tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41009930595696162632024-03-19T00:46:59.530-07:00squinchesRobert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-33607501822084130002022-03-07T12:00:00.000-08:002022-03-07T12:00:32.724-08:00<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"> So about the year 2000 the data which now makes up the Pleiades database was created by digitization either from Barrington Atlas maps directly or from maps that were contributory to the Barrington Atlas. This data has not been looked at , proofed, or corrected since that time.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">How do I know?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Let's take a look.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">On the coast of southern Laconia a small peninsula juts out into the Aegean. For centuries it has been the home of the community of Momemvasia - a world-renowned tourist destination. In antiquity it was called the promontory of Minoa. Its location is 36.683 N and 23.05 E. I show it here as it appears in the Barrington Atlas.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBjA_bIDWDbWXntnXC7mES3qAqLx7UiiIqvNn_dwfPfh2e4dSew-0n2pCLYQ_7rsmErcO0xVi1INducwJPHWQCU5acCdtuko9dXOxeeFScK7bkxAzEjCvSX7QplrQFiiN7YYdstPMng3YxgEN-NP_L8Ja3_nuywqfBPCk6wJPiqkjgIUiirMXxnSjw0Q=s680" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="530" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBjA_bIDWDbWXntnXC7mES3qAqLx7UiiIqvNn_dwfPfh2e4dSew-0n2pCLYQ_7rsmErcO0xVi1INducwJPHWQCU5acCdtuko9dXOxeeFScK7bkxAzEjCvSX7QplrQFiiN7YYdstPMng3YxgEN-NP_L8Ja3_nuywqfBPCk6wJPiqkjgIUiirMXxnSjw0Q=s320" width="249" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Pleiades has Minoa Prom. in a very different place: 36.75 N and 23.25 E. How far is the real Minoa Pr. from the Pleiades marker? More than eighteen kilometers and smack dab in the middle of the ocean. Here it is in Google Earth:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMMcA_KC2QyFiLyBtIt0L-t9Ntgtptxmp2tKbT-WP1-spnANBtVWl-lLGfvt6Bi0BmqfKdA-pOQua_E_WQntmXDbZtQqIyPYGilcJLDELb28f2dch1lGmhH_ztRdEkaMfIMMlvqUxANk6cWI0qK5bSehXS-zBzEvZdrH1R9DQz_cBVAunBpV1e5MVQJQ=s1606" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1606" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMMcA_KC2QyFiLyBtIt0L-t9Ntgtptxmp2tKbT-WP1-spnANBtVWl-lLGfvt6Bi0BmqfKdA-pOQua_E_WQntmXDbZtQqIyPYGilcJLDELb28f2dch1lGmhH_ztRdEkaMfIMMlvqUxANk6cWI0qK5bSehXS-zBzEvZdrH1R9DQz_cBVAunBpV1e5MVQJQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The distance between the two is more than 18 km.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Now I'm not picking on Pleiades because of this one error. There are lots of errors in my own Mycenaean Atlas. These are errors of commission, omission, faulty reasoning, and pure ignorance. I know this because I sometimes catch them. This error of Pleiades', however, is something different. Failure to see this glaring digitizing error results from not actually working with the data - a set which has been in existence for more than twenty years. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">There are more examples of failure to catch digitization errors:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Pleiades 603253 is described as "An ancient place, cited: BAtlas 61 E4 unnamed quarry (on Horomedon M. on Kos)" Pleiades locates it in the middle of the strait separating Kos from the Turkish mainland. This is about 8.7 km distant from its true location which is shown on the Barrington Atlas at about 36.8312 N, 27.234 E. This is how it looks in Google Earth:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisl40u5c2ssKtv_vZNzStaGCqSPxV2FXfcJTR6vnEpOog_0brVLeFlcDY-BnxqNYpBKH2fxMNKUpiXMsrkH_IWRa0yTrv88ZwQ2ShvehOmCbDRMoEadG_2Au98inuD2JUzRrDDxHsLdrcyFYIGUjfc_m8XCC2gVTK0fKovH_sGF9NuV2H3hbWVkeoX0Q=s1189" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1189" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisl40u5c2ssKtv_vZNzStaGCqSPxV2FXfcJTR6vnEpOog_0brVLeFlcDY-BnxqNYpBKH2fxMNKUpiXMsrkH_IWRa0yTrv88ZwQ2ShvehOmCbDRMoEadG_2Au98inuD2JUzRrDDxHsLdrcyFYIGUjfc_m8XCC2gVTK0fKovH_sGF9NuV2H3hbWVkeoX0Q=w640-h544" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Mt.Dhikeos on Kos is the ancient Horomedon. The radius of the circle centered </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">on Pleiades 603253 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and extended to the quarry's approximate location in the Barrington Atlas is ~8700 m. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Pleiades 570688 is called "Spiraion Pr." and placed at 37.75 N, 23.25 E, in the middle of the Saronic Gulf. The true location of Spiraion (the modern Spiri) is 37.8025 N, 23.1754 E, about 8500 m. distant.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The ancient Grotta was located where the Chora of Naxos is located now, at 37.1084 N, 25.3748 E. Pleiades (599630) has it in the middle of the bay at 37.1129, 25.3783 just over 500 m. distant. This error, though very minor, is a particular clue. It was digitized accurately. The Barrington Atlas shows it in the middle of the Bay (in order to print clear of other labelled places) in the very place Pleiades shows it. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">No one caught this error when going from printed map to digitized data point.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div>Pleiades 585129 described as "An ancient place, cited: BAtlas 59 B3 unnamed wall (Phalerikon Teichos, Leophoros Syngrou)" is shown deep in the Saronic Gulf at 37.875 N, 23.625 E which is about 8700 m from the nearest part of the Phaleron wall. </div><div><br /></div><div>I found these problems in just a few minutes because the Mycenaean Atlas Project is now offering a way to see <a href="https://www.helladic.info/MAPC/MULTI/drawMap.php?flatlon=37.933366792504394,23.6700439453125,0.09" target="_blank">the entire Pleiades data set</a>. I anticipate finding many more of these digitizing errors.</div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">At one time I thought I saw a curious error signature in Pleiades' data. There appeared to be two different values around which their errors tended to cluster which made the error distribution bimodal. I was puzzled by this at the time and yet now I may have discovered the reason. I suspect that Pleiades digitized their data from maps of different scales. Errors would be greater on small-scale maps and smaller on large-scale maps.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">What factors might be responsible for Pleiades' lack of interest in their own data? There are several.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">1. Size. The Pleiades database (if that's the word I want) contains nearly forty thousand items. The consensus among people who work in creating maps of antiquity is that it takes at least one hour per data point. Often it takes five or six hours. In six years of steady work on the Mycenaean Atlas I have mapped about eleven-thousand sites. A man-year is 2200 hours. Six man years is 13200 hours. So: 1.2 hour per site. Using the same number of 1.2 hours on 38000 sites (the size of Pleiades' database) suggests that it would require 20.72 man years to validate the sites in the Pleiades DB. Who has that kind of time? It's clear that when the Pleiades managers were faced with this potential cost they decided that what they had was based on the Barrington atlas and so the raw digitized data was great. Pleiades as a <i><b>scholarly </b></i>endeavor was never in the cards.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">2. I'm not sure that the Pleiades management really does have their data in a true database. They provide downloads in several different formats: .csv, .kml, .json, .xml, .turtle, etc. but no .sql or anything that looks like true DB output. I created a true relational DB from their data in about four days but I had to use their .csv version. If I'm right in my opinion that there is no true relational DB behind Pleiades then it means that their basic representation of all this data is just incredibly long lists, probably .json. If that's true it might explain the instability of their Peripleo product. There is a lot of talk about .json databases. That's a contradiction. .json formatted data is just a heap of data. But a database it isn't. It has none of the advantages of a DB and all of the disadvantages of a verbose, over-infllated list, including long run times which get longer as the list gets longer.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">3. Lack of interest. I have read a number of the Pleiades papers over the years. From these papers it is obvious that the Pleiades team's real interest is Computer Science. Their primary focus is the netherworld of symbol-based Artificial Intelligence where computers are semantically aware and new knowledge is just one Reasoner away. It is a world of religious belief, of the faith that moves mountains and in which continued funding is the new version of everlasting life. It's not that they don't talk much about toponymy - they don't talk about toponymy at all.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">4. Inability to easily see their data on a map. It's not clear to me that the Pleiades team ever had</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">decent tools for looking at their data. Their actual Pleiades interface is a bureaucratic disgrace which communicates nothing useful and whose bibliographical links - when present - are broken.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-73759022761965282752017-02-04T04:54:00.000-08:002017-02-04T04:54:13.211-08:00Tholos II at Malthi (C307)<div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">‘O what we ben! And what we come to!’</span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Riddley Walker</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Russell Hoban</span><br />
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In a previous post <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/11/tholos-i-at-malthi-c1207.html">I talked about Tholos I</a> (C1207) at Malthi in the Peloponnese. I refer my readers to the maps in that post which put the whole area in perspective. Now I look at an archaeological dig whose fate was very different from that of Tholos I, namely Tholos II. On the map following I show the immediate area around Tholos II (C307).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoz4L71njbCB1f5m2ZhjDqtj0G9YIZ3lK9bOHSXaE-pCXmqZi-5DRcm-u2TDbA-TKrDArLnvPdMy414DT0KHky_ZFaUXZBDSKQqkeN5rRQab7nT7w86XFgfJPTTuX0_b-LeVP2r-VQUP-/s1600/MalthiII_General.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoz4L71njbCB1f5m2ZhjDqtj0G9YIZ3lK9bOHSXaE-pCXmqZi-5DRcm-u2TDbA-TKrDArLnvPdMy414DT0KHky_ZFaUXZBDSKQqkeN5rRQab7nT7w86XFgfJPTTuX0_b-LeVP2r-VQUP-/s640/MalthiII_General.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus. 1 Area to W of the Malthi Acropolis. Tholos II (C307) in C</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">with Tholos I (C1207) to S about 85 m.</span></td></tr>
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Tholos II was discovered by Natan Valmin with the help of a local informant in 1926. It was excavated at the same time as Tholos I (C1207). When found there was a depression in the center of the covering tumulus because the center of the dome had collapsed. In fact Valmin documents three separate instances of collapse and one of these crushed a boy who had taken shelter under the entrance.</div>
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After the tholos was fully excavated it looked like this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrG8cHgZ6x-_4tpWgZdDm7inPzJnhw4qITNwvr1krwi2d1xhHtLSRMZvQT04npWix1Ov2g0_fh8iC9xAXpNx1zcJ1zshJLTlD1Nt1r5nXxxbAYhMikeCHf2Co4nz_mKMOUpflUVVZkVMs_/s1600/MalthiTholosII+copy+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrG8cHgZ6x-_4tpWgZdDm7inPzJnhw4qITNwvr1krwi2d1xhHtLSRMZvQT04npWix1Ov2g0_fh8iC9xAXpNx1zcJ1zshJLTlD1Nt1r5nXxxbAYhMikeCHf2Co4nz_mKMOUpflUVVZkVMs_/s640/MalthiTholosII+copy+3.jpg" width="510" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus. 2 Looking E along the dromos of Tholos II [2]</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8NdrYDgvq2s7d8aqalTHRF28mU0JxzrP3A7_fscZuM5wbDv3MlL-WJmUOXGyhlIv0_PDsZ8Fctec000gv_NkQpJHhWVe9UNkqmI8j4zhux4P17xfmb98fga4KtOLF7yE4zz31zeZkEy2/s1600/MalthiTholosII+copy+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8NdrYDgvq2s7d8aqalTHRF28mU0JxzrP3A7_fscZuM5wbDv3MlL-WJmUOXGyhlIv0_PDsZ8Fctec000gv_NkQpJHhWVe9UNkqmI8j4zhux4P17xfmb98fga4KtOLF7yE4zz31zeZkEy2/s640/MalthiTholosII+copy+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus. 3 The chamber of Tholos II as seen from the SW. [3]</span></td></tr>
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This is the interior of the chamber seen from the SW and looking NE.<br />
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What does the tholos look like today? In one of October's most beautiful days last year a friend of mine in the Peloponnese went to take photographs of tholos II. In an all-too-typical-story he learned that the entire tomb has been stripped of its stone and destroyed, presumably for a number of limestone constructions in the vicinity. What could have been an impressive remnant of Bronze Age construction is now a weed-filled hole in the ground. As Boyd says: "Tholos 2 has been almost completely stripped of its stone between excavation and the present ...".[4]<br />
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See the following pictures for confirmation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOQ20NBee5wpQAknpGvJ8WCtQpSx8k45uWtsThp5y-cNtkKY44nRXvWsXXp1TsOS7wfIKY6uzpeBg9p0ruhTB4P3qnSUGHQO59cn3vAaFBXapkZlIVq7JrpzIyke3vN-OQeB2GKuLMq6y/s1600/PA140029+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOQ20NBee5wpQAknpGvJ8WCtQpSx8k45uWtsThp5y-cNtkKY44nRXvWsXXp1TsOS7wfIKY6uzpeBg9p0ruhTB4P3qnSUGHQO59cn3vAaFBXapkZlIVq7JrpzIyke3vN-OQeB2GKuLMq6y/s640/PA140029+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus. 4 Looking N at the mound of Tholos 2 at Malthi.</span></td></tr>
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In the picture above we are looking N on the road towards the mound of Tholos 2.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwOJm7_h5vkiy_AglRg0SMpcmO_7rVZOWSW3nidqnujrt4-k93Q608DvBtmbSM6K_qupsl8fRZS7RD1hhm8gsO9FkPhioAfHW0i3g2TiYH3XS-y2wMRjlD0jRwK_0pMFEb8F3EObP7W4z/s1600/PA140028+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwOJm7_h5vkiy_AglRg0SMpcmO_7rVZOWSW3nidqnujrt4-k93Q608DvBtmbSM6K_qupsl8fRZS7RD1hhm8gsO9FkPhioAfHW0i3g2TiYH3XS-y2wMRjlD0jRwK_0pMFEb8F3EObP7W4z/s640/PA140028+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus. 5 Mound of Tholos 2 at Malthi. Facing N. Acropolis of Malthi at far R.</span></td></tr>
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Here's another view of the mound of Tholos II. Viewer is facing NE with the hill of the acropolis of Malthi sitting at the right hand side.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZMxhK50tNumJW3b54q-1uWERZ3ywLiWcEm7KgINLcMnaw4hFZIMYiGvj8VJvQ2kvE2M3wyVoMJ2NAs9gnOQm8M10u2rQjLK-lzzVVyhUB7MiZy95bVyS944EreuOMP4RCZr_HlIV49z0/s1600/PA140020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZMxhK50tNumJW3b54q-1uWERZ3ywLiWcEm7KgINLcMnaw4hFZIMYiGvj8VJvQ2kvE2M3wyVoMJ2NAs9gnOQm8M10u2rQjLK-lzzVVyhUB7MiZy95bVyS944EreuOMP4RCZr_HlIV49z0/s640/PA140020.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus. 6 Looking into the chamber (FG) and the <i style="font-size: 12.8px;">dromos </i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">of Tholos 2 at Malthi. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Viewer facing W. The ridge of Verghoto in the BG.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkAVFsTcyyP8tmLz7Gvg-aYxEj-xgTG8UPtGEJoB0dN0dv38GyxatGDnnTcBpTTgpBJn0NgB1YN8hbgwbK-j-k-LkbkivxSOC30IsPk9JigIG_BmpcHSabBf7PDcmYjA0RB6j4Ibq0tLD/s1600/PA140021+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkAVFsTcyyP8tmLz7Gvg-aYxEj-xgTG8UPtGEJoB0dN0dv38GyxatGDnnTcBpTTgpBJn0NgB1YN8hbgwbK-j-k-LkbkivxSOC30IsPk9JigIG_BmpcHSabBf7PDcmYjA0RB6j4Ibq0tLD/s640/PA140021+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus. 7 Looking NE into the chamber of tholos 2 at Malthi. <i>Dromos </i>to the L.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Malthi acropolis in BG and L.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The dromos has been completely stripped of its stone.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Q7RGFXuK7_ASnE9sZ-b3mFcTtLAndhyopvnsiculds1xNKw5atr456qrc1aqr8RRHcGpMeSNhsydt8wM0ij2WPPeq2Wroq2gV9_ObOgTnMsi0-jhdg6KHvH_sQgiX0DySlXfBABZvkKc/s1600/Malthi_Tholos_IIB+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Q7RGFXuK7_ASnE9sZ-b3mFcTtLAndhyopvnsiculds1xNKw5atr456qrc1aqr8RRHcGpMeSNhsydt8wM0ij2WPPeq2Wroq2gV9_ObOgTnMsi0-jhdg6KHvH_sQgiX0DySlXfBABZvkKc/s640/Malthi_Tholos_IIB+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus. 8 Chamber (C) and <i>dromos </i>(lower R) of Tholos 2 at Malthi. Viewer facing S of E.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEfMZ2hp7IqZCjMgWfN6bL9ELVCJ20CWXZL25spGOZvQ8NqMjIccOjgMJVvS-mYCNwM4NAPM-53y7UJjJrhlscUYX6T4Lf-cGO5PlprLGrJqadBSq8Do_o-Nc0eMYazns-thvint_zlpk/s1600/PA140033+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEfMZ2hp7IqZCjMgWfN6bL9ELVCJ20CWXZL25spGOZvQ8NqMjIccOjgMJVvS-mYCNwM4NAPM-53y7UJjJrhlscUYX6T4Lf-cGO5PlprLGrJqadBSq8Do_o-Nc0eMYazns-thvint_zlpk/s640/PA140033+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus. 9 The dromos of Tholos 2 at Malthi. Part of chamber to L. Viewer facing S.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeAiWt-dnSqMPFDqVRoq3VjMNd-Bzq9q2tET5yQptYv_E_ZrLtPD4slwgFfSrdyqLoZoKyrwai_iDYMe-zbEeytEjIB1HdAsSyaIP2YYPsrf0S1gZ20Z3eMiHjNA1ZM26acYX3ZdRZ9M1/s1600/Malthi_Tholos_II_C+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeAiWt-dnSqMPFDqVRoq3VjMNd-Bzq9q2tET5yQptYv_E_ZrLtPD4slwgFfSrdyqLoZoKyrwai_iDYMe-zbEeytEjIB1HdAsSyaIP2YYPsrf0S1gZ20Z3eMiHjNA1ZM26acYX3ZdRZ9M1/s640/Malthi_Tholos_II_C+copy.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus 10. Detail of limestone blocks found in the dromos.</span></td></tr>
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The pictures above and below document some of the few remaining stones from what was once a beautiful example of Bronze Age culture in the Peloponnese.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-qYOiyDl8g1B1gYAqwThT7S349wtLTC9AAw-z0on-knv9XUm6YY13qmETiY9zwFdFtZ1IDgKR9kDxaYSi2HcQUOYUnA4SXmivUVDr7Da2I86wSgfDW2K5Iq7GZEBuQhci4xczX69R4qZ/s1600/PA140022+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-qYOiyDl8g1B1gYAqwThT7S349wtLTC9AAw-z0on-knv9XUm6YY13qmETiY9zwFdFtZ1IDgKR9kDxaYSi2HcQUOYUnA4SXmivUVDr7Da2I86wSgfDW2K5Iq7GZEBuQhci4xczX69R4qZ/s640/PA140022+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus. 11 Detail of limestone fragments found in the dromos.</span></td></tr>
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In other words, after 90 years of stone stripping, the tholos is now completely destroyed. Tholos 2 is not the only tholos or other monument in Greece that has been destroyed since it was first responsibly excavated.<br />
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I'll be blogging soon about Tholos A (C293) from Kakovatos which has been treated in a similarly cavalier fashion.<br />
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The following illustration from Google Earth shows the angles from which the other photographs of Tholos II were taken:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kt5GwZcLlP_t2YOfuUEf0KSoC5sa6-wqbeLPQ5QfGpcQ2Dn6WfaNKeCvQQBdhZ4teN4kdsh0rnmOkd5JeedswXmRDHiuSQVuAwvPTQUWJegvoEvSvXRTYrXdEiDfSXUiPYwRKIckqcRJ/s1600/Tholos_II_Arrows+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kt5GwZcLlP_t2YOfuUEf0KSoC5sa6-wqbeLPQ5QfGpcQ2Dn6WfaNKeCvQQBdhZ4teN4kdsh0rnmOkd5JeedswXmRDHiuSQVuAwvPTQUWJegvoEvSvXRTYrXdEiDfSXUiPYwRKIckqcRJ/s640/Tholos_II_Arrows+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illus. 12 Angles from which the illustrations in this post were taken. Approx. original position<br />
and shape of Tholos II is rendered in orange.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwbinxJ5ABkYB8_f7v5Dfw36wPWYTXf4LgXBqoEuMzHdntALZDUjMLHw21Gap1YwJ2bujHBtmRvHiZsuXpRPmShI4u9bmMcaykmLmfuR03SBI2N5RJvgQFD-i1MDDUE2L1qauhsCtl87t/s1600/Tholos_II_Diagram+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwbinxJ5ABkYB8_f7v5Dfw36wPWYTXf4LgXBqoEuMzHdntALZDUjMLHw21Gap1YwJ2bujHBtmRvHiZsuXpRPmShI4u9bmMcaykmLmfuR03SBI2N5RJvgQFD-i1MDDUE2L1qauhsCtl87t/s640/Tholos_II_Diagram+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Illus 13 C307 as it looked originally. [5]</span></td></tr>
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<b>Data for C307</b>:<br />
<br />
Exact Position: 37.264600°N, 21.877372°E<br />
<br />
dromos length: 12.5<br />
dromos width: 2.2 at ground level<br />
dromos width: 2.05 at the tops of its walls<br />
dromos direction: East to West<br />
<br />
stomion height: 2.8<br />
stomion depth: 2.6<br />
stomion width: 1.6 on the exterior side<br />
stomion width: 1.3 on the interior side<br />
stomion width: 1.1 on the exterior at the height of the lintel<br />
stomion width: 0.8 on the interior at the height of the lintel<br />
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Lintel: 2.9 x 2.5 and 0.3 m. thickness<br />
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Chamber: diameter: 5.75,<br />
Preserved Height: 3.5 m.<br />
Chamber: Original Height: ~5 m<br />
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Date: LH III, LH IIIB, LH IIIC [6]<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Illustrations 4 through 11 in this blog post are the property of the photographer and all rights are reserved.</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: justify;">If you like these posts then please follow me on </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Squinchpix" style="background-color: white; color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.3s;">Twitter (Squinchpix)</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: justify;"> or on </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/110185145622600129937" style="background-color: white; color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.3s;">Google+ (Robert Consoli)</a></span><br />
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<b>Notes</b><br />
<br />
1. I principally consulted Valmin [1938] 207-225; the crushed boy and his goats on p. 218. Good sources for the area around Malthi, including these tholoi are Boyd [1999] II, 790-1 and Zavadil [2012] 566-581, 'Vasiliko/Malthi(Ramovouni) (Ep. Triphylias)'. Also Olivier Pelon [1977] p. 216, 'Tholos II (26B)'.<br />
<br />
2. Valmin [1938] 216, fig. 40.<br />
<br />
3. Valmin [1938] 219, fig. 43.<br />
<br />
4. Boyd [1999] 791.<br />
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5. Valmin [1938], plan 6.<br />
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6. Zavadil [2012], 572: "Valmin datierte die Keramik aus Tholos II in SH III. Diese<br />
Datierung entspricht Mountjoys Einordnung der geschweiften Amphore und der karinierten Kylix aus der Grube in SH IIIA1. Einige Funde könnten in SH IIIC datieren.<br />
<br />
"Somit sind beide Tholoi etwa zur gleichen Zeit in Verwendung gewesen, 64 wobei Tholos II nach Valmin vielleicht etwas älter ist. Sie sind nach Valmin etwa 100 Jahre jünger als die Tholoi von Ano Kopanaki. 65 Eine Datierung beider Tholoi in SH III legt auch die architektonische Analyse durch<br />
O. Pelon nahe."<br />
<br />
(in my translation:)<br />
<br />
"Valmin dated the ceramics from Tholos II to LH III. This dating corresponds to Mountjoy's arrangement of the curly amphorae and the carinated Kylix from the pit in LH IIIA1. Some finds could date in LH IIIC.<br />
<br />
"So, both tholoi were in use at about the same time, although Tholos II may be somewhat older, according to Valmin. According to him they are both about 100 years younger than the Tholoi of Ano Kopanaki. The architectural analysis of O. Pelon also suggests a date for both tholoi of LH III.<br />
<br />
In Pelon [1976], p. 217: (my translation) "The two tombs are dated by Valmin as LH III, with an interval of time between them of not more than one or two decades. Tomb II, which has yielded the most datable and most abundant ceramics ought to be placed, according to him, a little<br />
before 1300 BC but Furumark dates it as Myc. IIIB."<br />
<br />
<b>Bibliography</b><br />
<br />
Boyd [1999]: Boyd, Michael John. <i>Middle Helladic and Early Mycenaean Mortuary Customs in the Southern and Western Peloponnese</i>. University of Edinborough. Scotland. 1999. Dr. Boyd's Ph.D. Dissertation <a href="https://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/7281">may be downloaded here</a>.<br />
<br />
Pelon [1976], Pelon, Olivier. <i>Tholoi, tumuli et cercles funéraires; Recherches sur les monuments funéraires de plan circulaire dan l'Égée de l'Âge du Bronze (IIIe at IIe millénaires av. J.-C). </i>Bibliothèques de l'École française d'Athènes et de Rome - Série Athènes, 229. 1976. Pelon may be consulted <a href="http://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=BefarA&volume_number=229&ce=63ru0afriov3sprj84eplspl422meo0p&sp=1">online here.</a><br />
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Valmin[1938], Valmin, M. Natan. <i>The Swedish Messenia Expedition with Seven Plans, Five Coloured Plates, 32 Plates, and 100 Figures in the Text.</i> Lund, C.W.K. Gleerup. 1938.</div>
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Zavadil [2012]: Zavadil, Michaela. <i>Monumenta: Studien zu mittel- und späthelladischen Gräbern in Messenien.</i> Wien:Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkschriften. 2012.</div>
Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-33554685424133091422017-01-22T09:27:00.000-08:002017-01-22T09:27:34.768-08:00Introduction to the Mycenaean Atlas Project, Part II<br />
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Part I of the Introduction to the Mycenaean Atlas Project <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2017/01/introduction-to-mycenaean-atlas-project.html">may be found here</a>.</div>
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f. PERIODS: Under this heading I include basic information about the periods of occupation of each site. I include here the sources which identified these periods along with, usually, a brief quotation from the source which justifies my including the specific period in the specific site article.<br />
<br />
<br />
g. GENERAL: In many cases I include a brief statement that specifies why I have placed the specific site marker where I have. Ordinarily, when the site is marked ‘N’ or ‘unknown’ I include here a remark about the special difficulties encountered in finding the correct location. This is in the hope that others may start where I have left off and, perhaps, have a better start locating the desired place.<br />
<br />
<br />
h. BIBLIO: This lists the sources that I found of especial value in identifying this specific site location.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CONCORDANCES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">This document provides concordances between my pk numbers and the various numbering systems adopted by those gazetteers upon which I relied most heavily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">In this version I include gazetteers for the following:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">French [1967], French, D.H. Index of prehistoric sites in central Macedonia and catalogue of sherd material in the University of Thessaloniki, Athens, 1967.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">This was done in part as I encountered references to French in Simpson [1981].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Heath [nd], Heath, Sebastian. <a href="http://classics.uc.edu/prap/static/sites_list.xsl.html">PRAP Site Gazetteer</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">This is the website of the Pylos Regional Archaeological Project. The concordance contains those sites with periods given as ‘EH’, ‘MH’, or ‘LH’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Jameson et al. [1994], Jameson, Michael H, Curtis N. Runnels, Tjeerd H. van Andel, <i>A Greek Countryside; The Southern Argolid from Prehistory to the Present Day</i>, Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 1994. 978-0804716086<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">In the concordance are sites which Jameson et al. identified as ‘EH’, ‘MH’, or ‘LH’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">McDonald and Rapp [1972], McDonald, William A. and George R. Rapp, Jr., <i>The Minnesota Messenia Expedition: Reconstructing a Bronze Age Regional Environment</i>, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. USA. 1972.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The concordance contains all the sites in Register A beginning on p. 266.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">5.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Pelon [1976], Pelon, Olivier. <i>Tholoi, tumuli et cercles funéraires; Recherches sur les monuments funéraires de plan circulaire dan l'Égée de l'Âge du Bronze (IIIe at IIe millénaires av. </i></span><i><span lang="IT" style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">J.-C)</span></i><span lang="IT" style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">. Bibliothèques de l'École française d'Athènes et de Rome - Série Athènes, 229. </span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">1976. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">6.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Simpson [1981], Simpson, Richard Hope. <i>Mycenaean Greece</i>. Park Ridge, New Jersey: Noyes Press, 1981. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">7.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Simpson [2014], Simpson, Richard Hope. <i>Mycenaean Messenia and the Kingdom of Pylos.</i> Philadelphia:Instap Academic Press, 2014. 978-1-931534-75-8.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">8.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Simpson and Dickinson [1979], Simpson, Richard Hope and O.T.P.K. Dickinson, <i>A Gazetteer of Aegean Civilization in the Bronze Age, Vol. I: The Mainland and the Islands</i>, Paul Astroms Forlag, Goteborg. 1979.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The material in this gazetteer is substantially repeated, often word for word, in Simpson [1981]. As a result only a few citations from this work are currently in the database. Adding the entire work is planned for the future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">RELEASABLE FORMATS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">This current document is meant purely to furnish an on-line resource of the contents of the locational database. It is probably best used with a search facility. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> A version of this document in .pdf format is available to be sent to any requester.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The specific aim of this database effort is to supply the interested user with a dynamic and interactive environment for exploring the Mycenaean world. So, for those interested, there are available .kml files of the DB. A basic .kml already exists of all the Mycenaean find spots. It merely needs to be imported into Google Earth. A tutorial describing how a Google Earth import is done <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/01/using-google-earth-as-front-end-weve.html">is here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> The entire database can be furnished as a .sql file to whoever may be interested, professional or amateur, simply by sending an e-mail here: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">bobconsoli@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">As a .sql it can be imported to any environment hosting a SQL server such as MySQL. MySQL is a free, industry-standard implementation of a SQL server and is used very widely, for example, in internet applications. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The Mycenaean Atlas Project itself has, at present, no internet component.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">FUTURE PLANS FOR THE DATABASE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">At this time the database is weakest with respect to Crete, Cyprus, and Italy. Those places will be filled out in more detail in the future. New releases of the database will be announced here:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">mycenaeanatlasproject.blogspot.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">I welcome better locational information from those who have actually been to any of these sites. I know that there are many individuals who can assist me in driving accuracy parameters to 0 and any contribution will be credited to the sender.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">This project is entirely my own and any errors in it are mine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Blog posts on topics relating to the Mycenaean Atlas Project and other writings about Mycenology may be found at my two blogs:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">mycenaeanatlasproject.blogspot.com<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">squinchpix.blogspot.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">BIBLIOGRAPHY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Papadopoulos [1979]: Papadopoulos, Thanasis J., <i>Mycenaean Achaea; Part 1: Text.</i> Paul Aströms Förlag, Göteborg, Sweden. 1979. Vol 1. ISBN: 91-85058-83-1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Tsakirakis [2000]: Tsakirakis, Vangelis G. "Using a Relational Database Management System for the Recording of Ancient Settlements and Sites in the Vrachneika Territory in Western Greece\", Online Proceedings of the group: Computer Applications & Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, 2000. http://proceedings.caaconference.org/year/2000/');</span></div>
Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-34323093145897414712017-01-20T18:35:00.001-08:002017-01-22T09:34:56.011-08:00Introduction to the Mycenaean Atlas Project, Part I<br />
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INTRODUCTION</div>
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The purpose of this document is to provide accurate latitude/longitude pairs for every identifiable site associated with the Mycenaean people. There are several important reasons for doing this.<br />
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1. There is a need. There have been smaller scale projects in the past which have attempted to map portions of the Mycenaean Cultural Area. For example there is the Archaeological Atlas of Mycenae co-authored by Spyros Iakovides and E.B. French. Another computer survey project that I am aware of is that of Vangelis Tsakirakis.[1] Dr. Tsakirakis is, or was, associated with the Landscape Archaeology Group. Dr. Tsakirakis and his team implemented an ambitious database of historical information about Achaea. Among other sources it relied on the work of T.J. Papadopoulos so that LAG’s intention was, at least in part, to map Mycenaean sites.[2] Regrettably it appears that their web site is no longer functional and I can learn nothing more about the status of their project.<br />
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2. The older gazetteers, upon which generations of Mycenologists have relied, are gradually becoming unusable due to the changes on the ground in continental Greece and other locations around the Mediterranean. These changes affect not only BA sites but ‘modern’ constructions such as churches, roads or even towns which have been supplanted, destroyed, or modified out of recognition.<br />
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3. Destruction of Mycenaean and other Bronze Age sites. There are many reasons for this destruction. Some of it is deliberate as when farmers destroy sites in order to prevent land from being sequestered by the authorities for archaeological research. Sometimes stone structures are destroyed in order to reuse the material in building projects. And much destruction is inadvertent. Mechanized plowing will do an admirable job of destroying sites if allowed to go on long enough.<br />
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4. The destruction of the Greek countryside in general through the practice of plowing the hills into terraces for olive culture. Those who have not been to Greece do not often realize the extent of this devastation.<br />
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In former times sites were described by Mycenologists and archaeologists in only the most general terms. Exact locations were only disclosed to other professionals on a ‘need to know’ basis. This simple attempt at ‘site security’ was in response to the relatively common looting of tombs by people looking for ‘buried treasures’ (and, to be sure, sometimes finding them.) It is not the purpose of this document to minimize the problem of site looting. The perspective taken here is that this particular problem is the least of a professional Mycenologist’s worries and that the wholesale destruction of the land itself is a far more serious threat. The first step in protecting a resource is to identify its location. As long as the Mycenological community does not know where many of its foundational sites actually lie no steps can be taken to prevent their destruction. It is high time for full disclosure of these exact locations.<br />
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This document contains the exact locations for nearly 1600 reported find spots which have Mycenaean connections. These locations were identified from various gazetteers the most important of which was Simpson [1981]. Concordances to the best represented gazetteers will be found at the end of the document. Of course many other sources were consulted besides the gazetteers. Their names will be found in the Bibliography.<br />
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Layout of each entry<br />
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I will use PK = ‘C100’ as an example of this document’s method.<br />
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a. PK. The pk (‘place key’) number is the unique identifier for the specific site. Here pk = ‘C100’. This series starts with C100 and increases by one for every additional site. Other than identifying the site the pk numbers mean nothing and nothing additional can be inferred from them. They do not, for example, ‘cluster’. Close-by sites do not necessarily have similar pk numbers. Nor are they necessarily consecutive.<br />
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The ‘C’ in the pk number stands for ‘Catalog’. A more elaborate justification for a new numbering convention for Mycenaean sites along with a description of the ‘place key’ parameter may be found <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-design-for-bronze-age-find-database-i.html">here</a>.<br />
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b. TITLE: This is a string value that serves to provide a pronounceable name for the site. They are not necessarily distinct. They ordinarily identify a nearby place along with some identifier that tells what sort of find this is. None of this is guaranteed. It is the PK number that uniquely identifies the site. For C100 the title is ‘Platanos/Svina: Hab’.<br />
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c. POSITION: This is the raison d’etre for the document. Positions are described as lat/lon pairs in both decimal degrees and in degree-minute-second notation. <br />
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The numbers that are used for this purpose have a precision of one one-millionth of a degree or six decimal places (k•10E-6). <br />
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For our present purposes I will say that the theoretical precision of a lat/lon pair expressed as a floating-point number with six decimal places (k•10E-6) is approximately 11.17 cm. (~4.4 inches) in longitude and a bit less in latitude at 37° N latitude (a typical latitude for Greece). <br />
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Although Google Earth provides lat/lon pairs with a precision of 11.1 cm, the actual accuracy of these pairs (for reasons which are not Google’s fault) is closer to 5 m.<br />
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An example of how these various positions were derived along with a discussion of the concepts of accuracy versus precision in the lat/lon pairs of the Mycenaean Atlas Project are discussed <a href="http://mycenaeanatlasproject.blogspot.com/2017/01/accuracy-vs-precision-in-map.html">here</a>.<br />
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Establishing accurate numbers, as opposed to precise ones, in Google Earth is a much-discussed subject. The interested reader might <a href="http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1982-21702013000400005&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en">start here</a>.<br />
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d. ACCURACY: The accuracy parameter has nothing to do with Google Earth. It attempts to state the author’s own perceived accuracy in finding the stated site. This accuracy parameter is imagined as the radius of a circle such that, if the investigator were standing exactly at the given position, a circle of that radius would touch or cover part of the site being sought. Here C100 is thought to be accurate to within 20 m. Again, the web site mentioned just above will give a practical example of how my personal accuracy parameter is ordinarily established.<br />
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If the site cannot be precisely located then a lat/lon pair is still given and its accuracy parameter is marked ‘N’ or ‘unknown’. Even though a site cannot be located with confidence it may be that others will make the attempt and that the lat/lon pair given here may furnish a starting point. The numbers of sites at various accuracies are in the following table:<br />
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Error (m)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">no. of sites<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">%<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 15.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 127.65pt;" valign="bottom" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 106.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="141"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">542<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">34.28<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 106.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="141"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">23<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.45<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">255<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">16.12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr style="height: 15.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 127.65pt;" valign="bottom" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">30<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">0.06<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 127.65pt;" valign="bottom" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">50<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 106.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="141"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">211<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">13.34<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 127.65pt;" valign="bottom" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">100<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 106.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="141"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">213<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">13.47<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 127.65pt;" valign="bottom" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">200<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 106.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="141"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">113<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">7.14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 127.65pt;" valign="bottom" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">300<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 106.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="141"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">0.82<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 127.65pt;" valign="bottom" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">500<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 106.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="141"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">65<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">4.11<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 127.65pt;" valign="bottom" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">1000<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 106.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="141"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">1.2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 127.65pt;" valign="bottom" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">2000<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 106.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="141"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">0.06<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 12; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 127.65pt;" valign="bottom" width="170"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Unknown<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 106.0pt;" valign="bottom" width="141"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">125<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td nowrap="" style="height: 15.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 84.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="112"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">7.9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
e. TYPE: This is a one-word description of the nature of the site. C100 is identified by Hope-Simpson as a habitation. In 'Messenia I' McDonald and Simpson called out the head of a clay figurine and so this is also typed as ‘Artifact’. It is not the purpose of this document to provide detailed analysis about the nature and significance of the site or its date of use. The sources I have specified under each article will do that in far more detail. I include enough material about the Type of site in order to characterize it in general terms for the reader.<br />
<br />
<br />
[1] Tsakirakis [2000] <br />
[2] Papadopoulos [1979]<br />
<div>
<div id="ftn2">
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Part II of the Introduction to the Mycenaean Atlas Project <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2017/01/introduction-to-mycenaean-atlas-project_22.html">may be found here</a>.</div>
Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-74266734122744503832017-01-01T18:16:00.003-08:002023-10-13T13:43:15.502-07:00My Kingdom for a Horse!<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><br /></span>
<span><b>Paulie</b>:<span style="background-color: white;"> '<span style="color: #333333;">See, with a horse, it's all in the genes. It's the </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span>fucking genes that do the running. The horse </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;">has got absolutely nothing to do with it.</span>' [1]</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
I'm reading Desborough's <i>The Last Mycenaeans and Their Successors.</i> As part of his exposition he develops the idea that <i><b>there was only a single Mycenaean kingdom</b></i> and that it was ruled from Mycenae.[2] He supports the idea by appealing to the wide-scale cultural uniformity in the Mycenaean <i>Kulturgebiet</i>. There are many similarities in "Weapons, ornaments of dress, cult objects, manner of burial and type of tomb ..." [3] <br />
<br />
And then there's this:<br />
<br />
"There remains one further factor, however, and that is the most important one of pottery. This is not a matter of coarse ware, or a number of uninspired, undecorated and unvarying domestic shapes, but of an elaborate and sophisticated style, capable of a great deal of variation, in which both potter and painter were artists as well as technicians. And here, excepting only for minor regional variations, the same uniformity is visible throughout the Mycenaean world. Furthermore, the L.H. III B style, as well as its predecessor, L.H. III A, was created in the Argolid, and diffused from there ..."<br />
<br />
"In view of this general uniformity of culture and custom I find it difficult to believe that the Mycenaean world was not united by extremely close ties; and the evidence of the pottery suggests that Mycenae was the acknowledged leader of this world. And from this it appears to me that the powerful kingdom of Ahhiyawa ... is with much greater probability to be identified with the whole Mycenaean world, ruled by the one king at Mycenae ... It may be that the smaller kingdoms had much independence of action, but in foreign relations the king at Mycenae spoke for the whole."[4]<br />
<br />
And <i><b>that</b></i>, my children, is how pots and jars are transmuted into monarchical institutions.<br />
<br />
In fairness archaeologists and other Bronze Age scholars have been taking this conceptual shortcut for so long that they no longer recognize it for the logical fallacy that it is. We should state it in its clearest form:<br />
<br />
Premise 1: All the pots and jars are the same.<br />
Conclusion: All the areas from which the pots and jars came formed the same kingdom.<br />
<br />
Simple! And only one premise required!<br />
<br />
This is a good example of observer bias. The similarity of the pots is enough, in Desborough's mind, to conjure up everything else that's required. Like Paulie in <i>The Pope of Greenwich Village</i> he has grossly distorted the connection between cause and effect. With Desborough it's all in the pots. Real people have got absolutely nothing to do with it. <br />
<br />
Any observer who notices that pots, pans, trivets, potholders, or shoulder pads are all the same over a large area is placed thereby under no epistemological obligation whatsoever with regards to political structure. Nothing of the political structure of that area can be usefully hypothesized from such observations unless the said pots and pans are stamped as follows:</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span>'Made in Mycenae in the Supreme Wanax's Royal Pottery for export to the Greek-speaking and extra-Argolid provinces all of which he conquered and which are united under his supreme and glorious rule'.</span> </b> </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In that case, maybe.<br />
<br />
The effect proposed by Desborough, the unification of the Mycenaean world under a single monarch living in the Argolid, requires a huge number of political institutions to have existed, along with all the time it would have required to form them. For his conclusion to be true it would require another long span of time to effect such a union and one which would be punctuated by more than a few wars of conquest.[5] Institutions to raise taxes in specie, in kind, and in the form of corvée labor from across the entire Mycenaean world would have to have existed. To say nothing of a very large standing army. Without such things we're not talking about a monarchy.[6] No doubt Desborough has in mind some sort of voluntary submission of the other Mycenaean statelets to the supreme ruler in Mycenae. Perhaps he supposes that this would have been a voluntary unification under the rubric of pan-Achaean (or is that pan-Ahhiyawan?) unity? But from the <i>ethnographic </i>point of view (that is, when we begin thinking about the way <i>real people</i> behave) such a voluntary submission on the part of the other 'Kings' is exceedingly improbable.<br />
<br />
But none of this is relevant to Desborough or his argument because his Greek kingdoms are of the fairy-tale kind; they live in story books.<br />
<br />
And your best defense against such magical thinking is the apotropaic incantation:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-unified-mycenaean-state-of-dr.html">How did that Kingdom form?</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Notes<br />
<br />
[1] <i>The Pope of Greenwich Village. </i>Screenplay by Vincent Patrick, 1984<br />
<br />
[2] I have savaged this idea <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2014/12/much-have-itravelled-in-realms-of-gold.html">here</a>, <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-unified-mycenaean-state-of-dr.html">here</a>, and <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-unified-mycenaean-state-of-dr_19.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
[3] Desborough [1964/2007] 219.<br />
<br />
[4] <i>Idem</i>.<br />
<br />
[5] Really wars of conquest. See Flannery and Marcus [2012], 364 "One of the problems of being the first kingdom in your region is that your neighbors see nothing to be gained by giving up freedom to become one of your provinces." <br />
<br />
[6] A mini-bibliography of the literature on kingdom-formation and the conversion of rank societies into monarchies is in footnote 1 of <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-unified-mycenaean-state-of-dr.html">this</a>.<br />
<br />
Bibliography<br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>Desborough [1964/2007]: Desborough, V.R.d'A., <i>The Last Mycenaeans and Their Successors: An Archaeological Survey, c. 1200 - c. 1000 B.C.</i>; Wipf & Stock, 2007. Originally published in 1964 by Oxford University Press. </span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>Flannery and Marcus [2012]: Flannery, Kent and Marcus, J.,<i> </i><i>The Creation of Inequality: How our prehistoric ancestors set the Stage for Monarchy, Slavery, and Empire.</i> Harvard University Press. 2012. 978-0674416772.</span></span>
</div></div>Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-12230807199137201382016-12-30T13:15:00.001-08:002022-09-21T13:38:56.290-07:00Tholos in a landscape: Gritsa Hill (C1280) and Cemetery<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Gritsa Hill habitation and cemetery: C1280</b></div>
<br />The Mycenaean complex of the Gritsa Hill habitation in what is now Phthiotis has been known since the early 1950s. It is a little hill of about 54 m. rising directly above the Bay of Pteleon. I show it in Illustration 1. This bay faces the southern tip of Magnesia to its east; the northern tip of Euboea is just to its south. By my measure the surface is about 7 hectares (Simpson gives the size as about 5.4 ha.); there is a spring at its NE base, it dominates the beautiful and protected bay of Pteleon and, on both north and south, there are large cultivable plains. In short, an ideal location for a town. Sometime during the Iron Age it became the site of Pteleon but even before that, during the prehistoric period, it was already a Mycenaean habitation. According to Simpson:<br />
<br />
"Mycenaean and earlier sherds were found on most of the top surface of the hill, ..."[1]<br />
<br />
And there are what look like simple Mycenaean tholos tombs directly to the west at the very foot of the hill. In the next illustration I show the hill as it appears from the south-west.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzdPJNPMTnyhyekBpkujmWkXcsLQSmcgPdSyshghQJZdPcmMP9rNR-9ZuzcVGPdrVYvDJxCJ7fFhUZqyRqdB5mCkGatw7ohmdKe70CwduGCk4enJKaSnB0dAuensbahu7AjSTKxnjstzm/s1600/Pteleon_Illus_1+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzdPJNPMTnyhyekBpkujmWkXcsLQSmcgPdSyshghQJZdPcmMP9rNR-9ZuzcVGPdrVYvDJxCJ7fFhUZqyRqdB5mCkGatw7ohmdKe70CwduGCk4enJKaSnB0dAuensbahu7AjSTKxnjstzm/s640/Pteleon_Illus_1+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 1. Gritsa Hill from the south-west. Habitation was on the top. Interment area<br />
was at the west (left). Modern road at left runs behind the hill.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
My concern today is the tholos and other tombs to the foot of Gritsa hill to the west. Pelon says this:<br />
<br />
"Situation: Five tholos tombs have been explored in the area of the acropolis of Gritsa which is the site (<i>qui porte les restes</i>) of the ancient Pteleon. Four of them are grouped at the foot of the acropolis, towards the north-west, not far from a 'magoula' which contains the ruins of a Middle Helladic habitation."[2]<br />
<br />
So. Four tholos tombs at the north-west foot of Gritsa Hill with a fifth to be named later. First let's look at the site as I've reconstructed it from Pelon.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxFJLyFwOrt7QbcbkNH-ywjh0lGxOLRooYnjpnYrHy6g2aUU-y1N9qD4XXlbvvJfNlJ1jCQYpZ9c9ydnC7zuB9c56jgUhyP_j7fLFKIqgYB-xiqH2UbZn1XeYSGEbOCykFjBpvyh9lzCC/s1600/Pteleon_Illus_2+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxFJLyFwOrt7QbcbkNH-ywjh0lGxOLRooYnjpnYrHy6g2aUU-y1N9qD4XXlbvvJfNlJ1jCQYpZ9c9ydnC7zuB9c56jgUhyP_j7fLFKIqgYB-xiqH2UbZn1XeYSGEbOCykFjBpvyh9lzCC/s640/Pteleon_Illus_2+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 2 The Interment area of Pteleon. It is at the foot of the habitation hill on the west.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In this illustration I have recreated the interment area of ancient Pteleon as best I could. I followed Pelon's description:<br />
<br />
"... tholos B is 20 m. to the east of this 'magoula', in the area of the Middle Helladic tombs, <i>tholoi </i>C and D are some 60 and 90 m. towards the north-west and, finally, tholos A is some 50 meters to the south-west of tholos C."[3]<br />
<br />
Pelon uses the term 'magoula' for the Gritsa Hill. A magoula is a habitation mound, mostly or entirely formed from habitation layers over many generations. Magoulas are numerous in Thessaly; usually they are originally Neolithic. But Gritsa Hill is not a magoula; just a naturally occurring hill.<br />
<br />
I have located the several tholoi in illustration two based on what can be seen in the aerial photograph as well as Pelon's directions. They are:<br />
<br />
Name Key no. Latitude Longitude Error Term in m. Date (from Pelon, 251)<br />
Tholos A C1689 39.023105 N, 22.947358 E 20 LHIIIA2 - LHIIIC1 <br />
Tholos B C1304 39.023257 N, 22.948664 E 10 LHIIIC1<br />
Tholos C C1687 39.023423 N, 22.947771 E 10 LHIIIB - LHIIIC<br />
Tholos D C1688 39.023507 N, 22.947621 E 15 LHIIIC<br />
<br />
There's a fifth tholos which Pelon calls 'Tholos E'.<br />
<br />
There's just one problem. I can't locate it.<br />
<br />
Pelon describes tholos E like this:<br />
<br />
"The fifth tomb which, according to Hope Simpson, may be considered as constituting part of the same group, is built on the summit of a little hill to the north of the neighboring village of Ayios Theodoros, at a place called Metaphio."[4]<br />
<br />
Let's back out a little and look at the whole area:<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCskgTAb8wLAwOhAG47tSTlxRTl-QcJyDisFOxay0lysAaL6_mPWWQWpa6affTKhALv7bS5vA6KwEvKhQRufmLaXcF6feiBCwHOKFfucFM_iAo4rDK4URk9nhF_legkdDEYqGB2_BjwMn0/s1600/Pteleon_Illus_3+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCskgTAb8wLAwOhAG47tSTlxRTl-QcJyDisFOxay0lysAaL6_mPWWQWpa6affTKhALv7bS5vA6KwEvKhQRufmLaXcF6feiBCwHOKFfucFM_iAo4rDK4URk9nhF_legkdDEYqGB2_BjwMn0/s640/Pteleon_Illus_3+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 3. Gritsa Hill from the south. Pteleon Bay (E) to the right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just south of Gritsa Hill is a junction. The main road continues on to the little town of Ayios Theodoros. The branch road, coming to the center bottom of Illustration 3, goes on to the town of Achilleo which sits on the edge of Pteleon Bay. At that junction are two signs. Sign A, labelled 'Mycenaean Tholos Tombs' points back to the interment area of Gritsa Hill which I was just discussing. The other sign, Sign B, is labelled 'Mycenaean Tholos Tomb' (notice: singlar) and points south down the main road towards Ayios Theodoros.<br />
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I show Sign B (39.016862° N, 22.944132° E) in the next illustration:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBigWegOqo3on540xv9uXPaYMBrTxhi23VaffeOy5pGaD7641ZhSsZZwFXpZsEfx_kNOPh0pW0V0FjxmLK0k7amT3dTLky9t7q3bw2_EnFWxf0j7nQD-C8GkVb1OiRjOkaMHrbrm0_onK-/s1600/Untitled-4+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBigWegOqo3on540xv9uXPaYMBrTxhi23VaffeOy5pGaD7641ZhSsZZwFXpZsEfx_kNOPh0pW0V0FjxmLK0k7amT3dTLky9t7q3bw2_EnFWxf0j7nQD-C8GkVb1OiRjOkaMHrbrm0_onK-/s640/Untitled-4+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 4. Facing S to Ayios Theodoros (3.6 km. distant). The sign is 'Sign B' from illus. 3.<br />
It reads: "Mycenaean Tholos Tomb".</td></tr>
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Here we're looking down the road to the south from the junction in Illus. 3. From here it is 3.6 km. to the church outside Ayios Theodoros. The sign is pointing south; it says 'Mycenaean Tholos Tomb'. This is definitely the Tholos E mentioned by Pelon simply because there are no other candidates. By a fortunate coincidence Google Street View is available for this whole stretch. I have been down the entire length yard by yard and there are no other visible signs. So where is 'Tholos E'?<br />
<br />
I'll let Simpson tell it:<br />
<br />
"A small tholos tomb was excavated here, about 2 km. northeast of Ayios Theodoros, to north of the road, and overlooking Gritsa and the bay of Pteleon. It contained Mycenaean pottery ..."[5]<br />
<br />
So, we're looking for:<br />
<br />
a. a small tholos tomb,<br />
b. 2 km. northeast of Ayios Theodoros<br />
c. North of the road<br />
d. Overlooking the hill of Gritsa<br />
e. Overlooking bay of Pteleon<br />
f. On the summit of a little hill<br />
g. Place called 'Metaphio'. (... au lieu-dit Métaphio.)<br />
<br />
Now, insofar as point g is concerned there is no trace of such a place. The name appears in the <a href="https://gazetteer.dainst.org/app/#!/show/2126810">iDAI gazetteer</a> but without a location. The compiler of that DB did not take the trouble to find out. From <a href="http://www.topoguide.gr/index-map.php">Topoguide </a>I learn that the neighboring ridge to the north-west is called 'Ornio'. The ridges towards the north-east of Ayios Theodoros (and half-way to Achillio) are called 'Dhrosia'. But Topoguide gives no name for the little ridge which I have chosen (see below) so that Topoguide is not inconsistent with the possibility that that ridge is called 'Metaphio'.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxq8BVT-sFmxYdR4G9B4JG1z5h3rucNiD13KBAUbTAR1ZH-onatZ0CciTyQSRi7jXi5w__7OmVFqiNw6xW3iHToa0PJgKKgoXTstuIuMITK11b9oBmk612QNF3DS6lVRNN_k5DIrEFgwfJ/s1600/Topoguide+Map+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxq8BVT-sFmxYdR4G9B4JG1z5h3rucNiD13KBAUbTAR1ZH-onatZ0CciTyQSRi7jXi5w__7OmVFqiNw6xW3iHToa0PJgKKgoXTstuIuMITK11b9oBmk612QNF3DS6lVRNN_k5DIrEFgwfJ/s640/Topoguide+Map+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 5. Positions of the ridges Ornio and Dhrosia to north of Ayios Theodoros.<br />
From <a href="http://www.topoguide.gr/index-map.php">Topoguide</a>.</td></tr>
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<br />
As for criterion b we're in the usual position of not knowing whether the distance is measured from the center or the closest edge of the town or, even, if the compiler intended the distance to be straight-line. I drew a 2 km. line along the main road from the northern edge of Ayios Theodoros. It looks like this:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4GMP39C2lJ1KN10f4dRqdklI-CT01RbmqsutQpCasVNvGvbDv8RC2EFm065nuQCefELifCOfsUHfgfHK9TqHNQUQ9O3_w_BY-ASyVduYxY4QHS6hJ607ujaw6OXjIrZjCkv1vpxYoa5j/s1600/Pteleon_Illus_5+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4GMP39C2lJ1KN10f4dRqdklI-CT01RbmqsutQpCasVNvGvbDv8RC2EFm065nuQCefELifCOfsUHfgfHK9TqHNQUQ9O3_w_BY-ASyVduYxY4QHS6hJ607ujaw6OXjIrZjCkv1vpxYoa5j/s640/Pteleon_Illus_5+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 6. Two km. line from Ayios Theodoros back towards the junction</td></tr>
