Research Articles by Olivia A. Jones
Bioarchaeology International, 2018
Archaeologists working in various contexts around the world frequently label human remains found ... more Archaeologists working in various contexts around the world frequently label human remains found in a commingled, fragmented state as "secondary burials" without consideration of the processes by which they form. This unevaluated categorization can lead to inaccurate generalizations and poorly theorized interpretations. Here, I evaluate burial deposits labeled "secondary burials" in a sample of Mycenaean tombs by applying a multifaceted bioarchaeological methodology to reconstruct the actions within the diverse mortuary practices of this period. I use previously excavated human remains (legacy data) and their archaeological context to test hypotheses regarding Mycenaean mortuary practices. Based on an analysis of bone completeness, fragment length, cut marks, element survival percentages, intact skeletal articulations, and tomb context, it is evident that body manipulation in Mycenaean burials was common but varied. In some tombs, disarticulated skeletal material was found next to a primary burial and exhibited percentages of element survival similar to primary deposits. In other tombs, deposits of human remains were found without nearby primary burials. Secondary burial consisting of bone selection and reburial without an associated primary burial was found in only one tomb. Therefore, secondary burial involving deliberate collection and reburial of specific human remains was a rare practice in Mycenaean Achaia. This study shows the value of a multifaceted bioarchaeological approach to a sample of legacy data and reminds archaeologists to be wary of overarching terminology that can obscure complex multistage mortuary processes.
Journal of Greek Archaeology, 2018
The Late Bronze Age period in Greece, known as the Mycenaean period, has been an influential rese... more The Late Bronze Age period in Greece, known as the Mycenaean period, has been an influential research topic in Greek archaeology since the excavations at Mycenae by Heinrich Schliemann in the late 19th century. The mortuary record in particular, with exceptional contexts such as the Shaft Graves filled with golden funerary masks, and the elaborately constructed beehive stone-built tholos tombs (pl. tholoi), have encouraged discussions of conspicuous consumption and shifts of power in early Mycenaean (MH III-LH I) Greece. During the preceding Middle Helladic period, the majority of burials were simple intramural inhumations in pit or cist graves with few grave goods. In contrast, the early Mycenaean period is marked by the adoption of burial within extramural rock-cut chamber tombs, or built tholoi. These tombs were designed for reuse and multiple burials, sometimes involving post-mortem manipulation of human remains. Skeletal remains are found in burial deposits including disarticulated commingled piles or pits (termed non-primary burials in this article) or individuals found in articulation during excavation (termed primary burials in this article). While the grave goods and tomb architecture have been a traditional area of Mycenaean research, the mortuary practices that have created the burial deposits have only recently garnered much-needed attention.
Reuse in Mycenaean tholoi (bee-hive shaped tombs) has been studied for centuries. Initially, bodi... more Reuse in Mycenaean tholoi (bee-hive shaped tombs) has been studied for centuries. Initially, bodies are interred on tomb floors, but moved after decomposition to make space for later burials. Extensive reuse can produce burial levels that are poorly understood often due to a lack of absolute dating. The Petroto tholos is a prime case study for dating multiple burial levels because all eight levels were sequential as later burials did not disturb previous depositions. The initial burial phase has been dated by ceramic chronology to the Late Helladic IIB-IIIA (ca. 1440-1400 BC). Radiocarbon dating of human bone samples yield for Level 7 (middle burial level) 3105 +/− 35 BP (1420-1305 cal BC) and for Level 3 (final burial) 2965 +/− 35 BP (1255-1120 cal BC). The ceramic and radiocarbon dates show that the tomb was used over for approximately 300 years during the Mycenaean period and never used again.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/annual-of-the-british-school-at-athens
This paper presen... more https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/annual-of-the-british-school-at-athens
This paper presents evidence for the later (mostly Geometric) use of the Μycenaean cemetery at Agios Vasileios, Chalandritsa, at the eastern side of the Pharai plain, 20 km southeast of Patras. This evidence comprises surface material and a burial in the dromos of Tomb 17 (with a preliminary analysis of the human skeletal remains), plus finds from the tomb chamber, and finds from the chamber of Tomb 24.
Ευρήματα της Γεωμετρικής περιόδου στο μυκηναϊκό νεκροταφείο του Αγίου Βασιλείου, Χαλανδρίτσας στην Αχαΐα
Το άρθρο αυτό παρουσιάζει στοιχεία σχετικά με τη μεταγενέστερη χρήση του μυκηναϊκού νεκροταφείου του Αγίου Βασιλείου Χαλανδρίτσας, που βρίσκεται στο ανατολικό άκρο της πεδιάδας των Φαρών, στην Αχαΐα και τα οποία χρονολογούνται κυρίως στη Γεωμετρική περίοδο. Αρχικά γίνεται αναφορά στα ευρήματα που προέρχονται από επιφανειακούς εντοπισμούς στην περιοχή και από την αφαίρεση της επίχωσης για την αποκάλυψη των τάφων του νεκροταφείου και στη συνέχεια αναλύονται τα ευρήματα της Ταφής Ι στο δρόμο του θαλαμοειδούς Τάφου 17, της επίχωσης και της κόγχης του θαλάμου του ίδιου τάφου και τέλος της επίχωσης του θαλάμου του Τάφου 24. Δίνεται, επίσης, μια προκαταρκτική αναφορά από τη μελέτη των ανθρώπινων οστών της Ταφής Ι από την Olivia A. Jones.
