135 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LIX N° 1-2, januari-april 2002 136

ARCHEOLOGIE architecture and stratigraphy, and the synthesis have been written by the excavators of the site. The first chapter is by VERHOEVEN, Marc, Peter M.M.G. AKKERMANS (eds.) P. Akkermans and M. Verhoeven and deals with the chronol- — Tell Sabi Abyad II, The Pre-Pottery Neolithic B Set- ogy of the site. Subsequently the stratigraphy and architec- tlement. Report on the Excavations of the National ture are discussed by M. Verhoeven. Following that are dis- Museum of Antiquities Leiden in the Balikh Valley, cussions of the artefacts found, with a chapter on the flint Syria. PIHANS XC. Nederlands Historisch-Archaeolo- and obsidian industries by L. Copeland, a chapter on the gisch Instituut te Istanbul, Istanbul, 2000. (26 cm, VIII, small finds by M. Verhoeven, and the level I pottery by O. 188). ISBN 90-6258-090-4. / 57,-. Nieuwenhuyse. After these presentations the ecofacts are discussed, with a chapter on the botanical remains by W. The contributors to the excavation report on the excava- Van Zeist and G. J. De Roller, and one on the faunal remains tions undertaken by the Dutch National Museum of Antiqui- by L. H. Van Wijgaarden-Bakker and R. Maliepaard. Finally ties at Tell Sabi Abyad II deserve praise for producing an the conclusions are presented by P. Akkermans and M. excellent volume dealing with all of the materials found at Verhoeven. the site. In addition, the volume constitutes a discussion of In the short chapter on the chronology the dating of Sabi Sabi Abyad II that replaces all earlier reports on the site. Abyad II is discussed. Three 14C data are conveniently pub- Tell Sabi Abyad II is located in the Balikh Valley in the lished with both the calibrated and the conventional uncali- north of Syria. To investigate the Neolithic period in that brated data. These 14C data derive from levels 8 to 3A and valley a large-scale project has been undertaken on a clus- can be dated roughly between 7570 and 6850 calibrated BC. ter of mounds, the largest of which is known as Tell Sabi This limited group of 14C data is augmented by comparative Abyad. The project is directed by P. Akkermans, on behalf dating of the flint and obsidian industries by L. Copeland, of the University of Amsterdam, and later on the Dutch who assigns the Sabi Abyad II sequence to the later half of National Museum of Antiquities. The cluster of mounds the PPN-B (chapter 3). The uppermost ceramic level I is ten- is situated approximately 30 km south of the Syro-Turkish tatively dated to the earliest Pottery Neolithic by comparison border. with material from nearby Tell Damishliya, that is dated to Major excavations have been undertaken at Tell Sabi ca. 6600-6400 calibrated BC. It is unclear whether level I rep- Abyad I where Late Neolithic remains are being investigated resents a continuation of the occupation of earlier levels, or (see Akkermans 1993, Akkermans ed. 1989, 1996). More a later, perhaps isolated, activity on the Tell. recently Late Bronze Age remains at the same site are being The chapter on stratigraphy and architecture discusses the investigated (see Akkermans et al. 1993). eight levels distinguished. Although the area excavated is Since 1993 excavations have also been undertaken at Sabi continuous the discussion is undertaken for each square sep- Abyad II. This is a small mound measuring ca. 123 x 76 m, arately. Squares measure 9 x 9 m, and a section baulk of 1 which rises ca. 4.5 m above the level of the plain, and is m was maintained in between squares. For administrative located directly Northwest of Sabi Abyad I. These excava- purposes the squares were labelled using a combination of a tions were undertaken to investigate the hitherto poorly capital letter and a number. During the process of excavation known PPN-B period in the Balikh Valley, which had hardly strata numbers were assigned to both layers and features, fea- been investigated at that time, except for a 24 m2 trench at tures were also given feature designations (for instance wall nearby Tell Assouad (Cauvin 1972). Excavations have been A). In cases were buildings could be distinguished building undertaken in 1993, 1996, and 1999, in the course of which numbers were assigned. In the final analysis of the stratigra- exposures up to 540 m2 were obtained. A sequence of 8 lev- phy the division into 8 levels was made with level 3 subdi- els was