Excavations
at Erimi-Laonin tou Porakou: 2014
The Department of
Antiquities, Ministry of Communications and Works, announces the completion of
the 2014 fieldwork season undertaken by the Italian Archaeological Mission, Università
degli Studi di Firenze, at Erimi, at the site of Erimi-Laonin tou Porakou. This
year’s investigations took place from July 21st to August 18th
2014.
The Bronze Age occupation
sequence at Erimi-Laonin tou Porakou revealed two main phases, with a series of
related sub-phases ranging from the Middle to the very beginning of Late Bronze
Age period (EC III/MCI- LC I). The site area was then scanty frequented during
the late-Hellenistic and Roman periods, apparently following a long abandonment
phase.
The focus of the 2014
season was on the investigation of three significant areas, different in
character with regards to their use: the top hill area (Area A), where an
extended workshop complex was identified; the domestic quarter (Area B) and the
southern cemetery (Area E).
The excavation in the
workshop complex yielded positive results and new data related was collected
relating to the architecture, the building techniques and the stratigraphy of
the Bronze Age occupation of this productive area. At this point, the whole
workshop complex extends over the 30x30 m. area currently under investigation.
A complete open-air working area extends towards the eastern area of the
complex, while a series of two new large rectangular units were cleared on the
western and eastern wings with a completely preserved monolithic stone
threshold, as well as a pivot system and locking devices. A sudden collapse of
the wall structures allowed the preservation of materials in their original
place.
The analysis of botanical
remains from significant contexts, together with the evidence for working
installations (basins, channels) and assemblages of objects (spindle-whorls,
pouring vessels, containers) strengthen the hypothesis that weaving and textile
dying were the main activities performed in the complex.
The investigation of the
first lower terrace, where the domestic quarter is located (Area B), exposed
the foundation structures of what appears to be a large housing area, extending
over the 20x15 m. area currently being explored. A series of five roofed
domestic units (Units 1-3, 5, 7) are organized around open rectangular courts
(Courts 4, 6), equipped with small working installations (pots emplacements and
basins carved into the limestone bedrock). The investigation of a stratigraphic
deposit within Unit 3 evidenced a sequence of two main phases of occupation in
the Middle Bronze Age, contemporary with the workshop complex at the top of the
hill.
The southern cemetery area
(Area E) extends over a series of terraces sloping towards the South-East of
the settlement. The funerary cluster is characterized by a
series of rock-cut pit and chamber tombs, dated back to the same chronological
horizon of the settlement. Two interesting graves were investigated this
season, characterized by unusual architectural features and burial rituals.
Pit
tomb 427 appears to have been a bone repository, probably connected with
secondary inhumations. Chamber tomb 428 (FIG. 1) revealed
a multiple inhumation, the skeletons deliberately positioned in one section of
the burial chamber during a secondary episode, possibly as part of a funerary
ritual. As far as burial goods are concerned, a rich assemblage of ceramic
vessels comes from this burial context. The repertoire includes small and
medium size bowls, juglets and jars with applied and incised decoration as well
as a collection of clay decorated spindle-whorls, stone beads and a complete
bronze dagger blade with a rat-tail tang. The ceramic assemblage includes
possibly imported vessels from central and western Cyprus, whose date ranges
from the beginning to the very end of Middle Bronze Age period, thus confirming
the long-term use of this chamber for multiple burials.
The
fieldwork season involved a team of archaeologists of the University of Turin
with the support of four anthropologists and a team of five restorers from the
Universities of Turin and Florence. A team of three topographers from the Ge.Co
Institute, Italy, performed the laser-scanner mapping of the settlement and of
the funerary structures.
________________
22 October, 2014
