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Mikre Vigla: a Bronze Age Settlement on Naxos

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2013

E. Panagiotopoulou ,
R.L.N. Barber ,
O. Hadjianastasiou ,
Ian A. Morrison  and
Sarah Vaughan
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Abstract

The results of a surface survey of the site are described. Mikre Vigla was a small coastal settlement, occupied from EC I or II until some time in LC III (perhaps the equivalent of mid-LHIIIC). There is a minimal amount of later material, of Geometric to Frankish date. The closest external relations in the Bronze Age, as indicated by the pottery, seem to have been with Melos, and Protopalatial Crete. Apart from building remains, pottery and some domestic and other objects (two fragments of marble artefacts, obsidian, painted plaster), the finds include an important series of small terracotta figurines, unique in the Cyclades. Some of these seem to be Early Cycladic, others related to Cretan pieces, mainly of the Protopalatial period.

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Articles
Information
Annual of the British School at Athens , Volume 84 , November 1989 , pp. 63 - 162
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 1989

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References

1 See Appendix 1 for a full discussion of the geomorphology of the site and surrounding area.

2 Fotou 17 (map), 47, 55 (references); and see n. 10.

3 ADelt 20 (1965) 506, n. 4; BSA 69 (1974) 50.

4 See above, Acknowledgements.

5 See above, n. 4 and Technical Abbreviations.

6 See below, catalogues of pottery and other finds.

7 e.g. Archaic inscription in Naxos Museum.

8 Fotou 46, 49–53; BSA 76 (1981) 9, 12, 13, 18; also 4, 7 (LCI–II).

9 See Hadjianastasiou, this volume.

10 See Appendix 1; Treuil, R., ‘Prospection archéologique à Naxos en 1981’ in C.N.R.S., Les Cyclades (see Abbreviations s.v. Fatou), 64.Google Scholar

11 See Catalogue.

12 This will be published separately.

13 Keos Pt II 363.

14 BSA 81 (1986) 300–1.

15 Kynthos 12.

16 Evans, R.K. and Renfrew, A.C., ‘The earlier Bronze Age at Phylakopi’ in MacGillivray, J.A. and Barber, R.L.N. (eds.), The prehistoric Cyclades, Edinburgh, 1984, 63–9.Google Scholar

17 AJA 84 (1980) 149–50; BSA 81 (1986) 300–1.

18 BSA 81 (1986) 300–3.

19 Emergence 153–5.

20 Wilson and Eliot 81; AJA 84 (1980) 144. 149.

21 Doumas 102, pl. XLIVe.

22 Emergence 155, fig. 10.2, nos 4, 10; Doumas 103, pl. XLV b.

23 Doumas pl. L e (assigned to the Kastri Group); cf. Emergerne pl. 9, 5 (Amorgos Group).

24 Wilson and Eliot 78.

25 CBA 148–52, and 168f. (for LL) and references; PhMC. The publications of finds from Ayia Irini (Keos Pt II, Keos III. Keos V) contain important comparative material.

26 See Appendix 2.

27 Phylakopi 113.

28 PhMCCW Shape 1; Phylakopi 114–6, Shape 5, pl. XVI, 1–7.

29 PhMCCW Shape 2a, b and references, LL Shape 1, Coarse Shape 4; BSA 69 (1974) 33, Comment on Shape 4.

30 PhMC CW Shape 3, LL Shape 3; Phylakopi 132–3, Shape 4, pl. XXVI.

31 PhMC Co Shape 20a (or c?), nos. 347, 348; Keos VL – 3. Pl. 34 (plain).

32 PhMC CW Shape 4, DB 4c, LL 4, Coarse 9.

33 PhMC CW Shape 5; Phylakopi no, Shape 2 and, e.g., fig. 77.

34 Keos VS–4, pl. 25.

35 PhMC Coarse Shape 13 (269); also CW 9, LL 5; Phylakopi 139–43 (for stripes on rim, see fig. 112).

36 PhMC Coarse Shape 14; PhLC P778.

37 PhMC DB Shape 12, CW 12, LL 7, Coarse 16.

38 PhMC CW Shape 7.

39 Dor, L.et al., Kirrha, Paris, 1960, pl. XXXeGoogle Scholar; Walter, H. and Feiten, F., Alt-Agina III. 1, 1981, Taf. 117Google Scholar, no. 409.

