The eastern harbor of Selinous. Functional spaces of an ancient harbour zone

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jon Albers
• Subject Area: Classical, Roman, Christian and Islamic Archaeology
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 425484313

The aim of the follow-up application for the eastern harbour of Selinunte is the diachronic and functional research of the ancient Greek harbour zone of the archaic-classical period. While the pilot phase of the project mainly succeeded in identifying the harbour bay (which is now silted up) with its accompanying architecture, the functional interpretations and designs of the areas grouped around the ancient bay are to be researched as part of the follow-up application. In addition to the basic uses, the changes over time and above all the interactions between the extramural harbour zone and the intramural harbour quarter are of particular importance. It is important to investigate whether the buildings within the city walls were functionally close to the harbour. In this way, another large Greek harbour zone of the Archaic-Classical period - in addition to the special example of Piraeus - can be comprehensively opened up for the first time for further research. Accordingly, the actual field research is to be combined with the conception and construction of a database on the Greek ports of these periods, in order to allow further research on the topic. The project is designed to be interdisciplinary. In addition to the archaeological excavations and the accompanying processing of finds, which form the core of the work, geomorphological-sedimentological investigations will provide clarity on sedimentation processes, archaeobotanical analyses will serve to reconstruct ancient vegetation and archaeoinformatic methods will contribute to the general analysis of ancient topography.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants