Mount Kynthos in Delos. The Early Cycladic Settlement - article ; n°1 ; vol.104, pg 3-45

J. A.Macgillivray

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Bulletin de correspondance hellénique - Année 1980 - Volume 104 - Numéro 1 - Pages 3-45
43 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

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• Publié par: BULLETIN_DE_CORRESPONDANCE_HELLENIQUE
• Publié le: 01 janvier 1980
• Nombre de lectures: 50
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

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J. A. Mac Gillivray
Mount Kynthos in Delos. The Early Cycladic Settlement
In: Bulletin de correspondance hellénique. Volume 104, livraison 1, 1980. pp. 3-45.
Citer ce document / Cite this document :
Mac Gillivray J. A. Mount Kynthos in Delos. The Early Cycladic Settlement. In: Bulletin de correspondance hellénique. Volume
104, livraison 1, 1980. pp. 3-45.
doi : 10.3406/bch.1980.1953
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/bch_0007-4217_1980_num_104_1_1953MOUNT KYNTHOS IN DELOS.
THE EARLY CYCLADIC SETTLEMENT
resumed excavations Zeus believed of and on a the In prehistoric and island 1973 results excavations that Athena. the on of Delos were top French settlement Excavation of on published had in Mt. School the been Kynthos, were Kynthos Gyclades. at in of an Athens found 1928. the ancient in the prehistoric 1 the beneath celebrated A highest summer century astral settlement a point one Third observatory. of earlier, hundred 1913. on Century the was Albert In years island, completed 1916 André B.C. Lebègue of the because excavation temple Plassart remains in began 1921 he to
Récent excavation in the Gyclades has revealed valuable stratigraphy and
provided a more lucid image of the Early Gycladic settlements.2 It is now possible
to discuss certain features noted during the excavations at Mt. Kynthos and présent
the pottery in greater détail so that the settlement may be considered in the light
of récent discoveries.
The following study is presented in two parts. The first is a brief summary
of certain architectural features noted by Plassart. Part 2 is a présentation of the
most characteristic and informative pottery followed by comments about chronology.
The stone tools and small fmds could not be located in the Delos Muséum and,
therefore, cannot be included in this study.
Abbreviations:
Architecture Doumas, Ch., "Notes on Early Cycladic Architecture", AA (1972), p. 151-170.
Askilario Theochares, D., "Askitario", ArchEph 1953-1954 III (1961), p. 59-76.
Délos XI Plassart, Α., Les Sanctuaires et les Cultes du Mont Cynthe, EAD XI (1928).
E. C. Period Barber and MacGillivray, "The Early Cycladic Period: Matters of Définition and Terminology ",
AJA 84 (1980).
E. H. Argolid Caskey, J. L., "The Early Helladic Period in the Argolid", Hesperia 29 (1960), p. 285-303.
Kastri Bossert, E.-M., "Kastri auf Syros", ArchDelt 22 (1967), I, p. 53-76.
Keos Pt. I Caskey, J. L., "Investigations in Keos. Part I: Excavations and Explorations, 1966-70",
Hesperia 40 (1971), p. 359-96.
Keos Pt. II Caskey, J. L., in Keos. Part II: A Conspectus of the Pottery", Hesperia
41 (1972), p. 357-401.
Kykladika I Tsountas, Ch., "Kykladika", ArchEph 1898, col. 137-212. II Ch., "Kykladika II", 1899, col. 73-134.
(1) Délos XI.
(2) See Kastri and Keos Pt. I and II. J. A. MACGILLIVRAY [BCH 104
PART 1. ARCHITECTURE
The modem visitor to Mt. Kynthos will find it very difïîcult to understand
the layout of the prehistoric seulement. Almost sixty years after excavation,
the site is a séries of overgrown or collapsed walls, many of which are diffîcult to
trace even with the use of the excavator's plan.
It is unlikely that a re-investigation of the structures would yield much more
information than is already known. The architecture is presented in suffîcient
détail in the original report.3
The following is a short description of the settlement with brief summaries of
certain features noted by Plassart.
Layout of the settlement
The settlement consists of over a dozen small rooms on the west and north
sides of the peak of Mt. Kynthos (fîg. 1). The majority of the foundations are situated
at c. 108.0 m above sea-level. The rooms are built around a central peak, which
rises c. 4.0 m the average floor level of the rooms.
Area θ yielded no trace of walls and appears to connect with passages e and μ.
Gertainly a passageway, θ is probably the entrance to the settlement. A later
staircase up the side of Mt. Kynthos leads to about the same area. This would
suggest that the prehistoric settlement was approached by a similar route up the
west side of the mountain.4
To the south of Θ, rooms ζ and η yielded no trace of occupation. Both were