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As we'll see, this line ends far beyond the spot which I have chosen as the most likely. We have to proceed inductively. A small tholos excavated some fifty or sixty years ago is not now going to be visible.<br />
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I have, however, a secret weapon in the attempt to find tholos E. I have a map (from Pelon) of the actual tholos along with the ground surrounding it. Here it is:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBLBJS11asgrIH7-N8lsBxObOv33Ym7kbWLZD4Xxr8FoYpYg4SMgUvAMspR7hjqko6ag_ImPKYsnRpbWM-W5hZJkrHV_Gv-YYVJ11ZEGrohEyLgKyiiR56xygnVvS0fO04LDYrlYLmXCv/s1600/Map+of+Tholos+E+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBLBJS11asgrIH7-N8lsBxObOv33Ym7kbWLZD4Xxr8FoYpYg4SMgUvAMspR7hjqko6ag_ImPKYsnRpbWM-W5hZJkrHV_Gv-YYVJ11ZEGrohEyLgKyiiR56xygnVvS0fO04LDYrlYLmXCv/s640/Map+of+Tholos+E+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illus. 7. Map of tholos E from Pelon[6]<br />
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Obviously I've made some changes to this map. I rotated it so that north is at the top of the page which makes it easier to compare to other map products such as Wikimapia, Google Earth, and Topoguide. I've added some notes in red. The tholos is in the center and there's an opening on the west which confirms that we have the map oriented in the right way. The north branch of the compass arrow is labeled (I believe) 'B' for 'βόρειος' or 'north'. It actually shows the tholos in a little valley; the ground rises to the upper left and right; that is, to the northwest and the northeast. I interpret this as rising ground because, if not, then what's depicted here is a ridge with the sides scooped away (like facing quarries) and that's just not the way the hills in this area are formed. I make the assumption that the strong road drawn at the bottom is the main road from Ayios Theodoros to the junction. Now all we have to do is find a patch of ground that resembles what we see in the map. The map shows that the ground rises on both sides of the tholos so that it sits in a little valley. If points d. and e. are true then the hill of Gritsa and the Bay of Pteleon must be visible to the north. If the map is correct then f. is false because it is not shown sitting on the summit of a little hill. The map does, however, lend support for c. because it shows the tholos on the north side of a road.<br />
<br />
On this entire road the only location I see that fits these criteria is at<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6u9t9jbINPqtiP0j53-lP3XjiBQC4jhd50TP2tEwKwNAo1YIdbKsKqoYRjOb6g0AqHnF5oobZwC4pX-Z3n3znuesd6K1u90RtqKdatvZEYxmX-wPio6djommRaj5GpQnK2OEhF15HVQWT/s1600/Pteleon_Illus_6+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6u9t9jbINPqtiP0j53-lP3XjiBQC4jhd50TP2tEwKwNAo1YIdbKsKqoYRjOb6g0AqHnF5oobZwC4pX-Z3n3znuesd6K1u90RtqKdatvZEYxmX-wPio6djommRaj5GpQnK2OEhF15HVQWT/s640/Pteleon_Illus_6+copy.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 8. Proposed location for Tholos E with reference to map in Illlustration 6.</td></tr>
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There are many things to be said for this location. First the proposed location sits at the bottom of a small valley between rising ground to the E and W. The road segment looks more like the sketch map than any other part of this road. There's even a small field trail on the left (W) side approximately as shown on the map.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiEs4bqa5T5Vcag0F4Dkiq_napZVcJWD3bPZ5rnlXzcT6szuzja7lR6EpbQNrWLjpiBhtdCFxSY_beUJQ0UAEkE1cQj_OPrl4qWcWw6ceL3KyL9ylrl0TpW7jinsUDMQCNk9qYSsvd5F2/s1600/Pteleon_Illus_8+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiEs4bqa5T5Vcag0F4Dkiq_napZVcJWD3bPZ5rnlXzcT6szuzja7lR6EpbQNrWLjpiBhtdCFxSY_beUJQ0UAEkE1cQj_OPrl4qWcWw6ceL3KyL9ylrl0TpW7jinsUDMQCNk9qYSsvd5F2/s640/Pteleon_Illus_8+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 9. Proposed location of Tholos E with view to north.</td></tr>
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In Illustration 9 I show what this would look like from above the ridges. The position of Tholos E is marked and I've placed the letter 'o' in the closest position which would allow a view of Pteleon Bay and Gritsa Hill (which are also labelled). From the position I've given to Tholos E to the letter 'o' is a little over 100 m. in a straight line. <br />
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As I said, this location satisfies most of the criteria along with the map. I give the tentative information for tholos E as:<br />
<br />
Name Key no. Latitude Longitude Error Term in m. Date (from Pelon, 251)<br />
Tholos E C1689 39.006459° N 22.932909° E 50 LHIIIA2 <br />
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Objections could be raised for this proposed placement of mine. For example the road as shown in the sketch map in Illustration 7 is oriented NE-SW (It is shown oriented, perhaps, 60°). In reality the segment of road I've chosen is oriented slightly NW-SE (about 101.8°). These little sketch maps may not always be the most accurate guides. In my previous post on the little <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-stone-circle-of-manesimavrolongos.html">stone circle at Manesi</a> there was another, more serious, example of such a rotational inaccuracy.<br />
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That's my best shot. I could easily be wrong about this so if you know better where this little tholos is then please write to me. I'm bobconsoli 'at' gmail.com<br />
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You can also just leave a comment at the bottom of this post and I hope you will.<br />
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And, by the way, thank-you to all of my faithful readers in 2016. I wish all of you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: justify;">If you like this post please follow me on Twitter. I'm </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Squinchpix" style="background-color: white; color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;">squinchpix</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: justify;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: justify;">Also I'm on </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/110185145622600129937" style="background-color: white; color: #009eb8; display: inline; outline: none; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;">Google Plus</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: justify;"> and I welcome followers.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: justify;">And, regrettably, also on Facebook. There I'm Robert Consoli.</span></span><br />
<br />
<b>Notes</b><br />
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[1] Simpson [1981], 'H 11 Pteleon: Gritsa', 164.<br />
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[2] My translation. Pelon [1976] '41. Pteleon', p. 248.<br />
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[3] Pelon [1976] '41. Pteleon', p. 248.<br />
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[4] <i>Idem</i>.<br />
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[5] Simpson [1981], 'H 12 Pteleon: Ayios Theodoros', 164. See also Ålin [1962] 146, 'Ajioi Theodoroi'. "A town in the neighborhood of Pteleon. On a little hill just north of the road, two km. before the town, Verdelis excavated a tholos tomb which had no relieving triangle. It contained six burials and ceramics from the LHIIIA." My translation.<br />
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[6] Pelon [1976], llus. CXXIII. Reproduced by him from Verdelis [1952]. PAE, 1952, pl. 2, facing p. 192. PAE is the <i>Praktika tis en Athenais Archaiologikis Etaireias</i> (<span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">Πρακτικα της εν Αθηναις Αρχαιολογικη Εταιρειας</span>) which is <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/12/athenian-archaeological-society-journal.html">now online</a>. Verdelis is the original excavator. I have since found this diagram in Verdelis' article which is <a href="http://ir.lib.uth.gr/handle/11615/3688">online here</a>. The diagram in the original article is rather more readable.<br />
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<b>Bibliography</b><br />
<br />
<b>Ålin [1962]</b>: Ålin, Per. <i>Das Ende der Mykenischen Fundstätten auf dem Griechischen Festland.</i><br />
Carl Bloms Boktryckeri A.-B., Lund, 1962.<br />
<br />
<b>Pelon [1976]</b>: Pelon, Olivier. <i>Tholoi, tumuli et cercles funéraires; Recherches sur les monuments funéraires de plan circulaire dan l'Égée de l'Âge du Bronze (IIIe at IIe millénaires av. J.-C). </i> Bibliothèques de l'École française d'Athènes et de Rome - Série Athènes, 229. 1976. <a href="http://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=BefarA&volume_number=229&ce=v3j77l0brlqal7p18vea6hb82q71bun4&sp=3">Online here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Simpson [1981]</b>: Simpson, Richard Hope. <i>Mycenaean Greece</i>. Park Ridge, New Jersey:Noyes Press, 1981.<br />
<br />
<b>Verdelis [1951]</b>: Verdelis, N. M., "3. Mycenaean tholos tomb by Agios Theodoros", <i>Praktika tis en Athenais Archaiologikis Etaireias</i>, pp. 150-154. 1951. <a href="http://ir.lib.uth.gr/handle/11615/9813">Online here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Verdelis [1952]</b>: Verdelis, N. M., "7. Excavations in Thessaly", 1952. <i>Praktika tis en Athenais Archaiologikis Etaireias</i>, pp. 164 ff., <a href="http://ir.lib.uth.gr/handle/11615/3688">Online here</a>.<br />
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<br />Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-52154451834479175732016-12-30T12:15:00.001-08:002016-12-31T11:23:02.830-08:00Athenian Archaeological Society journal is online<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gs19PQ7miLQ/WGa_YCCztoI/AAAAAAAAIrY/gZ11yQA1rY0h5mYcTNf0tSuKJD0e3ObYwCLcB/s1600/Prakt_Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gs19PQ7miLQ/WGa_YCCztoI/AAAAAAAAIrY/gZ11yQA1rY0h5mYcTNf0tSuKJD0e3ObYwCLcB/s1600/Prakt_Image.jpg" /></a></div>
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It looks like the journal of the Athenian Archaeological Society: Πρακτικα της εν Αθηναις Αρχαιολογικη Εταιρειας is now <a href="http://ir.lib.uth.gr/handle/11615/3268/browse">online here</a>.Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-60368776840459990662016-12-18T10:12:00.001-08:002016-12-18T10:12:53.599-08:00The Stone Circle of Manesi/Mavrolongos (C424)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a previous post I <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/02/hunting-wily-mycenaean-tomb.html">blogged</a> about the stone circle of Manesi/Mavrolongos (C424). Now we're fortunate enough to have photographs of this stone circle thanks to a good friend and correspondent in Greece. </div>
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Feature C424 is located just north of the town of Manesi in Messenia. On the following map I show Manesi relative to the Gulf of Messenia and Kalamata. It sits in the foothills near the western edge of the Pamisos plain.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gyzTFRmmdy4/WFax43UsogI/AAAAAAAAIiY/-eStFzliEMIEapw8pzeaM4FIZ3VkwHzUACLcB/s1600/Messenia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gyzTFRmmdy4/WFax43UsogI/AAAAAAAAIiY/-eStFzliEMIEapw8pzeaM4FIZ3VkwHzUACLcB/s640/Messenia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map 1. The town of Manesi relative to the Gulf of Messenia and Kalamata.</td></tr>
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The feature (C424), a simple stone circle, is almost exactly one kilometer north of Manesi . I show its location in Map 2. The position of this circle is: 37.09456 N, 21.896666 E.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O_-iheDzySM/WFbFZRnANjI/AAAAAAAAIjE/hqFFtXMZMjsMPxmE5EIS88KMBAxsKFCBQCLcB/s1600/Manesi_Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O_-iheDzySM/WFbFZRnANjI/AAAAAAAAIjE/hqFFtXMZMjsMPxmE5EIS88KMBAxsKFCBQCLcB/s640/Manesi_Map.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map 2. The town of Manesi (F270) with the stone circle (C424) one km. to its north.</td></tr>
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This circle seems quite clearly to be the base of a simple domed structure used as a tomb.[1] Because of its ruined and stripped state it has been difficult to date it; the investigator was not even certain that it is Bronze Age. Some sherds found there in 1992 were post-Mycenaean. Zavadil says that the landowner had found sherds in previous years which could mostly be dated to the Bronze Age. [2] That it was actually a small tomb is confirmed by the fact that bones were discovered during an excavation in 1995 by the investigator, G. Chatzi-Spiliopoulou.</div>
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The general situation of the circle is shown in a clip from Google Street View:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ic1vMAx489U/WFbIOK4QUEI/AAAAAAAAIjQ/PLPwLi_7yVgezFy4dGNKMsOA46REvUbSQCLcB/s1600/WithNArrow_on_road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ic1vMAx489U/WFbIOK4QUEI/AAAAAAAAIjQ/PLPwLi_7yVgezFy4dGNKMsOA46REvUbSQCLcB/s640/WithNArrow_on_road.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. In this photo from Google Street view we're looking NNE. The pile of rubbish<br />at the end of the blue arrow is the stone circle we're looking for. It is currently<br />surrounded by a grove of figs.</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">The pile of rubbish to which the blue arrow in fig. 1 points is our stone circle. In the past it has been used as a field rubbish dump. For a time, according to sources, it was used for drying grapes. There is a vineyard just on the other side of the road but this stone circle is quite small to be used in industrial raisin production. I think that for the most part the landowner has simply ignored it.</span></div>
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What did it look like when it was excavated? Here's a drawing of the circle (to which I have added colored mark-ups) provided by the principal investigator, G. Chatzi-Spiliopoulou, during the 90's.[3]</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RC5vvjEtqY/WFU3z-PQ0nI/AAAAAAAAIgk/duOkE9C3uwg78FK6h16rT0nCBEmfcoYnQCLcB/s1600/Manesi_Numbered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RC5vvjEtqY/WFU3z-PQ0nI/AAAAAAAAIgk/duOkE9C3uwg78FK6h16rT0nCBEmfcoYnQCLcB/s640/Manesi_Numbered.jpg" width="504" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 2. The circle as drawn in the early 1990's.<br />
Arrow indicates actual north. Blue line separates preserved (right) from not preserved<br />
or not visible (left). Elements 16,17,18, and 19 are closest to road which is directly to the west.</td></tr>
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By my measurement in Google Earth the circle has an outer diameter of 4.74 meters. Dr. Michaela Zavadil reports an inner diameter of 3.6 meters.[4] It is about 5.55 m. to the east of a road that runs past it north-south.<br />
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In fig. 2 I have numbered the stones clockwise from lower left. The numbers are sequential ordinals; they have no other significance. I see thirty-one significant elements in the diagram with a section that I labelled 'fragments' between elements 20 and 21. (As I continue to look at the photos I see that we might place 20A and 20B between 20 and 21) True north is indicated by my red 'N' arrow. This is about 90 degrees away from north according to the original drawing. The direction of the road (west) is indicated by the arrow labelled 'road'. Elements right of the blue line are preserved; those to the left of it are either not preserved or not visible in these photographs by virtue of their being overgrown. The original excavator wrote that the circle was interrupted on the SSE[5]. In fact the broken part of the circle is the E and ENE portion, consistent with the 90° counter-clockwise rotation of the drawing with respect to the reality.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZG-yFE3YUFc/WFU6kDatdkI/AAAAAAAAIg4/-7xClieTJ7Y-oMvEedYQmyLPMd42u7YVQCLcB/s1600/Stones_All_Numbered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZG-yFE3YUFc/WFU6kDatdkI/AAAAAAAAIg4/-7xClieTJ7Y-oMvEedYQmyLPMd42u7YVQCLcB/s640/Stones_All_Numbered.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 3. Looking NW. Stones numbered corresponding to the drawing.<br />
Notice the north-south running road in BG. North is to the right<br />
and parallel to the road.</td></tr>
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I next tried to match the stones on the ground with the stones in fig. 2. The result is here in fig. 3. In this figure stones labelled A, B, and C are random and might have any origin; they have not been matched to the drawing. Stone 17 is shown in parentheses by which I mean to indicate that there should a stone here but I do not recognize it in the photograph. <br />
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Notice the north-south running road in the background of fig. 3. Elements 16-20 are closest to the road and so that makes them the west side of the circle. This conflicts with the diagram which would have elements 5 through 8 (not visible in these photos) be closest to the west (the road). The photographs clearly show that elements 25 through 27 are closest to north, not elements 15 through 18 as the diagram would have it. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tq7s_ipBcUA/WFU9ljs2rcI/AAAAAAAAIhM/fOrYfp5wKEkoHFfq-iIbPQpEcpqi4K1oACLcB/s1600/150213_Numbered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tq7s_ipBcUA/WFU9ljs2rcI/AAAAAAAAIhM/fOrYfp5wKEkoHFfq-iIbPQpEcpqi4K1oACLcB/s640/150213_Numbered.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Fig. 4. Looking N and NE. All visible elements numbered as per the drawing in fig. 1.<br />
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In fig. 4 we have a good view of all the visible elements. (14) and 15 are not labelled but elements 16 through 27 are quite plain.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-InM0sNeDpuw/WFbCJDJpbxI/AAAAAAAAIi4/9wda_W_hDqgB0IRStiSI7B6cVT3CniPawCLcB/s1600/LookingS%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-InM0sNeDpuw/WFbCJDJpbxI/AAAAAAAAIi4/9wda_W_hDqgB0IRStiSI7B6cVT3CniPawCLcB/s640/LookingS%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 5. The stone circle. Viewer facing S. Neglect has led to the <br />deterioration of the entire S and SW (upper C and upper R) portion.</td></tr>
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In this photo the section that I labelled 'fragments' resolves more clearly into two additional stones (not including A) between elements 20 and 21. They are easier to see from this angle. They probably should be labelled 20A and 20B. The important thing in fig. 5 is the near disappearance of the south side of the stone ring. My correspondent was not allowed to clear weeds and could not definitely vouch for the idea that the stones are simply overgrown. His general impression was that the south and south-west side of the ring is in inferior condition compared to the rest.<br />
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Here is a panorama of the south side which I generated from two of my source's pictures:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-09lkMSeE7_A/WFbNMU_x7zI/AAAAAAAAIjg/NdOF9NF2HKo0AsLzY0AHD9Sxh2El_CHNQCLcB/s1600/New_Manesi_1_stitch%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-09lkMSeE7_A/WFbNMU_x7zI/AAAAAAAAIjg/NdOF9NF2HKo0AsLzY0AHD9Sxh2El_CHNQCLcB/s640/New_Manesi_1_stitch%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 6. This large stone in the center of the photo might be element 1.</td></tr>
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In this photo the south side of the circle is jumbled at best. The reddish lambda-shaped stone in the center faces element 21 on the other side of the circle. It might be a candidate for elements 1 or 2. The fallen stone at the center bottom of fig. 6 is, conceivably, a better candidate for element 1. But these are guesses only.<br />
<br />In the following photos my source has provided close-ups.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iXIiiIQ6hXI/WFU87q88A8I/AAAAAAAAIhE/Qo6OR23h-0wdCMprCDm_IoOTQsdLaGvowCLcB/s1600/150142_Numbered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iXIiiIQ6hXI/WFU87q88A8I/AAAAAAAAIhE/Qo6OR23h-0wdCMprCDm_IoOTQsdLaGvowCLcB/s640/150142_Numbered.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 7. Elements (14) through 21. Western portion.</td></tr>
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Fig. 7 shows the western portion of the circle. It depicts elements (14) (not visible) through 21 including the gap between 20 and 21. The original investigator said that three courses of stone were visible. If, however, we count stones 21 through 27 then for part of the circle four courses are plainly visible. North is to the right.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--d9yZEOPeYs/WFU-1VvT4WI/AAAAAAAAIhc/MJ7qpv0vv-cS79o8CcxNpkccyCbyfV5kQCLcB/s1600/PC150141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--d9yZEOPeYs/WFU-1VvT4WI/AAAAAAAAIhc/MJ7qpv0vv-cS79o8CcxNpkccyCbyfV5kQCLcB/s640/PC150141.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 8. Elements 24 through (28). Northern portion.</td></tr>
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In fig. 8 we see a close-up of elements 24 through (28) which are those closest to north. The four visible courses are clear only in this part of the circle. The circle seems to have no specific prepared base or it was not visible. The original floor <i>might</i> have been tamped earth. The stones of which the circle is composed appear to be about 0.3 to 1.0 m. in length and, perhaps, 20 to 30 cm. in width. They are carefully stacked and fitted. They are not cut. The spaces in between the larger stones are wedged in with small stones.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsXWm--0sMQ/WFVDQ-OI6tI/AAAAAAAAIhs/5Imn1ra4bAIKqY8OFSLuodnNr6ftUsVzgCLcB/s1600/Preserved_Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsXWm--0sMQ/WFVDQ-OI6tI/AAAAAAAAIhs/5Imn1ra4bAIKqY8OFSLuodnNr6ftUsVzgCLcB/s640/Preserved_Map.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 9. From Google Earth. Imagery of 11/09/2013. <br />
Blue line here corresponds to blue line in Fig. 1. <br />
The parts of the circle above (N) of the line are visible and preserved. <br />
Parts below the line are not preserved or not currently visible.</td></tr>
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In fig. 9 we look at the circle from above. I have placed numbers for where elements (1), (8), 18, and 26 should be. The blue line corresponds to the blue line in fig. 1; here the area above the line (to its north) is preserved and the area beneath the line is either not visible or not preserved.<br />
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Since the drawing was made in the 1990's (and even since the Google Earth photo was taken in 2013) it appears that some more of this circle has disappeared either from deliberate destruction or through neglect. I hope that steps can be taken to preserve this little circle before it disappears forever.<br />
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If you like this post please follow me on Twitter. I'm <a href="https://twitter.com/Squinchpix">squinchpix</a>.<br />
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And, regrettably, also on Facebook. There I'm Robert Consoli.<br />
<br />
The site count for Bronze Age sites in the Mycenaean Atlas Project has just passed 1500. Anyone who would like text files of the Mycenaean Atlas Project (importable to Google Earth) may have them for the asking. Anyone with a SQL server (like MySql) can have the entire DB for the asking. Send me e-mail at rconsoli 'at' yahoo.com or bobconsoli 'at' gmail.com Or leave a comment to this post. I welcome comments so don't spare them.<br />
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Notes<br />
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[1] Zavadil [2012] 494, "Nach einer ersten Besichtigung äußerte G. Chatzi-Spiliopoulou die Vermu-<br />
tung, daß es sich um die Ruine eines kleinen Kuppelgrabes ..."<br />
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[2] Zavadil [2012] 494, "Scherben, die vor Jahren vom Grundbesitzer in Mavrolongos ge-<br />
funden worden waren, konnten zum größten Teil als bronzezeitlich identifiziert werden."<br />
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[3] Zavadil [2012] 675, Abb. 57. Dr. Zavadil's source is G. Chatzi-Spiliopoulou which she lists as: Chatzi-Spiliopoulou, ADelt 47, 1992 [1997], B’1, 125f. I do not have access to this.<br />
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[4] Zavadil [2012] 494, "Maße : Kammer?: Dm = 3,60 m; erh. h = 0,80 m."<br />
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[5] Zavadil [2012] 494, "Die Steinsetzung war in ihrem SSO-Teil unterbrochen, was vielleicht auf die Aktivitäten des Grundbesitzers zurückgeführt werden kann."<br />
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Bibliography<br />
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Zavadil [2012]: Zavadil, Michaela. <i>Monumenta: Studien zu mittel- und späthelladischen Gräbern in Messenien.</i> Wien:Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkschriften. 2012.<br />
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<br />Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-72739667649650619582016-12-14T22:45:00.000-08:002016-12-14T22:58:51.093-08:00Mycenaean Atlas Project: StatusI'm currently adding points in Phocis and Phthiotis to the Mycenaean Atlas database. Here's a shot of the southern Argolid with the Mycenaean find spots marked in blue. The cluster of dots in the lower south-east part of the Argolid represents Jameson [1994].<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w136zctjYes/WFI65yFGrLI/AAAAAAAAIfo/LbHZlFi-eRgphH76A56qCYZPDvQpeT-eQCLcB/s1600/Untitled-1%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w136zctjYes/WFI65yFGrLI/AAAAAAAAIfo/LbHZlFi-eRgphH76A56qCYZPDvQpeT-eQCLcB/s640/Untitled-1%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Argolid as seen from the south. Blue dots are Mycenaean find spots.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E5MRIjsJw1Q/WFI-zn1mLfI/AAAAAAAAIf0/FFv71DofZGAu_8-3vvfhemn97LD7-zyPwCLcB/s1600/From_Anatolia%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E5MRIjsJw1Q/WFI-zn1mLfI/AAAAAAAAIf0/FFv71DofZGAu_8-3vvfhemn97LD7-zyPwCLcB/s640/From_Anatolia%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anatolia (Right Foreground), Rhodes (Left center bottom). Continental Greece in distance.</td></tr>
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Anyone who wants importable files (.sql) or the entire database can have it for the asking. I'm always looking for enthusiasts. Leave a comment here or e-mail me at bobconsoli at gmail.com.<br />
<br />
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Squinchpix<br />
or on Google+: Robert Consoli<br />
<br />
Bibliography<br />
<br />
Jameson [1994]: Jameson, Michael H, Curtis N. Runnels, Tjeerd H. van Andel, "<i><b>A Greek Countryside; The Southern Argolid from Prehistory to the Present Day</b></i>, Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 1994. 978-0804716086<br />
<br />Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-43042273029404494002016-12-04T11:55:00.000-08:002017-05-20T11:52:17.217-07:00Accuracy vs. Precision in the Mycenaean Atlas Project<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; white-space: normal;">"You're traveling through another dimension, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; white-space: normal;">a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; white-space: normal;">A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; white-space: normal;">are that of imagination. That's the signpost up </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; white-space: normal;">ahead - your next stop, the Twilight Zone."</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rod Serling</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/11/tholos-i-at-malthi-c1207.html">In a recent post</a> I talked a little about how precise ideal lat/lon pairs are. One thing I said was that a measurement to one one-millionth of a degree resolves to about four inches in latitude and longitude (4.4 in. in latitude equals 11.176 cm). Any system that provides measurements like that is said to have a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>precision </i></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of one one millionth of a degree.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In that discussion I ignored the difference between accuracy and precision. The lat/lon pairs I provide from Google Earth have a precision of</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> one one-millionth of a deg</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ree. But there’s the additional question of Google’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>accuracy</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Imagine that Google Earth was a giant machine for producing lat/lon pairs. How accurate are those pairs when they come out of the machine? How close do these pairs come to an idealized model of the earth? Do Google's numbers accuracy match their precision of representation? No. It appears that they don't.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the same as asking how well Google has fitted its source photography to an accurate mathematical representation of the earth. Do the photographs match the ideal grid of the earth itself? This is a question worth asking because many operations have to be performed on the aerial photography before it’s presented online.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For a brief tour of orthorectification issues <a href="http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2015/10/google-earth-measurement-image-alignment.html">see this</a>. In <a href="http://revistas.ufpr.br/bcg/article/download/34875/21643">this study</a> the authors checked how well Google's lat/lon pairs matched up with lat/lon pairs from a verified data set. The whole article is worth reading. Their conclusion?</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Using accurate field and photogrammetric measurements (extracted from a cadastral database) as the reference dataset and comparing them against well-defined and inferred locations (CPs) in GE’s medium and high resolution imagery, the estimated horizontal positional accuracy of GE’s imagery over rural areas (5.0 m RMSEr) was found to meet the horizontal accuracy requirements of the ASPRS (1990) for the production of “Class 1” 1:20,000 maps. "[1]</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">T</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">he RMSEr is an estimator of the standard deviation based on model results. So you could, as a rule of thumb, think of 5 m. as the standard deviation of Google's modeling error. This would mean that 68% of the time the Google lat/lon pair is within 5 m. of the actual position of the sought-after object and about 32% of the time it's further away than 5 m.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But the authors also add some cautions:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"However, the results also suggest that this accuracy requirement might not be met for rural areas if coordinates are extracted only from GE’s medium resolution imagery or from imagery collected before 2008. Furthermore, despite the results presented here, GE’s imagery should be used with caution due to the presence of large georegistration errors in both GE’s medium and high resolution imagery."[2]</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In other words we are being warned against actual positioning and alignment errors in Google Earth's images. This can be easily seen if you pick a specific feature on an image and then drop a marker on it for each of Google's available images at that location. Let's look at an example. Here we have a church in Messenia called the Panagia </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(37.033444°, 21.737154°). If you look into the field across the road you see a circular field feature (I think that it's a well).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQeeYKFu7hmIpgn850E_K_qiQp3f1rXus8U5cYo8uWDlDIPBabI4YP7hHV8xs9dEhyKvTV7r0v8oISE2SAGnrftfXW5aiDzDJfgpDnA18o2Tdv9e2KFM7oKpQtwmewI1Mh3Dzf0JO7DYg/s1600/Untitled-1+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQeeYKFu7hmIpgn850E_K_qiQp3f1rXus8U5cYo8uWDlDIPBabI4YP7hHV8xs9dEhyKvTV7r0v8oISE2SAGnrftfXW5aiDzDJfgpDnA18o2Tdv9e2KFM7oKpQtwmewI1Mh3Dzf0JO7DYg/s640/Untitled-1+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I brought up the 'Show historical imagery' slider and marked that well on each layer. The result was this:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaBXILJNLb0Nxh68FUPCP4sJOtw-4t4KYjihdWE9pL075jP9MjyiOZ_jdn2KAqKg9o12liPKLRLTkZVUaLMAA44Wxi9dPdM-sMCqtlBJTJKjtkcAC9QZFoxjH9FgH3WVqUsaIU5pVOpHG/s1600/Untitled-1+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaBXILJNLb0Nxh68FUPCP4sJOtw-4t4KYjihdWE9pL075jP9MjyiOZ_jdn2KAqKg9o12liPKLRLTkZVUaLMAA44Wxi9dPdM-sMCqtlBJTJKjtkcAC9QZFoxjH9FgH3WVqUsaIU5pVOpHG/s640/Untitled-1+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Positions of a field feature based on four different available images in Google Earth</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here we see that the field feature (along with everything else) appears to drift and to appear to be associated to different lat/lon pairs depending on the date. The <i>radius </i>of the circle which includes them all is 11.32 meters. So, there's some surprising drift in Google's image alignments. Not fatal but something to take account of.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And just to emphasize what's going on I also show just the image from the May 20, 2003 plate:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzA5YKskfu-c5zzHfgp4t3mAJ3oY_VjqKvLuIJMQN-oTRp5qiSvmktaBNCXHGP5WYot483Nfghir6P9YRWNtRniIDKHS1EsrcMz5ioVxTriIhlCiUgufE_3PlskcM3dqpvKzNAZNev0dR/s1600/Untitled-1+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzA5YKskfu-c5zzHfgp4t3mAJ3oY_VjqKvLuIJMQN-oTRp5qiSvmktaBNCXHGP5WYot483Nfghir6P9YRWNtRniIDKHS1EsrcMz5ioVxTriIhlCiUgufE_3PlskcM3dqpvKzNAZNev0dR/s640/Untitled-1+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here the entire image has 'drifted' under the markers (which are fixed) until the<br />