40 Phylakopi 102–6.

41 PhMC CW Shape 14 (113, 114).

42 Phylakapi pl. XXIII, nos. 1, 3, 4, 6.

43 PhMC CW Shape 15; see also Phylakopi pl. XIV 1, 2, 4, 5, 6A.

44 Thera IV pl. 71.

45 BSA 17 (1910–11) pl. XII, no. 132 (deep bowl).

46 PhMC Coarse Shape 23; Keos Pt II D 77, fig. 10, F 18, pl. 91.

47 Phylakopi 118–23, Pl. XX, XXI.

48 Thera VI, plate vol., col. pl. 11, bottom left; Thera IV pl. 96a; Thera II fig. 30, centre right.

49 Thera V col. pl. A.

50 MacGillivray, J.A. ‘Cycladic jars from Middle Minoan III contexts at Knossos’ in Hägg, R. and Marinatos, N. (eds.), The Minoan Thalassocracy: myth and reality, (Skrifter utgivna av Svenska institute i Athen 32), Stockholm, 1984, 153 and n. 6.Google Scholar Also n. b. that a Theran sherd stands out prominently as unusual in the Phylakopi publication (p. 120, fig. 92).

51 CBA 146–8 and references; PhMC.

52 Overbeck 110.

53 PhMC Coarse Shape 3; cf. also BSA 69 (1974) 28 (–MM387).

54 PhMC LL Shape 3, CW 3, and see above under Local Decorated.

55 BSA 69 (1974) 28–30 and fig. 5, 166 (MM86) and 175 (MM95).

56 Keos VW–2, pl. 30; cf. also PhMC 255 (Coarse Shape 13) which is probably late MC.

57 PhMC DB Shape 9c; BSA 69 (1974) 30, 167 (MM227) and fig. 5.

58 PhMC DB Shape 9b (esp. 24).

59 Keos V 85.

60 Overbeck 110.

61 PhMC DB Shape 11 (30, 31).

62 PhMC LL Shape 11.

63 PhMC DB Shape 12 etc.

64 Dickinson, O.T.P.K., The origins of Mycenaean civilisation (SIMA 49), Göteborg, 1977, 21Google Scholar; Keos Pt II D133 etc., pl. 84.

65 Overbeck 111—2.

66 PhMC DB Features.

67 PhMC DB Shape 5, 15.

68 PhMC DB discussion and N. B. the wash is like that on the interiors of MC and LC CW cups (Phylakopi 113).

69 Marthari, M. ‘The destruction of the town at Akrotiri, Thera, at the beginning of LCI: definition and chronology’ in MacGillivray, J.A. and Barber, R.L.N. (eds.), The prehistoric Cyclades, Edinburgh, 1984, 129Google Scholar and fig. 7d.

70 PhMC Coarse Shape 20a (cf. also LL Shape 8)

71 See Appendix 2.

72 PhMC Coarse Shape 2, Keos V 86, pl. 38a; cf. BSA 74 (1979), esp. figs. 17, 21, 23 (pp. 24, 33, 35); PhLC.

73 PhMC Coarse Shape 7; the general form may have been as BSA 74 (1979) 32, V 135, fig. 20 (MMIII).

74 Keos V AA–90, pls. 33, 63; but the fabric is dissimilar and the rim slightly shaped.

75 PhMC Coarse Shape 3.

76 BSA 69 (1974) 187, fig. 6, no. 15 (e.g.) (MMIIB).

77 PhMC Coarse Shape 2 (carinated pieces).

78 PM I pl. IIb (opposite p. 241).

79 PhMC CW Shape 3, LL Shape 3.

80 PhMC Coarse Shape 8 (224, 226, 227 – late MC?); Keos V U–23, pls. 26, 52 (for 256, 257), S–4, pls. 25, 50, AG–10, pl. 34 (red paint); also PhLC P 782.

81 See comment on Dark Burnished 157–161, above; cf. Keos V AK–9–II, pl. 35 (all Plain ware), also PhLC P 755, (for 260).

82 PhMC Coarse Shape 9, also DB 4; Keos V 85, e.g. C–5, 6, pls. 20, 45; also in LC deposits at Phylakopi (PhLC). For LC, see also Doumas, C., Thera. Pompeii of the ancient Aegean, London, 1983, fig. 151.Google Scholar New LC forms: PhLC P 773, P 861, P 860, – with top of rim thickened; P 897 – with concave rim; also BSA 69 (1974) 46, Form 9.

83 See 179–189 and references.

84 See above Local Decorated 71–79; DB 190–193.

85 PhMC Coarse Shape 16c; cf. Keos V U–69, pls. 27, 55 and 305 below (Coarse).

86 Unless Keos V AJ–17, pl. 35; BSA 74 (1979) 34 V–152, and fig. 24 (MMIII) – both closest to 282.

87 BSA 69 (1974) 35 191 (MM92) and fig. 7.

88 Similar to Naxos Museum 7571, an LHIIIC jar with both handles and lugs, the latter on a flat part of the vase.

89 See Appendix 2 and 364. Sherds noted on Melos by R.B.; and see BSA 69 (1974) 27, nos. 16 (MM136), 160 (MM81) and 164 (MM80) – all illustrated BSA 17 (1910–11) pl. VI.

90 PhMC Coarse Shapes 12 (250), 13 (252, 275) for our 316, 317, with crescentic enlargement of the rim; also perhaps Shape 16c – spouted (our 261).

91 PhMC Coarse Shape 13, e.g. 252, 253.

92 Phlakopi 143 and pl. XXX 4.

93 PhMC Coarse Shape 7.

94 PhMC Coarse Shape 15.

95 PhMC Coarse Shapes 16a–c (all variations: plain, shaped, hooking – represented).

96 PhMC Coarse Shape 17.

97 PhMC Coarse Shape 20a.

98 PhMC Coarse Shape 16c, esp. 312.

99 PhMC Coarse Shape 19; PhLC P 1753.

100 BSA 74 (1979) 44, 48 and figs. 30, 32, V–212, V–214, V–228; cf. PhMC Coarse Shape 20b.

101 PhMC Coarse Shape 21; Keos V 82 and references; BSA 74 (1979) 39. 48–50 and figs 25, 35, 36, V–159 etc. (MMIII), V–232, V–238 (LMIA).

102 BSA 74 (1979) V–8.

103 PhMC Coarse Shape 23.

104 BSA 69 (1974) 192, fig. 10 (MMII) – stone lamp; also Keos V U–44, pls. 27, 53 and see p. 87 and references.

105 BSA 74 (1979) 32, 40 and figs. 22, 28, V–138, also V–180 (MMIII); PhMC Coarse Shape 26.

106 BSA 74 (1979) 32, 39, 44 and figs. 22, 23, 29, V–137, V–160 (MMIII), V–219 (early LMI).

107 Phylakopi 179; W.C. Brice (ed.), Inscriptions in the Minoan Linear Script of Class A, 1961, Table 1, sign L'19; ibid., pl. XXIII, II 6. v (pithos from Knossos). Our best preserved sign cannot exactly correspond to any of the above.

108 For 374, 375cf. Keos Pt II D 125, fig. 9; Keos V U–13, pls. 26, 52, AA–13 (raised pedestal), pls. 32, 60; Keos V C–13, pls. 20, 46, P–3, pl. 50 (slightly concave). Flat bases are common.

109 PM II 133f and figs. 67, 70bis.

110 PhMC Coarse Shape 16a (295).

111 Howell, R.J. ‘The origins of the Middle Helladic culture’ in Crossland, R.A. and Birchall, A. (eds.), Bronze Age migrations in the Aegean, 1974, 77Google Scholar; PhMC Coarse Shape 17; cf. BSA 69 (1974) 23 and fig. 1, 209 (MM162) – ECIIIB.

112 PhMC Coarse Features.

113 PhMC Coarse Features.

114 PhMC Coarse Features.

115 Keus V 87 and references: PMI fig. 409 (opp. p. 562); PhMC Coarse Shape 20b.

116 Cf. Phylakopi pl. XXXVI 5.: BSA 74 (1979) 34 and fig. 23 V–151.

117 See Appendix 2.

118 Betancourt 110–12, and see above, n. 115.

119 See above, n. 64.

120 Mountjoy 204–5; BSA 69 (1974) 46; Mountjoy, P – A. in Renfrew, A.C., The archaeology of cult: the sanctuary at Phylakopi, (British School at Athens Supplementary Volume 18), London, 1985, 181Google Scholar, no. 178, and pl. 23 (mid – LHIIIC).

121 Mountjoy 205; BSA 69 (1974) 46; 17 (1910–11), pl. XII, no. 132.

122 Barber, R.L.N., ‘The Cyclades in the Middle Bronze Age’ in Doumas, C. (ed.), Thera and the Aegean world I, Athens, 1978, 377Google Scholar; CBA 154.

123 We are grateful to Mr Guy Sanders for this identification.

124 This section of the report represents a first publication of the figurines. We intend shortly to present them more fully and in a broader context.

The writers would like to express their sincere gratitude to Dr M.-L. Collard, whose comments on the finds, particularly from the viewpoint of their Cretan relationships, have been of inestimable value. She is not however to be held responsible for any of the opinions expressed.

