The Black Sea in the Light of New Archaeological Data and Theoretical Approaches

Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on the Black Sea in Antiquity held in Thessaloniki, 18-20 September 2015

Manolis Manoledakis

• Publisher: Archaeopress
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781784915100
• eBook ISBN: 9781784915117
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Archaeology
• Index: Social Sciences

The Black Sea in the Light of New Archaeological Data and Theoretical Approaches contains 19 papers on the archaeology and ancient history of the Black Sea region, covering a vast period of time, from the Early Iron Age until the Late Roman – Early Byzantine Periods. The majority of papers present archaeological material that has come to light during the last few years, in excavations that have been taking place in several parts of Pontus. Additionally, there are papers that present theoretical approaches to historical issues concerning the Black Sea, its local peoples, cultural aspects or specific sites, while at the end there is as well as a section on the connections between the Black Sea and northern Greece. Thus, the reader of this volume will have the opportunity to be informed about new archaeological results from excavators of some very important Black Sea sites, focus on specific categories of excavation finds or constructions, but also encounter new theories and ideas about social aspects of life in the Black Sea in ancient times. All these indicate once again the impressive acceleration of the archaeological and historical research that is being conducted in the last few decades in the Black Sea littoral, which continues to attract the unfailing interest of scholars from around the world.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of contributors
• Introduction
• Manolis Manoledakis
• Map of the Black Sea with the most important places that are mentioned in the volume (created by the editor).
• Northern Black Sea
• Dmitry Chistov
• Houses of the Berezan Settlement: Some Observations on the Features of Archaic Residential Buildings
• Houses of the Berezan Settlement: Some Observations on the Features of Archaic Residential Buildings
• Figure 1. Possible reconstruction of the street network of the Berezan settlement. Numbers of the excavation sectors on the plan: 1 – Necropolis, 2 – sector S-1’ (Northern-1), 3 – sector ‘S-2’ (Northern-2), 4 – sector ‘North-western A’, 5 – sector ‘North
• Figure 2. Examples of random uncoursed masonry plinths (Berezan settlement, sector ‘O-Western’): 1 – House 3, room 6, 2 – house 3, room 3/5 (later plinth overlaid the remains of mudbrick wall on the earlier plinth), 3 – house 4, 4 – house 3, courtyard 4
• Figure 3. Examples of simple orthostatic socles: 1 – Sector T, wall 11; 2 – sector ‘T’, wall 7 (photos provided by V. V. Krutilov, published according to the permission of the author); 3 – sector ‘O-Western’, house 9, room 24; 4 – sector ‘O-Western’, hous
• Figure 4. Examples of mudbrick walls (Berezan settlement, sector ‘O-Western’): 1 – wall 70, 2 – basement Room 21; 3 – House 3, semi-basement Room 7.
• Figure 5. Plan of the isolated edifice (Room 18) of the ‘colonist’ house’ type, and remains of rooms 19-20, belonging to the later House 7.
• Figure 6. ‘Colonist’s house’ (Room 18). View from the west.
• Figure 7. Ground plans of selected archaic houses of the Berezan settlement. 1a-b – house 2, sector North-Western B (after S. L. Solovyov: 1999). 2a – remains of one of the houses of sector North-Western A (after L. V. Kopeikina: 1981 and field documen at
• Figure 8. Plan of House 3, sector ‘O-Eastern’. Early phase II-A (third quarter of the 6th century BC).
• Figure 10. Eastern part of House 3. Phase IIA. View from the north-east.
• Figure 9. Plan of House 3, sector ‘O-Eastern’. Lather phase II-B (late 6th – early 5th centuries BC).
• Figure 11. Western part of House 3. Phase IIA. View from the south-east.
• Figure 12. House 3, Room 26. View from the north.
• Figure 13. Niche with the doorway (prothyron?) leading inside the House 4 from the city street. View from the west (i.e. from the street). From the left side from the doorway the drain is crossing the external house wall, curving to the direction of the
• Figure 14. Semi-basement Room 22 (view from the north).
• Figure 15. Semi-basement Room 24 (view from the east).
• Figure 16. Structure 62 – rectangular cellar with mudbrick walls. View from the north.
• Figure 17. Selected ovens, found in the archaic houses within the sector O-Western. 1-4 – domed ovens (1-2 – structure 43, 3-4 domed oven with the assemblage of cooking vessels, house 10).
• Figure 18. 1 – Two adobe barrel cookers in situ within the fireplace of Room 5 (House 3). 2 – Fragment of the wall of the adobe barrel cooker with the traces of frame, made of twigs on the internal surface. 3 – Reconstruction of the barrel cooker.
• Alfred Twardecki
• Polish excavations at Tyritake 2008-2014. A small revolution in archaic architecture
• Polish excavations at Tyritake 2008-2014. A small revolution in archaic architecture
• Figure 2. Presumed borders of Tyritake and the location of trenches XXVI and XXVII.
• Figure 3. Closer view to the location of trenches XIV, XXVI and XXVII.
• Figure 4. Presumed western and northern limits of Tyritake (purple) and the general area of interest of the Polish-Ukrainian missions (yellow).
• Figure 5. Closer view to the location of trenches XIV, XXVI and XXVII with the chronological expansion of trench XXVII.
• Figure 6. Situation in the western and central part of the trench XXVII as of season 2009.
• Figure 7. General plan of trench XXVII after season 2009.
• Figure 8. General view of the trench XXVII after season 2010.
• Figure 10. General view of the trench XXVII after the last active season (2013).
• Figure 9. General plan of the trench XXVII after season 2010.
• Figure 11. Pit 19 with the horse offerings (2012).
• Alexey V. Belousov
• Some observations on defixiones from Olbia and Bosporus
• Gocha R. Tsetskhladze
• Greeks in the Asiatic Bosporus: New Evidence and Some Thoughts
• Greeks in the Asiatic Bosporus: New Evidence and Some Thoughts
• Figure 1. Map of the Black Sea with major Greek colonies and local peoples.
• Figure 2. Map of the Taman Peninsula today. Not to scale.
• Figure 4. Reconstruction of the palaeogeographic situation of the Taman Peninsula at the time of Greek colonisation (after Zhuravlev et al. 2009, 122, Figure 1).
• Figure 5. Underwater survey of Phanagoria, University of London and the Nautical Archaeology Society, UK, 1998. Site plan.
• Figure 6. Underwater survey of Phanagoria, University of London and the Nautical Archaeology Society, UK, 1998. Location map o the stone remains (area T1 in Figure 5).
• Figure 7. Underwater survey of Phanagoria, University of London and the Nautical Archaeology Society, UK, 1998. Axonometric of blocks.
• Figure 8. Rural settlements on the Taman Peninsula (after Tsetskhladze 2007, 560, Figure 10).
• Figure 10. Greek settlements in the Cimmerian Bosporus. (1) 580-560 BC; (2) 550–520 BC (after Koshelenko and Kuznetsov 1998, 256, figs 1-2).
• Figure 9. Traces of land division on the Taman Peninsula (after Tsetskhladze 2007, 561, Figure 11).
• Figure 11. Amphorae from Vyshesteblievskaya 10 (after Lomtadze 2016, 73, Figure 2).
• Figure 12. Black-glazed pottery from trench 1, Golubitskaya 2 (after Egorova 2016, 31, Figure 1).
• Figure 13. Vestnik 1. Plan of stone building, possibly temple dedicated to Apollo (after Chevelev et al. 2011, 409, Figure 1).
• Figure 14. Settlement Strelka 2. Building remains on the edge of ditch (after Zhuravlev, Schlotzhauer and Firsov 2016, 39, Figure 1).
• I. K. Xydopoulos
• The Taurians in the Greek literary tradition (5th – 1st centuries BC)
• David Braund
• Deukalion the Scythian
• Western Black Sea
• Adela Sobotkova
• Searching for Nomads in Iron Age Thrace
• Jan Bouzek
• The emporion of Pistiros: Hippodamean foundation and market place
• The emporion of Pistiros: Hippodamean foundation and market place
• Figure 1. Fortified territory of Pistiros, curtain preserved and supposed on Esri Digital (map created by Barbora Weissová).⤀
• Figure 2. The area of the Eastern Gate. Aerial photo by model helicopter (after Pistiros IV).
