Protogeometric and Geometric fine-ware pottery from the sanctuary at Kalapodi: chronology, ritual features, and connectivity of an Early Iron Age cult site in Phokis

• Applicant: Dr. Alexandra von Miller
• Subject Area: Classical, Roman, Christian and Islamic Archaeology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 508182668

The project aims at the processing and contextual evaluation of the painted Early Iron Age pottery (10th-8th century BC) from the excavations at the sanctuary of Kalapodi.As one of the most frequent find categories painted fine wares are a particularly indicative and representative tool for addressing many different questions in archaeology. Thus, they play an important role in the research regarding the detailed chronology, the site-specific character of the cultic activities as well as the regional and supra-regional connectivity of this important sanctuary of the Middle Greek region in the protogeometric and geometric period. The first three-year application phase will serve to develop the stratigraphic and material-intrinsic basics of the study.The starting point is the examination of the stratigraphy relevant to the project on the basis of the documentation from 20 years of excavation work in Kalapodi, which is also available in digital form. Central to the understanding of the stratigraphic situation is the correlation of the stratigraphic sequence of the ›Felsch excavations‹ (1973-1982) with that of the ›Niemeier excavations‹ (2004-2013).The systematic documentation of finds forms the second pivot of the basic ceramic research. It aims at the quantitative, descriptive, graphic, photographic, macroscopic and archaeometric recording of the diagnostic find material. It will be fed into the DAI's find database as digitally retrievable data and elaborated in the find catalogue. Based on this, the material-intrinsic evaluation of the pottery contexts will be carried out according to chrono-typological aspects, which will allow a more differentiated chronological assessment of individual ensembles within the Early Iron Age phase sequence known for Kalapodi. Taking into account the better known pottery development of other production centres that exported to Kalapodi, and as far as possible also pottery-bearing sites in Phokis and Lokris, a typo-chronological framework of the regional Early Iron Age pottery is to be worked out on the basis of the stratified find complexes from Kalapodi, which can serve as a chronological reference for the surrounding region. Macroscopic fabric classification will contribute to the ceramological description and definition of the still insufficiently known local and regional ceramic productions. It will be flanked by geochemical analyses using p-XRF, which will help to develop a targeted further archaeometric program to be carried out in the second application phase.The overarching questions of the study concerning 1) the controversially discussed chronology of the Early Aegean Iron Age, 2) the reconstruction of activities and ritual practice in the two temple areas of Kalapodi, and finally 3) the regional and supra-regional connectivity of the sanctuary are to be pursued in a second, two-year application phase and will rely on the basic results elaborated in this first application phase.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Greece
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Anno Hein; Dr. Jan-Marc Henke