Mastos in the Berbati Valley. An Intensive Archaeological Survey

Edited by Berit Wells† & Michael Lindblom

City: Stockholm

Year: 2011

Publisher: The Swedish Institute at Athens

Series: ActaAth-4° no. 54

Description: Hardback, 189 p., 128 b/w and color figures, drawings, maps, 2 fold-out maps, 27,6x21,4 cm

Abstract

This study presents the results of a small but intensive surface survey conducted on the Mastos Hill in the Berbati Valley in 1999. While remains from the Early and Late Helladic period were known from previous excavations on its southern and eastern slopes, this is the first analysis of the entire hill. It includes a digital documentation of the local topography as well as an account of the archaeological remains retrieved in the field. The study fills a gap in different data sets and results gained through old excavations and the extensive 1988-1990 Berbati-Limnes survey.

The introductory chapter summarises previous work in the valley, discusses its ancient routes of communication and outlines the method employed in the archaeological survey. This is followed by an account of the topographical survey and the geographical information system used. In the six following chapters the archaeological remains are presented and analysed in a diachronic fashion. It is concluded that the hill was predominantly settled in prehistory with the exception of a small stronghold in Medieval times on its top terrace. A detailed petrographic study of ceramics found at different locales in the valley is also included.

Contents

List of illustrations [7]
List of tables [13]

Michael Lindblom, ‘Preface’ [15]

1. Berit Wells†, ‘Introduction’ [17-34]

2. Emanuel Savini, ‘The topographic survey and the geographical information system (GIS)’ [35-42]

3. Mats Johnson, ‘The Neolithic period’ [43-52]

4. Michael Lindblom, ‘The Early Helladic period’ [53-75]

5. Michael Lindblom, ‘The Middle Helladic period’ [77-96]

6. Lena Klintberg, ‘The Late Helladic period’ [97-118]

7. Arto Penttinen, ‘The Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods’ [119-124]

8. Jenni Hjohlman, ‘The Late Antique and Medieval periods’ [125-141]

9. Ian K. Whitbread, ‘Petrographic analysis of ceramics from the Berbati Valley’ [143-176]

10. Michael Lindblom & Berit Wells†, ‘General conclusions’ [177-179]

Bibliography [181] 

The chapters of the book are available as pdf files for free download at http://www.esci.se