• Figure 3. Plan of the emporium, with the preserved city-walls and quarters (the central part was destroyed by the river), the market place (yellow), bronze smiths’ workshops (green), potter’s kiln (blue), forges (red) and concentrations of loom weights
• Figure 4. Plan of the area of Eastern Gate, with the market place and workshops (the same colours as on the previous map).
• Figure 5. Canal outlet across the city-walls, south of the Eastern Gate.
• Figure 6. Plan of the Southern House.
• Figure 8. Base of rectangular column from the Southern House.
• Figure 9. Bases of wooden columns of circular section (diam. c. 17-18cm).
• Figure 11. 1. Official bronze weight inv. 1.2450 (from House nr 1); 2. Lead sealing: Janus head, inv. nr 1.894, diam. 2.2 x 2.0cm; 3. Clay sealing: dancing girl, from the archives in Square B’ 3, nr 14b, width 1.6, height 1.5cm.
• Figure 12. The Vetren tomb.
• Miroslav Ivanov Vasilev
• Βόρυζα πόλις Ποντική
• Margarit Damyanov
• Votive and other pottery from a sanctuary of Demeter in Apollonia Pontica
• Votive and other pottery from a sanctuary of Demeter in Apollonia Pontica
• Figure 1. Aerial view of Skamni Promontory, Sozopol, Bulgaria.
• Figure 2. Black-figure vases from Deposit 1-2.
• Figure 3. Black-figure pottery from Deposit 1-2.
• Figure 4. Black-glazed pottery from Deposit 3.
• Figure 5. Red-figure and other painted pottery from Deposit 3.
• Figure 6. Plain votive vases from Deposit 1-2 (1) and Deposit 3 (2-8).
• Figure 7. Fragmentary votive pottery from Deposit 3.
• Figure 8. Votive amphoriskoi from Deposit 3.
• Figure 9. Votive hydriskoi from Deposit 3.
• Figure 10. Votive ‘juglets’ from Deposit 3.
• Figure 11. Votive olpai from Deposit 1-2, without (1-24) and with white slip (16-25).
• Figure 12. Other small votive vases from Deposit 1-2.
• Figure 13. Black-figure and black-glazed Attic cups from Deposit 1-2.
• Figure 15. Plain pottery from Deposit 1-2.
• Figure 16. Fish-plates from the site at Skamni Promontory.
• Adornments or amulets? Personal ornaments of Apollonian children in Pontic context
• Adornments or amulets? Personal ornaments of Apollonian children in Pontic context
• Mila Chacheva
• Figure 1. Map of Apollonia Pontica and its necropoleis.
• Figure 2. Red-figure squat lekythoi with crawling toddlers from necropolis of Apollonia Pontica (1. after Damyanov 2007, fig. 1; 2. photograph by T. Bogdanova; 3. photograph by M. Damyanov).
• Figure 3. Strings from graves of children in the necropolis of Apollonia Pontica, dated from the third quarter of 5th century BC (1. after Damyanov 2007: fig. 2; 2. photograph by K. Panayotova).
• Figure 4. Strings with ‘pop-eyed’ pendants from graves of children in the necropolis of Apollonia Pontica, dated from the firs half of 4th century BC (1. photograph of the ‘pop-eyed’ pendant by L. Damelet – Centre Camille Jullian, MMSH-CNRS, Aix-en-Prov
• Figure 5. Strings with various glass beads, animal teeth, sea-shells and/or pierced coins from graves of children in the necropolis of Apollonia Pontica, dated from the 4th century BC.
• Figure 6. Bracelets from graves of children in the necropolis of Apollonia Pontica, dated from the third quarter of the 5th until the 3rd century BC (1, 2, 7. silver; 3-6. bronze; 6. after Hermary et al. 2010: Planche 125 a).
• Figure 7. Earrings from graves of children in the necropolis of Apollonia Pontica, dated from the middle of the 5th until the late 4th century BC (1-4. silver; 5-14. bronze; 15. glass; 5. after Hermary et al. 2010: Planche 126 b).
