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PRAISOS V: A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE 2007 EXCAVATION SEASON

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2011

James Whitley*
Affiliation:
School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University

Abstract

This is a report on the excavations undertaken in 2007 at the site of Praisos in eastern Crete. Three trenches were opened just next to the so-called Andreion or Almond Tree House on the NW slopes of the First Acropolis, excavated by R.C. Bosanquet in 1901. The upper layers of two of these trenches (A-200 and A-300) consisted of re-deposited material of Classical and Hellenistic date, which we infer came from Bosanquet's dump. Material from these upper layers comprised tile, pottery (including numerous examples of Cretan necked cups), loomweights and terracotta plaques with a distinct masculine iconography. Excavation also reached lower Late-Classical–Hellenistic floor levels, on which a number of pithoi survived in situ. Some of these pithoi are considerably older than the floor level, a terminus post quem for which is provided by a bronze coin. The abandonment of these houses must be dated to the final phases of Praisos' occupation, before 146 bc. There is however nothing to suggest that the city itself was subject to a fire destruction. Rather, the city seems to have undergone a forced abandonment followed by deliberate demolition.

Πραισός V: Προκαταρκτική Δημοσίευση της Ανασκαφικής Περιόδου 2007

Αυτή είναι η προκαταρκτική δημοσίευση των ανασκαφών του 2007 που έγιναν στον χώρο της Πραισού στην Ανατολική Κρήτη. Ανοίχτηκαν τρεις τομές ακριβώς δίπλα στο λεγόμενο Ανδρείο η Οικία της Αμυγδαλίας στη ΒΔ πλευρά της Πρώτης Ακρόπολης, η οποία είχε ανασκαφθεί απο τον R.C. Bosanquet το 1901. Τα ανώτερα στρώματα των δύο τομών (Α-200 και Α-300) αποτελούνταν απο τριτογενές υλικό χρονολογούμενο την Κλασσίκη και Ελληνιστική εποχή, το οποίο συμπεράναμε ότι προήλθε από τα μπάζα του Bosanquet. Το υλικό από αυτά τα στρώματα περιελάμβανε κεραμίδια, όστρακα, (συμπεριλαμβανομένων πολυάριθμων οστρακών από κύπελλα με λαιμό), υφαντικά βαρίδια και πλακίδια από τερρακότα με χαρακτηριστική ανδρική εικονογραφία. Η ανασκαφή έφτασε σε στώματα της Ελληνιστικής-Yστερης Κλασσικής εποχής, στα οποία βρέθηκε αριθμός πίθων in situ. Κάποιοι πίθοι είναι σημαντικά αρχαιότεροι από τα στρώματα στα οποία βρέθηκαν, και για τα οποία ένα χάλκινο νόμισμα παρέχει το terminus post quem. Η εγκατάλειψη αυτών των οικιών πρέπει να τοποθετηθεί στις τελικές φάσεις κατοίκησης της Πραισού, πριν το 146 Π.Χ. Δεν υπάρχει κανένα στοίχειο που να υποδεικνύει ότι η πόλη έπεσε θύμα πυρκαγιάς. Μάλλον, φαίνεται ότι η πόλη έχει υφισταθεί βίαιη εγκατάλειψη και επακόλουθη κατεδάφιση.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 2011

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