Koukounaries, Paros. The Excavations and History of a Most Ancient Aegean Acropolis

Demetrius-Umberto Schilardi

City: Athens

Year: 2016

Publisher: Paros Excavations-Center for Historical and Archaeological Studies

Description: Paperback, 95 p., 149 colour figures, 18.2 x 27 cm

Abstract

It is with great pleasure that I accepted the invitation to present this handsome book about the ancient acropolis of Koukounaries on Paros. A first account about a rare Aegean acropolis, it contains the result of meticulous and systematic excavations carried out between 1976 and 1992 by Demetrius -Umberto Schilardi, Ephor of Antiquities, Emeritus, and his collaborators. Koukounaries is considered one of the most ancient acropolis sites in the Aegean.

The author promptly informs the reader that while his team is preparing the final excavation reports, he decided to write a combined synthetic work describing all phases of the long sequence of habitation levels of this extraordinary acropolis, which rises over the bay of Naoussa. We therefore learn that after a long prehistoric phase assigned to the Final Neolithic (5^th mill. 5-C) and the Early Cycladic II period (2700- 2300 BC), and following a period of desertion, the acropolis of Koukounaries was re-occupied by Mycenaean refugees in the early 12^th c. BC, who, according to recent research, came from the Greek mainland. Starting from that period and all the way down to the middle of the 7^th c. BC, the site witnessed continuous occupation, thus becoming a central candidate in the study of a crucial period of Greek history that lasted from the end of the Bronze Age to the Protogeometric period.

In general, Koukounaries shows no break in habitation, in contrast to that which has been observed in other places or has been believed to have happened almost throughout Greece. Here there is the certainty of continuity in occupation, in spite of obvious changes in architecture and also in political and social aspects. The crucial topic of continuity is destined to play a role of primary significance in the future, as resulting from the nature of the excavations, contained as a methodical synthesis in this book.

Contents

Forward by Emanuele Greco [7]

Introduction [8-9]

Koukounaries [10-91]

Abbreviations [92]

Bibliography [92-95]