The two tholos tombs (A and B) at Rhodia, ca. 25 km. south of Patra, Achaea, were excavated by Ni... more The two tholos tombs (A and B) at Rhodia, ca. 25 km. south of Patra, Achaea, were excavated by Nikolaos Zapheiropoulos in 1956. He published two brief preliminary reports (ΠΑΕ 1956 and 1957-the Annals of the Archaeological Society in Athens) that remain our basic source of information. Both tombs were partly destroyed and looted, but a number of remarkable bronze and silver artefacts were found in relation with tomb B, dated to the LH IIIB period, although some are earlier. More recently (2002-2006), restoration work was done on tomb B, and a brief investigation of its environs brought to light five cist / built chamber tombs that remain unpublished. Small-scale rescue excavation of the two tholoi was carried out in June/July 2014. This followed a looting incident that caused severe damage to the interior of tholos B and to a lesser extend to that of tholos A. Τhe excavation was considered necessary both in order to assess the measure of the damage caused, as well as to verify certain unclear issues regarding the tombs' construction. The most interesting and unexpected finds were a pit dug deep below the tomb's original floor and an in situ burial of an infant on the deposit covering the floor of tholos B. The study of the skeletal material has been undertaken by Olivia A. Jones. The aim of this paper is to make a comprehensive study of the two tholos tombs and the five (5) cist and built chamber tombs, incorporating all the archaeological and archive material available from the old excavations. The study is expected to shed light to a very significant aspect of Mycenaean Achaea, i.e. the tholos tombs, and highlight their role as social and cultural indicators.
in print Α΄ ΘΕΜΑΤΙΚΟΣ ΤΟΜΟΣ ΔΗΜΟΣΙΕΥΣΗΣ ΠΡΟΪΣΤΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΛΑΣΙΚΩΝ ΣΩΣΤΙΚΩΝ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΩΝ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΩΝ ΕΦΟΡΕΙΩΝ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΤΗΤΩΝ, ΤΜΗΜΑ ΠΡΟΪΣΤΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΛΑΣΙΚΩΝ ΧΩΡΩΝ, ΜΝΗΜΕΙΩΝ & ΑΡΧ/ΚΩΝ ΕΡΓΩΝ, Δ/ΝΣΗ ΠΡΟΪΣΤΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΛΑΣΙΚΩΝ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΤΗΤΩΝ, ΓΕΝΙΚΗ Δ/ΝΣΗ ΑΡΧ/ΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΗΣ ΚΛΗΡΟΝΟΜΙΑΣ
This article outlines the methodological and interpretative
frameworks proposed as the most holis... more This article outlines the methodological and interpretative
frameworks proposed as the most holistic and inclusive
manner for studying Mycenaean burial data. It provides a
deeper exploration of mortuary themes, such as secondary
burial, and argues that human remains should be studied in
correlation with social theory in order to more fully understand
this intriguing practice.
Tijdschrift voor Mediterrane Archeologie, 2013
Conference Presentations by Olivia A. Jones
Paper presented at the 2018 AIA Annual Meeting Boston.
SESSION 1J: Colloquium
The Preservation of Organic Remains in the Aegean
Presented by the Malco... more SESSION 1J: Colloquium
The Preservation of Organic Remains in the Aegean
Presented by the Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens
ORGANIZERS: W. Flint Dibble, University of Cincinnati, Daniel J. Fallu, Boston University, and Olivia A. Jones, University of Groningen
For a summary of this session see: https://storify.com/wfdibble/the-preservation-of-organic-remains-in-the-aegean-1
Colloquium Overview Statement
Understanding the differential preservation of archaeological materials is an essential prerequisite to identifying cultural patterns within archaeological assemblages. The Mediterranean climate of the Aegean allows for the preservation of only specific types of organic remains (e.g., bone rather than uncharred botanical remains) or specific formation processes (e.g., depositional environment). As a comparative study of archaeological assemblages through space or time, the study of archaeology necessitates an understanding of biases in the archaeological record due to differential preservation. This colloquium presents Aegean case studies in which the preservation of organic remains—either beneficial or detrimental—is linked to their archaeological contexts to provide significant methodological or cultural conclusions.