• Figure 8. Finger rings from graves of children in the necropolis of Apollonia Pontica, dated from the 4th century BC (1-5. bronze; 6. iron).
• Figure 9. Finger rings from graves of children in the necropolis of Apollonia Pontica (1. gold, 425-400 BC; 2. bone, 450-425 BC; 3. silver and agate/carnelian (?), 375-350 BC).
• Alexandre Baralis, Krastina Panayotova, Teodora Bogdanova, Martin Gyuzelev, Dimitar Nedev, Kostandin Gospodinov
• Apollonia Pontica (Sozopol, Bulgaria): the results of the Franco-Bulgarian archaeological mission
• Apollonia Pontica (Sozopol, Bulgaria): the results of the Franco-Bulgarian archaeological mission
• Figure 1. Localisation of Apollonia pontica (P. Pentsch).
• Figure 2. Localisation of the main excavated sites under discussion (A. Baralis on a map of B. Baudoin).
• Figure 3. Aerial view of the Skamni peninsula (Larus modified).
• Figure 4. Excavations of the cadastral parcel UPI XI-XII 515 (Th. Lorain).
• Figure 5. Cadastral parcel UPI XI-XII 515. Τhe courtyard of the second half of the 4th century BC with the well n°α and the Proto-Byzantine fortification (D. Nedev).
• Figure 7. Section of the potter’s kiln (S. Vasileva).
• Figure 8. Necropolis of Kalfata. French-Bulgarian Excavations (campaign 2004). Grave SP 334 and 336 under barrow cover with the enclosure wall n°6. First quarter of the 4th century BC (K. Panayotova).
• Figures 10 and 11. Partial interpretation of the lidar pictures. Sector of Sveti Ilia (A. Baralis on a picture of P. Lebouteiller). Red square: building; red line: agricultural terrace or dividing wall.
• Figure 12. Agricultural dividing wall Messarite 26, Classical period (A. Baralis).
• Figure 13. Sveta Marina 1 (Ch. Christov).
• Figure 14. Messarite 6 (L. Damelet).
• Figure 15. Messarite 4 (A. Kamenarov).
• Figure 16. Aerial view of Messarite 4, campaign 2015 (L. Damelet).
• Figure 17. Aerial view of the building n°3 from North and the several graves installed within the four former rooms.
• Georgia Aristodemou
• Nemesis’ Cult and the Arena Spectacles. Evidence from the Black Sea Region
• Nemesis’ Cult and the Arena Spectacles. Evidence from the Black Sea Region
• Figure 1. Augusta Traiana. Funerary relief of Leukaspis, with gladiatorial combat scenes (after Ivanov 2102b, fig. 8; photo by Kr. Georgiev).
• Figure 2. Callatis. Statue of Nemesis (after Oppermann 20913, fig. 9).
• Figure 3. Tomis. Votive aedicula with a pair of Nemesis’ statues (after Bauchhenss 2013, fig. 63).
• Figure 4. Tomis. Group of two Nemesis’ statues (after Bauchhenss 2013, fig. 64-65).
• Figure 5. Apulum. Nemesis statuette (after Alexandrescu 2013, fig. on p. 234, cat. no 70 [R.C]).
• Figure 6. Apulum. Gladiator’s relief with Mars (after Alexandrescu 2013 fig. on p. 200, cat. no 10 [R.C]).
• Figure 7. Apulum. Nemesis exaudientis relief (photo G. Aristodemou).
• Figure 8. Apulum. Nemesis statuette (photo G. Aristodemou).
• Figure 10. Napoca. BOMOC NEMECEΩN (after Bauchhenss 2013, fig. 68).
• Figure 9. Napoca. Nemesis statuette (after Opreanu 2009, fig. 1).
• Figure 11. Sarmizegetusa. Nemesis statuette (after Oppermann 2013, 520, fig. 10).
• Figure 12a. Sarmizegetusa. Nemesis sacrificial scene (after http://www.ubi-erat-lupa.org/monument.php?id=15148).
• Figure 12b. Sarmizegetusa. Nemesis sacrificial scene (after http://edh-www.adw.uni-heidelberg.de/edh/inschrift/HD047224).