5/20/2003 marker is over the field feature. Notice the displacement of the 'Panagia' label<br />
which should be over the right-side building on the upper left. This label is displaced nearly <br />
22 m. from where it started.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So there are several potential sources of error in my DB lat/lon. The first is the degree of Google’s fidelity to an underlying model of the earth's surface, the second consists of Google's alignment of its images. I should just wrap this up by saying that even though GE provides measurements with a <b>precision </b>of 10^(-6) or one one-millionth of a degree (i.e. about 4 inches) the <b>accuracy </b>it provides is, perhaps, a little better than 10⌃(-4) or one ten-thousandth of a degree which at 37 degrees north latitude is about 353 inches (8.96 meters). And this does not take into account imagery offsets.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The third kind of error is the error I introduce when I choose a lat/lon pair to represent a gazetteer entry.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For my general concept of my own 'Introduced' error let's say that we were looking for the field feature mentioned above (the well) and I had only this (entirely made-up) written description as to its whereabouts:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"The church of the Panagia is a kilometer or so to the northeast of the town of Myrsinochori. About 20 or 30 m. to the east of the driveway leading to the church there is a field feature which consists of a stone circle. It is about 10 m. south of the road ..."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, given that I could find the Church of the Panagia at all (it is 1200+ m. in a straight line from the northeast edge of Myrsinochori to the church and nearer 1500 m. by road) I would proceed to follow the directions and mark my field feature in good faith like this (I'm pretending that I can't actually see the feature in GE):</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_r1IKLxrIJ2bjfd18aMJiUpAmIdoN6-FLJAYAVLMUazIxzIAYeB2UDKqnhIed-rDwkYRvAFb_QjB8c119ROdmQ7MdfiFjjd44w1FMs3Xx03e_r7K2o99bfQAJtCcApWjR4I_2h_nMhlj/s1600/Positioning+a+Push+Pin+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_r1IKLxrIJ2bjfd18aMJiUpAmIdoN6-FLJAYAVLMUazIxzIAYeB2UDKqnhIed-rDwkYRvAFb_QjB8c119ROdmQ7MdfiFjjd44w1FMs3Xx03e_r7K2o99bfQAJtCcApWjR4I_2h_nMhlj/s640/Positioning+a+Push+Pin+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this map the 'H Line' is 25 m. in length (halfway between 'twenty or thirty' meters). The 'V Line' is 10 m. in length. After having drawn both those lines (and, I emphasize, based on the written description) I would put a marker at the S end of the vertical line and advertise the lat/lon pair of that push pin as the location of the sought-for feature. If I had really proceeded like this I might very well feel that my mark was within ten meters of the real feature. And I would associate my lat/lon pair (at the yellow push-pin) with an introduced error term of ten meters. In this case I drew a circle with a ten meter radius centered at the push pin. This circle does, indeed, touch the field feature I'm trying to mark. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This introduced </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">error term is intended to reflect </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">how well I think I’ve located the object of interest. I have defined this error term as the radius of a circle, in meters, centered exactly at my lat/lon pair and which covers some part of the sought-for feature. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> For example, if the feature can actually be seen in GE then I mark the feature and set the error term to zero. In that case the "real" error is reduced simply to Google’s accuracy at that point. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Given that the features are of various types a non-zero introduced error radius has several possible meanings. If my introduced error term is ten then, finding yourself exactly at my lat Lon pair means that you are distant from the object by, at most, 10 meters plus Google’s error. If Google’s error term is 5 meters then, in the worst case, you are fifteen meters away from the goal. At best the two errors would offset and you would be 5 meters from your goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I can’t see the feature but the description is constrained in some way, a cave opening or a narrow hill- or ridge-top, then I set the introduced error radius to 10, 20, or perhaps even fifty meters. When the directions available to me are imprecise but I know generally where the feature “ought to be” then I’ll set the error radius to one hundred or two hundred meters. A feature on a "hill-side" would be the classic example. Sometimes directions to a small site or find are described as being in a certain town. In such a case, and with no additional info, I will put a marker on the town but set the error term to ‘N’ or ‘unknown’. I hope it's clear, from the foregoing, that these introduced error radii are subjective only. They are merely my opinion about how well I did after taking everything into account. Of course, they’re not fixed in stone, either. If I <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/11/rethinking-valta.html">rethink</a> an area or if I receive more accurate information from someone who’s been there then the error term can be driven to zero. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In that sense they’re simply a progress report of accuracy; ultimately my introduced error radii should all be driven to 0.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remember that even small introduced error radii can specify very large areas. An error radius of ten meters describes a circle with an area of 314 square meters or 3379.0 square feet which is about half the size of the average house lot. In my DB that’s the best non-zero case. A 20 </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">meter radius specifies a circle with an area of about 1256 sq m. or 13519 square feet. This is about the size of two average house lots. A 30 meter radius specifies a circle of about 2827 sq m. A fifty m radius a circle of about 7853 sq m. If the error radius is 100 m then you should imagine a circle with the radius of a football field. On rocky and rugged terrain (not unknown in Greece) such an object is still lost. On flat terrain (the golf course at Pylos comes to mind) such a radius might be feasible. Much larger than that and you should consider the object </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> still not found in any useful field sense and you’ll want to do additional research before going out to the field.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finding something successfully also depends on what you’re looking for. There’s a huge difference between looking for a plainly visible hilltop fort on the one hand or some area where, long ago, some researcher found a single sherd. In the first case you may have sloppy and inaccurate directions but that makes no difference because you can see the feature from a kilometer away. In the second case you may have directions that are accurate </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> precise; you may reach the exact spot and stand exactly in Richard Hope Simpson’s footprints and still not be confident that you have found the right place because, on the day you’re there, no sherds are visible. In that case the error term takes on the subtle meaning of extent. It indicates over how much area I think a reported sherd scatter should extend. An introduced error term can also be interpreted as a degree of confidence. It can designate the area where I'm most confident of finding the feature but, granted, the desired feature may still be outside the circle.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This raises the question about what my lat/lon pairs are intended to facilitate, anyway. What are they </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? <span id="docs-internal-guid-e32ec7eb-c91c-a1c6-49da-cdfd0c11d72d"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">First of all I hope that they can be of some assistance to students who are reading about the Mycenaean sites and have no prior familiarity with where those sites are. I hope, also, that this DB can be of help to researchers that are planning to go into the field.</span></span> But it’s more than that. My very strong feeling is that, in the field, and no matter what you find, whether it’s a worn, barely recognizable sherd or a palace complex, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Datum One is where the object was found, exactly.</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Why is location so important when <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/12/thingsmycenologistssay.html">generations of archaeologists have supposed it to be unimportant</a>? Location is important because only that can relate your specific find to everything else. For example, how far is it on the average from a BA habitation to a water source? What’s the standard deviation of that distance? What’s the average elevation of a BA settlement, tholos, chamber tomb? Is the average habitation above or below the average BA cemetery? What’s the average distance from a habitation to its associated cemetery (when such an association can be determined)? How many BA habitations do we know that were within 100 m of the ocean? 500 m? 1000 m? Did the Mycenaeans live in the mountains? What proportion of BA habitations were obviously maritime in orientation or were not so oriented? How many habitations with a LHIIIB2 burn layer are there and how are they distributed, exactly? How about some accurate and useful maps of all those variables? </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All of the foregoing questions are quantitative questions/problems/techniques and none of them can be answered without accurate locations, and not only that but accurate locations for </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">every</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> object site in the field of study. In this respect, at least, every sherd is the equal in significance to every </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">megaron</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><br />
<br />
Here's a practical example. <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/02/hunting-wily-mycenaean-tomb.html">Earlier this year</a> Dr. Michael Galaty sent me the URL for an article that he and his colleagues had written about Mycenaean civilization's place in the World System. The article is <a href="https://www.academia.edu/11265964/Mycenaean_-scapes_Geography_Political_Economy_and_the_Eastern_Mediterranean_World-System.">here</a>. It is a very interesting article; part of its method is to calculate slopes around various Mycenaean locations in Messenia and in the Argolid. To obtain the slope for a particular place you divide the change in altitude by the change in distance over which the altitude is measured. Slope is really just the tangent of the distances involved; the lower the number the smoother the landscape; the higher the number, the steeper the landscape and when the slope approaches infinity you're dealing with a cliff or something like that. Part of Dr. Galaty's intention was to show that Messenia and the Argolid differ with respect to the generalized concept of slope in their respective landscapes. I only bring up his article in order to point out that he and his colleagues had to determine, one by one, the exact positions of the Mycenaean sites in which they were interested. As he says:<br />
<br />
"It was <i>a difficult and time-consuming process</i> to identify sites with the accuracy demanded by Geographic Information Systems (GIS), although Google Earth and Hope Simpson and Dickinson’s Gazetteer were indispensable resources in this regard. As a result, only some of the more important sites are included, and they may not be precisely located in our GIS. Though we did not visit each of them with a Global Positioning System (GPS), we are confident that our GIS database is accurate enough and our results meaningful." (emphasis is mine)<br />
<br />
I intend no criticism of this very useful article. My feeling is just that it's too bad that Dr. Galaty and his colleagues did not have access to a large accurate database of Mycenaean find spots and, consequently, had to perform a lot of work to create the DB they needed. If <i>they're</i> having this kind of difficulty then everyone in the field must be having the same difficulty.<br />
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<span class="a" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "ff3" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; height: 1px; left: 399px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 1490px; word-spacing: -6px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mycenology is a science. Experiments in science have to be repeatable. The definition of repeatable also includes, at a minimum, 'locatable'. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let's get Mycenology out of the Twilight Zone.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~~~</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify; white-space: normal;">If you like these posts then please follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/Squinchpix">Twitter (Squinchpix)</a> or on <a href="https://plus.google.com/110185145622600129937">Google+ (Robert Consoli)</a></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify; white-space: normal;">Anyone who wants a copy of my Mycenaean DB or an importable file to Google Earth with some 1400+ Mycenaean find-spots accurately located just leave a comment here or send me an e-mail at bobconsoli (at) gmail.com</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">By the way, I've just learned that Hope-Simpson and Dickinson's <a href="http://www.astromeditions.com/books/book/?artno=M52">Gazetteer</a> (1979) to which I've never had access (over $100.00 most places) is for sale, brand-new, by the publishers (Astrom Editions) for about 32 euro. With </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px;">shipping it should be around $40.00. </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Update: January 2, 2017: I've just found that Hope-Simpson/Dickinson Gazetteer is available online through <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/334796005/Gazetteer-of-Aegean-Bronze-Age-Civilization">Scribd</a>. Scribd is a subscription service and I don't subscribe but I was still able to have access to the entire document for some reason. Maybe you will too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Notes </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[1] </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paredes-Hernandez et al. [2013], p. 598.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[2] <i>Idem</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[3] Galaty [2012], 450, 'Landscapes'.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Bibliography</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Galaty [2012]</b><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Galaty, Michael L. and William A. Parkinson, Daniel J. Pullen, Rebecca M. Seifried.
"Mycenaean-scapes: Geography, Political Economy, and the Eastern Mediterranean World-System", in </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Physis. L'Environnement Naturel et la Relation Homme-Milieu dans le Monde </span></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>É</i></span></span><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">géen Protohistorique</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, pp. 449-454 and Plates CXXXVII to CXLI. In </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Actes de la 14e Rencontre égéenne internationale</i>, Paris, Institute National d'Histoire de l'Art (INHA), 11-14 décembre 2012. Edd. Gilles Touchais, Robert Laffineur et Francoise Rougement. 2012. Online </span><a href="https://www.academia.edu/11265964/Mycenaean_-scapes_Geography_Political_Economy_and_the_Eastern_Mediterranean_World-System" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Paredes-Hernandez et al. [2013]</b>: Paredes-Hernandez, Cutberto and Wilver Enrique Salinas-Castillo, Francisco Guevara-Cortina, Xicotencatl Martinez-Becerra, "Horizontal Positional Accuracy of Google Earth's Imagery over Rural Areas: A Study Case in Tamaulipas, Mexico", <i><b>Boletim de Ciências Geodésicas</b></i>, vol.19 no.4 Curitiba Oct./Dec. 2013. Online <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1982-21702013000400005">here</a>.</span></div>
Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-21858684675410969562016-12-01T11:11:00.000-08:002016-12-04T07:59:02.973-08:00In Memoriam Richard Hope Simpson<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IWlfCCLGYOY/WEQ8obcrVtI/AAAAAAAAIdo/pgdEpYS4ENkSiwTdHqEhj1CyZrOrGli-gCLcB/s1600/Turner_Ulysses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IWlfCCLGYOY/WEQ8obcrVtI/AAAAAAAAIdo/pgdEpYS4ENkSiwTdHqEhj1CyZrOrGli-gCLcB/s400/Turner_Ulysses.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ulysses deriding Polyphemus<br />
J.M.W. Turner, 1829<br />
London National Gallery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Richard Hope Simpson passed away on November 11 of this year. There's a notice on the website for the <a href="http://www.bsa.ac.uk/">British School at Athens</a>.<br />
<br />
For the last year I have spent countless hours in his company or, rather, in the company of his books. He taught me much and I am forever in his debt.<br />
<br />
He loved Homer and he loved Greece. What better epitaph?Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-51816201611992684902016-11-26T23:41:00.001-08:002016-11-27T09:03:44.267-08:00Tholos I at Malthi: C1207<br />
The position of Tholos I at Malthi is: 37.263799° N, 21.876958° E. This is accurate to about 4 inches.<br />
<br />
And I just should take a second here to talk about lat/lon pairs. In most of my posts I've tried to present such pairs (taken mostly from Google Earth) and touted them as the only responsible way to represent the positions of Mycenaean finds. How accurate are these numbers?<br />
<br />
Ordinarily I represent a position in decimal degrees: some such number as N^(-6) or N with six decimal places. Another way of saying that is one/one-millionth of a degree. How far is one/one-millionth of a degree? Well, at the equator, one degree is (25,000 / 360). This rounds off the earth's equator to 25000 miles to make the math easy (I'm too lazy to look it up and it doesn't matter to us anyway). So one degree of latitude at the equator is 69.444+ miles. In inches that's 4,400,000 inches. Dividing that by one million gives us 4.4 inches per one/one-millionth of a degree in latitude at the equator. Because all longitude lines are the same length as the equator (again - disregarding the shape of the earth) one/one-millionth of a degree in longitude is always 4.4 inches or so close as to make no never mind, as they say in my part of the country. A 'typical latitude' for the Peloponnese is, let's say, 37° N. So one/one millionth of a degree at a typical Greek latitude should be even less than 4.4 inches but how much less? We have to compute the circumference of the earth at 37° N. I just happen to know off-hand that that distance is 20,071 miles. Just kidding, I don't really know it off-hand. The function, ℂ, for the circumference of the earth at 37° north is:<br />
<br />
ℂ(37°) = 2𝛑 4000 cos(37°) ; Taking 4000 miles as the radius of the earth.<br />
<br />
One/one-millionth of that distance in latitude <i>at </i>that latitude is ≅ 3.53 inches. One/one-millionth of a degree in longitude stays the same. It is always approximately 4.4 inches. So. A lat/lon pair at that latitude specifies an area of 15.5 square inches. Good enough for us.<br />
<br />
In <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/11/malthi-dorion-settlement-c149.html">a previous post</a> I wrote about the Acropolis of Malthi and its location. Associated with that acropolis are several cemetery structures; most notably the two tholoi that sit at the western foot of the acropolis. I begin with a map of the Soulima Valley that will show you how to reach the site.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qEm-6LuXzbQ/WDm8BlgGzlI/AAAAAAAAIbM/gtdUw70E_VIk3PQJVFwocwjliynv-HerwCLcB/s1600/Map%2Bof%2BRegion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="556" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qEm-6LuXzbQ/WDm8BlgGzlI/AAAAAAAAIbM/gtdUw70E_VIk3PQJVFwocwjliynv-HerwCLcB/s640/Map%2Bof%2BRegion.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map 1. The Soulima Valley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The blue line in this map represents the main highway from Kalo Nero on the Ionian Sea as far as Vasiliko. From Kalo Nero to the turn to Malthi (in yellow) is 18.1 km. (11.25 miles). The red arrow on map 1 indicates the tholos. Once you reach Malthi you turn south and drive as the following map shows:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nVJJAWyvikI/WDm9UdZG_PI/AAAAAAAAIbU/yoGCDynL3G82FoTstUKbYj8U-7ZZ58KRgCLcB/s1600/Map%2Bof%2BTholos%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="556" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nVJJAWyvikI/WDm9UdZG_PI/AAAAAAAAIbU/yoGCDynL3G82FoTstUKbYj8U-7ZZ58KRgCLcB/s640/Map%2Bof%2BTholos%2B1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map 2. The region west of the Malthi Acropolis.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From the main road in blue you turn on the road that I've marked in yellow. I show the turn in the next photo. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4CzEW0Wbxxc/WDnApAEBa0I/AAAAAAAAIbk/m5rdltn4UwYBjcFXnTC4xgun6SUPLbE7gCLcB/s1600/Untitled-2%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4CzEW0Wbxxc/WDnApAEBa0I/AAAAAAAAIbk/m5rdltn4UwYBjcFXnTC4xgun6SUPLbE7gCLcB/s640/Untitled-2%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Sign to Malthi (circle) with turn to south (red arrow).</td></tr>
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The sign says 'Malthi 6' but the tholos is only 1216 m. or 0.76 miles from the turn.<br />
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The tholoi at Malthi were first described by Nathan Valmin in 1926.[1] He was alerted to their existence by a local school-teacher, Sotirios Papandanopoullos. I'll let Valmin tell it:<br />
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"What he had to show me was two small hills or tumuli in a corn field. He had heard some old tales about them and he had some ideas of his own that they might be treasuries or something of that kind. He told me that he had seen many such hills in other fields, and the countrymen used to tell him about people who had long ago entered some of them and found things of very great value."[2]<br />
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Valmin was able to procure funding to investigate not just these <i>tholoi </i>but also the settlement on the acropolis hill that I dealt with in a previous post.<br />
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In the next map I show the structure that covers the tholos along with a superimposed shape that replicates the size and orientation of the tholos itself:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--44qsdIuSxM/WDneil6PFCI/AAAAAAAAIcI/GOQqkFuhgWw_eXBTOYRY_w7owJNy2pu9gCLcB/s1600/Tholos_I_CU%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="536" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--44qsdIuSxM/WDneil6PFCI/AAAAAAAAIcI/GOQqkFuhgWw_eXBTOYRY_w7owJNy2pu9gCLcB/s640/Tholos_I_CU%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map 3. Valmin's Tholos I.</td></tr>
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My correspondent friend who has sent me so many pictures of the various Bronze Age sites in Messenia has sent me some for Malthi Tholos I. These were taken in what must have been the last fine days of October in the Peloponnese. The gate to the tholos was locked so all the pictures were taken from outside the perimeter fence.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oCnEFZ-0jrU/WDnPjs6h5tI/AAAAAAAAIb0/WxXWKCEkSoAaR6iHG8sv3RsBhhYgcjsJwCLcB/s1600/PA140071%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oCnEFZ-0jrU/WDnPjs6h5tI/AAAAAAAAIb0/WxXWKCEkSoAaR6iHG8sv3RsBhhYgcjsJwCLcB/s640/PA140071%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 2. Entrance to Tholos I at Malthi. Sadly locked on the occasion of the visit.<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">All rights reserved.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YaNBY9VBESw/WDnPy57a8YI/AAAAAAAAIb4/F7lY6Aqp05gNZCMj_UEIMSb_dKvFnCaGQCLcB/s1600/PA140072%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YaNBY9VBESw/WDnPy57a8YI/AAAAAAAAIb4/F7lY6Aqp05gNZCMj_UEIMSb_dKvFnCaGQCLcB/s640/PA140072%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 3. Modern cover of the chamber of Tholos I at Malthi. Viewer facing N.<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">All rights reserved.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NyBx2kpjkOc/WDneyjj_54I/AAAAAAAAIcM/sFfnZ1NanqcoPhXOf3xPbxteq7KwJI5ywCEw/s1600/PA140084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NyBx2kpjkOc/WDneyjj_54I/AAAAAAAAIcM/sFfnZ1NanqcoPhXOf3xPbxteq7KwJI5ywCEw/s640/PA140084.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 4. Tholos chamber cover with figure to indicate scale. Viewer facing S.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8-KGgZL-cLo/WDnfF2dhvdI/AAAAAAAAIcQ/icujPoYWhk8GkOaACqitCOtPl3-ITgPPwCLcB/s1600/PA140073_stitch%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8-KGgZL-cLo/WDnfF2dhvdI/AAAAAAAAIcQ/icujPoYWhk8GkOaACqitCOtPl3-ITgPPwCLcB/s640/PA140073_stitch%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 5. Cover of the <i>dromos </i>portion of the <i>tholos</i>. Viewer facing NE. Ramovouni Ridge in BG at far R.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yBvhnl972s4/WDnfm1K0WAI/AAAAAAAAIcc/M5DT1tyTSXo_GejYrAJj5WBLeCF0UOkNACLcB/s1600/Malthi_Tholos_I_B%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yBvhnl972s4/WDnfm1K0WAI/AAAAAAAAIcc/M5DT1tyTSXo_GejYrAJj5WBLeCF0UOkNACLcB/s640/Malthi_Tholos_I_B%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 6. Dromos. Viewer facing E. Ramovouni Ridge in BG.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGHBSvPjhZQ/WDnfmwx1-oI/AAAAAAAAIcY/Y2ORae0KRTAa7u8LrYmLiYAW4EGEZPIdACLcB/s1600/Malthi_Tholos_I_C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGHBSvPjhZQ/WDnfmwx1-oI/AAAAAAAAIcY/Y2ORae0KRTAa7u8LrYmLiYAW4EGEZPIdACLcB/s640/Malthi_Tholos_I_C.jpg" width="546" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 7. <i>Dromos </i>and <i>Stomion </i>with relieving triangle. Viewer facing E.<br />
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Here a couple of terms are important. First, any time you put a hole in a wall (for, e.g., nice things like doors or windows) you create a weakness, a point where the wall can fail. The danger is that the weight above the aperture will cause the top of the aperture (usually a lintel as it is here) to fail. Apparently the Mycenaeans learned this lesson early on and used a simple technique to reduce the odds of that sort of outcome. They reduced the weight above the lintel by simply removing stone and creating a space. More, they put an arch above the lintel so that the weight would be directed to the sides. Stone is resistive to compressive forces; you can pile lots of weight on a stone without crushing it. Stone is not so resistant to shearing forces - the uneven application of pressure to a stone supported only at its edges such as our lintel. Of course, the 'arch' in question isn't really an arch at all; it is not made of tightly fitting wedge-shaped <i><b><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/voussoir">voussoirs</a></b></i>. The Mycenaeans used a <b><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corbel_arch">corbelled </a></i></b>arch; one in which each row of ashlars above the lintel is edged out a little further than the row underneath. The two meeting stones at the top of the triangle push against each other and prevent the whole thing from collapsing. Such a construction is called a '<b><i>relieving triangle</i></b>'. When it takes the form of a true arch it is called a '<b><i>relieving arch</i></b>' or '<b><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discharging_arch">discharging arch</a></i></b>'. In later architecture relieving arches were sometimes embedded in the wall as you see in Fig. 8; a portion of the wall of the <i>Aula Palatina</i> in Treves. Here, the window is built with a lintel set right onto the brick. Just above it, and just to make sure, the architects embedded a <b><i>relieving arch</i></b> to move the weight away from the hole that is created by the window. This particular example shows that removing the weight of the stone might not be necessary. What's necessary is to convert the shearing force of stone resting on the lintel into a compressive force which is directed around, and away from, the opening.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vvx9L-GOAKo/WDnjwcWjWYI/AAAAAAAAIcw/n_GKva1lzWkUHcgkOTAWKo62l-N5OZ-hACLcB/s1600/Relieving_Arch_Aula_Palatina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vvx9L-GOAKo/WDnjwcWjWYI/AAAAAAAAIcw/n_GKva1lzWkUHcgkOTAWKo62l-N5OZ-hACLcB/s400/Relieving_Arch_Aula_Palatina.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 8. A relieving arch in the wall of the Aula Palatina, Treves, Germany. 4C AD. (49.75361 N, 6.64354 E)<br />