The Aegean-based case studies in this colloquium include a wide variety of human, animal, and plant remains. The differences in composition and robusticity of plant and osteological materials can cause vastly different preservation profiles. Furthermore, the intentional burial of human remains vs. the haphazard discard of most plant and animal remains can create vastly different preservation profiles in the same locality. Since preservation is constrained by contextually specific depositional environments, geoarchaeology is an important tool for understanding and explaining the postdepositional processes that lead to differential preservation. The interdisciplinary nature of this colloquium aims to demonstrate that nuanced studies of differential preservation yield significant methodological and contextual results.
The papers within this colloquium answer five key questions: (1) How can a specialist identify differential preservation and, more importantly, use these results to better understand cultural activity? (2) What methods can be used to determine how basic archaeological quantifications are biased by preservation? (3) How can a researcher, whether a specialist or a scholar using published results, determine when it is fair to compare one assemblage to another? (4) Are there taphonomically significant relationships between the preservation of different types of organic and inorganic materials? and (5) How can geoarchaeology provide a greater understanding of organic and inorganic preservation?
Within archaeological science of the Aegean, there is a need for discussing and bringing to the foreground intrinsic issues of the preservation of organic remains. A more detailed understanding of differential organic preservation will lead to more appropriate comparative studies of assemblages and, more importantly, toward greater insights into both natural and cultural formation processes within specific excavated contexts.
PRESENTATIONS:
Jones, Olivia A. and Daniel J. Fallu. "Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Preservation Issues of Human Remains in a Mycenaean Tholos"
Nikita, Efthymia. "Dust to Dust and What is Left? The Impact of Partial Preservation in the Calculation of the Number of Individuals from Commingled Assemblages"
Dibble, W. Flint and Daniel J. Fallu. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly at the Dark Age Ranch: Taphonomic Reinterpretations of Pastoralism at Nichoria, Messenia"
Moutafi, Ioanna. "Preservation Patterns of Human Remains and their Role in Reconstructing Aegean Mortuary Practices: Some Methodological Concerns."
Theodoropoulou, Tatiana. "Fish Tails...and their Heads? Differential Preservation vs. Preparation Methods of Fish in Aegean Prehistoric Sites."
Allen, Susan E. and China Shelton. "So Many Samples, So Few Seeds: The Search for Plant Remains at Bronze Age Iklaina."
DISCUSSANTS:
Sherry C. Fox, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, and Panagiotis Karkanas, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Greek Ministry of Culture, Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology and Speleology of Southern Greece
The preservation patterns of human remains have often been a side note of bioarchaeological studi... more The preservation patterns of human remains have often been a side note of bioarchaeological studies in Aegean mortuary research; however, assessment of the preservation can aid in the understanding of the original deposition and later taphonomic processes. The interpretation of the tomb as a whole is vital to understanding all processes in order to reconstruct anthropogenic vs. natural actions. The Mycenaean tholos tomb of Petroto in Achaea was used successively beginning in the Mycenaean period. This tholos-tomb skeletal assemblage is characterized by highly fragmented and poorly preserved human remains in every level except the top and final level. In this final level, a primary single burial with no grave goods was placed. The corbeled stone-built construction of the tomb paired with a stone-lined cist and covered with a large stone cover slab created an enclosed environment. The human remains were not covered with soil but left in the open, stone-lined void of the cist. The remains are not as highly fragmented as those in lower levels; however, they exhibit alternative preservation challenges due to the poor surface preservation and subsequent mineral deposits. This preservation of the human remains is shown to be the result of the stone void of the cist, which created a cave-like environment. This paper provides a case study of a unique burial environment in which min-eralogical surface analysis reconstructs the processes that led to the leaching of, and subsequent mineral encrustation on, the human remains. A change in the hy-drologic environment, likely due to the partial collapse of the tholos roof-resulted in the percolation of carbonate-rich water and the formation of a speleothem-like mineral coating on some skeletal elements. In addition to providing key information concerning the postdepositional tomb environment, the spatial patterning of mineral formations and zones of differing preservation may allow for the repo-sitioning of the skeleton into its original position in order to answer questions concerning the state of articulation and mortuary treatment not addressed during excavation. The Petroto tomb provides a unique case study of a tholos tomb in which the burial environment of the cist mocks a natural cave environment, thereby giving mineralogical evidence for reconstructing the original burial deposit. Exploring the postdepositional processes of the burial has resulted in a more holistic understanding of the state of the remains and has provided vital information for understanding the deposition and later processes of the primary cist burial from the Petroto tholos.