• Southern Black Sea
• Excavations at Tios: 2006 – 2015
• Excavations at Tios: 2006 – 2015
• Sümer Atasoy
• Figure 1. The Acropolis and the Lower city.
• Figure 2. The temple and the church on the Acropolis. Aerial picture.
• Figure 3. The church on the Acropolis.
• Figure 4. Plan of the temple (Peripteros or pseudo-peripteros?).
• Figure 5. General view of the Lower City.
• Figure 6. The Roman road, paved with stone slabs.
• Figure 7. The built water chanel.
• Figure 8. The Roman theatre.
• Owen Doonan
• Sinope, new understandings of the early colony based on recent research at Sinop Kale
• Sinope, new understandings of the early colony based on recent research at Sinop Kale
• Figure 1. Excavations at Sinop kale 2015. Operation 1 is a 5 x 10 trench that exposes pre-colonial contexts on its southwestern half and early colonial on its northeastern side near the Hellenistic wall (after Doonan et al. 2016).
• Figure 2. Stratigraphy of the scarp excavation carried out in 2000 by the Sinop Regional Archaeological Project (after Doona 2010).
• The rescue excavation of the Hacılarobası tumulus
• The rescue excavation of the Hacılarobası tumulus
• Şahin Yıldırım and Nimet Demirci Bal
• Figure 2. General view of the Hacılarobası Tumulus (photo by Cemil Belder).
• Figure 3. Detail of the circular krepis wall and entrance of the chamber (photo by Gürcan Laçin-Sercan Akın).
• Figure 4. Plan of the Hacılarobası Tumulus.
• Figure 5. Restitution of the Hacılarobası Tumulus.
• Figure 6. Section of the Hacılarobası Tumulus.
• Figure 7. The dromos of the Hacılarobası Tumulus (photo by Tayfun Alsan).
• Figure 8. The front chamber of the Hacılarobası Tumulus (photo by Tayfun Alsan).
• Figure 9. The main chamber of the Hacılarobası Tumulus (photo by Tayfun Alsan).
• Figure 10. The amphorae found in the tomb chamber (photo by Kastamonu Museum).
• Figure 11. One handled pitcher found in the tomb chamber (photo by Kastamonu Museum).
• Figure 12. The bowl found near the krepis wall (photo by Şahin Yıldırım).
• Figure 13. Glass unguentarium fragments found near the krepis wall (photo by Erol Kale).
• Figure 14. The wall painting found on the wall opposite to the tomb chamber (photo by Şahin Yıldırım).
• Figure 15. One of the subterranean tomb chambers located in the vicinity of the Hacılarobası Tumulus (photo by Tayfun Alsan).
• A Preliminary Study on the Roman Period at Komana
• A Preliminary Study on the Roman Period at Komana
• D. Burcu Erciyas and Mustafa N. Tatbul
• Figure 1. Black Sea region during the Roman period.
• Figure 2. Aerial view of Hamamtepe, Komana.
• Figure 3. An Ionic column capital found built in a medieval wall.
• Figure 4. Tile fragments.
• Figure 5. Coin of Marcus Aurelius Probus (AD 276-282).
• Figure 6. Coin of Licinius I (AD 308-324).
• Figure 7. Roman statue built in the Byzantine fortifications.
• Figure 8. Roman ceramics from Nüğücük, a nearby site discovered during surveys.
• Pontus and the outside world
• Anna Argyri, Ioannis Birtsas and Manolis Manoledakis
• Coins from the Propontis and the Black Sea found during the Metro excavations in Thessaloniki
• Macedonia and the Black Sea in the era of Phillip II and Alexander the Great
• Macedonia and the Black Sea in the era of Phillip II and Alexander the Great
• Polyxeni Adam-Veleni
• Figure 1. Scythian arrow case from the royal tomb in ancient Aegae (modern Vergina).
• Figure 2. Farmstead in Asprovalta.
• Figure 3. Farmstead in Crimea.
• Figure 4. Detail from a house in Pella, with colourful decoration.
• Figures 5a and b. Silver vases from the Black Sea coasts and Derveni Tombs.
• Figure 6a and b. Gold earrings from Crimea and Derveni.