found fîlled with stones and earth. The rather solid construction of the rooms,
combined with their proximity to the entrance led Plassart to suspect that they
may hâve formed a bastion for defence.5
Rooms γ and δ form the southwest limit of the settlement. Room δ contained
fragments of many large jars, including an almost complète pithos6, and several
grinding stones and gneiss disks. Similar finds from room ι suggest that this area
was used for storage.
North of Θ, rooms κ and λ seem to form a house. The function of κ is uncertain.
Room λ was probably inhabited as numerous sherds and stone tools suggest.7
Rooms ir, ρ and σ appear to belong to a rectangular house on a northwest-
southeast axis. The north and west sides are lost. Traces of a large wall running
north-south under rooms ρ and σ may represent an earlier structure8 (discussed
below, p. 7).
(3) Délos XI, p. 11-23.
(4) Ibid., p. 14.
(5) Ibid.
(6) Ibid., fïg. 36. Possibly Group A/B 395, see below, p. 40, fig. 15.
(7)p. 15-16.
(8) Ibid., p. 16. MOUNT KYNTHOS : THE EARLY CYCLADIG SETTLEMENT 1980]
Ν
ROCK
Wall s
EARLY
0 1 I 1 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I M LATE
UNCERTAIN
Fig. 1. — M t. Kynthos. Plan of the Early Cycladic Settlement (after Delos XI, Plan III). 6 J. A. MACGILLIVRAY [BCH 104
The northern area of the seulement has been almost completely erased. Despite
the paucity of architectural features, areas μ' and υ yielded a large number of sherds
and an almost complète brazier.9 The sherds may hâve been washed down from
structures on the peak of the hill or, may indicate an area of occupation in which the
walls hâve been removed.
The northeast area appears to hâve been used primarily for habitation. Houses
φ, χ and ψ are the only recognizable structures in the area (discussed below).
Structures ν, ξ, ο and ω probably served as supports for buildings which once
stood higher up the peak.10
Traces of four walls, α and β, may also belong to the prehistoric seulement.
Sherds of the prehistoric and archaic periods were found mixed together, so that
the date of the walls must remain uncertain.11
Ν
5 M
Fig. 2. — Plan of apsidal houses in the northeast area of the seulement.
Apsidal houses
Φ, χ and ψ may be apsidal houses. Plassart noted the distinctive curviture
of the walls and likened the plan to a 'fer à repasser tronqué du bout.'12 Possible
reconstructions of the houses on the basis of the excavator's commente may be
suggested (fig. 2). Ail appear to share roughly the saine plan: a wide, relatively
straight wall at one end joined at the extrêmes by two thin walls which curve inward
to form a narrow apse. Ail appear to be free-standing.
(9) Ibid., fig. 33.
(10)p. 11-12.
(11) Ibid., p. 13.
(12)p. 13 and 21. Unfortunately, in each case the walls necessary to complète the plan hâve
been destroyed by later construction. MOUNT KYNTHOS : THE EARLY CYCLADIC SETTLEMENT 7 1980]
Plassart noted a recess on the interior of the west wall of house φ which he
assumed was a chimney.13 The space may simply hâve something to do with
entering the building, as it is located at the center of the straight wall.
If the reconstructions suggested in fig. 2 are accurate, house φ must be the latest
of the apsidal buildings; ψ would be the earliest, followed by χ.14
Evidence for reconstruction
While describing the architecture, Plassart notes that, in the construction
of double-faced walls, small stones are mixed with discarded stone tools in the mortar
between facings.15
In the northwest area of the site, as many as three stratigraphie levels were
observed.16 In rooms λ and p, the middle level is black and appears to be organic
rather than charcoal based. Distinct levels were also found in room σ and area μ'.
It is significant that a fairly thick, straight wall appears to run under the west
side of rooms ρ and σ. Plassart suggests that the wall belongs to an early fortif
ication.17 It is certainly on a différent orientation than the walls of rooms ττ, ρ
and σ and is most likely earlier. It would be tempting to associate the early wall
with the lowest stratigraphie level observed in the rooms, however, the excavator's
comments do not allow for such a conclusion.
The apsidal houses are further évidence for reconstruction. Houses φ, χ and
ψ may represent three building phases in the northeast corner of the settlement.18
Comment
The Early Cycladic settlements are not well known at présent; there being
no final reports of récent excavations in the Gyclades. However, architectural
features which compare with Mt. Kynthos are mentioned in preliminary reports and
notices.
The possible bastion south of the entrance and the location of the settlement,
on a hilltop with one convenient direction of approach, are in keeping with fo