The present paper examines the quantity and function of the pottery found at the Greek Early Neolithic sites. Review of the quantitative, technological, typological, functional and contextual data suggest that Early Neolithic pottery was most probably a regular component of material culture. Thus, in contrast with the highly favoured hypothesis that Early Neolithic pots were used mainly for cult-related or socially related prospects, it is argued that pottery had, since this early period, a variety of functions. It is very probable that some vessels were used in ceremonies or were high-status objects. The majority of vessels, however, had an active role in daily life concerning the storage and transportation of supplies, the preparation of food (most probably excluding cooking) and the treatment of other raw materials.

Though big and fertile, the island of Paros is still an empty landscape for the Neolithic, since alone the only so far known site of Kastro at Paroikia, and the neighbouring islet of Saliagos are inadequate to give an overall view of the cultural and economic distribution of the Neolithic populations on the island and their site networks within it. Also, even in the EBA, the few so far located settlements compared to the known cemeteries prevent us from penetrating into the subsistence strategies of the EC people and their organization of everyday life. In this respect the location of Neolithic and EBA habitation deposits at two sites in the bay of Naousa, Koukounaries and Sklavouna, is a significant opportunity for prehistoric research. This paper is a preliminary synthesis based on data from the old (1974–91) excavations and the systematic study started recently. Particularly in regard to Koukounaries, the paper attempts to study the organization and distribution of the pre-Mycenaean populations on the hill per chronological phase, giving emphasis on two main issues: first, on the duration of the latestNeolithic phase and the possibility that a Neolithic-to-EBA transition exists at the site, and secondly on the presence of a significant stone building compound of the EC II at the NE fringe of the hilltop.

This is the final report on the intensive survey at Kouphovouno, the prehistoric settlement just south of Sparta, in 1999–2000. As well as a total collection of the artefacts on the surface, there was a magnetometer survey of the site and a programme of environmental studies, for which a series of cores was taken. The site was first occupied in the 6th millennium and covered 4–5 ha in the Middle, Late/Final Neolithic and Early Helladic periods. Occupation continued in the Middle and Late Helladic periods and there is also evidence of Classical-Hellenistic and Roman activity. As well as pottery, the artefacts included chipped and polished stone tools. An analytical programme has investigated the source of the raw materials used for the latter.

Recently discovered pottery from David Hogarth's 1899 excavation in the Psychro Cave is published in this study. The great majority of these vases can, on the basis of their fabric and decoration, be traced to Malia, Knossos and the Lasithi Plain. During the MM I-LM I A period most of the fine ware pottery dedicated at the Psychro came from Malia. The monumental size of the sanctuary and the large number (and the elite character) of the votives indicates that during MM I B-LM I A Psychro was the main extra-urban sanctuary for the polity centred at Malia. During LM I B-III A1/2 virtually all of the decorated vases from Psychro are Knossian. This change suggests that Mycenaean Knossos assumed control of the sanctuary during this time, and that some of these vases are those referred to in the Linear B tablet from Knossos KN. Fp 1 that lists dedications of oil sent to Dictaean Zeus.

Two major works have been published that consider in detail Minoan relief-carved stone vessels, Peter Warren's Minoan Stone Vases (1969) and Bernd Kaiser's Untersuchungen zum minoischen Relief (1976). However, while both these texts provide useful catalogues of the vessels that had been discovered up to the time of their writing, neither provides an analysis of these vessels that considers the body of artefacts as a whole, rather than as a series of individual pieces. This trend has continued until the present day, with numerous articles appearing on the more famous pieces, such as the Harvester Vase and the Boxer Rhyton, but nothing examining the entire corpus of material. In this paper it is argued that when these vessels are considered together they produce an important indication of the sources of power that were used by the elite of Minoan society, specifically the male members of the elite, to justify and reinforce their elevated position in society, and furthermore, that the message of these vessels was aimed at other members of elite society as well as the non-elite.

Excavations at Akrotiri on Thera, where some house roofs remain intact, have shown that U-shaped terracotta drains, set projecting out beyond the outside walls, drained roof terraces. These terraces were often surrounded by built parapets.

What then of contemporary Neopalatial buildings on Crete, where construction and style are similar but much less is preserved? Evidence for the appearance and use of roofs and parapets there consists of drains that seem to have fallen, as now reported at various recently excavated sites (Kommos, Mochlos, Palaikastro); also staircases that probably led to the roof; and architectural depictions (a model, plaques).

The date of the final destruction of Late Bronze Age Miletos is examined in the light of new evidence from Ugarit, which has allowed the date of the destruction at that site to be more accurately assessed. A comparison of the pottery in the destruction layer at Miletos with that in the destruction layer at Ugarit suggests that Miletos might have been destroyed at an earlier date than usually thought.