125 Coleman, J.E., Keos I: Kephala, a Late Neolithic settlement and cemetery, Princeton, 1977, 105–6Google Scholar, pls. 26, 71, 73.

126 Getz-Preziosi, P., ‘The hunter / warrior figure in Early Cycladic marble sculpture’ in PCP 87—96Google Scholar; Sculptors 20, 23, 61, 67–8.

127 Sculptors 23, fig. 11h.

128 e.g. Sculptors pl. 9, bottom.

129 P. Getz-Preziosi, above n. 126, fig. 1 A–B.

130 BSA 9 (1902–3) pl. X; examples from Kophinas in Heraklion Museum.

131 See Catalogue 520–22; PAE 1976 444–5, pl. 245, centre row (from Vasiliki, EMIIB).

132 French, E. in BSA 66 (1971) 101–87Google Scholar (esp. 102–8).

133 Collard, M–L., Minoan anthropomorphic figurines, Bristol, 1987, (unpublished Ph. D. thesis)Google Scholar. Amongst published finds may be noted the not entirely typical material from Petsopha in BSA 9 (1902–3) 360–82, pls. VIII–XIII; S. Xanthoudides, VTM.

134 See n. 133.

135 BSA 9 (1902–3), pl. XI, no. 15; Catalogue 558–560.

136 See Catalogue 510–11.

137 VTM pl. 30, no. 5655 etc. (Koumasa, Protopalatial).

138 BSA 9 (1902–3) e.g. pl. X, no. 1.

139 APHG 113, fig. 97a; our 540 may possibly have been in this posture.

140 BSA 82 (1987) 29 and figs. 3, 5 (AE 106, AE 108).

141 BSA 9 (1902–3) 374, pl. XII, no. 43.

142 ibid. pl. XII, nos. 50, 51 (e.g.).

143 PM, index volume (s.v. bulls, bulls' heads).

144 BSA 66 (1971) 151 ff.

145 e.g. on a gold box cover from Mycenae Grave Circle A; see Marinatos, S. and Hirmer, M., Crete and Mycenae, 1960, pls. 198Google Scholar, 199.

146 e.g. BSA 9 (1902–3) 376–8, pl. XIII, no. 53 etc.

147 We are grateful to Mr M.S.F. Hood for allowing us to mention this piece.

148 BSA 66 (1971) 178–84 (Site index).

149 For consideration of some relevant points see Barber, R.L.N., ‘Early Cycladic marble figures: some thoughts on function’ in Fitton, J.L. (ed.), Cycladica, 1984, 12–14Google Scholar; see also Renfrew, A.C., ‘Speculations on the use of Early Cycladic sculpture’, in Cycladica, 24–30.Google Scholar Also very useful is Rouse, W.H.D., Greek votive offerings, Cambridge, 1902.Google Scholar

150 See (e.g.) Caskey, M.E., ‘Ayia Irini, Kea: the terracotta statues and the cult in the temple’ in Hägg, R. and Marinatos, N. (eds.), Sanctuaries and cults of the Aegean Bronze Age (Skrifter utgivna Svenska institutet i Athens 28), Stockholm, 1981, 130.Google Scholar

151 Rouse (see n. 149) 295ff.

152 See Barber (n. 149), II, 13.

153 Keos III 171 – index.

154 Keos V J–6.

155 Phylakopi 213, pl. XXXVIII nos. 15–17, pl. XL 28; BSA 17 (1910–11) 22; Keos Pt II 386 E 42, pl. 89; Keos III 42–3, 139, 171 (index), pl. 31; Keos V 98–9, 124 (index), pl. 38d.

156 Delos; BCH 71–2 (1947–8) 245–6, pl. XLVe; Gallet de Santerre, H., Délos primitive et archaïque 34, pl. XI, no. 20eGoogle Scholar; Kea: Keos III 42–3, 139, 171 (index), pl. 31; Keos V 98–9, 106, pl. 38e; Thera: Thera I 21, 24, 29, figs. 22, 27; II 47, pl. 39; IV 27, pl. 50a.