obtained, lasting about 700 years, between ca. 7550 vided into levels 3C-3A (early to recent). The strata in the and 6850 calibrated BC. The uppermost level 1 consists of a individual squares were correlated to these levels. These cor- pit containing early ceramics and is dated to the Early relations are represented in a large table (fig 2.1). Ceramic Neolithic. The discussion of the stratigraphy is based on these corre- The results of these excavations have been partly published lations. Per square those square-specific strata are discussed (see e.g. Copeland and Verhoeven 1996, Verhoeven 1994, (which may comprise deposits and features) that were 1997, 1998, 2000), but only in short preliminary reports. It assigned to a specific level, then the next square is discussed, is to be applauded that the present excavation report, dis- and so on. This is done even when those squares are adja- cussing all the categories found in a comprehensive way, has cent. Although the utility of this presentation is easily appeared so soon after the excavations have taken place. grasped, the approach presents some serious problems. The Nonetheless the volume should not be considered a final pub- lack of an integrated presentation precludes a clear under- lication. First, the excavations at the site have not come to an standing of the stratigraphy. The different strata of the dif- end. Second not all of the discussions in the book deal with ferent squares discussed per level provide a wealth of dis- the complete set of material remains found in the three cam- connected and confusing data, the same often applies for the paigns the report covers; the discussions of the lithics, the discussion of the features found in the levels. Moreover, the plant remains, and the animal remains include the remains sequence is poorly illustrated, out of the eight levels dis- found in the 1993 campaign only. It would have been clearer cussed only three are illustrated with plans, and a total of six if that preliminary nature of the volume, which is designated section drawings of single squares (for instance the east sec- ‘an extensive interim report’ by the authors (p. vii), would tion of H6) are provided to illustrate the stratigraphy. The have been included in the sub-title of the volume. synthesis of stratigraphy and architecture would have been The book is structured according to the principle found in clearer with both more illustrations and a more integrated dis- most excavation reports. Each find category is discussed by cussion of the layers and features found in the individual specialists, whereas the general chapters on matters such as squares. 137 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 138

Nevertheless, the chapter on stratigraphy and architecture ing equipment, hammer stones, celts, stone vessels, figurines, does provide a lot of detailed information on architecture and beads, pendants, and an unbaked clay bowl. An important stratigraphy concerning a carefully excavated sequence. Espe- category present is that of grinding equipment, such as grind- cially interesting is level 3 that was exposed over 540 m2. ing slabs, grinders and hammer stones. Some of these arte- The buildings that were unearthed were built of pisé, or, to facts still bore traces of red pigment, possibly ochre, that must be more precise, slabs of loam usually without temper, and have been worked. Thus the grinding equipment is demon- not dried in the sun. These slabs were bonded with a mortar strated to have been used for more than processing grain only. of the same material as that of the slabs. In level 3 the use of Four small anthropomorphic figurines and twelve fragments alternating slabs of different materials was introduced, as of animal figurines are among the most interesting artefacts. were true mud-bricks, which became common in level 2. The animal figurines all seem to represent cattle, although Thus the development of one of the key elements of Near some are too fragmentary to be positive. Among the Eastern material culture has been demonstrated at the site. humanoid figurines are two abstract human heads with necks, The buildings were more or less rectangular, and consisted which have parallels at Tell Assouad and Gürçütepe (the so for a large part of small rooms no larger than 3 by 3 m. Many called Tell Assouad type figurines, see Schmidt 1998), and of these rooms could not be accessed via a door, and must seem to represent