This article presents a preliminary report on the excavation campaigns of 1999 to 2001 conducted in the Sanctuary of Apollo Phanaios at Kato Phana on Chios by the 20th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities in collaboration with the British School at Athens. An account of the stratigraphy and architectural remains encountered is first presented, followed by a selected catalogue of the ceramic and small finds. The report concludes with a discussion of the chronological development of the site. While prior to the resumption of excavation work at Kato Phana in 1999 it was commonly held that the sanctuary had been established in the Late Geometric period, the new finds suggest that the history of cult worship here may extend back to the Late Mycenaean and the subsequent Protogeometric, Early Geometric and Middle Geometric periods. Excavation results now also reveal that by the seventh century BC the sanctuary had been architecturally embellished with permanent stone structures, with further architectural remodelling taking place on at least two subsequent occasions during the Archaic period. Though the paucity of Classical, Hellenistic and Roman finds from the site is puzzling, the Early Christian period provides a wealth of ceramic and small finds and architectural remains.

This methodological paper uses the measurements of the Early Iron Age Toumba building at Lefkandi to study whether a single design-unit can be detected in the data set. Cosine quantogram analysis is used in the initial analysis of the building dimensions and, in the second phase, the relevance of the obtained results is calculated by using Monte Carlo computer simulations. A statistically significant unit of c. 49 cm can be isolated, but because of the very limited number of precise dimensions, this result should only be accepted with caution. The case study demonstrates how the complex statistical problem of deriving the lengths of possibly used design-units in ancient architecture can be approached; metrological analyses can only gain from employing appropriate quantitative methods.

The article concerns a helmet of Corinthian type, of the seventh century BC, very plain and without a crest or decoration but with small holes round the rim for stitching in a lining. It belonged for many years to Charterhouse, until that school recently sold its Museum's contents. Manchester Museum acquired it thanks to a most generous bequest from the estate of the late Professor Robert Cook. Here the helmet's dimensions and state are given; it had suffered damage particularly to the cheek-guards and the nose-guard (which is now a modern replica). Details of its design are examined, some confirming its date, others illustrating its strengths and weaknesses as a helmet. The historical significance of helmets of this plain design is briefly discussed. Finally it is suggested, on the grounds of the damage to its cheek-guards and nose-guard, that it ended its career as a victory thank-offering in a sanctuary, possibly Olympia where many helmets so damaged have been found.

The fragment of a marble volute found near Palaiopolis was at first identified as part of a capital, and later interpreted as an altar akroterion. By measuring, drawing and analysing the details of the fragment, it has become clear that it must be reconstructed as a capital. Its size is determined by the axes of the ornamental leaves of the cushion and the diameter of the echinus, which lead to 2 alternatives (FIG. 3). The capital as such is unusual with its flat volutes with large rosette eyes, the ‘attic’ two-tiered echinus, the omphalos-like disk on the front of the ‘spandrel’ and the leaf patterns on the cushion. The almost eclectic use of features from different regions of the Ancient World makes dating difficult. An origin in the later sixth century BC seems probable. It would appear to be a votive capital that perhaps bore the plinth of a votive sculpture.

The article points out certain features of Late Classical pottery in Macedonia, based on the contents of a refuse pit in the ancient Anchialos-Sindos Double Trapeza settlement (in the industrial area of present-day Sindos), which yielded large quantities of local pottery. It describes a number of types of vessels, some of which resemble their Attic prototypes more or less closely, while others are totally independent creations of the local workshop. The precise dating of this pottery was a consequence of the need to determine with greater accuracy the events that led to the abandonment of many settlements around the Thermaikos Gulf and the founding of the city of Thessaloniki by Cassander in the late 4th century BC.

Interpretation of the historical and epigraphical data can only provide a bare outline of the political and social environment of Knossos between the 5th and 7th centuries AD. Consequently, our understanding of late Antique Knossos comes primarily from the excavated remains of two of the Christian basilicas in the Valley; the Sanatorium Basilica and the KMF Basilica. Although excavations of the former have been published in full, concerning the KMF Basilica, only a brief summary of its architecture has been published. As a result, a detailed analysis of the excavations of the basilica itself will be made available here, including particulars of its architecture, mosaics, and summaries of the associated elements of the entire basilica complex (a detailed discussion of the whole Late Antique KMF excavations is forthcoming). As such, not only is a new and full interpretation of the KMF Basilica provided, but also for the first time the material culture of Late Antique Knossos is collated and subsequently analysed to provide a clear understanding of the nature of the city during this period. Despite a dearth of domestic evidence, a contextual study of the surviving architecture (principally religious) in conjunction with the mortuary remains, allows a broad perception of society and a clear comprehension of the development of the city. Thus the aim here is to examine the compelling evidence that, contrary to common belief, during the Late Antique period Knossos continued to be a vibrant and influential city as it had been in the Roman period.

This short article corrects the details of the author's memoir (2003) of Mervyn Popham for one important episode in Popham's life. It also adds two entries to his bibliography.