Courtesy of <a href="http://www.squinchpix.com/">SquinchPix</a>.</td></tr>
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My readers may be familiar with the famous corbelled Mycenaean bridges in the Argolid. Here is one, the 'Arkadiko', not too far from Epidauros and it shows corbelling, not with ashlars, but with rough stone. The famous 'sally port' at Mycenae is another construction of this type.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yoQv8xQgsxc/WDnlX4mObvI/AAAAAAAAIc4/HJF2BrmqXgIJ6McMFf9FqFoPYmuPnMdtwCLcB/s1600/Mycenaean%2BBridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yoQv8xQgsxc/WDnlX4mObvI/AAAAAAAAIc4/HJF2BrmqXgIJ6McMFf9FqFoPYmuPnMdtwCLcB/s400/Mycenaean%2BBridge.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 9. Mycenaean ('Arkadiko') bridge near Epidauros (37.593631 N, 22.937559 E)<br />
Courtesy of <a href="http://www.squinchpix.com/">Squinchpix</a>.</td></tr>
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And despite what I said just above I've always felt that this particular bridge isn't really corbelled at all but is half-way to using wedge-shape elements ('rustic voussoirs') to hold it together.<br />
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Ordinary corbelling is a dangerous technique and usually abandoned when the true arch makes its appearance. However, corbelling is quite common in Mycenaean architecture. When these structures were new, the hole thus created was often covered with a decorative plaque. In Greece, as I've read it anyway, the true arch doesn't make its appearance until long afterwards. The earliest instance I know of in Greece is the famous 'athlete's corridor' in Nemea from the 4C BC which I show in Fig. 10.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cwq-JBb-YM/WDnir-v5KEI/AAAAAAAAIco/e_a-_lwVcKcCe4-sBYRmW6RUJeAsMS3AwCLcB/s1600/Athletef%2527s%2BCorridor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="602" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cwq-JBb-YM/WDnir-v5KEI/AAAAAAAAIco/e_a-_lwVcKcCe4-sBYRmW6RUJeAsMS3AwCLcB/s640/Athletef%2527s%2BCorridor.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 10. Athelete's Corridor in Nemea, Argolid. (37.806776° N, 22.714363° E)<br />
Courtesy of <a href="http://www.squinchpix.com/">SquinchPix</a>.</td></tr>
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At any rate, and now that I've taken that little detour, let's get back to the Malthi tholos.<br />
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Here's a drawing of it by Valmin:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p1TSXMcMoyQ/WDqIDfX96dI/AAAAAAAAIdQ/KOR6UzJhnok58GiyEUq9yqfEIqmrPcU4ACLcB/s1600/Tholoi_1_Malthi_Drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p1TSXMcMoyQ/WDqIDfX96dI/AAAAAAAAIdQ/KOR6UzJhnok58GiyEUq9yqfEIqmrPcU4ACLcB/s640/Tholoi_1_Malthi_Drawing.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 11. Tholos I from Malthi. [3]</td></tr>
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These pictures give an admirable idea of the components of the tomb. It is, by common agreement, the best preserved tholos tomb in all of Messenia.<br />
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The tholos itself was built into level ground. After the stone was completed the entire thing was covered with an earth mound. There is a long walk-way or <i>dromos </i>(about 13 m.) that leads from W to E. At its end it narrows into a '<i>stomion</i>' or entry. The <i>dromos </i>is sealed off from the stomion by the wall and door with its relieving triangle which are plainly visible in Fig. 7. Behind the narrow <i>stomion</i> is the chamber proper. <br />
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The typical use went something like this. After death the body of the deceased was placed in the chamber with grave goods. The door of the tomb (at the <i>stomion</i>) would then be sealed up. Some time later, another death would require the tomb to be reopened. The bones of the previously deceased would now be gathered and placed either in a receptacle (such as a jar) or on a bench. The newly deceased would then be interred with fresh grave goods. For more information about Bronze Age funerary practice you can see any of my sources.<br />
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The measurements of this tholos are:[4]<br />
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position: 37.263799° N, 21.876958° E<br />
length of <i>dromos</i>: 13.5 m.<br />
width of <i>dromos</i>: 2.35 m.<br />
length of <i>stomion</i>: 3.0 m.<br />
width of <i>stomion</i> (at chamber): 1.0 m.<br />
width of <i>stomion</i> (dromos side): 1.6 m.<br />
height of <i>stomion</i>: 3.00 m.<br />
chamber diameter: 6.85 m.<br />
chamber height: 5.8 m.<br />
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You can see more pictures of Tholos I at Malthi by the indefatigable Dan Diffendale <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dandiffendale/6889029255/in/album-72157629350692301/">here</a>.<br />
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<b>Update on the Mycenaean Atlas Project:</b> I have completed much of the Greek mainland along with the Ionian islands, the Cyclades, and the Dodecanese. Currently I'm working on the Mycenaean sites on Cyprus including the famous refugee sites of Maa-Palaiokastro and Pyla-Kokkinochremos. (And see the excellent video by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyScvHvv9QE">Dr. Artemis Georgiou</a>.) Also I'm turning my attention to Crete. Anyone who wants an importable version of my DB can have it for the asking. Either append a request to this post or send me an e-mail at bobconsoli@gmail.com. By importing this file into Google Earth you'll have the most complete picture of Mycenaean civilization that I know of; currently more than 1400 places are listed with accurate lat/lon pairs.<br />
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Next time I discuss Tholos II at Malthi.<br />
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<b>Notes</b><br />
[1] Valmin [1938] 207-225. Full bibliography in Zavadil [2012], p. 567. Also Ålin [1962], 78; Pelon [1976] pp. 213-217; Boyd [1999] 640; Simpson [1981] 138, 'F 217 Vasiliko: "Malthi-Dorion"'.<br />
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[2] Valmin [1938] 1.<br />
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[3] Valmin [1938], Plan V.<br />
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[4] All measurements from Zavadil [2012] 567.<br />
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<b>Bibliography</b><br />
<br />
Ålin [1962]: Ålin, Per, <i>Das Ende der Mykenischen Fundstätten auf dem Griechischen Festland</i>. Carl Bloms Boktryckeri A.-B., Lund, 1962.<br />
<br />
Boyd [1999]: Boyd, Michael John. <i>Middle Helladic and Early Mycenaean Mortuary Customs in the Southern and Western Peloponnese</i>. University of Edinborough. Scotland. 1999.<br />
<br />
Pelon [1976]: Pelon, Olivier. <i>Tholoi, tumuli et cercles funéraires; Recherches sur les monuments funéraires de plan circulaire dan l'Égée de l'Âge du Bronze </i><i>(IIIe at IIe millénaires av. J.-C).</i> Bibliothèques de l'École française d'Athènes et de Rome - Série Athènes, 229. 1976. <a href="http://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=BefarA&volume_number=229&ce=dhlese6rq1k8p6kimecn7holmq7l94er&sp=3">Online here</a>.<br />
<br />
Simpson [1981]: Simpson, Richard Hope. <i>Mycenaean Greece.</i> Park Ridge, New Jersey:Noyes Press, 1981.<br />
<br />
Valmin [1938]: Valmin, M. Natan. <i>The Swedish Messenia Expedition with Seven Plans, Five Coloured Plates, 32 Plates, and 100 Figures in the Text</i>. Lund, C.W.K. Gleerup. 1938.<br />
<br />
Zavadil [2012]: Zavadil, Michaela. <i>Monumenta: Studien zu mittel- und späthelladischen Gräbern in Messenien</i>. Wien:Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkschriften. 2012.Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-73917846664701120962016-11-17T13:31:00.000-08:002020-07-21T23:25:12.292-07:00Rethinking Valta<div style="margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I originally blogged about the area around Valta in Messenia in February of this year. I have had reason to seriously reconsider the geography of this area as reported in Simpson and by the investigators of PRAP. This post is the result.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The modern Greek town of Valta (</span><span lang="EL" style="font-weight: normal;">Βαλτα</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">) is located (37.101769 N, 21.626205 E) on the edge of the Langkouvardos Gorge about four kilometers directly east of Langkouvardos Beach and the Mycenaean site of Ordhines and about 3.2 kilometers north of the outskirts of Gargaliani. In the Bronze Age this was the site of what appears to be two hamlets and more than one cemetery complex. It was first explored by McDonald and Hope-Simpson in the early 1960’s and it was also a focus for exploration by PRAP (<a href="http://classics.uc.edu/prap/static/sites_single.xsl-Site=K03.html">POSI K03</a>). I did not find it easy to make sense out of their descriptions and so I wrote up my results in the hope that this would assist others.</span></span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illustration 1: General view of Valta (L) and Kastraki Ridge (R). North is to left.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px;">This illustration from Google Earth shows the salient characteristics of the site. Here we're looking along the Kastraki ridge which runs NE-SW. It is just over 200 m. in length and there is a knoll at each end. I have shown the several points of interest in the form of blue and red paddles. The blue paddles are my best estimations of the locations of the Mycenaean sites; the red paddles mark modern features which are referred to in the literature. All these markers are described in the table which I have appended to this post. The modern town of Valta is on the left; the Langovardos ravine begins at the center of the picture and runs out of the picture to the lower right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px;">Our first order of business should be to define the modern features which the several descriptions reference:</span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wZAWDue_Elg/WC4PivBADoI/AAAAAAAAIQk/kdgLildklMkqFDdViCI_rx3eiQfwfjGNgCLcB/s1600/Valta_Illus_2%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wZAWDue_Elg/WC4PivBADoI/AAAAAAAAIQk/kdgLildklMkqFDdViCI_rx3eiQfwfjGNgCLcB/s640/Valta_Illus_2%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illustration 2 Important modern features: Valta Area</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px;">The road from Valta to Gargaliani originates on the eastern side of Valta and turns south. It plunges into the Langkovardos Ravine past the small area called 'Phterolakka' (F307), across the bridge (F156) and then crosses the Kastraki ridge south of the knolls (F304, F306) and then turns east, traversing the south side of that ridge. The bridge (F156) looks like this: </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7VvDSi9WPCA/VtCpmSekDwI/AAAAAAAAHqM/xfSTsFX-5Fw/s1600/Valta_Bridge_Looking_West%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7VvDSi9WPCA/VtCpmSekDwI/AAAAAAAAHqM/xfSTsFX-5Fw/s640/Valta_Bridge_Looking_West%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illustration 3 Bridge (F156) over the Langkovardos River. Viewer facing SW.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">In illustration 3 the Kastraki Ridge is visible. In fact this is the northeastern knoll (F306). The southwestern knoll (F304) is behind F306. The northeastern knoll is clearly visible in Google Earth and in November of 2013 it looked like this:</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-srFtHNzaC68/WC4RHuUvJQI/AAAAAAAAIQs/5OZp7NKXlwY6hUic2PQBb60nVXGqiNs2gCLcB/s1600/Valta_Illus_4%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-srFtHNzaC68/WC4RHuUvJQI/AAAAAAAAIQs/5OZp7NKXlwY6hUic2PQBb60nVXGqiNs2gCLcB/s640/Valta_Illus_4%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illustration 4 Northeastern Knoll of the Kastraki Ridge. Valta Bridge (F156) at upper right. North at top.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.4px;">We see that the top of the ridge is crowned by an area of maquis. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">By 2013 we see that the maquis was half bull-dozed away seemingly to get ready for a new olive terrace. The tiny squares lining the NE and NW borders of the terrace I take to be beehives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With one more picture we should be adequately orientated. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-CNpbr1gq0/VtCy9zbvtvI/AAAAAAAAHqs/sjatm-k3iG8/s1600/Pandheleimon_F157%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-CNpbr1gq0/VtCy9zbvtvI/AAAAAAAAHqs/sjatm-k3iG8/s640/Pandheleimon_F157%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illustration 6 The Church of Ayios Pandeleimon (F157) at SE corner of Valta</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is the site of the church of Ayios Pandeleimon (F157) which Simpson puts at the center of one of the Mycenaean habitations in this area. Now I believe we are ready to look at the Mycenaean sites in this area:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illustration 7. The principal Mycenaean features in the Valta area.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Now let's put these two maps together:</span></span>
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<tr><td><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wcIG-DsN0lg/WC4WXits63I/AAAAAAAAIQ8/WlnjgsckiWgFmCbTeoPsRhd457XgZYHxwCLcB/s1600/Valta_Illus_7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wcIG-DsN0lg/WC4WXits63I/AAAAAAAAIQ8/WlnjgsckiWgFmCbTeoPsRhd457XgZYHxwCLcB/s640/Valta_Illus_7a.jpg" width="528" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illustration 8. Modern features as red paddles. Mycenaean features as blue paddles.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Armed with these maps it should now be possible to make sense out of the excavator's descriptions. I have interspersed Simpson's text with my catalog numbers in parentheses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"The village of Valta (F158) is situated on a steep limestone hill on the east side of the Filiatra-Gargaliani escarpment, on the north side of the Dhipotamo stream,which here cuts through the escarpment. The church of Ayios Pandeleimon (F157) on the southwest edge of the village is at the summit of the hill, and marks the centre of a LH and later settlement (C193). Coarse prehistoric sherds were found spread sparsely over an area about 150 m. northwest to southeast by 120 m. on the slopes below the church, (C193) especially to the south. The settlement may have been larger, since there is much modern debris (making search for ancient sherds difficult); and the village occupies the north end and west slopes of the hill. In an area called Fterolakka (F307), about 150 m. southeast of the church on the southeast side of the road to Gargaliani, road widening seems to have destroyed a LH tholos or chamber tomb (C194). A few Mycenaean sherds were seen here, and vases were reported to have been taken to the Chora Museum.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On the south side of the Dhipotamo stream, and about 300 m. due south of Ayios Pandeleimon, is the small hill or knoll of Kastraki, (F304) at the southwest end of a small ridge. At the northeast end of the ridge is another knoll, (F306)</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">immediately above the bridge (F156) on the Valta-Gargaliani road. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> In the sides of F306 large stones and pithos fragments were observed, (C195) and there was apparently a pithos burial (or burials?) in the south side of the Kastraki knoll at the southwest end of the ridge (C196). Prehistoric sherds, mainly MH, are spread thickly between the knolls and down the south and west slopes (C442) over an area at least 120 m. northeast to southwest by 70 m. To north of the road to Gargaliani, opposite Kastraki, (C197) some LH III sherds were found from a destroyed burial mound, probably a tholos tomb."[1]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the PRAP gazetteer we read the following about Valta. I have once again interspersed my catalog numbers in parentheses and I have removed the links to PRAP's website in the text because they are still broken:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"The high ridge of Kastraki (F304, F306) is an interfluve at the juncture of two subsidiary streams that combine to form the Lagkouvardos River (F305, I do not show it here). The ridge consists of two prominent knolls (F304, F306) and the saddle between them. The location affords spectacular views of the Langouvardos gorge to the west. Valta village (F158) lies ca. 200 m. in a direct line N of Kastraki, across a deep ravine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dense maquis covers the tops of both knolls; the saddle and the southern slopes of the knolls have been terraced and are planted with mature but not particularly old olives. The N side of the NE knoll(F306) is uncultivated but terraced.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On the summit of the SW knoll (F304), hidden in dense maquis, are the remains of a wall (C440) at least 10 m. in length and 1 m. thick; the wall is preserved to a height of three or four courses (0.5-0.75 m.), and is built of small, roughly worked blocks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A dirt road, cut by a bulldozer (C441), climbs to the saddle, skirting the S side of the eastern knoll (F306). In 1994 two distinct concentrations of painted Mycenaean pottery were eroding from this scarp (F306), ca. 1.2 m. apart, ca. 75 m. from the main asphalt road linking Valta to Gargaliani; human bone was also visible. Several stones in the scarp were arranged in a distinctly arch-shaped array ca. 3 m. across."[2]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">And zooming in on the area of particular interest:</span><br />
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Illustration 9 Composite map of Modern (red) and Mycenaean (blue) features.</div>
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Zoomed in to show Kastraki Ridge.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">These are the principal modern and Mycenaean features in the Valta area. There are a couple of issues:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 21.4667px;">1. PRAP's bulldozed road (C441). Their description leaves little doubt that this is the right road. The image I use here (illustration 9) is from November, 2013. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">On the PRAP website <a href="http://classics.uc.edu/prap/static/images_single.xsl-SR+of+Photo=071.37.html" target="_blank">there is a photograph</a> that shows two researchers standing at the bulldozed scarp. Because it depicts a bend in the road it is not impossible that this photo was taken at 37.098542°N, 21.627105° E right where I've placed the C441 marker. I show it in the next photo:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illustration 10: The bulldozed road.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">2. Richard Hope-Simpson reported sherds from a burial mound on the north side of the road to Gargaliani. He suspected that the mound was 'probably a tholos tomb' (C194). PRAP </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">says the following about this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.4667px;">"The site of Kastraki was first investigated by Hope Simpson and McDonald who reported MH and LH III pottery, with a possible MH tumulus on the NE knoll and a possible Mycenaean tholos tomb in the area where we found graves. Indeed, one fragment of a Mycenaean feeding bottle that they report is likely to have belonged to the nearly complete vessel that we recovered. We, on the other hand, found no evidence for an MH tumulus and it seems more likely that the LH III burials had been set into the remains of an earlier MH-LH II settlement."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">So. Perhaps the tholos tomb never existed. I have retained it in an attempt to lessen the confusion of those who are reading Simpson [1981].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">Given what we have learned I think I may be excused for putting forward a 'notional' map of the area in order to highlight the major suspected Mycenaean activities at this site. I know nothing of the relative areas or shapes of these notional sites but these shapes seem not to conflict with what the literature of the finds is trying to tell us:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration 11. Places of habitation (yellow) and of sepulture (blue). Sizes and shapes are largely notional.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br />In illustration 11 I represent foci of habitation in yellow and foci of sepulture in blue. As I said, the these shapes are notional only and are probably not accurate either in shape or extent. So it appears that the Mycenaean habitations spanned both sides of the Langkovardou gorge. The site to the north buried its dead to the east; the site to the south (on the twin knolls of Kastraki) appear to have buried their dead to the west. I emphasize that these are my suppositions only. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">In this post I have tried to introduce geographical ordering into the literature of Valta. Any errors in placement are mine alone. I hope that this may be some assistance for those readers who would like to make sense out of the Valta area.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">Here is a table of the features that I have discussed in this post:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">Number Lat Lon UMME/POSI Name</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">C193 37.100463, 21.626819 58, Valta: Kastraki: Hab<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">C194 37.099995, 21.628463 58, K03 Valta: Kastraki: Tholos<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="DE" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">C195 37.098715, 21.626795 59, K03 Valta: Kastraki: Sherds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="DE" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">C196 37.097909, 21.626171 59. Valta: Kastraki: Cem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="DE" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">C197 37.100892, 21.628049 59, Valta: Kastraki: Cem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="DE" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">C440 37.097976, 21.62589 59, K03 Valta: Kastraki Ridge: Wall<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="DE" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">C441 37.098542, 21.627105 59, K03 </span><span lang="DE" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Valta: Kastraki: Bulldozed Road</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">C442 37.097926, 21.628113 59, K03 Valta: Kastraki: Hab<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Modern Features</b></span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Number Lat Lon Name</span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">F156 37.099677, 21.628039 Valta Bridge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">F157 37.100937, 21.626548 Ayios Pandeleimon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">F158 37.101769, 21.626205 Valta<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">F304 37.098121, 21.625899 Kastraki Ridge: SW Knoll<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">F305 37.09454, 21.615336 Lagkouvardos River<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">F306 37.098856, 21.627156 Kastraki Ridge: NE Knoll<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">F307 37.099727, 21.628609 Fterolakka/Phterolakka<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">F391 37.098032, 21.619653 Hagios Georgios<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;"><b>Notes</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; line-height: 21.4667px;">[1] Simpson [1981] 122, 'F 50 Valta: Ayios Pandeleimon and Kastraki'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.4667px;">[2] This description is taken from the web page for <a href="http://classics.uc.edu/prap/static/sites_single.xsl-site=K03.html" target="_blank">POSI K03</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Bibliography</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Simpson [1981]: Simpson, Richard Hope. <i>Mycenaean Greece</i>. Park Ridge, New Jersey:Noyes Press, 1981.</span></div>
Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-37167777712008696522016-11-12T08:53:00.001-08:002016-11-12T22:40:02.640-08:00Malthi-Dorion: The Settlement (C149)<br />
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Have I really never blogged about the settlement at Malthi?<br />
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I've certainly thought about it enough and a friend and I went to considerable trouble to get the geography straight so it's high time that we talked about Malthi-Dorion. The Ramovouni is a ridge that runs almost exactly north-south. It controls a narrowing of the Soulima valley (northern Messenia) in its course from west to east. You can see the ridge in illustration 1.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hqBkjR2x4a8/WCcVadvhLbI/AAAAAAAAIP0/wv-Rm0XS1EoaWWNzG24YrUvCFgj4TAeKwCLcB/s1600/Ramavouni%2BRidge%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hqBkjR2x4a8/WCcVadvhLbI/AAAAAAAAIP0/wv-Rm0XS1EoaWWNzG24YrUvCFgj4TAeKwCLcB/s640/Ramavouni%2BRidge%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 1. The general geography of the Ramovouni Ridge.</td></tr>
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From the illustration you can see that it nearly chokes off the Soulima valley as it turns southeast here towards the Pamisos valley. At the southwest of that ridge is the town now called Malthi whose old name was Bodia. These names are the same place; being confused about this has caused researchers some difficulty in the past.[1] To the northeast of the Ridge there's another town, Kato Malthi, sometimes just called 'Malthi' in the literature in order to add to the confusion. To the south-east of Kato Malthi is Vasiliko. To the south-east of Vasiliko is an old train station which was the center of a complex of Bronze Age tombs but that's for another post. Now let's look at the Bronze Age sites around Ramovouni.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-laMDyvCa1eo/WCcS8f-0WBI/AAAAAAAAIPs/tCZt3dy-by8lXhPaROMR90x79S4O8s_dQCLcB/s1600/Ramavouni_Ridge_CU%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-laMDyvCa1eo/WCcS8f-0WBI/AAAAAAAAIPs/tCZt3dy-by8lXhPaROMR90x79S4O8s_dQCLcB/s640/Ramavouni_Ridge_CU%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 2. The northern end of the Ramovouni Ridge.</td></tr>
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In illus. 2 we see the north end of the Ridge. The blue paddles mark my proposed Bronze Age sites. The red paddles are non-Bronze Age visible features. At the very top of the north end of the ridge there are the remains of a (basically) MH Mycenaean settlement.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In 1927 Natan Valmin was led by a local teacher to discover this MH settlement at the top of the north end of </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ramovouni Ridge in Messenia. This habitation is nearly untouched and is one of the best-preserved Bronze Age sites in Messenia. It measures </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">138.8 m. by 80.4 m., nearly a hectare.</span> [2]<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">During the later part of the MH it was enclosed by rough blocks laid on the hill without a </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">dressed bed. The main gates are to the north and south. The original attraction to this site was a natural spring right at the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">top. In addition it controls the valley which leads from the east end of the Soulima into the north end of the Pamisos river valley.[3]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Inside the walls is a large number of rectangular chambers that appear to have been used for dwellings, workshops, and stalls </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">for animals. These chambers appear to line the inner side of the outer wall; there is also a cluster in the center.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>The issues of dating concern when it was founded, when it ended, and whether there was an interruption in the settlement at the end of LHIIIB. For the founding perhaps MHII or MH III/LH I. As to whether there was an interruption at the end of LHIIIB there is some idea that settlement moved from here to the foot of the ridge (at Gouves) for a period and then, in the LHIIIC, the hilltop site may have become attractive again.[4]<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Just last month our favorite correspondent was there and he sends along these pictures. There is a shot diagram at the end of this post.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-81wxMdFfq_A/WCZ6Ex9zHTI/AAAAAAAAIO0/sPGYvB10ZfkuVS9h0OcZoU9Xohy4wwBDwCLcB/s1600/Entrance%2Bto%2BMalthi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-81wxMdFfq_A/WCZ6Ex9zHTI/AAAAAAAAIO0/sPGYvB10ZfkuVS9h0OcZoU9Xohy4wwBDwCLcB/s640/Entrance%2Bto%2BMalthi.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 3. The ascent to Malthi acropolis from the south.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sh49rw0y38c/WCZ6JaZIxGI/AAAAAAAAIO8/IZhq1RO3fsUKUt_UpRBLD1A8e0amPAycwCEw/s1600/Malthi_with_Sign%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sh49rw0y38c/WCZ6JaZIxGI/AAAAAAAAIO8/IZhq1RO3fsUKUt_UpRBLD1A8e0amPAycwCEw/s640/Malthi_with_Sign%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 4. Southern edge of Malthi acropolis. Facing N.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jGOAJk8eYm8/WCZ50cAF18I/AAAAAAAAIPY/oBXB9TtuasEgcStCxDtDS0PsHS9VRuG-QCEw/s1600/Center%2Bof%2BMalthi_PANO%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jGOAJk8eYm8/WCZ50cAF18I/AAAAAAAAIPY/oBXB9TtuasEgcStCxDtDS0PsHS9VRuG-QCEw/s640/Center%2Bof%2BMalthi_PANO%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 5. The center of the Malthi acropolis. This pano faces W and NW.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5FsAX1cIEoQ/WCZ57GQGl8I/AAAAAAAAIOo/Xu3nwt_Y1h0_QYTs0EOkoIfbwyGT3ugKQCEw/s1600/Center_of_Malthi_2%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5FsAX1cIEoQ/WCZ57GQGl8I/AAAAAAAAIOo/Xu3nwt_Y1h0_QYTs0EOkoIfbwyGT3ugKQCEw/s640/Center_of_Malthi_2%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 6. Looking NNW down Soulima Valley at L</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UE2y62oOlOk/WCZ54wVprnI/AAAAAAAAIPY/HIWfF1EmyoAifBiNALx4XA47sCPkUwZSwCEw/s1600/Center_of_Malthi_4%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UE2y62oOlOk/WCZ54wVprnI/AAAAAAAAIPY/HIWfF1EmyoAifBiNALx4XA47sCPkUwZSwCEw/s640/Center_of_Malthi_4%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 7. From the south center of Malthi looking directly S to Ramovouni Ridge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlajqObXP2U/WCZ58yUD2vI/AAAAAAAAIOs/3-i4bmf8G1E_87LdBHuwSIZGRXI212qdwCEw/s1600/Detail_of_Wall_2%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlajqObXP2U/WCZ58yUD2vI/AAAAAAAAIOs/3-i4bmf8G1E_87LdBHuwSIZGRXI212qdwCEw/s640/Detail_of_Wall_2%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 8. Typical Wall construction.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9QJm3V2dR24/WCZ6CBvh7rI/AAAAAAAAIOw/pDxQF1vNTiUXiYgedGgbwaAGJi2pmJO7ACEw/s1600/East_Edge_Malthi_Looking_N%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9QJm3V2dR24/WCZ6CBvh7rI/AAAAAAAAIOw/pDxQF1vNTiUXiYgedGgbwaAGJi2pmJO7ACEw/s640/East_Edge_Malthi_Looking_N%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 9. Probably domestic dwelling units at the east edge of Malthi acropolis. Facing N.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cYEn8rc9Is4/WCZ6FM8TBKI/AAAAAAAAIO4/fyopDOJAt68E4WLbPWs5bPRohI0lCmv4ACEw/s1600/East_Edge_of_Malthi3%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cYEn8rc9Is4/WCZ6FM8TBKI/AAAAAAAAIO4/fyopDOJAt68E4WLbPWs5bPRohI0lCmv4ACEw/s640/East_Edge_of_Malthi3%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 10. Dwelling units (?) against the east wall of Malthi Acropolis. Facing SSE with Ithome on the far right.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e-FjJ1TfKfU/WCZ6PQnpyjI/AAAAAAAAIPE/R8yDha1ClS432s8KGYO5bSs2NfQ93heQgCEw/s1600/NW_from_Malthi_Living_Space%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e-FjJ1TfKfU/WCZ6PQnpyjI/AAAAAAAAIPE/R8yDha1ClS432s8KGYO5bSs2NfQ93heQgCEw/s640/NW_from_Malthi_Living_Space%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 11. Domestic or production shelter. Facing W down the Soulima Valley at C.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-deKUwqyc75o/WCZ6PaNTLZI/AAAAAAAAIPA/0oPu4BZB38wv7_qUfiVhK1LKwt9JYPQOQCEw/s1600/Sherds%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-deKUwqyc75o/WCZ6PaNTLZI/AAAAAAAAIPA/0oPu4BZB38wv7_qUfiVhK1LKwt9JYPQOQCEw/s640/Sherds%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 12. Sherds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XeimPStX8Wo/WCZ6SeoyjEI/AAAAAAAAIPI/M6q7fEAbrkAAD134DgT6Bi8soFryQMD8ACEw/s1600/South_Edge_Malthi%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XeimPStX8Wo/WCZ6SeoyjEI/AAAAAAAAIPI/M6q7fEAbrkAAD134DgT6Bi8soFryQMD8ACEw/s640/South_Edge_Malthi%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 13. The southeast area of Malthi. Domestic units and external wall. Facing the head of the Pamisos Valley to the SE.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ5OnALgClE/WCZ6WFDnGBI/AAAAAAAAIPM/kJyWbk07LeErj6SaB1ty76Fj20X5o-9lACEw/s1600/South_from_Malthi%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ5OnALgClE/WCZ6WFDnGBI/AAAAAAAAIPM/kJyWbk07LeErj6SaB1ty76Fj20X5o-9lACEw/s640/South_from_Malthi%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 14. From the center of Malthi directly to the south. The table-top ridge is Ithome. On the other side of it and at its base are the ruins of the town of Messene. It's not easy to see but between us and Ithome (and on the second little bump to the left of the mountain) is the fortress of <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Kastro tou Mila (C142).</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-idmmFlF7zKo/WCZ6X3nY78I/AAAAAAAAIPQ/SB2xFenZDbIT4HJGuwqRgrLQ7avwjSI4wCEw/s1600/Stone_Pile_Malthi%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-idmmFlF7zKo/WCZ6X3nY78I/AAAAAAAAIPQ/SB2xFenZDbIT4HJGuwqRgrLQ7avwjSI4wCEw/s640/Stone_Pile_Malthi%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 15. Center of Malthi with rubble. Facing S to Ramovouni.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HND6qO966KQ/WCZ6ZBt5fBI/AAAAAAAAIPU/KNC9WQ4POxUUf56kFEZKZ9pfN9Lsjf1nACEw/s1600/Wall_Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HND6qO966KQ/WCZ6ZBt5fBI/AAAAAAAAIPU/KNC9WQ4POxUUf56kFEZKZ9pfN9Lsjf1nACEw/s640/Wall_Detail.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 16. Detail of constructionn wall.</td></tr>