157 Hesperia 42 (1973) 294–5.

158 APHG 83.

159 APHG 48.

160 Keos V 102.

161 Keos III 171 (index); V 96; see also Phylakopi 12f, 200, fig. 173r.

162 Torrence, R., ‘A technological approach to Cycladic blade industries’ in PCP, 66–86.Google Scholar

163 Perles, C., ‘Débitage laminaire de l'obsidienne dans le Néolithique de Franchthi (Grèce): techniques et place dans l'économie de l'industrie lithique’ in Cercle de Recherches d'Etudes Préhistoriques, Préhistoire de la pierre taillée, 2: économie du débitage laminaire: technologie et experimentation. III. Table Ronde de technologie lithique, Octobre 1982., Paris, 1984.Google Scholar

164 Hadjianastasiou, O., in French, E. and Wardle, K. (eds.), Problems in Greek prehistory, 1987, 17 and pl. 1c.Google Scholar

165 Torrence, R., ‘The chipped stone’ in Keos V 90–96.Google Scholar

166 Morrison, I., ‘Sea level change in the Saliagos area since the Neolithic’ in Evans, J.D. and Renfrew, C. (eds.), Excavations at Saliagos near Antiparos, London, 1968Google Scholar; Photiou, K. ‘Archaiologikai ereunai eis tin Neson Paron’ in AE 1973 1–14Google Scholar; Papathanassopoulos, G. and Schilardi, D., ‘An underwater survey of Paros, Greece: 1979’ in Int. J. Nautical Archaeology 10. 2 (1981) 133–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

167 Morrison op. cit. n. 166.

168 e.g. Evans and Renfrew op. cit. n. 166; Bintliff, J.L., Natural environment and human settlement in prehistoric Greece, Oxford, 1977.Google Scholar

169 e.g. Gamble, C., ‘Surplus and self-sufficiency in the Cycladic subsistence economy’ in PCP 122–34.Google Scholar

170 Naval Intelligence Handbook, Admiralty, 1945, 409.

171 CBA 43.

172 Bintliff op. cit. n. 168.

173 Gamble, C., ‘Animal husbandry, population and urbanisation’ in Renfrew, C. and Wagstaff, J.M. (eds.), An island polity: the archaeology of exploitation in Melos, Cambridge, 1982, 161–71.Google Scholar

174 Morrison, I., Landscape with lake dwellings, Edinburgh, 1985.Google Scholar

175 The author is grateful to Dr Robin Barber and Mrs Olga Hadjianastasiou for the opportunity to study this material. It is anticipated that the wares and fabrics discussed here in a preliminary report will be presented at a future date in greater detail as a part of the Fitch Laboratory petrographic study of Bronze Age Cycladic ceramics.

176 The word ‘ware’ is here defined as a class of ceramic objects which share attributes of morphology, decoration, composition and technology. ‘Fabric’ refers to the materials of the fired clay paste.

177 Comparator charts used for this report included the Wentworth Scale for sediment grain sizes (e.g. Scholle, P.A., Constituents, textures, cements and porosities of sandstones and associated rocks, Tulsa, 1979, ivGoogle Scholar, modified as follows: silt / very fine 0.05mm., fine 0.125mm., medium 0.25–0.50mm., moderately large 1.00–2.00mm., large 3.00–5.00mm. The Visual Percentage Estimation Chart was also used, modified as follows: rare 1%, sparse 1–3%, common 3–5%, moderate 5–10%, frequent 10–20%, abundant 20–30% and dominant, greater than 30% (Terry, R.D. and Chillinger, G.V. in Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 25 (1955), 229–34).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

178 The author is grateful to P.M. Day for this information.

179 Jones, R.E., Greek and Cypriot pottery. A review of the evidence, Athens, 1986, 263.Google Scholar

180 Williams, D. ‘A petrological examination of pottery from Thera’ in Doumas, C. and Puchelt, H.C. (eds.), Thera and the Aegean world I, 1978, 509.Google Scholar

181 Davis, J.L. and Williams, D., ‘Petrological examination of late Middle Bronze Age pottery from Ayia Irini, Keos’ in Hesperia 50 (1981) 295–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

182 op. cit. n. 179.

183 op. cit. n. 181, 297.

184 Riley, J.A., Peacock, D.P.S., Renfrew, A.C., ‘The petrological characterisation of Late Bronze Age ceramics from Knossos and Mycenae’ in Revue d'Archéométrie. Actes du XX Symposium International d'Archéométrie, Paris, 1980, 3, 247.Google Scholar

185 Riley, J., ‘The contribution of ceramic petrology to our understanding of Minoan society’ in Krzyszkowska, O. and Nixon, L. (eds.), Minoan Society. Proceedings of the Cambridge Colloquium, 1981, Bristol, 1983, 289.Google Scholar

186 Riley, J., ‘The petrological analysis of Aegean ceramics’ in Freestone, I., Johns, C. and Potter, T.S. (eds.), Current research in ceramics: thin-section studies. The British Museum seminar, 1980 (British Museum Occasional Paper 32), 1982.Google Scholar