a typical Balikh Valley feature (Schmidt have been approached from above, or via portholes. In addi- 1998, p. 100 discussed volume). A more widespread motive tion, some of the buildings have larger rooms, some of which is constituted by a realistically rendered corpulent women sit- may have been open courtyards. Among some of the more ting on her knees, of which the head has been removed, and regular buildings a tripartite division is present that is remi- another figurine representing the same figure in abstract. niscent of buildings at Bouqras (Akkermans et al. 1981, see A minor flaw in this chapter is the lack of data on the con- also p. 175 of the volume discussed here). text from which the objects derive. In the object catalogue The chapter on the flint and obsidian industries by the level and area from which the object derives are given, Copeland is a clear and concise report. To analyse trends and but the specific stratum from whence it originates is not patterns the material (consisting of a total of only 1265 arte- given. Thus it is not possible to know whether an object was facts found in 1993) was subdivided into three groups; phase found in situ or not. Although a number of objects from level 3 (level 8-7), phase 2 (levels 6-4), and phase 1 (levels 3-2). 5 may have been found in situ (p. 92) we are not further The level 1 lithic remains have not been analysed by informed on their nature and were they were found. In Copeland, as they had not been found in the 1993 campaign. another case mention is made of a possible toolkit of objects A considerable amount of the lithic material is shown to con- that may have been deposited in a bag (p 103). These objects sist of obsidian, ranging from between 76 % in phase 3 to 56 are mentioned but not identified or discussed as a group. This % in phase 1. Flint and obsidian were used for different pur- lack of context data is somewhat surprising given the recent poses; as indicated by the different sets of tools produced Ph.D. dissertation of Verhoeven dealing with the interpreta- (see table 3.3). Flint and obsidian debitage is rare, leading tion of in situ objects found in Sabi Abyad I (Verhoeven the author to suggest that the knapping took place some- 1999). where else (p. 64). It is not known how and from where the Chapter 5 deals with the pottery found in pit A. This pit obsidian was transported to Sabi Abyad II. It is suggested that was assigned to level 1. It is unclear whether the contents of the obsidian might have derived from the Bingöl area near this pit were deposited shortly or long after the habitation of Lake Van, but the obsidian has not been analysed. Inter- level 2 at Sabi Abyad II. The pottery is being compared to estingly a number of 56 obsidian blades and fragments could that found at Tell Damishliyya, which is dated to about 6600- be refitted suggesting that the material might have arrived as 6400 calibrated BC, or about 250 years after the span intact cores (p. 63). assigned to Tell Sabi Abyad II level 8-2 (7550-6850 cali- In addition to the descriptive discussion of the chipped brated BC). In the PPN-B a period of 250 years may not be stone industries Copeland has also provided a comparative considered a long span of time, given the few reliable dates analysis with chipped stone industries of other PPN-B sites available, nonetheless it is somewhat strange that an isolated in the region. It is stated that the chipped stone of Aceramic pit is interpreted by Nieuwenhuyse as the last phase of “a levels VI-I of Tell Assouad (not yet published) are similar to long and uninterrupted aceramic occupation history” (p. 129). those of Sabi Abyad II phase 3. The lithics of VIII-VII of the A pit cannot by any means be interpreted as an occupation same site are stated to be related to Sabi Abyad II phase 2, phase, and even it the site was occupied when the pit was which is remarkable, since its means a reversal in stratigra- filled the event could have occurred hundreds of years after phy of Assouad, with VI-I predating VIII-VII, contrary to the the Aceramic site was abandoned. present stratigraphy of the site (J. Cauvin 1972). On the The pottery found (n = 137) was studied comprehensively, Euphrates Abu Hureyra 2A is stated to be contemporary to but only few diagnostic shards were present. The analysis is Sabi Abyad II phases 3 and 2, whereas Abu Hureyra 2B descriptive; no account is given of production technology. should be correlated