MNHMH MNEME PAST AND MEMORY IN THE AEGEAN BRONZE AGE, 17th International Aegean Conference. University of Udine, Department of Humanities and Cultural Heritage, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Department of Humanities, 17-21 April 2018, 2018
Burial customs are by definition associated with memory and remembrance. Modern and ancient peopl... more Burial customs are by definition associated with memory and remembrance. Modern and ancient peoples inter the dead in often elaborate and memorable ways. Rituals carried out during burials including disposal of the corpse (i.e. inhumation or cremation), and interment within tombs and cemeteries can construct, manipulate, and maintain personal and social memories. In this presentation, we explore how the use and reuse of Mycenaean tombs were tools of memory manipulation to bridge the gap between the living community and the dead ancestors. In the Mycenaean period, many tombs have evidence of secondary mortuary rituals, in which the living return to the dead in order to carry out additional burial or tomb cleaning actions. These actions maintain memory of the recently deceased, the location of the tomb, and the communities' mortuary practices. In other cases, tomb reuse occurs after a hiatus in the burial record and can may reflect connections with a past unrelated to the specific community. In addition, tombs were reused by succeeding societies as a way to integrate their presence into the local culture. Therefore, Mycenaean tombs offer an ideal location for maintaining existing memories between the living and the dead. Four cases from Mycenaean Achaea will be briefly presented in this paper, each one reflecting different aspects of tomb reuse and their associated potential for building and sustaining memory. The burial of an infant in tholos B at Rhodia, post-Mycenaean activities in the cemeteries of Voudeni and Agios Vasileios in Chalandritsa, and the multiple burial levels within the Petroto tholos tomb are all interesting examples of tomb reuse. Each site offers a unique perspective into memory creation and maintenance via the practice of tomb reuse. At Voudeni and Agios Vasileios, Chalandritsa, the use of chamber tomb dromoi for burials suggests a desire by the succeeding peoples to continue the Mycenaean burial traditions, thus inserting themselves into the Mycenaean past. This practice both created a new recent memory of the dead and maintained the past memory of the Mycenaeans buried in the tombs. In contrast, at Petroto we can see the evolution of burial memory through the entire Mycenaean period. The tomb possesses multiple burial levels ranging from typical disarticulated and commingled multiple burials to the atypical singular crouched burial. The continuous use of the tholos is itself a testament to the lasting memory of the tomb as a burial space but the changing burial practices found within, also indicated adaptations to the maintenance of such memories. Lastly, the single infant burial at Rhodia is a unique example of a final burial in a tholos. The carefully laid infant within the tomb may be an example of a final act of memory maintenance or the beginning of a new era of tomb reuse. These will be discussed as examples in which mortuary practices invoke or promote memory: the dead oblige the needs of the living.
Paper given at the 2017 AIA Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada.
The reuse of tombs for later burials is characteristic of Mycenaean mortuary practices and has be... more The reuse of tombs for later burials is characteristic of Mycenaean mortuary practices and has been the subject of
much scholarship in past and recent years (Cavanagh and Mee 1978; Cavanagh and Mee 1998; Boyd 2002).
However, reconstructing multiple levels and timing of tomb reuse is seldom investigated and there has been little radiocarbon dating of Mycenaean contexts. In this article, we focus on dating unknown burial levels in a Mycenaean tholos tomb in order to reconstruct the initial use and subsequent phases of reuse. The ceramic chronological dating of tombs containing multi-stage mortuary practices has inherent flaws. Therefore, we focus on dating the burial levels and reconstructing the timing of reuse in the tomb.
Commingled human remains are found in diverse combinations and contexts; how can researchers anal... more Commingled human remains are found in diverse combinations and contexts; how can researchers analyze and understand these assemblages? In this paper, the specific question is: how can bioarchaeologists interpret a large enclosed tomb, in which disarticulated and commingled human remains are placed in piles? The case study derives from a Late Bronze Age, approximately 1550 B.C., stone tomb (Petroto, in southern Greece) in which one level of the tomb floor consists of piles of human remains placed near the eastern edge of the tomb. Are these piles the result of purposeful human action?; why are the dead placed in this way? The context and human remains are examined to determine the actions involved in the secondary burial(s). The case study is placed in its wider context: norm and variation of secondary treatment in Mycenaean tradition. Lastly, by viewing "the body as artifact" and utilizing materiality theory, researchers can interpret the piles of human remains as indicative of complex ideology, symbolic use of the dead and the lived experiences of tomb reuse. The social theory of materiality can be an important tool for interpreting bone commingling and placement as culturally meaningful and purposeful in the lives of the Mycenaean people.
The preservation patterns of human remains have often been a side note of bioarchaeological studi... more The preservation patterns of human remains have often been a side note of bioarchaeological studies in Aegean mortuary research; however, assessment of the preservation can aid in the understanding of the original deposition and later taphonomic processes. The interpretation of the tomb as a whole is vital to understanding all processes in order to reconstruct anthropogenic vs. natural actions. The Mycenaean tholos tomb of Petroto in Achaea was used successively beginning in the Mycenaean period. This tholos-tomb skeletal assemblage is characterized by highly fragmented and poorly preserved human remains in every level except the top and final level. In this final level, a primary single burial with no grave goods was placed. The corbeled stone-built construction of the tomb paired with a stone-lined cist and covered with a large stone cover slab created an enclosed environment. The human remains were not covered with soil but left in the open, stone-lined void of the cist. The remains are not as highly fragmented as those in lower levels; however, they exhibit alternative preservation challenges due to the poor surface preservation and subsequent mineral deposits. This preservation of the human remains is shown to be the result of the stone void of the cist, which created a cave-like environment.
