Exploration of the Archaic Sanctuary at Mandra on Despotiko

Kourayos, Yannos; Burns, Bryan

doi:10.3406/bch.2004.7353

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Mandra, a plateau at the northernmost and largest peninsula of the uninhabited islet of Despotiko, is now renowned as one of the most important cultic centres of the Cyclades, owing to the discovery of an extended temenos dedicated to Apollo (esp. Kourayos 2009; 2012; 2018; Kourayos and Burns 2004–5; Kourayos et al 2012). The foundation of an altar in the form of a semicircular structure at the centre of the later temenos, in combination with several votive dedications, securely places the earliest secure traces of cult activity at the site in the early seventh century BC.…”

Section: Contextualising the Despotiko Figurinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Terracotta Animal Figurines From Despotiko: The Life of Humans and Objects in the Early Iron Age Cyclades Beyond Polarities

Alexandridou

2022

Annu. Br. Sch. Athens

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mandra, on the uninhabited islet of Despotiko in the middle of the Aegean Sea, is well known to the archaeological community, owing to the discovery there in 2001 of an extensive sanctuary of Apollo. Twenty-two edifices have come to light so far, and the systematic excavation continues to elucidate the long history of the site. The Early Iron Age marked the earliest activity there, traces of which offer fertile grounds for reconsidering life in the Cyclades at the time. The richest evidence for this period is offered by a secondary deposition, detected near two Early Iron Age buildings, which revealed thousands of clay sherds, extending from the late ninth/early eighth to the late sixth century BC, quantities of animal bones, and more than 60 metal objects. This article focuses on a small group of Early Iron Age terracotta animal figurines from this deposition. Critically analysing both their association with ritual and the polarity of ritual and profane, an attempt is made to unravel the lifecycle of these figurines, treating them as agents of activity. Their function and meaning are interwoven with the activities operating at the site during the Early Iron Age, at least two centuries before the foundation of the Archaic temenos.

show abstract

Section: Contextualising the Despotiko Figurinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Terracotta Animal Figurines From Despotiko: The Life of Humans and Objects in the Early Iron Age Cyclades Beyond Polarities

Alexandridou

2022

Annu. Br. Sch. Athens

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Morgan 1999; Kerschner 2003, 248 (sanctuary of Artemis at Ephesos);Eder 2006, 202-10;Verdan et al 2011 (sanctuary of Apollo at Eretria).16 Cf.Bruck 1999, 328-335; Insoll 2004, 73-74. 17 Mazarakis Ainian (1997) argued that there is no clear distinction between the sacred and the secular space until the first half of the 8th c. BC, concluding that communal cult activities took place in dwellings of members of the elite.18 See indicatively:Burns 2004-2005;Kourayos 2009Kourayos , 2012Kourayos , 2018Kourayos et al 2012. …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sacred, Communal or Private “Oikoi”? Ambivalent edifices of the Archaic period on the island of Despotiko in the Cyclades

Ainian¹,

Alexandridou²,

Daifa³

et al. 2023

EUL

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the frame of the Research Project Sacred, Public or Private Buildings? Ambiguous sites and structures in the Early Cyclades, a strict methodology has been adopted, aiming at deciphering the “character” of a number of buildings. The adopted methodology has been based on the detailed documentation of the architectural remains and the related finds. In the former case, the photogrammetry of the buildings, including ground plans and wall sections, has been combined with a structural analysis mainly involving the descriptive representation of the architectural remains and the examination of the techniques and materials used during the construction process. The various types of finds from each building have not been only classified according to their types, but an emphasis has been placed on their spatial distribution revealed through the use of the Geographic Information System (GIS). On this basis, a synthetic study both of the architectural remains and of the artefacts in their original context was possible, elucidating the function of the selected buildings and their components. At the same time, a list of material correlates was created to provide a basis as secure as possible for designating each building’s “character”.

show abstract

Bone and Ivory Objects Found in Old Smyrna

TANRIVER

Foça²

2022

TÜBA-KED

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this article, bone and ivory artifacts discovered in Old Smyrna, one of the most important cities in Western Anatolian region, were examined and classified according to their intended use. Most of the objects were found and recorded in previous excavations prior to 2014 and just lately observed during the latest arrangements made in the storehouse. The other part includes the finds unearthed in the recent excavations since 2014. Sixty-three artifacts were examined, including rings, ornaments (fibula, beads, hairpins, pendants), game pieces (game piece, fish vertebrae, astragals), appliqués, and tool handles. All the items were compared with akin samples from nearby and distant archaeological sites, and those with contexts were dated according to the ceramic groups found with them. The worked bone and ivory objects researched in Old Smyrna, inhabited from the Early Bronze Age to the Hellenistic Period, were dated to periods within the 1st millennium BC. Overall, due to the limited number of studies, the Old Smyrna finds will make essential contribution to the insufficient level of bone and ivory object researches. These objects provide insight into the daily lives of the people who lived in Smyrna.

show abstract

Exploration of the Archaic Sanctuary at Mandra on Despotiko

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

The Terracotta Animal Figurines From Despotiko: The Life of Humans and Objects in the Early Iron Age Cyclades Beyond Polarities

The Terracotta Animal Figurines From Despotiko: The Life of Humans and Objects in the Early Iron Age Cyclades Beyond Polarities

Sacred, Communal or Private “Oikoi”? Ambivalent edifices of the Archaic period on the island of Despotiko in the Cyclades

Bone and Ivory Objects Found in Old Smyrna

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About