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<br />
Following is a shot location diagram for many of the illustrations in this post:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QLzO2aYPess/WCcn4eHj4UI/AAAAAAAAIQE/0prxO8Jl1vAXzNKlrLH1MYBTOpxXS4xrgCLcB/s1600/Shot_Locations_Malthi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QLzO2aYPess/WCcn4eHj4UI/AAAAAAAAIQE/0prxO8Jl1vAXzNKlrLH1MYBTOpxXS4xrgCLcB/s640/Shot_Locations_Malthi.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Notes<br />
<br />
[1] Not least myself. And see Antonaccio, [1994], n. 314. (I have but a single scanned page of her work and without a page number.) The story of the discovery of the settlement in Valmin [1938] 1.<br />
<br />
[2] By my measurement in Google Earth it is 9467.5 sq. meters. A circle of this area would have a radius of 54.9 meters. Valmin ([1938], 16) gives the dimensions as 138.8 by 82.4 m. In Simpson [1981] 138, "The area enclosed within its fortifications is about 140 m. north to south by 80 m.". This is 11,200 sq. m. Same also in Boyd [1999] 642.<br />
<br />
[3] This discussion based on Zavadil [2012] 577, '<i>Siedlung</i>'.<br />
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[4] The dating issues are discussed in Zavadil [2012] 578. <br />
<br />
Bibliography<br />
<br />
Antonaccio [1994]: Antonaccio, Carla Maria. <i>An Archaeology of Ancestors: Tomb Cult and Hero Cult in Early Greece</i>, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1994. <br />
<br />
Boyd [1999]: Boyd, Michael John. <i>Middle Helladic and Early Mycenaean Mortuary Customs in the Southern and Western Peloponnese</i>. University of Edinborough. Scotland. 1999.<br />
<br />
Simpson [1981]: Simpson, Richard Hope. <i>Mycenaean Greece</i>. Park Ridge, New Jersey:Noyes Press, 1981.<br />
<br />
Valmin [1938]: Valmin, M. Natan. <i> The Swedish Messenia Expedition with Seven Plans, Five Coloured Plates, 32 Plates, and 100 Figures in the Text.</i> Lund, C.W.K. Gleerup. 1938.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;">Zavadil [2012]: Zavadil, Michaela. </span><i style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;">Monumenta: Studien zu mittel- und späthelladischen Gräbern in Messenien.</i><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;"> Wien:Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkschriften. 2012.</span></span><br />
<br />Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-66482930588258689942016-11-02T09:32:00.000-07:002016-11-04T08:27:06.203-07:00Tholos Tomb C at Kopanaki (C167)<br />
<br />
A little while ago I blogged about <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-tholos-tombs-of-ano-kopanaki.html">Tholos A (C165)</a> and <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/10/tholos-tomb-b-at-kopanaki-c166.html?q=Kopanaki">Tholos B (C166)</a> in Kopanaki in the Peloponnese. I have a friendly correspondent who has kindly supplied exact positions for all these tholoi along with very interesting current pictures. There is a third tholos tomb in the immediate area, C167, and in this post I want to address the exact position and condition of that tomb which is usually called 'tholos C'.[1]<br />
<br />
The position of Tholos C is here: 37.287728° N, 21.799997° E I show it at the lower left of Illustration 1:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qKxiypKh_Ac/WBk4Ii2FSrI/AAAAAAAAILw/4PNRtaXX3K8PUJ-70db4ieQtO6ulEqMYACLcB/s1600/Illus_1_KC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="604" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qKxiypKh_Ac/WBk4Ii2FSrI/AAAAAAAAILw/4PNRtaXX3K8PUJ-70db4ieQtO6ulEqMYACLcB/s640/Illus_1_KC.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 1. Position of Tholos C (lower left) relative to Tholos B.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Tholos C lies 153.4 m. from Tholos B at a bearing (from Tholos B) of 201.5°. You reach it by a footpath that passes Tholos B on its immediate east. The length of the footpath is just about 204 m. In the following illustration the path is in blue. Curiously this tholos has never been investigated: Valmin was only able to investigate tholoi A and B. C was forbidden him by the landowner. It is still uninvestigated[2] As a result I am not aware of any reliable measurements for it.<br />
<br />
Let us look at the pictures to see what condition it is in:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OJCLK0tlqr4/WBk6AWUMd7I/AAAAAAAAIL8/OYMRWwXkdrMp1ysc_6E2ZTKDGEhlSHOqACLcB/s1600/Tholos_A_From_North-8%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OJCLK0tlqr4/WBk6AWUMd7I/AAAAAAAAIL8/OYMRWwXkdrMp1ysc_6E2ZTKDGEhlSHOqACLcB/s640/Tholos_A_From_North-8%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 2. Tholos C seen from the north and looking south.</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oHzbQvZDXu8/WBoNreeTjnI/AAAAAAAAIMk/i3FPEaW9sYkCBBqcnGXxOgRWK20UpuHiwCLcB/s1600/Tholos_C_From_North-11%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oHzbQvZDXu8/WBoNreeTjnI/AAAAAAAAIMk/i3FPEaW9sYkCBBqcnGXxOgRWK20UpuHiwCLcB/s640/Tholos_C_From_North-11%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 3. Tholos C from the north. Close-up of the dromos(?)</td></tr>
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My correspondent thinks that the hollow depicted in Illustration 3 is probably the dromos. If that is the case then we can say that the dromos runs roughly N. No other measurements are available.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P-f88t7ZyEw/WBk-C4IULzI/AAAAAAAAIMU/AeO-aSwOM-sacJZ8q-eVwCuW1ehPb2I3ACLcB/s1600/Tholos_C_From_SE%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P-f88t7ZyEw/WBk-C4IULzI/AAAAAAAAIMU/AeO-aSwOM-sacJZ8q-eVwCuW1ehPb2I3ACLcB/s640/Tholos_C_From_SE%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 4. ".. from the southeast of the heavily overgrown mound."</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_1913684791"></span><span id="goog_1913684792"></span><br />
<br />
You can see from Illustrations 2, 3, and 4 that Tholos C is so overgrown it is nearly unapproachable.<br />
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In the 1990's Dr. Michael Boyd of Cambridge photographed this mound from a similar angle[3]. He kindly sends along his scanned color slide:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-79O4ZtCKwyA/WBykQFGafdI/AAAAAAAAINU/jW4KBk5KuRAlBMU02dD-HmUMLllN7hl7QCLcB/s1600/Boyd_Kopanaki_Tholos_C_Final_Bright%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-79O4ZtCKwyA/WBykQFGafdI/AAAAAAAAINU/jW4KBk5KuRAlBMU02dD-HmUMLllN7hl7QCLcB/s640/Boyd_Kopanaki_Tholos_C_Final_Bright%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 4a. Tholos C at Kopanaki. Mound photographed from the south.<br />
Photo by Dr. Michael Boyd. All rights reserved.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When this photo was taken (early '90's but I'm checking on that) the mound wasn't nearly as overgrown as it is now. And I don't see the stone cistern in this picture but that may just be because it's out of the shot at the left (west).<br />
<br />
My correspondent, Pete, says this about his search for it:<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"[I] <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">noticed a clump of bushes and a tree that might just be hiding a tumulus. Roughly here: 37.287728° , 21.799997°. And indeed there is a small mound between 1 and 1.5 m high with an excavation showing flat white (lime)stone scattered about. There is also a raised rectangular stone structure adjacent to and SW of the mound - it can be seen in GE (Google Earth, RHC). Not sure what it is exactly (could guess).</span></span><br />
<div class="gmail_extra" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> The natural terrain of the area is sandy yellow/reddish soil with lumps of dark yellow or red sandstone or similar. So limestone is 'foreign' and must have been 'specially' brought in. Possibly for building the tholoi. Hence the few field walls and other structures built of stone have probably been built with recycled stone, the source of which might well be the plundered tholoi. And I suspect the stone plundering is relatively modern - as mentioned by Valmin and later.</span>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He provides a good illustration (Illus. 5) of the stone structure (probably a cistern) </span>to the south of tholos C <span style="font-family: inherit;">. It is clearly visible in Google Earth and also in Illus. 1.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z9_pX2YiL2g/WBk8lEsGLXI/AAAAAAAAIMI/NesK59k5-HYU4guddVHvgQUhILfV1SLFwCLcB/s1600/Tholos_A_From_North-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z9_pX2YiL2g/WBk8lEsGLXI/AAAAAAAAIMI/NesK59k5-HYU4guddVHvgQUhILfV1SLFwCLcB/s640/Tholos_A_From_North-9.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 5. Stone Structure bordering the tholos and seen from the west.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Of this stone structure my correspondent, Pete, says:<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"From west showing stone structure. It might be a grape pressing pan or some sort of water container. It has a hollow top about 30-40cm or so deep."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Looking at this (cistern?) in Google Earth suggests that, given its construction material and its location quite close to the tholos, that it may have been (partly?) constructed from stones plundered from tholos C but it's impossible to be certain without a first-hand inspection.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I conclude with a diagram that shows the angles from which the several photographs were taken.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1elB-PoiSs4/WByn96MggFI/AAAAAAAAINo/KsSl0jyWJVABJHcAF-356LumCINOlX91wCLcB/s1600/Tholos_C_Shot_Angles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="554" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1elB-PoiSs4/WByn96MggFI/AAAAAAAAINo/KsSl0jyWJVABJHcAF-356LumCINOlX91wCLcB/s640/Tholos_C_Shot_Angles.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Notes<br />
<br />
[1] Ålin [1962] 79, 'Akourthi'. <br />
<br />
"Akourthi is an area about 2 km. west of the village of Kopanaki. Valmin was able to find 4 Tholos graves in the vicinity and examined 2 of the 3 here in 1927 .<br />
<br />
A small excavation in the one tomb used as a stone quarry revealed only coarse goods and shards from LH III. The other grave was apparently better built than the one at Vasiliko (C143) and it also had a small bench running around the wall, with many bones lying there. Shards from LH II and from the beginning of LH III were found here. The oldest ceramics date the tomb to LH II, whether it is used in SH III for burials, can not be ascertained. Iron fragments and sherds reveal that the tomb was being used for cultic purposes in the Geometric Period."<br />
<br />
"Akourthi, eine Gegend etwa 2 km. westlich von dem Dorf Kopanaki. Valmin konnte in der Umgebung 4 Tholosgräber feststellen und untersuchte 1927 2 von den 3 hier gelegenen.<br />
<br />
Eine kleine Grabung in dem einen, als Steinbruch verwendeten Grab ergab nur grobe Ware und Scherben aus SH III. Das andere Grab was anscheinend besser gebaut als das bei Vasiliko und hatte auch eine an die Wand herum laufende kleine Bank, worauf viele Knochen lagen. Hier fanden sich auch Scherben aus SH II und aus dem Anfang von SH III. Die älteste Keramik datiert das Grab in SH II, wie weit es in SH III für Bestattungen verwendet wurde, lässt sich jedoch nicht feststellen.<br />
Eisen- und Scherbenfunde lassen vermuten, dass das Grab schon in geometrischer Zeit für kultische Zwecke in Anspruch genommen wurde."<br />
<br />
<br />
[2] Zavadil [2012] 261, "Tholos C wurde nicht erforscht."; also Simpson [1981] 'Ano Kopanaki: Akourthi'; Boyd [1999] 175f. Nr. 36. p. 137; Dirlik [2012] 82. I find no drawings in the literature.<br />
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[3] A black and white version here: Boyd [1999] II, 640, illus. A 1.36.3. I have heavily post-processed this photo. The original is here:<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mFZg1QO6-Ck/WBymfu56ZJI/AAAAAAAAINg/EEqLPjNsi_ILnzbgqWvtthBsfP5sndvyACLcB/s1600/Boyd_Kopanaki_Tholos_C%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mFZg1QO6-Ck/WBymfu56ZJI/AAAAAAAAINg/EEqLPjNsi_ILnzbgqWvtthBsfP5sndvyACLcB/s400/Boyd_Kopanaki_Tholos_C%2Bcopy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
Bibliography<br />
<br />
Ålin [1962]: Ålin, Per. <i>Das Ende der Mykenischen Fundstätten auf dem Griechischen Festland</i>. Carl Bloms Boktryckeri A.-B., Lund, 1962.<br />
<br />
Boyd [1999]: Boyd, Michael John. <i>Middle Helladic and Early Mycenaean Mortuary Customs in the Southern and Western Peloponnese. Vol. II</i>., University of Edinburgh, Scotland. 1999.<br />
<br />
Dirlik [2012]: Dirlik, Nil. <i>The Tholos Tombs of Mycenaean Greece</i>, Uppsala, Sweden. 2012. <a href="https://www.academia.edu/20159429/The_Tholos_Tombs_of_Mycenaean_Greece">Online here.</a><br />
<br />
Simpson [1981]: Simpson, Richard Hope. <i>Mycenaean Greece</i>. Park Ridge, New Jersey:Noyes Press, 1981.<br />
<br />
Zavadil [2012]: Zavadil, Michaela. <i>Monumenta: Studien zu mittel- und späthelladischen Gräbern in Messenien.</i> Wien:Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkschriften. 2012.<br />
<br />Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-68366153705649429822016-10-31T09:45:00.001-07:002016-10-31T09:46:17.775-07:00Current State of the Mycenaean Atlas ProjectI am currently working on the district of Attica. When that is completed I will turn my attention to Crete and southern Italy. As of right now the Peloponnese looks like this:<br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RDdnAJWruU0/WBd0wawpQgI/AAAAAAAAILg/Bvjo7qqo-DAZHMqUC2PcNDFzRgs4PQMYQCLcB/s1600/Peloponnese_Current.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RDdnAJWruU0/WBd0wawpQgI/AAAAAAAAILg/Bvjo7qqo-DAZHMqUC2PcNDFzRgs4PQMYQCLcB/s640/Peloponnese_Current.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 1. The Peloponnese. Mycenaean sites in Orange.</td></tr>
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Anyone who is interested in this project can receive a copy of the database (.sql file) or can request a dump of site names and locations. Write me at bobconsoli@gmail.com or leave a comment to this post.<br />
<br />Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-78160050226474871812016-10-22T12:22:00.000-07:002016-10-22T12:22:05.066-07:00Tholos Tomb B at Kopanaki (C166)<br />
<br />
Earlier this month I <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-tholos-tombs-of-ano-kopanaki.html">blogged </a>about the exact position of Tholos A (C165) at Kopanaki in the Peloponnese of Greece.<br />
<br />
I have a correspondent/friend who has been to this location very recently and who sends additional information about the other tholoi and in this post I present his photographs and remarks about tholos B. The general situation is shown in Illus. 1. This shows Messenia in the context of the entire Peloponnese; Kopanaki lies in the Soulima Valley which forms part of northern Messenia. The three tholoi located in this area were discovered by Natan Valmin in the summer of 1927[1].<br />
<br />
Zavadil describes Tholos B like this:<br />
<br />
"N. Valmin discovered three tholos tombs (A, B, C) in the summer of 1927 lying in a field of the Akourthi region, about 1.4 km. west of the railway station of Ano Kopanaki. The graves are within a radius of approximately 50 m. BetweenTholoi A and B Valmin discovered a wall of worked stone blocks which he supposed to be the ruin of a Byzantine church."[2]<br />
<br />
"Corinthian and Hellenistic sherds as well as ash and charcoal may point to an ancestor- or hero cult in the tholos. G.S.Korres, on the other hand, suspected that the collapsed Tholos had been used as a wastepit in the Hellenistic period." [3]<br />
<br />
Tholos B has a tumulus of 5 m. in height and 20 m. in breadth. The dromos is 4.5 m long, 1.7 m. wide and is oriented north-northeast.[4]<br />
<br />
Kopanaki is situated as shown in Illus. 1<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CyQvs5GYmcI/WAul_CFLgFI/AAAAAAAAIJY/fAl2brUfCFUNhwgPtW9d7fYGNiPteE9GACLcB/s1600/Illus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="590" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CyQvs5GYmcI/WAul_CFLgFI/AAAAAAAAIJY/fAl2brUfCFUNhwgPtW9d7fYGNiPteE9GACLcB/s640/Illus.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Illus. 1. Red Pin shows the approximate location of Kopanaki <br />with reference to the rest of the Peloponnese</span></td></tr>
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As we see the town of Kopanaki is located in the southwest quadrant of the Peloponnese in Greece. It is in the Soulima valley which is part of the ancient province of Messenia. In the next illustration I show this in more detail.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JHcqKyG4UrU/WAunG-yPLOI/AAAAAAAAIJo/meMm7xEdSGwJLjwA2fO1_T551pmuiTMuwCLcB/s1600/Illus%2B2%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JHcqKyG4UrU/WAunG-yPLOI/AAAAAAAAIJo/meMm7xEdSGwJLjwA2fO1_T551pmuiTMuwCLcB/s640/Illus%2B2%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 2. The area of the Soulima valley which extends from <br />central Messenia to the Ionian Sea on the west. The red push-pin<br />marks the area around the town of Kopanaki.</td></tr>
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<br />
The next illustration is a map that depicts the situation immediately around the three <i>tholoi </i>themselves.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wFraL-L_K9s/WAumpFkFzfI/AAAAAAAAIJg/uLP23Q3a6LIkCxipioVvUbwuw_N3qG3YACEw/s1600/Illus%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wFraL-L_K9s/WAumpFkFzfI/AAAAAAAAIJg/uLP23Q3a6LIkCxipioVvUbwuw_N3qG3YACEw/s640/Illus%2B3.jpg" width="586" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 3. The region immediately around the three tholoi (blue paddles) of Kopanaki. <br />The town itself is about 1300 m. to the east.</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
Before I show you my friend's photographs I present a diagram that illustrates how the various photos were taken. You may wish to refer to this diagram throughout the post:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FhHaf2z2Wbs/WAu7YNBb1WI/AAAAAAAAILM/UI-cD70G3zYAmp45HB74kQY82NcObMAJACLcB/s1600/Presentation1%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FhHaf2z2Wbs/WAu7YNBb1WI/AAAAAAAAILM/UI-cD70G3zYAmp45HB74kQY82NcObMAJACLcB/s640/Presentation1%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 4. Camera angles for the illustrations in this post.</td></tr>
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In this diagram the tholos and its dromos are indicated by blue lines. The red arrows show the general direction of the subsequent photographs:<br />
<br />
First off let's look at the dromos itself. Illus. 5 is taken from inside the tholos chamber and through the stomion and the dromos (or what's left of them).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5gGlm9E0TxY/WAuoGAH-BkI/AAAAAAAAIJ0/dOLS4nORCWojg0YtqQ0DXl62yruYIy2GgCLcB/s1600/Tholos_B_7-Edit%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5gGlm9E0TxY/WAuoGAH-BkI/AAAAAAAAIJ0/dOLS4nORCWojg0YtqQ0DXl62yruYIy2GgCLcB/s640/Tholos_B_7-Edit%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 5. Looking from the chamber to the stomion and along the dromos (NNW).</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5YTRB1qjdQ4/WAuocyQw-YI/AAAAAAAAIJ4/AibQjShAsl4AE6-ZAIsg1eoudDcjCDBaQCLcB/s1600/Illus%2B6%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5YTRB1qjdQ4/WAuocyQw-YI/AAAAAAAAIJ4/AibQjShAsl4AE6-ZAIsg1eoudDcjCDBaQCLcB/s640/Illus%2B6%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 6. Northern half of the chamber tomb including what <br />would have been the stomion and part of the dromos.</td></tr>
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Using the dromos as a starting point you can see the whole northern half of the tholos chamber in Illus. 6. Notice the oak tree trunk on the right hand side. It is the same oak that we see on<br />
the right hand side of Illus. 5.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aRtzX9H-1XU/WAupBGYy2qI/AAAAAAAAIJ8/SC6ft5lZzh44w_FRzo-iJC4--HGSVdUugCLcB/s1600/Illus%2B7%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aRtzX9H-1XU/WAupBGYy2qI/AAAAAAAAIJ8/SC6ft5lZzh44w_FRzo-iJC4--HGSVdUugCLcB/s640/Illus%2B7%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 7. Panorama of the south and west portion of the chamber.</td></tr>
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In the panorama shot in illus. 7 we are facing west and we can see the whole center of what remains of the chamber. Again you can recognize the specific oak tree on the right. I have just one shot of the south side of the chamber. Here it is in Illus. 8:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mFlpL0PuiSM/WAut6A47PhI/AAAAAAAAIKQ/izfhQlaXraYo7kfYVxVJozfNa4WrqtfjwCLcB/s1600/Illus%2B9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mFlpL0PuiSM/WAut6A47PhI/AAAAAAAAIKQ/izfhQlaXraYo7kfYVxVJozfNa4WrqtfjwCLcB/s640/Illus%2B9.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 8. Southern wall (from the inside) of the Tholos B chamber.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here's the southern part of the chamber of Tholos B. One thing to notice in every one of these shots is that nearly all the stone lining the chamber, dromos, and stomion is gone. There are only scraps left. My correspondent made a composite of two views of this tholos. It compares pictures taken by Valmin in the 1920's with the same views as they look now.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KiFGh0l0Lqk/WAuyCJt0x1I/AAAAAAAAIKc/K5M_bRhY5eoh8C_Xr392Tql8m6jxxauxgCLcB/s1600/Composite%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KiFGh0l0Lqk/WAuyCJt0x1I/AAAAAAAAIKc/K5M_bRhY5eoh8C_Xr392Tql8m6jxxauxgCLcB/s640/Composite%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 9. Upper left: View of the mound of Tholos B as it looked in the late 1920's. Lower left: as it looks now.<br />Upper right: the stomion with dromos behind taked from inside the chamber as it looked in the late 1920's.<br />Lower right: The same view of the dromos as it looks now.</td></tr>
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As I was remarking, nearly all the stone has disappeared and only scraps remain. In the next illustration I show some of the stones on the chamber floor. My correspondent thought that they might be remnants of what originally fell from the collapsed dome even though there's no way to tell for sure:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WqT6PGqcyeg/WAu1uLx-YuI/AAAAAAAAIKo/fzSPLAdXExMzXTg0a60txHWuh5cBLUu1QCLcB/s1600/Tholos_Floor_Stone_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WqT6PGqcyeg/WAu1uLx-YuI/AAAAAAAAIKo/fzSPLAdXExMzXTg0a60txHWuh5cBLUu1QCLcB/s640/Tholos_Floor_Stone_1.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 10. Stones on chamber floor. Possibly fallen from dome.</td></tr>
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What does the tholos look like from the outside? In Illus. 11 I show the tholos mound from the northwest.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LKkDpIr6gps/WAu3NG4lb9I/AAAAAAAAIK0/aMmnLiCj5yYBLbf9ChzKuacnnmB4Bm8qwCLcB/s1600/Illus%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LKkDpIr6gps/WAu3NG4lb9I/AAAAAAAAIK0/aMmnLiCj5yYBLbf9ChzKuacnnmB4Bm8qwCLcB/s640/Illus%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 11. Tholos B mound from exterior on the NW.</td></tr>
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... And from the west:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-il3tvaYihrQ/WAu4iSGG2cI/AAAAAAAAIK8/M5bYzqVT1VQrfVfi-wt5rZ6Zzb_FSE28QCLcB/s1600/Tholos_B_West.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-il3tvaYihrQ/WAu4iSGG2cI/AAAAAAAAIK8/M5bYzqVT1VQrfVfi-wt5rZ6Zzb_FSE28QCLcB/s640/Tholos_B_West.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 12. Tholos B. Exterior of mound from the west.</td></tr>
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In Illus. 12 we can see some more of the few remaining scraps of stone left from the exterior of this tholos tomb. These limestone chunks don't naturally occur in this region. My informant says that they must be brought from several km. away and cut for the purpose.<br />
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If you inspect illus. 3 you'll see a roughly N-S track leading past tholos B on the east. In illus. 13 I show the view from this track and what the mound looks like taken from that position:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yAJoPHox4O8/WAu6pQAFZCI/AAAAAAAAILE/AC0yFbjbpNcfJVr__WMv5w4gLYMsToZWACLcB/s1600/PA070042%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yAJoPHox4O8/WAu6pQAFZCI/AAAAAAAAILE/AC0yFbjbpNcfJVr__WMv5w4gLYMsToZWACLcB/s640/PA070042%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 13. Tholos B as seen from track to the NE and facing SW.</td></tr>
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All this helps us to locate and understand the current condition of this Mycenaean burial mound. We are all indebted to my friendly correspondent who has provided us with all these pictures.<br />
<br />
<br />
At any rate I can now say with assurance that the position of this tholos B (C166) is: <br />
37.289048° N, 21.800647° E<br />
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It is 52.88 m. from tholos A at a bearing of 284.1° <i>from </i>tholos A.<br />
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Next time I'll blog about something that wasn't easy to find: Kopanaki Tholos C.<br />
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<br />
Notes<br />
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[1] Reference to Natan Valmin, probably from revious post.<br />
<br />
[2] Zavadil [2012], 261, 'Ano Kopanaki/Akourthi (Ep. Triphylias)'. "Drei Tholosgräber (A, B, C) entdeckte N. Valmin im Sommer 1927 in einem in der Flur Akourthi gelegenen Acker ca. 1,4 km westlich der Bahnstation von Ano Kopanaki. 1 Die Gräber finden sich innerhalb eines Radius von ca. 50 m. Zwischen den Tholoi A und B entdeckte Valmin eine Mauer aus bearbeiteten Steinblöcken, die er als Ruine einer byzantinischen Kirche ansah."<br />
<br />
[3] Zavadil [2012], 261, 'Tholos B' "Korinthische und hellenistische Scherben sowie Asche und Holzkohle weisen vielleicht auf die Ausübung eines Ahnen oder Heroenkultes in der Tholos hin. 5 G. S. Korres hingegen vermutete, daß die eingestürzte Tholos in hellenistischer Zeit als Abfallgrube verwendet worden sei. 6"<br />
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[4] Zavadil [2012], 261, Under 'Maße'. And see additional remarks in Boyd [1999], 637 ff. Boyd supplies more recent photographs of Tholos B on pp. 640-1<br />
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<br />
Bibliography<br />
<br />
Boyd [1999], Boyd, Michael John. Middle Helladic and Early Mycenaean Mortuary Customs in the Southern and Western Peloponnese. University of Edinborough. Scotland. 1999.<br />
<br />
Zavadil [2012], Zavadil, Michaela. Monumenta: Studien zu mittel- und späthelladischen Gräbern in Messenien. Wien:Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkschriften. 2012.<br />