Courses by Olivia A. Jones
The intensive and interdisciplinary course on the Archaeology of Death will take place in Greece ... more The intensive and interdisciplinary course on the Archaeology of Death will take place in Greece in spring 2016. The aim of the course is to treat in depth various themes related to the study of death in the ancient world. The course will adopt a diachronic approach, starting from prehistory and ending with 19th century neoclassical funerary monuments or 20th century military cemeteries. The course will integrate different disciplines –archaeology, history, ancient literature, epigraphy, social theory, anthropology– and will combine both methodological (e.g. recent advances in excavation methodology, the bioarchaeological analysis of human remains, the study of inscriptions) and theoretical discussions (discussions on memory, personhood, age and gender, interpretation of ritual, attitudes to death, etc.), in order to reach a more global understanding of mortuary practices and changing attitudes to death.
The course can be taken on its own (5 ECTS), or as part of the (MA and Research MA) course Archaeology of Death which is given in Groningen in the first half of second semester (in which case the students will get 10 ECTS).
The intensive and interdisciplinary course on the Archaeology of Death will take place in Greece ... more The intensive and interdisciplinary course on the Archaeology of Death will take place in Greece in spring 2016. The aim of the course is to treat in depth various themes related to the study of death in the ancient world. The course will adopt a diachronic approach, starting from prehistory and ending with 19th century neoclassical funerary monuments or 20th century military cemeteries. The course will integrate different disciplines –archaeology, history, ancient literature, epigraphy, social theory, anthropology– and will combine both methodological (e.g. recent advances in excavation methodology, the bioarchaeological analysis of human remains, the study of inscriptions) and theoretical discussions (discussions on memory, personhood, age and gender, interpretation of ritual, attitudes to death, etc.), in order to reach a more global understanding of mortuary practices and changing attitudes to death.
The course can be taken on its own (5 ECTS), or as part of the (MA and Research MA) course Archaeology of Death which is given in Groningen in the first half of second semester (in which case the students will get 10 ECTS).
Books by Olivia A. Jones
The Mycenaean chamber-tomb cemetery at Agios Vasileios, near Chalandritsa in Achaea, was first in... more The Mycenaean chamber-tomb cemetery at Agios Vasileios, near Chalandritsa in Achaea, was first investigated by Nikolaos Kyparissis in the late 1920s, followed by small-scale research in 1961 by Efthimios Mastrokostas. In the years 1989–2001 more rescue excavations were conducted by the Greek Archaeological Service, revealing 30 chamber tombs, some looted. Based mostly on the latest research, this study is the first major presentation of the cemetery and its finds. The topographical data are presented in chapter A, including the most important ancient sites in the region. Chapters B to E deal with the 45 chamber tombs and with the assemblage of the 260 artefacts found in them. The chipped stone assemblage and the ground stone implements are presented in chapter F by Vivian Staikou. Chapter G, by Olivia A. Jones, deals with the human skeletal remains, focussing on burial customs and practices. Chapters H and I handle the discussion and the concluding remarks, respectively. A series of 3D representations and photorealistic illustrations are presented, based on the original plans and architectural drawings of the tombs, to produce a visual appreciation of the important cemetery, unfortunately no longer visible. Available by ARCHAEOPRESS
Papers by Olivia A. Jones
The Annual of the British School at Athens, 2014
This paper presents evidence for the later (mostly Geometric) use of the Μycenaean cemetery at Ag... more This paper presents evidence for the later (mostly Geometric) use of the Μycenaean cemetery at Agios Vasileios, Chalandritsa, at the eastern side of the Pharai plain, 20 km south-east of Patras. This evidence comprises surface material and a burial in the dromos of Tomb 17 (with a preliminary analysis of the human skeletal remains), plus finds from the tomb chamber, and finds from the chamber of Tomb 24.
AEGAEUM 43 - MNHMH / MNEME PAST AND MEMORY IN THE AEGEAN BRONZE AGE. Proceedings of the 17th International Aegean Conference, University of Udine, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 17-21 April 2018. Edited by Elisabetta BORGNA, Ilaria CALOI, Filippo Maria CARINCI and Robert LAFFINEUR, 2019
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Research Articles by Olivia A. Jones
This paper presents evidence for the later (mostly Geometric) use of the Μycenaean cemetery at Agios Vasileios, Chalandritsa, at the eastern side of the Pharai plain, 20 km southeast of Patras. This evidence comprises surface material and a burial in the dromos of Tomb 17 (with a preliminary analysis of the human skeletal remains), plus finds from the tomb chamber, and finds from the chamber of Tomb 24.