with Sabi Abyad II phase 1. It is unfor- The shards are mostly tempered with plant inclusions, and tunate that the text was written before the results of the exca- are coarse, brittle and fragmented. Shapes are mostly simple vations at Göbekli Tepe and Gürcütepe had been published, round bowls; other shapes are vertical pots with or without as the relations with these sites are of major interest. The loop handles, and a few hole-mouth pots. Bases may be flat chronological table charts Göbekli Tepe I-V, but such a phas- or concave. Carinations and decoration are absent, although ing has not been developed for the site, and the five phases some burnishing may occur. mentioned are probably to be related to the Nevali Çori The chapters on plant and animal remains provide a use- sequence (personal comment K. Schmidt). ful additional group of data on the economy and surround- In the fourth chapter the small finds are discussed by M. ings of Sabi Abyad II. The plant remains found at Sabi Abyad Verhoeven. The objects are well illustrated and include grind- II include the remains of four types of cereals, and one pulse 139 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LIX N° 1-2, januari-april 2002 140 crop (Lens culinaris). Remarkably is the find of linseed / flax Akkermans, P.M.M.G. (ed.), 1996, Tell Sabi Abyad; the Late (Linum usitassimum). It is posited that the flax was probably Neolithic settlement. Report on the excavations of the Uni- used for nutrition, and was cultivated (pp. 141-2). Although versity of Amsterdam (1988) and the National Museum of this early cultivation of flax is remarkable, the suggestion that Antiquities Leiden (1991-1993) in Syria, PIHANS 76, Istanbul. Sabi Abyad II was perhaps a flax exporting community (p. Akkermans, P.M.M.G, J. Limpens, and R. H. Spoor, 1993, On the 141) does not seem to be borne out by the evidence. frontier of Assyria: Excavations at Tell Sabi Abyad, 1991, The faunal spectrum at Sabi Abyad II is dominated by Akkadica 84/85, pp 1-52. sheep and goat, while other species seem to have had only Cauvin, J., 1972, Sondage à Tell Assouad (Djézireh, Syrie), Annales minor importance in the economy. Sheep and goat were archéologiques Arabes Syriennes 22, pp. 85-103. domesticated, and between the two species sheep seem to Copeland, L. and M. Verhoeven, 1996, Bitumen-coated sickle-blade have predominated. Cattle and pig might have been in the elements at Tell Sabi Abyad II, Northern Syria, in: S.K. process of domestication, whereas hunting was of minor Kozlowski & H.G. Gebel eds, Neolithic chipped stone indus- importance only. A disproportional large number of bones tries of the fertile crescent, and their contemporaries in adja- cent regions, Proceedings of the second workshop on PPN was retrieved from level 5 (about 63 %), many from burned chipped lithic industries, Institute of Archaeology, Warsaw contexts (p. 147), but the potential richness of this seemingly University, 3rd – 7th April, 1995, SENEPSE 3, Ex Oriente, in situ context is not used in the analysis. Berlin, pp. 327-330. The conclusion of the volume is somewhat disappointing. Schmidt, K. 1998, A new LPPNB figurine type: the ‘Tell Assouad Sabi Abyad II is hardly being compared with other exca- Type’, Neo-Lithics 1/98, pp 7-8. vated sites of the PPNB in the region, and the prevailing sim- Verhoeven, M. 1994, Excavations at Tell Sabi Abyad II, a Later ilarities and differences are not discussed. Thus the impor- Pre-Pottery Neolithic village in the Balikh Valley, North Syria, tance of the work at Sabi Abyad is not duly emphasised (see Orient Express 1994/1, pp. 9-12. also the remark on the excavation size on p. 173), whereas Verhoeven, M. 1997, The 1996 excavations at Tell Sabi Abyad II, a Later PPNB village in the Balikh Valley, Syria, Neo-Lithics its location outside the Euphrates Valley, and its small size 1997/1, pp. 1-3. are probably crucial elements in the formation of the spe- Verhoeven, M. 1998, A preliminary report on Tell Sabi Abyad cific material culture of the site (compare also p. 177). Sabi II, a Later PPNB village in the Balikh Valley, Syria, in: J. Abyad II is an exciting site on the one hand because of its Prosecky (ed.), Intellectual life of the Ancient Near East - location, and its small size, on the other hand because of the papers presented at the 43rd Rencontre Assyriologique Inter- systematic excavations carried out there, revealing large nationale, Praque, July 1-5, 