<br />Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-4048929225162551182016-10-17T08:38:00.000-07:002016-10-18T12:13:01.649-07:00Correspondent sends pictures of the Berbati tholos (C895)<span style="font-family: inherit;">A little while ago I blogged about the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4100993059569616263#editor/target=post;postID=3037853787851361781">tholos tomb of Berbati and its exact location</a>. I wasn't quite sure where it was located and, in that post, I examined Google Earth photos in an attempt to come up with a precise lat/lon pair. Now a kind correspondent who lives in that area tells me that I was correct and even sends along some photos. My correspondent calls himself The Keeper of the Garden and this is what he had to say:</span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">"I know this place well (the valley of Berbati or Prosymna, with the Mycenaean settlement on one of the hills) and your positioning of the tholos tomb is correct. There is a sign on the road pointing in the direction of the tomb, and another sign right next to its entrance, but the vegetation is taking over and it's easy to miss the tomb - it's basically in the middle of an olive tree grove. I have actually been inside the tomb this afternoon."</span></span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">It was good to know that I hadn't made a complete fool of myself about this position. It turns out that the 'Keeper of the Garden', who runs hiking and other tours in that area, has a <a href="http://www.argolidaphoto.com/">website</a> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">with gorgeous recent photos of some of the largest sites in the Argolid. This includes Midea, which I haven't seen, and I examined these photos in some awe.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Normally I don't put ads or plugs of any kind in the blog but in this case it seems churlish not to do that since Keeper has given me permission to use the following photos of the Berbati tomb. They were taken just last week:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hw2s0PY6js0/WATvIby90pI/AAAAAAAAIJA/WV872DxYXCktmNVsxD0eC_q7w86Hqe61gCLcB/s1600/Tholos_A_From_North-5%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hw2s0PY6js0/WATvIby90pI/AAAAAAAAIJA/WV872DxYXCktmNVsxD0eC_q7w86Hqe61gCLcB/s640/Tholos_A_From_North-5%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Stomios of Berbati Tholos with back chamber wall visible. Facing north.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bEI7My5A74s/WATvCF3z7jI/AAAAAAAAII8/PtHOMvbYDBgLiuTEypMIpQeVhHmb16EpwCEw/s1600/Tholos_A_From_North-3%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bEI7My5A74s/WATvCF3z7jI/AAAAAAAAII8/PtHOMvbYDBgLiuTEypMIpQeVhHmb16EpwCEw/s640/Tholos_A_From_North-3%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Back chamber wall of the Berbati Tholos. The top of this domed tomb has collapsed.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GIKbG1cQaBw/WATvIXzXX-I/AAAAAAAAIJE/5jxNCDKsvvYlHv9WvzdGwL3K-vS9r45CQCEw/s1600/Tholos_A_From_North-4%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GIKbG1cQaBw/WATvIXzXX-I/AAAAAAAAIJE/5jxNCDKsvvYlHv9WvzdGwL3K-vS9r45CQCEw/s640/Tholos_A_From_North-4%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Back chamber wall of Berbati tholos tomb with pilaster.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I want to thank Keeper for sharing these photos with us. Keeper has both a <a href="https://plus.google.com/+TheKeeperoftheGarden">Google+ page</a> and a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/argolidaphoto/">Facebook page</a>.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">Status on the Mycenaean Atlas Project.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Recently I've been completing the Dodecanese islands. Anyone who would like a copy of the Atlas (it is a .sql file) should send me an e-mail and I'll explain the details.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-30378537878513617812016-10-09T13:06:00.000-07:002016-12-20T08:59:17.222-08:00The Tholos Tombs of Ano Kopanaki - Akourthi (Tholos A, C165) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mycenaean Atlas Project (MAP): Notice of the exact position for <i>tholos </i>A (C165) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
which is outside the town of Ano Kopanaki in Messenia.</div>
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Some time ago I blogged about the <i>tholos </i>tombs of <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-tholoi-of-kopanaki-akourthi.html?q=Kopanaki">Ano Kopanaki - Akourthi</a> in which I speculated about their precise positions.<br />
<br />
These <i>tholoi</i> were first described by Natan Valmin in the 1920's [1]. My study of them convinced me that locating them would be a very simple matter since the Greek government has placed informational signs about 400 m. away at the nearest significant road intersection. I felt that it would just be a matter of going down the frontage road and looking for more informational signs. There might be a parking lot and even a refreshment stand with an attached museum. <br />
<br />
Not a bit of it!<br />
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I learn all this from a friend of mine, Pete, in Greece who has done us all the great favor of locating and photographing all these tombs. He tells me that there are no additional informational signs and that the <i>tholoi </i>themselves are nearly invisible because they are almost entirely overgrown. I suspect that he might be the first person in a very long time to have actually seen them.<br />
<br />
The site is covered in trees and underbrush and there is some risk in simply walking around. Greece is the home of at least one poisonous viper, <i>Vipera xanthina</i>, sometimes known as 'Oxia' or the 'Ottoman Viper' although it appears to be restricted to the extreme north east Greece. In the Peloponnese and other places there is also <i>Vipera ammodytes</i>, or 'horned viper', also venomous.[2] Pete did not encounter such a snake but he says this: "... while walking around I bumped into the biggest Balkan whip snake I have ever seen. Not poisonous but rather shocking (over 1 m long!) and rather noisy - a real 'hissing sid'." The Balkan Whip Snake is <i>Hierophis gemonensis</i>. And although I don't mean this post to be primarily about snakes - don't walk around in the Greek woods without gaiters and boots.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PklWYz5rBDc/V_jv_WG5VVI/AAAAAAAAIGo/8-t5KEPI6g42VfidtZ7FUZpVYQu0KkGFwCLcB/s1600/SmallPA020045%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PklWYz5rBDc/V_jv_WG5VVI/AAAAAAAAIGo/8-t5KEPI6g42VfidtZ7FUZpVYQu0KkGFwCLcB/s640/SmallPA020045%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 1. The woods of Ano Kopanaki. 37.287297 N, 21.802785 E<br />
Photographer: Pete<br />
All photographs are copyrighted. They may not be used for commercial purposes without permission.</td></tr>
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<br />
On his first visit Pete followed my directions to Tholos A but was unsuccessful. On a subsequent visit he asked among the locals who were able to direct him properly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pJMzFr5v5ZU/V_jyDvf5PvI/AAAAAAAAIG0/9K3U88GpU287A-5DY8eQr3Cqx_b3SUdAACLcB/s1600/PA070025%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pJMzFr5v5ZU/V_jyDvf5PvI/AAAAAAAAIG0/9K3U88GpU287A-5DY8eQr3Cqx_b3SUdAACLcB/s640/PA070025%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 2. Tholos A from the south.<br />
(Photographer: Pete; All rights reserved)</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zWIZmQnAjqE/WFlhA_4kSII/AAAAAAAAIkE/CgIxG1yCqvgSJx8dvshtJ75ivQt6ffdBwCEw/s1600/Tholos_B_1A-Edit_Intermediate%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zWIZmQnAjqE/WFlhA_4kSII/AAAAAAAAIkE/CgIxG1yCqvgSJx8dvshtJ75ivQt6ffdBwCEw/s640/Tholos_B_1A-Edit_Intermediate%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 2a. Mound of tholos A from the south.<br />(Kind permission of Dr. Michael Boyd, all rights reserved)</td></tr>
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Illus. 2a was kindly furnished to me by Dr. Michael Boyd of Cambridge. It shows the mound as it was in 1994. The giant oak in Illus. 2 is unmistakably the same as the much younger oak in Illus 2a.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DlQJJd8qqr4/V_j1YaCIMOI/AAAAAAAAIHA/Meo261CGaGIjAC2Qzdd_e7U9qgk2GEMIACLcB/s1600/PA070031%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DlQJJd8qqr4/V_j1YaCIMOI/AAAAAAAAIHA/Meo261CGaGIjAC2Qzdd_e7U9qgk2GEMIACLcB/s640/PA070031%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 3. Tholos A from the north-east.<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">(Photographer: Pete; All rights reserved)</span></td></tr>
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Illus. 3 shows the same tholos A from the north-east. The mound is clearly visible along with a tin shack or shelter that can be seen in Illus. 4. Pete says about this shot:<br />
<br />
"The eastern tholos from the east side. You can see the tin shed in the background. There is some detail in the stone work towards the top of the tumulus. Not sure which part of the tholos this formed."<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gditCzYDHY4/WBujvGVw_MI/AAAAAAAAINE/0u3ldd6hg1IfA9OIIKlvdoyuoKHlZiedgCLcB/s1600/General_Large_Kopanaki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gditCzYDHY4/WBujvGVw_MI/AAAAAAAAINE/0u3ldd6hg1IfA9OIIKlvdoyuoKHlZiedgCLcB/s640/General_Large_Kopanaki.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 4. Context for Tholos Tomb A (C165)</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
In Illus. 4 I show the whole context for tholos A. The arrows indicate from which direction the several illustrations were taken. The blue line indicates the fence seen in Illus. 3. The tin shed is indicated. The tholos actually sits directly under the visible oak trees. Its position is 37.288926° N, 21.801233° E.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LG3XJbtjVIE/V_j-fjlx_gI/AAAAAAAAIHk/t-S8593zdOIX_7Jsn1E1zsK7smHEb-tcgCLcB/s1600/PA070095%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LG3XJbtjVIE/V_j-fjlx_gI/AAAAAAAAIHk/t-S8593zdOIX_7Jsn1E1zsK7smHEb-tcgCLcB/s640/PA070095%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 5. Stone work in Tholos A.<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">(Photographer: Pete; All rights reserved)</span></td></tr>
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Of this Pete says "Eastern tholos (Tholos A, RHC), detail of stone work on east side of tholos near top."<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pete also says this: "<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Tholos (A) is east of the corrugated steel shed that I commented on before. A wire fence bisects the <i>tumulus </i>which is about 4 m high (approx). The <i>tumulus </i>has a 1m diameter hole in the top which goes down approx 1 m. In the earth in the hole one can see the stones that make up the domed roof but no other real structure. There is no cavity or other indication the tholos is intact. There is a 'excavation' that might have been the dromos which points NE. Large stones scattered around.</span>"</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hyqcGfnXaB8/V_kbxm5pzUI/AAAAAAAAIH0/jqLkGz5PLwkFgK1zgWG2HXWGa2ywXnTywCLcB/s1600/PA070091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hyqcGfnXaB8/V_kbxm5pzUI/AAAAAAAAIH0/jqLkGz5PLwkFgK1zgWG2HXWGa2ywXnTywCLcB/s640/PA070091.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 6. Looking into the chamber of tholos A.<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">(Photographer: Pete; All rights reserved)</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m9UEjTQKpvE/V_kd-n0G0pI/AAAAAAAAIIA/Gvgvzfhe3-4Fhr8iblikQ88RJl5iRvwHACLcB/s1600/Tholos_A_From_North-2%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m9UEjTQKpvE/V_kd-n0G0pI/AAAAAAAAIIA/Gvgvzfhe3-4Fhr8iblikQ88RJl5iRvwHACLcB/s640/Tholos_A_From_North-2%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illus. 7. Tholos A from the north.<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">(Photographer: Pete; All rights reserved)</span></td></tr>
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<br />
Here's a last shot of our tholos A; this time from the north. The fence from Illus. 3 is on the left and the corrugated tin shed is on the extreme right. Between the shed and the tholos on the right you can just make out part of a stone wall which was first described by Valmin. This wall tends in the direction of tholos B on the west, about 53 m. distant. I'll deal with Tholos B and this wall in my next post.<br />
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<br />
Notes:<br />
<br />
(1) M. Natan Valmi<span style="font-family: inherit;">n, <i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Bulletin de la Société Royale des Lettres de Lund</i>, </span>1927-1928, <span style="font-family: inherit;">'Con</span>tinued Explorations in Eastern Triphylia; The Tholos Tomb at Kopanaki', pp. 202-209. The Kopanaki tholoi are also described in Simpson [1981], p. 135, 'F 206 Ano Kopanaki: Akourthi'; Boyd [1999] p. 636, '36 Kopanaki' (with photos); McDonald and Simpson [1961] p. 233, '23. Akourthi (Kopanaki)'; Zavadil [2012] p. 261, 'Tholos A'.<br />
<br />
(2) This appears to be the snake mentioned by Pausanias in <i>Arkadia</i>, iv, 7: "I saw this serpent once myself: it was a tiny ashen-looking snake with irregular spotted markings, with a broad head, a thin neck, a biggish belly and a short tail; this and the crested snake move sideways as crabs do." His translator, Peter Levi adds: "I believe this is or used to be classified as <i>coluber ammodytes</i>, up to fifteen or eighteen inches long. It is the south European viper. It was identified somewhere near Lykosoura by the <span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Exp<span style="background-color: white;">é</span>dition scientifique de la Mor<span style="background-color: white;">é</span>e</i></span> in 1829, and I saw one among the rocks in the Neda gorge at Somio below Phigalia in 1963 but I have forgotten the local name for it; it looked more undernourished than vicious, though I was told it was extremely dangerous. I do not know what Pausanias means about his snake moving sideways like a crab; so far as I know all groundsnakes weave sideways, perhaps he thought they weave up and down; mine was weaving sideways very fast." Levi [1971], pp. 377-8, fn. 25. <br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Coluber ammodytes</i> is the name which Linnaeus gave to <i>Vipera ammodytes</i>. The name of the scientific expedition to the Morea is actually, as best I can determine, <i>Exp</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">é</span><i>dition Scientifique de Mor</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">é</span><i>e. </i><a href="http://anemi.lib.uoc.gr/metadata/5/0/4/metadata-160-0000017.tkl">See this</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
Bibliography<br />
<br />
Boyd [1999]: Boyd, Michael John. <i>Middle Helladic and Early Mycenaean Mortuary Customs in the Southern and Western Peloponnese</i>. University of Edinborough. Scotland. 1999.<br />
<br />
Levi [1971]: <i>Pausanias; Guide to Greece. Volume 2: Southern Greece</i>, translated by Peter Levi, Penguin Books. 1971.<br />
<br />
McDonald and Simpson [1961]: McDonald, William A. and Richard Hope Simpson. 1961. "Prehistoric Habitation in Southwestern Peloponnese". <i>American Journal of Archaeology</i>. Vol. 65, No. 3 (Jul., 1961), pp. 221-260.<br />
<br />
Simpson [1981]: Simpson, Richard Hope. <i>Mycenaean Greece</i>. Park Ridge, New Jersey:Noyes Press, 1981.<br />
<br />
Valmin [1927]: Valmin, Natan Svensson<span style="font-family: inherit;">, <i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Bulletin de la Société Royale des Lettres de Lund</i>, </span>1927-1928.<br />
<br />
Zavadil [2012]: Zavadil, Michaela. <i>Monumenta: Studien zu mittel- und späthelladischen Gräbern in Messenien</i>. Wien: Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkschriften. 2012.<br />
<br />
<br />Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-30024982353552642592016-08-28T12:03:00.001-07:002016-11-04T08:39:02.163-07:00Cist grave of adolescent boy found on Mt. LykaionIn <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/05/king-lykaon-and-wolf-myth.html">several</a> <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/05/king-lykaon-and-wolf-ritual.html">past</a> <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/07/some-straight-talk-about-cannibalism.html">posts</a> I have described the myth and the rite which took place on Mt. Lykaion in Arcadia. In brief, what I said was this: the supposed human sacrifice that took place there was imaginary and that the 'cannibalism' constituted a kind of fictive crime used for recruiting into a Männerbund society. <br />
<br />
Well, it <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/aug/10/skeletal-remains-confirm-ancient-greeks-engaged-in-human-sacrifice">appears</a> <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/28/does-a-major-discovery-show-the-greeks-secretly-sacrificed-a-teenage-boy-to-zeus.html">now</a> that I may have been wrong about the human sacrifice part. Word comes from the archaeological group investigating the ash-pile on Mt. Lykaion that an interred adolescent male has been found. In the near future we may have to reach the conclusion that adolescents <i>were </i>sacrificed there.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Teenager's skeleton" src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/38a97b97cda9304a84f24ed44245f1e1f35fb6bd/0_178_1914_2393/master/1914.jpg?w=300&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=b41ec2ddb8d1d41a2b26148c1ba33788" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This uncredited photo shows the cist grave found on Mt. Lykaion</td></tr>
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<br />
What was found was an 11th century B.C. cist grave right in the sacrificial ash pile. In it were the skeletal remains of an adolescent boy - the cranium had been removed. They say that only about 7% of the ash pile (some five feet high in places) has been investigated so far.<br />
<br />
We probably shouldn't jump to any conclusions about the meaning of this interment because much analysis remains to be completed. Still, I tried to imply that human sacrifice there, <i>contra </i>the ancient literature, was basically unlikely. That may now be wrong.Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-50185914856669415212016-08-09T08:23:00.000-07:002016-10-22T12:58:34.792-07:00Where, exactly, are the tholoi of Chalkias (C379, C1084)?<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Chalkias is a hill-top village in the Triphyllia, a portion of northern Messenia, in the Greek Peloponnese.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In October of 1995 a tholos tomb</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> was discovered by a shepherd on a hilltop right outside of town. The tomb proved to be robbed but excavation was able to retrieve some vessels, flint tools, etc. I have a generous correspondent from Greece who has allowed me to use his own photos to illustrate this tholos. The literature refers to this as 'Tholos 1' from Chalkias (there are more).[1] I have designated it 'C379'.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XV2t6Azo0EM/V6eU14ccPYI/AAAAAAAAICU/mQUiOV-7g6s0hkR0UMIvvP7IFqc2S6mUQCLcB/s1600/Tholos_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XV2t6Azo0EM/V6eU14ccPYI/AAAAAAAAICU/mQUiOV-7g6s0hkR0UMIvvP7IFqc2S6mUQCLcB/s640/Tholos_1.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1 Tholos 1 (C379). Courtesy of a correspondent.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This picture has been brightened and other brightnesses have been modified to enhance visibility. It has also been sharpened. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I knew about this tholos but not precisely where it was. Thanks to the generosity of my friend I can now say that its location is exactly: </span>37.361475 N, 21.864388 E.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's another view of the stomion:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3rgzmEwx0ME/V6eXP08nrKI/AAAAAAAAICg/rNh7OfYBRTIYa4OTvxkjqH5pNUoWjBTBgCLcB/s1600/Tholos_1c%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3rgzmEwx0ME/V6eXP08nrKI/AAAAAAAAICg/rNh7OfYBRTIYa4OTvxkjqH5pNUoWjBTBgCLcB/s640/Tholos_1c%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 2 <i>Stomion </i>of Tholos 1 (Chalkias, C379). <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Courtesy of a correspondent. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">(Brightnesses, contrast, color and</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">sharpness were all modified.)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have modified the brightness values of Fig. 2 in order to enhance visibility. It has also been sharpened.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a second tholos about 9.5 m. to NW of this one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3fozWThHxXA/V6ndSeXWlqI/AAAAAAAAIC8/4XhJHV6WU0sRNbpxD98wh0_Wy2Ph3g7JgCLcB/s1600/Tholos_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3fozWThHxXA/V6ndSeXWlqI/AAAAAAAAIC8/4XhJHV6WU0sRNbpxD98wh0_Wy2Ph3g7JgCLcB/s640/Tholos_2.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 3 Chalkias: Tholos 2 (C1084) Courtesy of a correspondent.<br />
(Brightnesses, contrast, color and sharpness were all modified.)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Its position is 37.361536° N, 21.864267° E. [2] The general situation on this hilltop is as shown in the following picture from Google Earth:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mW5re5HnrR0/V6ni6E8b7II/AAAAAAAAIDI/C3H0UlPiCTsIzZYgQVDQezWZRjQsYmloQCLcB/s1600/Chalkias_Hilltop%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mW5re5HnrR0/V6ni6E8b7II/AAAAAAAAIDI/C3H0UlPiCTsIzZYgQVDQezWZRjQsYmloQCLcB/s640/Chalkias_Hilltop%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 4 General Situation on hilltop outside of Chalkias. North at right.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is the general situation. The two tholoi whose locations are known to me are on the north (right) side of the hill in Fig. 4. On top of the hill is one of the very many chapels in Greece devoted to Saint Ilias the Prophet. On the south (left) side of the hill is a third tholos. It is at an area called 'Kroikarnou' but I do not know its precise position, only that it is 'around here'.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Backing out a bit more allows us to see the hilltop in conjunction with the town of Chalkias. In this next picture north is to the left:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PQD3J6Wn16Q/V6nshCfktUI/AAAAAAAAIDQ/adn-kWiQPxkzJP_8Njtw9rV9rEa_hDL3gCLcB/s1600/Chalkias_Hilltop_Wider%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PQD3J6Wn16Q/V6nshCfktUI/AAAAAAAAIDQ/adn-kWiQPxkzJP_8Njtw9rV9rEa_hDL3gCLcB/s640/Chalkias_Hilltop_Wider%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 5 The <i>tholoi </i>(lower left)<i> </i>in relationship to the town of Chalkias at right.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
Fig. 5 shows the town of Chalkias (37.353946° N, 21.872934° E) you drive north (to the left) about a kilometer. You come to a sign directing you to the tholoi on your left. On the other side (east) of the road there is a ruined alona or threshing floor. After you make the turn to the left you mmediately face a junction. Taking the right (lower) fork should bring you close to the tholoi; I have not visited this site. Taking the left fork brings you up to the chapel.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lMM4nSprLM4/V6n0fydVZzI/AAAAAAAAIDY/HPVwnKeS6zALqEnbFCiJ9_tASDwCJ8k_ACLcB/s1600/Tholoi%2BSite%2BSign%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lMM4nSprLM4/V6n0fydVZzI/AAAAAAAAIDY/HPVwnKeS6zALqEnbFCiJ9_tASDwCJ8k_ACLcB/s640/Tholoi%2BSite%2BSign%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 6 Turn-off from main road to the Chalkias site.</td></tr>
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<br />
I hope that some of you can visit this area of Greece in the few weeks of Summer that we have left. And, if you do, please send pictures.<br />
<br />
Follow me on Twitter: @Squinchpix<br />
<br />
Tholos 1 (C379)<br />
discovered: 1995<br />
Diam. of chamber: 4.1 m.<br />
lat: 37.361475° N<br />
lon: 21.864388° E<br />
dromos runs: SE-NW<br />
<br />
Tholos 2 (C1084)<br />
discovered: 1995<br />
Diam. of chamber: 4.1 m.<br />
lat: 37.361536° N<br />
lon: 21.864267° E<br />
dromos runs: ?<br />
<br />
Tholos 3 (C409)<br />
discovered: 1996<br />
Diam. of chamber: 4.0 m<br />
lat: 37.360077° N<br />
lon: 21.863442° E<br />
dromos runs: N<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Notes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[1] Tholos 1 in Zavadil [2012] 296; Boyd [1999] sec. 26, 'Halkias Aelias', 533.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[2] Tholos 2 in Zavadil [2012] 297; Boyd, idem.</span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Bibliography</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.6px; text-align: justify;">Boyd [1999], Boyd, Michael John. </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.6px; text-align: justify;">Middle Helladic and Early Mycenaean Mortuary Customs in the Southern and Western Peloponnese</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.6px; text-align: justify;">. University of Edinborough. Scotland. 1999.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
Zavadil [2012]: Zavadil, Michaela. <i>Monumenta: Studien zu mittel- und späthelladischen Gräbern in Messenien</i>. Wien:Osterreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkschriften. 2012.<br />
<br />Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-59453635175563985932016-07-29T16:29:00.002-07:002016-07-30T07:45:31.398-07:00Where is this wall?I have a correspondent who asks the following question:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #263238; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">"What is this wall thing at the top of a hill? All suggestions gratefully received."</span><br />
<span style="color: #263238; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #263238; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> He includes a link to Google Maps which I have reproduced in the following image:</span><br />
<span style="color: #263238; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tGpo7FmGu-w/V5vLVKUVd0I/AAAAAAAAIAk/wcFnzC41u009XWXo69_1hX5Um-IP-ay5ACLcB/s1600/Fig_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tGpo7FmGu-w/V5vLVKUVd0I/AAAAAAAAIAk/wcFnzC41u009XWXo69_1hX5Um-IP-ay5ACLcB/s640/Fig_1.jpg" width="492" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Mysterious Feature on a hilltop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I suppose that my immediate reaction was that it really is a wall. Although the more I thought about it the stranger it seemed. What is this wall doing on a ridge line completely devoid of any other features? And where is it, exactly? In Fig. 2 I show the surrounding region.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9kBX28Bd64M/V5vNEGkTq7I/AAAAAAAAIAw/B6ibTpEDYH4qVkzbDtmxiJlFUjMPdY8IgCLcB/s1600/Fig_2%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9kBX28Bd64M/V5vNEGkTq7I/AAAAAAAAIAw/B6ibTpEDYH4qVkzbDtmxiJlFUjMPdY8IgCLcB/s640/Fig_2%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 2. The NE corner of the Stenyklaros Plain in Messenia.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In Fig. 2 I show a little more of the surrounding area. This is the extreme north-east corner of the Stenyklaros Plain in Messenia. Our structure is located to the SE of a town called Desyllas and our structure sits at the very end of a ridge which guards the southern entrance to the Isari gorge which runs north to Megalopoli and Leondari (Leontari). It is one of several historical routes from Laconia or Arcadia into the plains of Messenia.[1] Let's zoom out one more time:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fVVQYOOzK0I/V5vSQd-_C5I/AAAAAAAAIA8/bOhYTuViwzEejwz9ne2kZ3d7ewjxwmEBwCLcB/s1600/Fig_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fVVQYOOzK0I/V5vSQd-_C5I/AAAAAAAAIA8/bOhYTuViwzEejwz9ne2kZ3d7ewjxwmEBwCLcB/s640/Fig_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 3. Central and Northern Messenia. Our structure is indicated by the green push pin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In figure 3 you can see the relationship of our structure to the rest of Messenia. The plain of the Pamisos and its tributaries lies to the south of the Stenyklaros. The fertile Soulima valley lies to its west. Ano Englianos (Nestor's Palace) is to the far south west and not far north of the modern town of Pylos. The Ionian sea is to the west and the gulf of Messenia is at the lower center right. Now that we've situated the feature let's see what kind of analysis is necessary to identify it.<br />
<br />
This feature could have been built at any time in the last three thousand years. I don't think that there are any features in fig. 1 which can be related to a specific time period. I began by measuring it. I took the width at five different places between points A and B (refer to fig.1) and derived an average width of 3.19 m (10.48 feet). The standard deviation was 18 cm. which tells me that, even though the Google Earth photo quality is poor, this feature, whatever it is, was intended to be of a uniform width. Still referring to fig. 1, it is 157 m. from A to B and 37 m. from B to C. And it appears to have been constructed with two stone outer walls (perhaps a meter wide?) with the interior filled with rubble. This is easier to see between points B and C.<br />
<br />
But if it's a wall then what wall? Now for those who take an interest in these things this place is quite well-known. I, however, did <i>not</i> know what it was. How to find out? I remembered from some previous research in this area of Messenia that W.S. Pritchett has written a series of books on the local topography and, in particular, his volume 5 deals with the passes over the Taygetos range. I felt that there might be something in Pritchett that would help.<br />
<br />
I spent a morning reading his essay on Tyrtaios and, suddenly, there it all was. Pritchett describes how he explored a ruin called 'Helleniko'. <br />
<br />
"In order to explore Helleniko, we started at Desulla (or Dousula on early maps), a town with a railroad station on the slopes at the northern rim of the Stenyklaros plain where we were told to take a cart road out of the village for two or three kilometers as far as the church of Agios Charalambos. Immediately beyond the church, a rock-strewn tractor road, covered with water from many springs in the path, ascends to the abandoned hamlet of Trypha, where only two roofed houses now stand. Continuing on a path rising to the northest, we soon came upon a terraced bridle-path, less than a meter in width and heavily overgrown, but obviously an ancient route to the site, since we saw with almost every stride some fragment of pottery. Crossing the railroad and passing through a field with a massive heap of discharged shotgun shells, one reaches the fort on the very crest of the ridge. The distance from the cart road is more than a mile. ... (O)ne sees how evergrown the site has become."[2]<br />
<br />
I recreate Pritchett's route in fig. 4.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yp2PBiq1Ouo/V5vhqLeqqfI/AAAAAAAAIBI/k-iV4yaiut4ilvMoRC7tulmpVkrrtnHcQCLcB/s1600/Fig_4%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yp2PBiq1Ouo/V5vhqLeqqfI/AAAAAAAAIBI/k-iV4yaiut4ilvMoRC7tulmpVkrrtnHcQCLcB/s640/Fig_4%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 4. Pritchett's route from Desyllas to Helleniko</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Pritchett identifies 'Helleniko' as a fourth century B.C. fortress. For a long time it was thought that these ruins were the ancient 'Antheia'. Indeed the 1909 Baedeker for Greece so identifies it:<br />
<br />
"Before reaching ... Desylla we observe a little above the line, on a mountain spur to the right, some ancient Greek ruins, now known as Helleniko or Kastro. Curtius has identified these as the remains of Andania, the ancient residence of the Lelegean kings ... and the birthplace of Aristomenes ... though other authorities locate this town in the plain further to the S.W. The outer and inner faces of the walls are carefully built of polygonal blocks, the space between being filled with small stones and binding courses."[3]<br />
<br />
But Natan Valman seems to have re-argued that in the late 1930's and Pritchett describes the issues.[4]<br />
<br />
So our mystery feature, Helleniko, is nothing but a small fort which was built in the 4th century B.C.<br />
<br />
If you like my posts then please follow me on Twitter; I'm @Squinchpix<br />
<br />
And on Google Plus I'm Robert Consoli.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Notes<br />
[1] For a discussion of the traditional routes between Laconia and Messenia see Pritchett [1986], "The Topography of Tyrtaios and the Messenian Wars", pp. 1-68.<br />
[2] Pritchett [1986] 38.<br />
[3] Baedeker [1909] 383.<br />
[4] Pritchett [1986] 47.<br />
<br />
<br />
Bibliography<br />
<br />
Baedeker [1909]: Baedeker, Karl. Greece; Handbook for Travellers. Leipzig. 1909. <a href="https://archive.org/stream/greecehandbookfo00karl#page/n5/mode/2up">Online here</a>.<br />
<br />