Ευρήματα της Γεωμετρικής περιόδου στο μυκηναϊκό νεκροταφείο του Αγίου Βασιλείου, Χαλανδρίτσας στην Αχαΐα
Το άρθρο αυτό παρουσιάζει στοιχεία σχετικά με τη μεταγενέστερη χρήση του μυκηναϊκού νεκροταφείου του Αγίου Βασιλείου Χαλανδρίτσας, που βρίσκεται στο ανατολικό άκρο της πεδιάδας των Φαρών, στην Αχαΐα και τα οποία χρονολογούνται κυρίως στη Γεωμετρική περίοδο. Αρχικά γίνεται αναφορά στα ευρήματα που προέρχονται από επιφανειακούς εντοπισμούς στην περιοχή και από την αφαίρεση της επίχωσης για την αποκάλυψη των τάφων του νεκροταφείου και στη συνέχεια αναλύονται τα ευρήματα της Ταφής Ι στο δρόμο του θαλαμοειδούς Τάφου 17, της επίχωσης και της κόγχης του θαλάμου του ίδιου τάφου και τέλος της επίχωσης του θαλάμου του Τάφου 24. Δίνεται, επίσης, μια προκαταρκτική αναφορά από τη μελέτη των ανθρώπινων οστών της Ταφής Ι από την Olivia A. Jones.
in print Α΄ ΘΕΜΑΤΙΚΟΣ ΤΟΜΟΣ ΔΗΜΟΣΙΕΥΣΗΣ ΠΡΟΪΣΤΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΛΑΣΙΚΩΝ ΣΩΣΤΙΚΩΝ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΩΝ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΩΝ ΕΦΟΡΕΙΩΝ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΤΗΤΩΝ, ΤΜΗΜΑ ΠΡΟΪΣΤΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΛΑΣΙΚΩΝ ΧΩΡΩΝ, ΜΝΗΜΕΙΩΝ & ΑΡΧ/ΚΩΝ ΕΡΓΩΝ, Δ/ΝΣΗ ΠΡΟΪΣΤΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΛΑΣΙΚΩΝ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΤΗΤΩΝ, ΓΕΝΙΚΗ Δ/ΝΣΗ ΑΡΧ/ΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΗΣ ΚΛΗΡΟΝΟΜΙΑΣ
frameworks proposed as the most holistic and inclusive
manner for studying Mycenaean burial data. It provides a
deeper exploration of mortuary themes, such as secondary
burial, and argues that human remains should be studied in
correlation with social theory in order to more fully understand
this intriguing practice.
Conference Presentations by Olivia A. Jones
The Preservation of Organic Remains in the Aegean
Presented by the Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens
ORGANIZERS: W. Flint Dibble, University of Cincinnati, Daniel J. Fallu, Boston University, and Olivia A. Jones, University of Groningen
For a summary of this session see: https://storify.com/wfdibble/the-preservation-of-organic-remains-in-the-aegean-1
Colloquium Overview Statement
Understanding the differential preservation of archaeological materials is an essential prerequisite to identifying cultural patterns within archaeological assemblages. The Mediterranean climate of the Aegean allows for the preservation of only specific types of organic remains (e.g., bone rather than uncharred botanical remains) or specific formation processes (e.g., depositional environment). As a comparative study of archaeological assemblages through space or time, the study of archaeology necessitates an understanding of biases in the archaeological record due to differential preservation. This colloquium presents Aegean case studies in which the preservation of organic remains—either beneficial or detrimental—is linked to their archaeological contexts to provide significant methodological or cultural conclusions.
The Aegean-based case studies in this colloquium include a wide variety of human, animal, and plant remains. The differences in composition and robusticity of plant and osteological materials can cause vastly different preservation profiles. Furthermore, the intentional burial of human remains vs. the haphazard discard of most plant and animal remains can create vastly different preservation profiles in the same locality. Since preservation is constrained by contextually specific depositional environments, geoarchaeology is an important tool for understanding and explaining the postdepositional processes that lead to differential preservation. The interdisciplinary nature of this colloquium aims to demonstrate that nuanced studies of differential preservation yield significant methodological and contextual results.
The papers within this colloquium answer five key questions: (1) How can a specialist identify differential preservation and, more importantly, use these results to better understand cultural activity? (2) What methods can be used to determine how basic archaeological quantifications are biased by preservation? (3) How can a researcher, whether a specialist or a scholar using published results, determine when it is fair to compare one assemblage to another? (4) Are there taphonomically significant relationships between the preservation of different types of organic and inorganic materials? and (5) How can geoarchaeology provide a greater understanding of organic and inorganic preservation?
