Early Cycladic Sculpture in Context

Edited by Marisa Marthari, Colin Renfrew & Michael Boyd

City: Oxford

Year: 2017

Publisher: Oxbow Books

Description: Hardback, 508 p., numerous b/w tables and figures, 16 colour plates, 22.2 x 29 cm

Abstract

The sculpture of the Early Bronze Age Cyclades has been systematically studied since the time of Christos Tsountas at the end of the 19th century. But that study has been hampered by the circumstance that so many of the subsequent finds come from unauthorised excavations, where the archaeological context was irretrievably lost. Largely for that reason there are still many problems surrounding the chronology, the function and the meaning of Early Cycladic sculpture.

This lavishly illustrated and comprehensive reassessment sets out to rectify that situation by publishing finds which have been recovered in controlled excavations in recent years, as well as earlier finds for which better documentation can now be provided. Using the material from recent excavation projects, and drawing on the papers presented at a symposium held in Athens in 2014, it is possible now to undertake a fresh overview of the entire body of sculpture from the Cycladic islands which has been found in secure archaeological contexts. Beginning with early examples from Neolithic settlement sites and extending into a consideration of material found in later contexts, the 35 chapters are divided into sections which examine sculpture from settlements, cemeteries and the sanctuary at Kavos, concluding with a discussion of material, techniques and aspects of manufacture.

Contents

List of contributors [viii]
Abbreviations [ix]
List of figures [x-xiv]
List of colour plates [xv]
List of tables [xv-xvi]

Preface [xvii]
Marisa Marthari, Colin Renfrew & Michael J. Boyd

1. Early Cycladic sculpture: issues of provenance, terminology and classification [1-12]
Colin Renfrew

2. Early Cycladic sculptures as archaeological objects [13-21]
Marisa Marthari

Origins: the Neolithic settlements

3. The sculptures of Neolithic Saliagos [24-29]
Colin Renfrew

4. Figurines from the late Neolithic settlement of Ftelia, Mykonos [30-38]
Adamantios Sampson & Vagia Mastrogiannopoulou

5. Figurines from Strofilas, Andros [39-51]
Christina Televantou

The early phase

6. Figurines from Akrotiri, Naxos and Plastiras, Paros [54-64]
Christos Doumas

7. Schematic marble figurines from secure Early Cycladic I grave contexts on the islands of Ano Kouphonisi, Antiparos, Dhespotiko, Naxos, Paros and Siphnos [65-87]
Jörg Rambach

8. A schematic figurine of shell from Mersinia on Kythnos [88-92]
Dora Papangelopoulou

The Early Cycladic II and III settlements

9. The Cycladic marble figurines from EB II Ayia Irini, Kea: evidence for ritual deposition in domestic contexts [94-102]
David E. Wilson

10. A Fragment of an Early Cycladic figurine from the prehistoric settlement at Plakalona on Seriphos [103-106]
Peggy Pantou

11. Sculptures from Akrotiraki, Siphnos and its cemetery [107-118]
Zozi D. Papadopoulou

12. Cycladic figurines in settlements: the case of the major EC II settlement at Skarkos on Ios [119-164]
Marisa Marthari

13. The figurines from the settlement at Dhaskalio [165-170]
Colin Renfrew

14. Figurines from Potamia on Epano Kouphonisi (Pandelis Tsavaris plot) [171-182]
Olga Philaniotou

The Early Cycladic II cemeteries

15. The cemetery at Aplomata on Naxos [184-218]
Christos Doumas & Vassilis Lambrinoudakis

16. Sculptures from Phionda, Naxos [219-254]
Irini Legaki

17. Sculptures from Aghioi Anargyroi and Avdeli, Naxos [255-262]
Christos Doumas

18. Sculptures from the cemetery of Tsikniades, Naxos [263-271]
Olga Philaniotou

19. Marble figurines from sites on Epano and Kato Kouphonisi [272-296]
Giorgos Gavalas

20. Figurines in context at the Chalandriani cemetery on Syros [297-309]
Marisa Marthari

21. The Early Cycladic figurines from the excavations of Clon Stephanos on Syros and a note on his work on Naxos: towards context [310-334]
Lena Papazoglou-Manioudaki

The sanctuary (the special deposits) at Kavos, Keros

22. The complete canonical sculpture of Spedos variety from Dhaskalio Kavos on Keros [336-344]
Photeini Zapheiropoulou

23. Selected sculptural fragments from the Special Deposit North at Kavos on Keros [345-368]
Peggy Sotirakopoulou, Colin Renfrew & Michael J. Boyd

24. The figurine fragments recovered from the Special Deposit North at Kavos in 1987 [369-372]
Colin Renfrew

25. The stone vessels found at Dhaskalio Kavos in 1987 [373-378]
Giorgos Gavalas

26. Selected sculptural fragments from the Special Deposit South at Kavos on Keros [379-394]
Colin Renfrew & Michael Boyd

27. Marble and other spools from the excavations at Dhaskalio and the Special Deposit South at Kavos, Keros (2006-2008), and related Cycladic finds [395-407]
Judit Haas-Lebegyev

Sites with Early Cycladic sculptures in later deposits

28. Recontextualized Neolithic and Early Cycladic figurines at the acropolis of Koukounaries, Paros [410-420]
Stella Katsarou & Demetrius U. Schilardi

29. Early Cycladic figurines in later contexts at Ayia Irini, Kea [421-435]
Carol R. Hershenson & John C. Overbeck

30. The marble sculptures from Phylakopi on Melos [436-445]
Colin Renfrew & Michael Boyd

31. Early Cycladic sculptures from the settlement at Akrotiri, Thera [446-454]
Christos Doumas

32. Terracotta figurines from Mikre Vigla, Naxos [455-465]
Robin Barber

Material, technique & manufacture

33. The marble of the Cyclades and its use in the early Βronze Αge [468-482]
Dimitris Tambakopoulos & Yannis Maniatis
Read the article

34. An experimental approach to the manufacture of Cycladic-type figurines with folded arms: preliminary observations [483-490]
Yiannis Papadatos & Epaminondas Venieris

35. Examining the paint on Cycladic figurines [491-502]
Kiki Birtacha

Index
Colour plates