Pritchett [1986]: Pritchett, W. Kendrick. <i>Studies in Ancient Greek Topography</i>. Part 5. University of California Publications: Classical Studies, Vol. 31. University of California Press. 1986. 9780520096981. <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Studies_in_Ancient_Greek_Topography_Sans.html?id=qjrnYZRHgX4C">Online here</a>.Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-49251037920984475142016-07-21T07:48:00.008-07:002022-02-26T08:14:29.643-08:00Mykémon-Go<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">
"A world without Pokemon would be less stable<br />
and more dangerous for all of us."<br />
From the site <a href="http://quotesgram.com/pokemon-ash-quotes/">pokemon-ash-quotes</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Recently we've been reading a lot of stories about Pokémon-Go which is an augmented-reality game that uses your smartphone to populate the world with creatures that you 'capture'. Like most computer applications it is a sublime illusion - even a work of art. Of course it's also moronic as the above quote shows but, nonetheless, I can't resist wondering how far the augmented-reality idea can be pushed. Now I don't know how the Pokémon software actually functions but my experience in computer project design at a large free-world defense manufacturer suggests the following (some of these things I know and I'm guessing about the others).</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Pokémon-go is a client-server application. Most of the game (the GPS, the software that decodes your swipes, the melding of the Pokémon creatures with your smartphone camera images) runs on the client application which is running on your smartphone. The server side (as nearly as I can figure out) runs a giant database of locations around the world along with the Pokemon figures that 'inhabit' the various real-world locations. The client (your smartphone) communicates with the server in order to download a chunk of the DB world that corresponds to where you actually are. This includes the creatures and their exact locations. As you move away from where you currently are your phone continues to communicate with the server in order to download new chunks of data from the mother DB. <a href="http://www.mweb.co.za/games/view/tabid/4210/Article/26476/What-exactly-is-Pokemon-GO-and-how-does-it-work.aspx">The origin of this DB</a> was an earlier game called 'Ingress' which resembled the current Pokémon-Go. The DB created by the designers of Ingress was augmented by more than fifteen million user submitted locations of which the Ingress people chose five million. Because one of the complaints about the game is sparsity of coverage in some areas I'm sure that the makers of Pokémon-Go are continuing this process of DB augmentation. I'm not sure whether your Pokémon-Go client communicates any information about the current state of your game-play back to the server; I can't think of any reason why it would do that. The server, I think, is purely DB. The rest is in the client - your phone.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">To develop a client application of this kind requires a smartphone development environment (pretty sure). Part of that environment would be access to the GPS, Google Maps, camera, and swipe software APIs (Application Programmer Interfaces) that those several software packages provide. These APIs are basically just packages of software calls to the underlying GPS, etc. software that the programmer can use in his new client code. It's this that makes it possible to write a client app that uses those services. It's only a matter of time - in fact it's probably already possible - to gain access to such software and write your own augmented reality applications. I'm too lazy to find out.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">If your intended application was to work you'd also have to write the server side which, as I suggested above, serves chunks of the DB. The server is mounted on a server platform (which would be a computer with internet access) on a 24/7 basis. Most of the required code for the server side is already publicly available. Those are the basic ingredients.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Ingredients for what?</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Well, I have currently a DB of nearly 900 Mycenaean find spots and I haven't even tackled Attica yet. Imagine that you're travelling around Greece with your smartphone and you want to know if you're near a place that Mycenaean artifacts have been found. Well, you just fire up your Mykémon-Go client and you'll quickly know whether you're close to any interesting locations because you'll see icons that you follow to reach the site and they would be automatically superimposed on pictures from your phone-camera. Such an application could exist in many configurations. When field walkers do an intensive survey of a large area and find artifacts they could use a software application mounted on a smartphone that pin-point the exact location of every sherd, foundation, or wall that they find (at least I think that this is what happens on the best-equipped efforts). A form of Mykémon-Go would make it possible to pin-point these locations again by simply showing them on a smartphone whenever researchers again came near. I suspect that there are a large number of augmented reality applications that Mycenologists could use to their advantage. </span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">We'll be seeing a lot more of this in the future. If you have ideas about the use of augmented reality in any of the historical disciplines then I'd like to hear about them. And follow me on Twitter: @mycenaeanguy</span></span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Until next time.</span>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span>
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</span>Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-12108420479155159812016-07-09T13:09:00.000-07:002016-07-10T12:01:14.765-07:00Google Street View and the Panagia of Steiri (C939)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;">
In his <i>Mycenaean Greece</i> Richard Hope Simpson describes a site which he calls the 'Panagia'. Some Early Helladic sherds came from this locale. Simpson did not visit this area; as he tells us he is describing the finds of Gebauer who first reported them. Simpson says:<br />
<br />
"Gebauer reported Early Helladic sherds from the vicinity of the chapel of Panayia, overlooking the sea and about 3.5 km. east-northeast of Korphos."[1]<br />
<br />
I haven't visited this area either so where is the chapel of Panagia?<br />
<br />
The general area we're concerned with is the peninsula which juts out into the Saronic gulf from the east of Corinth. Simpson refers to it as 'Southeast Corinthia'. Here's an overview:<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--bjK1mBQbh8/V4FDH6e8vyI/AAAAAAAAH94/QhdgeNe1vegI_ZmUS7ya49TZA1dK7pFngCLcB/s1600/Whole_Peninsula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--bjK1mBQbh8/V4FDH6e8vyI/AAAAAAAAH94/QhdgeNe1vegI_ZmUS7ya49TZA1dK7pFngCLcB/s640/Whole_Peninsula.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1. Southeast Corinthia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Compared to Corinthia proper, just to the west, this area is somewhat underexplored. That seems to be changing now with a series of interesting articles by Tartaron, Pullen, and others that explore newly discovered EH and LH period harbors in this area. [2]<br />
<br />
Simpson refers to the town of Korphos which is located on the south coast of this peninsula and at the bottom right of Fig. 1. Let's look at this area in close-up.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ifwH9rhSxBk/V4FENu7DVrI/AAAAAAAAH-A/gX0g3eId0aAw318JJA0t3EZraLQ2bcG1QCLcB/s1600/South_Coast_Korphos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ifwH9rhSxBk/V4FENu7DVrI/AAAAAAAAH-A/gX0g3eId0aAw318JJA0t3EZraLQ2bcG1QCLcB/s640/South_Coast_Korphos.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig 2. South coast. Korphos at bottom left center.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is mostly wild and rugged terrain. With the exception of the area immediately around Korphos this peninsula has never been densely populated. I've been working on my Mycenaean Atlas for a long time and, if I've learned anything, it's this: the Mycenaean people weren't natural mountain dwellers. These Bronze Age people preferred level plains where they could grow their crops and pasture their cattle.<br />
<br />
O.k. back to business. Simpson says that the Panagia is located 3.5 km. to the east north-east. I placed the corresponding construction lines in Google Earth. It looks like this:<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e7D6fAgKnGY/V4FGLLZYJ-I/AAAAAAAAH-Q/OwqhM5TZVAsihyul7wfWhqlz9yg3exXGACLcB/s1600/Panagia_W_Construction_Lines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e7D6fAgKnGY/V4FGLLZYJ-I/AAAAAAAAH-Q/OwqhM5TZVAsihyul7wfWhqlz9yg3exXGACLcB/s640/Panagia_W_Construction_Lines.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 3. 3.5 km. radius circle centered on Korphos. East north-east construction line (yellow).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In fig. 3 I show a 3.5 km. radius circle centered on the red dot marking Korphos. East north-east is exactly 67.5 degrees. I drew a straight line from Korphos to the 3.5 km. circle and we see here where they intersect. It would be madness to expect that the church of the Panagia would be right at that intersection. Simpson is never very precise with his directions and, in this case, we have a report of a report. Let's zoom in and see what's there:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CAQTt0QXgJo/V4FIFMSAH2I/AAAAAAAAH-c/cH5-B21AingcakAQ7ummxHlpzPYDIgk8ACLcB/s1600/Panagia_CU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CAQTt0QXgJo/V4FIFMSAH2I/AAAAAAAAH-c/cH5-B21AingcakAQ7ummxHlpzPYDIgk8ACLcB/s640/Panagia_CU.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 4. Close-up of our construction line intersection.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Fig. 4 shows the area around the intersection of our two construction lines and, by golly, there's the church! Or I should say, there's <i>a</i> church. We don't know that this is the Panagia and it's wrong to assume. First let's take a closer look:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U_6w-j7069E/V4FJGPkAUkI/AAAAAAAAH-k/92IbWLPWNwgFO2PmdzlwBygQWTXFBBaBQCLcB/s1600/Panagia_Ext_CU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U_6w-j7069E/V4FJGPkAUkI/AAAAAAAAH-k/92IbWLPWNwgFO2PmdzlwBygQWTXFBBaBQCLcB/s640/Panagia_Ext_CU.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 5. Close-up of the church.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Fig. 5 shows us what looks like a beautiful cruciform church of Byzantine type. It has a dome and an octagonal drum. By a miracle Google Street View is available for this area.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;"><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_18-gVfQ4M0/V4FJj4OKoAI/AAAAAAAAH-o/qxSvcq542yg6LZq9kQv2XHw3BGy2zH18QCLcB/s1600/Panagia_Street_View_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_18-gVfQ4M0/V4FJj4OKoAI/AAAAAAAAH-o/qxSvcq542yg6LZq9kQv2XHw3BGy2zH18QCLcB/s640/Panagia_Street_View_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 6. Our church in Google Street View.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Street View gives us a great look at this church. The sign says that it's undergoing refurbishment by some fund or other of the EU. These signs are common in Greece where much refurbishment and repair to cultural landmarks is being funded by the European Community.<br />
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Back to the main point: Is this the Panagia we're looking for? If Google Earth doesn't label a feature then there will be a lot of difficulty in establishing its identity. Here there are no posted photos or other indicators as to the exact identity of this church. I used Google in vain over the course of a morning. Nothing. Of course, there's always that sign posted prominently in front. What does it say?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GFFLYCuHVZc/V4FKrpTH4II/AAAAAAAAH-4/ZhhE1P_YA-grh5Xm55CXpw7oPxKmjeb4QCLcB/s1600/Sign_CU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="560" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GFFLYCuHVZc/V4FKrpTH4II/AAAAAAAAH-4/ZhhE1P_YA-grh5Xm55CXpw7oPxKmjeb4QCLcB/s640/Sign_CU.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 7. The EU sign describing the project.</td></tr>
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There's a little trick to using Street View. If you see something that you can't read, a sign like this, panning the view so that the sign is at one edge of the frame will enlarge the sign - sometimes enough to make a difference. That's what I did here. Then I enlarged it and sharpened it in Photoshop; slightly improving it and filling it with lovely jpeg artifacts.<br />
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I still can't make much out of this sign beyond the fact that it says something about the Peloponnesian Region and that it's funded by ESPA. Those of you who read modern Greek more fluently will get more out of it than I. However I figured that since ESPA is a European Community fund and since the European Community is transparent, if it's anything, then there must be a list of such projects that would help me identify this church. It didn't turn out quite that way. I created the following string and entered it into Google:<br />
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περιφερεια πελοποννησου ΕΣΠΑ ναος<br />
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This says 'Peloponnesian Region, ESPA, church'.<br />
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I got a lot of church projects back and I also got this which I circled in red:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v4RvxOBAp8A/V4FOO0XKCoI/AAAAAAAAH_E/TLZXx46Bx6w295EhpWpvS334SyLHl3tNgCLcB/s1600/Thumbnails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v4RvxOBAp8A/V4FOO0XKCoI/AAAAAAAAH_E/TLZXx46Bx6w295EhpWpvS334SyLHl3tNgCLcB/s640/Thumbnails.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 8. Images result from the search for '<span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Peloponnesian Region, ESPA, church'</span></td></tr>
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This was my church. Stuccoed or not, I knew it at once. What clinched it was the modern belfry that you see at the left side here. You can also see the same belfry in figure 6. I clicked through and was taken to <a href="http://solygeia.blogspot.com/2011/09/11.html">this page</a> in a publication called <i>Solygeia</i>.<br />
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And there was a lovely article in modern Greek describing the project to refurbish the <i>Panagia of Steiri</i>. Here's the first part.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-exCN703xTd0/V4FP2RinsaI/AAAAAAAAH_Q/Gc4jxXMXfocgEV8FjFNenrKOT7W6JChtQCLcB/s1600/Newspaper%2Barticle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-exCN703xTd0/V4FP2RinsaI/AAAAAAAAH_Q/Gc4jxXMXfocgEV8FjFNenrKOT7W6JChtQCLcB/s640/Newspaper%2Barticle.jpg" width="422" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 9. Article about the Panagia of Steiri</td></tr>
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I don't read modern Greek very well but I can see that this article (from 2011) describes the effort to refurbish and restore the Byzantine monastery church of Panagia of Steiri from the 11th century. The first picture is what it did look like. In the second picture we see the church as it's now restored and with the stucco removed. It appears that the cultural treasure here consists of the interior paintings. These appear on the dome and the several intrados and on the pendentives. It must be quite the cultural treasure.<br />
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We also learn the name of this church. It is not just the 'Panagia' (All Saints) but the 'Panagia of Steiri'. What is Steiri? I take this (I'm guessing) to be the name of a location. Let's look at the whole area again:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T8w0ngRZDr0/V4FR1lTHUaI/AAAAAAAAH_c/xB3SpV9EedstrYbrF0VG3oon5JrAea41wCLcB/s1600/Panagia_Region.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T8w0ngRZDr0/V4FR1lTHUaI/AAAAAAAAH_c/xB3SpV9EedstrYbrF0VG3oon5JrAea41wCLcB/s640/Panagia_Region.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 10. Region around the Panagia.</td></tr>
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The Panagia is about 228 m. asl. Adjoining it to the north-west and south-east are two level areas which I have called 'Meadow 1' and 'Meadow 2'. Meadow 1 is more that 350 m. in length. It's more than conceivable that these two meadows did, at one time, support the tiny community whose abandoned house foundations can be seen in fig. 10 labelled 'Abandoned Town'. I interpret this as a candidate for 'Steiri'.<br />
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All locations are in decimal degrees N, and E.<br />
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Panagia Church (C939): 37.775376, 23.160284<br />
Meadow 1: 37.776493, 23.159985<br />
Meadow 2: 37.774541, 23.163532 <br />
"Steiri": 37.772842, 23.162167<br />
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Google Earth and Google Street View, along with the Internet, are powerful tools for investigating and clarifying some of the older literature. Between them they combine many tricks and features that will aid us in our search for our Bronze Age forebears.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;">(7/10/16 Since I wrote this I've discovered that Google Maps - as opposed to Google Earth - clearly labels this 'Ekklisia Panagia'. Oh, well.)<br />
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Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Squinchpix<br />
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Notes<br />
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[1] Simpson [1981] 38, 'A 78B Korphos: Panayia and Profitis Ilias'.<br />
[2] See Tartaron et al. [2003] and Tartaron et al. [2006].<br />
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Bibliography<br />
<br />
Simpson [1981]: Simpson, Richard Hope, Mycenaean Greece. Noyes Press, New Jersey, USA. 1981.<br />
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Tartaron [2003]: Tartaron, Thomas F., Richard M. Rothaus, Daniel J. Pullen, "Searching for Prehistoric Aegean Harbors with GIS, Geomorphology, and Archaeology", <i>Athena Review</i> iii,4, pp. 27-36<br />
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Tartaron [2006]: Tartaron, Thomas F. et al., "The Eastern Korinthia Archaeological Survey; Integrated Methods for a Dynamic Landscape", <i>Hesperia</i> 75 [2006] pp. 453-523<br />
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<br />Robert Consolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17953937280794805002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4100993059569616263.post-67162128731591278972016-07-01T14:08:00.000-07:002019-12-14T07:51:45.607-08:00Where is the Berbati tholos tomb (C895)?<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: larger;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;">In 1935 a tholos tomb was discovered near the acropolis of Berbati (the acropolis is here: 37.711891 N, 22.802696 E; it is C896 in my catalog). This was one of the most significant results of an archaeological expedition undertaken by the Swedish Royal Academy under the direction of Axel W. Persson of the Uppsala University. The tholos tomb (C895) is some distance to the north or northwest of the acropolis. Simpson says this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;"><br />“About a kilometer to northwest of Kastraki is a tholos tomb (diameter 8 m.).”[1]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;">Among Simpson’s sources is the London Illustrated News (Feb. 15, 1936, p. 276) which features a long and informative article by Cambridge’s A.J.B. Wace describing this tholos tomb. Incredibly this article can be found online (requires signing up for a free trial but no payment information is required)[2]</span><br />
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This article features a photograph of the countryside taken from the top of Berbati acropolis. In this photo the approximate position of the tholos is marked with a white arrow. Here's the picture:</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_GkJO8M5r48/V3bhCm-mEKI/AAAAAAAAH7s/V2zdKa3LsmoJaUdMFegBQ08x4Hajlp_VACKgB/s1600/Berbati_Original_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_GkJO8M5r48/V3bhCm-mEKI/AAAAAAAAH7s/V2zdKa3LsmoJaUdMFegBQ08x4Hajlp_VACKgB/s640/Berbati_Original_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fig. 1. Original picture from Illustrated London News. <br />White arrow marks position of the <i>tholos </i>tomb.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">The edge of the Berbati acropolis is in the foreground and we're facing almost exactly north (not Simpson's 'northwest'). I've been over this entire ground in Google Earth and there is no recognizable (to me) tholos tomb anywhere in this area. That may be for any number of reasons. What to do?</span><br />
<br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;" />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">I tried to do here what I have done successfully in the past. I tried to recreate this photo in Google Earth. I went to the top of the Berbati acropolis (virtually) and looked directly north. This is what I see.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-143dlJ08E2s/V3bmQuFc1GI/AAAAAAAAH70/V_MDMFaL7WYsaZ3eeVq-sbyFh6F3tyYdQCLcB/s1600/Berbati%2Bin%2BGE%2BOriginal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="490" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-143dlJ08E2s/V3bmQuFc1GI/AAAAAAAAH70/V_MDMFaL7WYsaZ3eeVq-sbyFh6F3tyYdQCLcB/s640/Berbati%2Bin%2BGE%2BOriginal.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fig. 2 Looking north from Berbati acropolis in Google Earth.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">The out of focus blob at the very bottom is the virtual edge of the Berbati acropolis. We're obviously on the right track here if we are to judge by the ring of hills to the north. Obviously the roads have changed considerably and the landscape is now densely <a href="http://squinchpix.blogspot.com/2015/12/in-olive-grove.html">planted with olive trees</a> whereas in the earlier picture the only grove (that I can see) was a small one to the left (west) edge of the picture. Otherwise the landscape at that time was grassy savannah dotted with oak</span><br />
<br style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;" />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">The problem now is to find the location of the tholos. That is what the white arrow in the earlier picture was pointing to but how do we position it in Google Earth?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">I began to modify the original picture from 1936. Here's what I produced:</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YdIdqrcfET4/V3bmwledtBI/AAAAAAAAH74/h94fuW328iMsUkj5ucdPEdGudKhriByZQCLcB/s1600/Marked_Original_Berbati%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YdIdqrcfET4/V3bmwledtBI/AAAAAAAAH74/h94fuW328iMsUkj5ucdPEdGudKhriByZQCLcB/s640/Marked_Original_Berbati%2Bcopy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Fig. 3. View from Berbati Acropolis with construction line drawn through tholos</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">I've made several changes to the original Illustrated London News picture. I desaturated it to get rid of the awful green-yellow cast. I then modified the contrast throughout the picture, brightening it and extending the value range. I then enhanced the arrow (I did not move it) so that I could draw the red orientation line over it. From the foreground I drew the straight line through the base of the arrow and intersecting the hills at point 2. I then did the same thing in Google Earth which I reproduce here.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0zhfhROETEs/V3bnK5Lt3SI/AAAAAAAAH8A/IvgVdIO4mf01bWaU3YMGBZ-1DOKgrp31wCLcB/s1600/Berbati_marked_Google_Earth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0zhfhROETEs/V3bnK5Lt3SI/AAAAAAAAH8A/IvgVdIO4mf01bWaU3YMGBZ-1DOKgrp31wCLcB/s640/Berbati_marked_Google_Earth.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fig. 4. Reproduction of construction line in Google Earth.</span></td></tr>
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Don't worry about the red clutter underneath the white arrow, I'll talk about that in a minute.<br /><br />
I placed numbers at (1), (2), and (3) on figures 3 and 4 to identify points on the horizon that correspond in both pictures.<br /><br />
I started this process by placing the white arrow in the Google Earth view as close as I could to the corresponding position that it occupies in the Illustrated London News photo. What I did not know is precisely how far away the arrow should be but, with reference to the surrounding hills (especially point 2) I lined it up as well as possible. I then drew the same (or similar) red construction line joining the base of the arrow and the Berbati acropolis on which we're standing. Now I'm under no illusion that this is perfect; I've merely described a narrower area in which to search. I think now that I'm looking in the right direction. I should be embarrassed to confess such <i>ad hoc</i> and pragmatic means of proceeding but I can't be shamed. Kids, don't try this at home.<br />
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Now, virtually as soon as I started looking along the construction line in Google Earth, I came upon the following clutch of photographs which I hadn't noticed previously:</span><br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2l68QMrHyw/V3bokdj70kI/AAAAAAAAH8Q/LGf8cXXbxEUoGBQKuDonjnMFIqFc5ATZwCLcB/s1600/Tholos%2Bwith%2BConstruction%2BOnly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2l68QMrHyw/V3bokdj70kI/AAAAAAAAH8Q/LGf8cXXbxEUoGBQKuDonjnMFIqFc5ATZwCLcB/s640/Tholos%2Bwith%2BConstruction%2BOnly.jpg" width="504" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fig. 5. Close-up of the shape underneath the pinned photos. Is this our tholos?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;"><span style="font-size: 19.2px;">See that clutch of photos in the center and virtually dead on our construction line? They're all labelled the same: 'Prosymna, tholos tomb - October 2014'. The position of these photos is here: 37.716615 N, 22.801617 E. Could this be the tholos tomb we're looking for? I don't know. Whatever's here, if anything, is definitely </span><i style="font-size: 19.2px;">not </i><span style="font-size: 19.2px;">the Prosymna <i>tholos</i> which is actually across the mountains and in the Argolid valley proper (here: 37.695997 N, 22.769915 E). At the very least these pinned photos are mislabelled, a common enough occurrence in Panoramio. Let's look closer.</span><br style="font-size: 19.2px;" /><br style="font-size: 19.2px;" /><span style="font-size: 19.2px;">From this distance it does sort of look like a tholos tomb. Perhaps the measurements will correspond. I drew some construction lines to outline what I think are the features of this shadowy object:</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VTXBqIuJJiM/V3bpEBTXw3I/AAAAAAAAH8U/InBt3FyXNIMOr76VfCWGb8KxrwYK6rqbwCLcB/s1600/Berbati_Tholos_Outline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VTXBqIuJJiM/V3bpEBTXw3I/AAAAAAAAH8U/InBt3FyXNIMOr76VfCWGb8KxrwYK6rqbwCLcB/s640/Berbati_Tholos_Outline.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fig. 6. Construction lines added</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;"><br /><br /><br />
Here is the shadowy shape with construction lines. The measurements of these construction lines are:<br /><br />
a. diameter: 7.165 m.<br />
b. 0.85 m.<br />
c. 7.52 m<br />
d. 2.12 m.<br />
e. 7.5 m.<br /><br />
The corresponding actual measurements for this <i>tholos </i>are:[3]<br /><br />
a. diameter: 8 m.<br />
b. 1.6 m.<br />
c. 8 m.<br />
d. 2.25 m.<br />
e. 8 m.<br /><br />
The measurements do seem to correspond (at least the way I drew the construction lines) except for the stomion at (b) which, perhaps, I under-estimated.<br /><br />
So, although I shouldn't confess to all this slipshod practice I don't know of any other way to determine where this feature is. And, just to repeat the punchline, the position of the <i>tholos </i>of Berbati is (pretty confident) here: 37.716615 N, 22.801617 E. From the starting point on Berbati Acropolis (at 37.711891 N, 22.802696 E) it is 535.50 meters distant at a bearing (<i>from </i>Berbati, <i>to </i>the tholos) of 349.85 degrees.<br /><br />
For a photo of the actual Berbati <i>tholos </i>you can go <a href="http://www.sia.gr/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/berbati_tholos.jpg">here</a>. For the Swedish Institute's own account of projects like Berbati you can see <a href="http://www.sia.gr/old-field-projects/">this</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;">Feuer gives a list of some items documenting the work at Berbati.[4]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;">Now that I think I've found it it's somewhat surprising to discover how close the olive trees are allowed to encroach on it. It doesn't appear to be a protected archaeological area at all in the sense that some reserved area has been carved out for it. It's all olives except for what looks like a large oak on the east side.<br /><br />
I could be wrong about this positioning. If you know better please write to me and let me know.<br /><br />
Progress on the Mycenaean Atlas Project: I've finished Boeotia and want to blog about it but I just received Fossey's <i>Topography and Population of Ancient Boeotia</i> and it will probably help me to sharpen up some of the positions I've set down. So I'm going to wait on blogging about B. In the meantime I was getting the Argolid underway; in itself, a lifetime study. If I don't blog quite as frequently as before that doesn't mean that I'm not busy working on this Mycenaean project.<br />
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Write with comments or corrections. I'm always glad to hear from you. I am on <a href="https://twitter.com/Squinchpix">Twitter</a> so please follow.<br /><br /><b>
Notes</b><br /><br />
[1] Simpson [1981] 19, ‘2. The Tombs’.<br />
[2] <a href="http://find.galegroup.com/iln/newspaperRetrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DateAscend&tabID=T003&prodId=ILN&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=R2&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&currentPosition=1&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28TX%2CNone%2C7%29Berbati%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28da%2CNone%2C8%2919360215%24&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&userGroupName=acd_iln&inPS=true&contentSet=LTO&&docId=&docLevel=FASCIMILE&workId=&relevancePageBatch=HN3100308863&contentSet=ILN&callistoContentSet=ILN&docPage=article&hilite=y&tabLimiterIndex=&tabLimiterValue=">Here</a>.<br />
[3] Dirlik [2012] 68.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;">[4] Feuer [2004] 301, items 1748-1750.<br />
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Bibliography</b><br /><br />
Dirlik [2012]: Dirlik, N., <i>The Tholos Tombs of Mycenaean Greece</i>. Master’s thesis in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala University. <a href="https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:533583/FULLTEXT01.pdf">Online here</a>.<br /><br />Feuer [2004]: Feuer, Bryan. <i>Mycenaean Civilization: An Annotated Bibliography Through 2002, Revised Edition</i>. McFarland and Company, 2004. 978-0786417483.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: larger;"><br />
Simpson [1981]: Simpson, Richard Hope. <i>Mycenaean Greece</i>. Park Ridge, New Jersey:Noyes Press, 1981.<br />
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