Within archaeological science of the Aegean, there is a need for discussing and bringing to the foreground intrinsic issues of the preservation of organic remains. A more detailed understanding of differential organic preservation will lead to more appropriate comparative studies of assemblages and, more importantly, toward greater insights into both natural and cultural formation processes within specific excavated contexts.
PRESENTATIONS:
Jones, Olivia A. and Daniel J. Fallu. "Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Preservation Issues of Human Remains in a Mycenaean Tholos"
Nikita, Efthymia. "Dust to Dust and What is Left? The Impact of Partial Preservation in the Calculation of the Number of Individuals from Commingled Assemblages"
Dibble, W. Flint and Daniel J. Fallu. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly at the Dark Age Ranch: Taphonomic Reinterpretations of Pastoralism at Nichoria, Messenia"
Moutafi, Ioanna. "Preservation Patterns of Human Remains and their Role in Reconstructing Aegean Mortuary Practices: Some Methodological Concerns."
Theodoropoulou, Tatiana. "Fish Tails...and their Heads? Differential Preservation vs. Preparation Methods of Fish in Aegean Prehistoric Sites."
Allen, Susan E. and China Shelton. "So Many Samples, So Few Seeds: The Search for Plant Remains at Bronze Age Iklaina."
DISCUSSANTS:
Sherry C. Fox, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, and Panagiotis Karkanas, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Greek Ministry of Culture, Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology and Speleology of Southern Greece
much scholarship in past and recent years (Cavanagh and Mee 1978; Cavanagh and Mee 1998; Boyd 2002).
However, reconstructing multiple levels and timing of tomb reuse is seldom investigated and there has been little radiocarbon dating of Mycenaean contexts. In this article, we focus on dating unknown burial levels in a Mycenaean tholos tomb in order to reconstruct the initial use and subsequent phases of reuse. The ceramic chronological dating of tombs containing multi-stage mortuary practices has inherent flaws. Therefore, we focus on dating the burial levels and reconstructing the timing of reuse in the tomb.
Courses by Olivia A. Jones
The course can be taken on its own (5 ECTS), or as part of the (MA and Research MA) course Archaeology of Death which is given in Groningen in the first half of second semester (in which case the students will get 10 ECTS).
The course can be taken on its own (5 ECTS), or as part of the (MA and Research MA) course Archaeology of Death which is given in Groningen in the first half of second semester (in which case the students will get 10 ECTS).
Books by Olivia A. Jones
Papers by Olivia A. Jones
This paper presents evidence for the later (mostly Geometric) use of the Μycenaean cemetery at Agios Vasileios, Chalandritsa, at the eastern side of the Pharai plain, 20 km southeast of Patras. This evidence comprises surface material and a burial in the dromos of Tomb 17 (with a preliminary analysis of the human skeletal remains), plus finds from the tomb chamber, and finds from the chamber of Tomb 24.
Ευρήματα της Γεωμετρικής περιόδου στο μυκηναϊκό νεκροταφείο του Αγίου Βασιλείου, Χαλανδρίτσας στην Αχαΐα
Το άρθρο αυτό παρουσιάζει στοιχεία σχετικά με τη μεταγενέστερη χρήση του μυκηναϊκού νεκροταφείου του Αγίου Βασιλείου Χαλανδρίτσας, που βρίσκεται στο ανατολικό άκρο της πεδιάδας των Φαρών, στην Αχαΐα και τα οποία χρονολογούνται κυρίως στη Γεωμετρική περίοδο. Αρχικά γίνεται αναφορά στα ευρήματα που προέρχονται από επιφανειακούς εντοπισμούς στην περιοχή και από την αφαίρεση της επίχωσης για την αποκάλυψη των τάφων του νεκροταφείου και στη συνέχεια αναλύονται τα ευρήματα της Ταφής Ι στο δρόμο του θαλαμοειδούς Τάφου 17, της επίχωσης και της κόγχης του θαλάμου του ίδιου τάφου και τέλος της επίχωσης του θαλάμου του Τάφου 24. Δίνεται, επίσης, μια προκαταρκτική αναφορά από τη μελέτη των ανθρώπινων οστών της Ταφής Ι από την Olivia A. Jones.
in print Α΄ ΘΕΜΑΤΙΚΟΣ ΤΟΜΟΣ ΔΗΜΟΣΙΕΥΣΗΣ ΠΡΟΪΣΤΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΛΑΣΙΚΩΝ ΣΩΣΤΙΚΩΝ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΩΝ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΩΝ ΕΦΟΡΕΙΩΝ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΤΗΤΩΝ, ΤΜΗΜΑ ΠΡΟΪΣΤΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΛΑΣΙΚΩΝ ΧΩΡΩΝ, ΜΝΗΜΕΙΩΝ & ΑΡΧ/ΚΩΝ ΕΡΓΩΝ, Δ/ΝΣΗ ΠΡΟΪΣΤΟΡΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΛΑΣΙΚΩΝ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΤΗΤΩΝ, ΓΕΝΙΚΗ Δ/ΝΣΗ ΑΡΧ/ΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΗΣ ΚΛΗΡΟΝΟΜΙΑΣ
frameworks proposed as the most holistic and inclusive
manner for studying Mycenaean burial data. It provides a
deeper exploration of mortuary themes, such as secondary
burial, and argues that human remains should be studied in
correlation with social theory in order to more fully understand
this intriguing practice.
