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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 September 2013
This is the third and concluding report on the survey and excavations carried out on the site of the Roman Stoa at Sparta in 1988–91, following on from earlier reports in BSA 88 (1993), 219–86 and BSA 89 (1994), 377–432. It presents a catalogue and description of the most significant small finds and fragments of Byzantine wall-paintings recovered, gives a full list of coins found and their identities, and offers a detailed discussion of the environmental programme and its preliminary results. An appendix publishes the results of analysis of concrete samples from the ancient theatre at Sparta, taken during the excavations of 1992–95 (BSA 90 [1995], 435–60).
1 BSA 88 (1993), 219–86.
2 BSA 89 (1994), 377–432.
3 Ibid. 433–41.
4 The catalogue entries for section 2 on the small finds are by Elisabeth Waywell, the line-drawings are by Susan Bird.
5 Waywell, G. B. and Wilkes, J. J., BSA 90 (1995), 435–60.Google Scholar
6 BSA 89 (1994), 388, pl. 58 c–d.
7 Ibid. 398, table 1, 400, §4.
8 Ibid. 426, 428.
9 Ibid. 388, pl. 60 c.
10 Ibid. 398, 400.
11 Ibid. 397, 403, pl. 70 c–d. The tripod is find no. 201.
12 Ibid. 400, phase 5.
13 Ibid. 396, pl. 68 a.
14 Ibid. 402, RSW 1, 2, 3, phase B. The wall which carried the plaster was context 2074; the plaster fragments were found partly on the clay floor, context 2073, and partly in the layer below the floor, context 2075.
15 Ibid. 387–8.
16 Ibid. 388, pls 57 c; 58 a.
17 Ibid., pl. 58 b.
18 Ibid., pl. 59 a. The fragments were found in RS XII, partly in context 1022, but mainly in context 1023, and were given find nos. 99–100.
19 Duncan, G. L., Coin Circulation in the Danubian and Balkan Provinces of the Roman Empire, AD 294–578 (Royal Numismatic Society Special Publication 26; London, 1993), 155—7.Google Scholar
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21 Museum of London Archaeology Service.
22 Department of Human Environment, Institute of Archaeology, University College London.
23 Grateful thanks are extended to all who participated in the environmental programme at Sparta, Those in the field were: Ken Thomas, Chris Stevens, Arthur McNulty, and Simeon Mellalieu. Those in post-excavation work: Leonor Peña-Chacarro, Jon Hather, and Sandra Bond.
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38 Schiffer, M. B., Formation Processes of the Archaeological Record (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 1987).Google Scholar
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43 Woodward, A. M., ‘Excavations at Sparta’, BSA 26 (1923–1925), 116–310.Google Scholar
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50 Waywell and Wilkes (n. 2), 386 fig. 3, 388.
51 Ibid., pls. 59–60.
52 Ibid. 388; and above, pp. 403–4.
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56 Following Grant, A., ‘The use of tooth wear as a guide to the age of domestic ungulates’, in Wilson, B., Grigson, C., and Payne, S. (eds.), Ageing and Sexing Animal Bones from Archaeological Sites (British Archaeological Reports 109; Oxford, 1982), 91–108Google Scholar; and S. Payne, ‘Eruption and wear in the mandibular dentition as a guide to ageing Turkish angora goats’, Ibid. 155–206.
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64 This section of the report is largely based on the work of Leonor Peña-Chocarro, which is acknowledged with gratitude.
65 Sidell, ‘Identification’ (n. 49).
66 I would like to thank Professors Geoffrey Waywell and John Wilkes for their expert assistance with the samples and meir warm hospitality during my stay at Sparta. I am also very grateful to Shawna Leigh for making available her bibliography on concrete and concrete testing. Dr Ruth Siddall of University College London very kindly provided access to her thin sections of concrete from Corinth for comparisons and helped with constructive suggestions and advice on the analysis of concrete thin sections.
67 Waywell, G. B. and Wilkes, J. J., BSA 90 (1995), 436.Google Scholar
68 See Ibid. 435–60 for detailed descriptions and a review of the latest excavations at the site.
69 See D. M. Roy, and C. A. Langton, Longevity of Borehole and Shaft Sealing Materials: Characterization of Cement-based Ancient Building Materials. ONWI-202, prepared by The Pennsylvania State University for Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation, Batelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH (1982), 14.
70 Lechtman, H. N. and Hobbs, L. W., ‘Roman concrete and the Roman architectural revolution’, in Kingery, W. D. (ed.), Ceramics and Civilization, iii: High Technology Ceramics Past Present and Future (American Ceramics Society, 1986), 81–128.Google Scholar
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79 Blake (n. 72), 350.
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81 Lechtman and Hobbs (n. 70), 96.
82 Ibid.; and Blake (n. 72), 317.
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