; Riley 1979). Characterisation of the petrological groups is based on consistent features seen across a corpus of thousands of pieces from the Society for Libyan Studies’ excavation at Euesperides (Swift 2005; Swift in Wilson et al 2003; 2004; 2005), combined with first-hand observations at other sites in Cyrenaica and Tripolitania.…”

“…The catalyst for wider study of Cyrenaican and North African fabrics was the excavation at Euesperides, carried out by the Society for Libyan Studies (Wilson et al 2001; 2002; 2003; 2004; 2005), and studies of its Archaic to early Hellenistic ceramic assemblages. Comparatives from the excavations of Roman-period Berenice in the museum storerooms in Benghazi were also an essential point of reference, allowing for diachronic study using well-published material and important typologies of Roman pottery in Cyrenaica and the wider Mediterranean world (Riley 1979; Kenrick 1985).…”