The Preservation of Organic Remains in the Aegean
Presented by the Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens
ORGANIZERS: W. Flint Dibble, University of Cincinnati, Daniel J. Fallu, Boston University, and Olivia A. Jones, University of Groningen
For a summary of this session see: https://storify.com/wfdibble/the-preservation-of-organic-remains-in-the-aegean-1
Colloquium Overview Statement
Understanding the differential preservation of archaeological materials is an essential prerequisite to identifying cultural patterns within archaeological assemblages. The Mediterranean climate of the Aegean allows for the preservation of only specific types of organic remains (e.g., bone rather than uncharred botanical remains) or specific formation processes (e.g., depositional environment). As a comparative study of archaeological assemblages through space or time, the study of archaeology necessitates an understanding of biases in the archaeological record due to differential preservation. This colloquium presents Aegean case studies in which the preservation of organic remains—either beneficial or detrimental—is linked to their archaeological contexts to provide significant methodological or cultural conclusions.
The Aegean-based case studies in this colloquium include a wide variety of human, animal, and plant remains. The differences in composition and robusticity of plant and osteological materials can cause vastly different preservation profiles. Furthermore, the intentional burial of human remains vs. the haphazard discard of most plant and animal remains can create vastly different preservation profiles in the same locality. Since preservation is constrained by contextually specific depositional environments, geoarchaeology is an important tool for understanding and explaining the postdepositional processes that lead to differential preservation. The interdisciplinary nature of this colloquium aims to demonstrate that nuanced studies of differential preservation yield significant methodological and contextual results.
The papers within this colloquium answer five key questions: (1) How can a specialist identify differential preservation and, more importantly, use these results to better understand cultural activity? (2) What methods can be used to determine how basic archaeological quantifications are biased by preservation? (3) How can a researcher, whether a specialist or a scholar using published results, determine when it is fair to compare one assemblage to another? (4) Are there taphonomically significant relationships between the preservation of different types of organic and inorganic materials? and (5) How can geoarchaeology provide a greater understanding of organic and inorganic preservation?
Within archaeological science of the Aegean, there is a need for discussing and bringing to the foreground intrinsic issues of the preservation of organic remains. A more detailed understanding of differential organic preservation will lead to more appropriate comparative studies of assemblages and, more importantly, toward greater insights into both natural and cultural formation processes within specific excavated contexts.
PRESENTATIONS:
Jones, Olivia A. and Daniel J. Fallu. "Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Preservation Issues of Human Remains in a Mycenaean Tholos"
Nikita, Efthymia. "Dust to Dust and What is Left? The Impact of Partial Preservation in the Calculation of the Number of Individuals from Commingled Assemblages"
Dibble, W. Flint and Daniel J. Fallu. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly at the Dark Age Ranch: Taphonomic Reinterpretations of Pastoralism at Nichoria, Messenia"
Moutafi, Ioanna. "Preservation Patterns of Human Remains and their Role in Reconstructing Aegean Mortuary Practices: Some Methodological Concerns."
Theodoropoulou, Tatiana. "Fish Tails...and their Heads? Differential Preservation vs. Preparation Methods of Fish in Aegean Prehistoric Sites."
Allen, Susan E. and China Shelton. "So Many Samples, So Few Seeds: The Search for Plant Remains at Bronze Age Iklaina."
DISCUSSANTS:
Sherry C. Fox, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, and Panagiotis Karkanas, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Greek Ministry of Culture, Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology and Speleology of Southern Greece
much scholarship in past and recent years (Cavanagh and Mee 1978; Cavanagh and Mee 1998; Boyd 2002).
However, reconstructing multiple levels and timing of tomb reuse is seldom investigated and there has been little radiocarbon dating of Mycenaean contexts. In this article, we focus on dating unknown burial levels in a Mycenaean tholos tomb in order to reconstruct the initial use and subsequent phases of reuse. The ceramic chronological dating of tombs containing multi-stage mortuary practices has inherent flaws. Therefore, we focus on dating the burial levels and reconstructing the timing of reuse in the tomb.
The course can be taken on its own (5 ECTS), or as part of the (MA and Research MA) course Archaeology of Death which is given in Groningen in the first half of second semester (in which case the students will get 10 ECTS).
The course can be taken on its own (5 ECTS), or as part of the (MA and Research MA) course Archaeology of Death which is given in Groningen in the first half of second semester (in which case the students will get 10 ECTS).