1996, pp. 413-426. architectural plans and some in situ contexts that provide us Verhoeven, M. 1999, An archaeological ethnography of a a glimpse of Early Neolithic life beyond lithic typology. If Neolithic community: space, place, and social relations in the present excavations are continued in the way they have the burnt village at Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria, PIHANS 83, Istanbul. been, carefully dug and well published, Sabi Abyad II could Verhoeven, M. 2000, The 1999 excavations at Tell Sabi Abyad II, become as important for our understanding of the Early a PPNB settlement in northern Syria, Orient Express 2000/3, Neolithic as Sabi Abyad I is for our understanding of the pp. 51-2. Late Neolithic. In conclusion the excavators of Tell Sabi Abyad II deserve Leiden, November 2001 B.S. DÜRING praise for the well-conceived research effort at the site. The bulk of the results obtained so far have been published well and swiftly. Although it is unfortunate that not all reports dis- ** cuss the complete set of remains found, this defect will prob- * ably be amended in future reports. Other matters that await further work are the relations with other sites and the in situ YENER, K. A. — The Domestication of Metals. (Culture and remains at Sabi Abyad II. But as a first step the present pub- History of the Ancient Near East, 4) E. J. Brill Publi- lication undoubtedly is a good interim report on the most shers N.V., Leiden, 2000. (24 cm, XII, 210, 18 Pls.). important findings of the excavations at Tell Sabi Abyad II, ISBN 90 04 11864 0; ISSN 1566-2055. Nlg, 132,22 / and the book is recommended to all scholars concerned with Euro 60.00. the Neolithic of the Near East. Das Werk von K. Aslihan Yener befasst sich mit der Pro- blematik, der in den letzten Jahrzehnten sowohl in den ana- lytischen Studien als auch in zusammenfassenden Arbeiten References grosse Aufmerksamkeit gewidmet wurde. Schliesslich han- Akkermans, P.A., H. Fokkens, and H. T. Waterbolk, 1981, Stratig- delt es sich um Problematik, deren Kenntnis für das Ver- raphy, architecture and layout of Bouqras, in: J. Cauvin and ständnis der Entwicklung der Gesellschaft im alten Nahen P. Sanlaville (eds), Préhistoire du Levant, chronologie et Osten von grundlegender Bedeutung ist. Die vorliegende organisation de l’espace depuis les origines jusqu’au VIe mil- Publikation bietet mit Zeitabstand und mit rezentem Material lénaire, Colloques Internationales du CNRS 598, Éditions du eine neue Synthese, vor allem jedoch eine neue Fragestel- CNRS, Paris, pp 485-501. lung: Akkermans, P.M.M.G., 1993, Villages in the steppe: Later • sie setzt sich zum Ziel, die Entwicklung der Metallurgie als Neolithic settlement and subsistence in the Balikh Valley, einen komplexen kulturellen, ökonomischen und industri- Northern Syria, International Monographs in Prehistory, Ann ellen Prozess zu untersuchen Arbor. Akkermans, P.M.M.G. (ed.), 1989, Excavations at Tell Sabi Abyad: • sie legt eine neue Deutung einer der wichtigsten offenen prehistoric investigations in the Balikh Valley, northern Syria, Fragen des alten Nahen Ostens, insbesondere Anatolien, British Archaeological Reports -International Series 468, vor — der Frage der Quelle, der Bearbeitung und der Ver- Oxford. wertung von Zinn. 141 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 142

Die Monografie ist in 5 Kapitel eingeteilt, die jeweils über- er detailliert die Funde aus Çayönü, A≥ikli Hüyük, Hallam sichtlich in abgeschlossene Themenkreise weiter gegliedert Çemi Tepe und Çatal Hüyük. Neben der lithischen Tradition sind. Die Darlegungsweise ist gut übersichtlich; in der Regel rechnet er auch mit dem Kaltschmieden der Bleche und der wird zunächst die Zielsetzung der Forschungsaufgabe defi- Härtung von Kupfer. Als entscheidenden Zeitabschnitt für die niert, dann werden die angewendeten Methoden sowie der anatolische Metallurgie sieht er das Chalkolithikum an (Trans- eigentliche Vorgang beschrieben und abschließend werden formations in Technology and Organization in the Chalcolit- die Forschungsergebnisse dargestellt. Parallel damit werden hic Period (c. 5500-3000 B. C.), S. 25-67), das er in zwei die bisherigen Auffassungen diskutiert, wobei auf Literatur- Etappen charakterisiert (A. The Ubaid Period (late 5th and quellen und weitere einschlägige Literatur hingewiesen wird. early 4th millenium B. C.; B. The Technology of Prestige and Die einzelnen Kapitel werden in Einleitung, Hauptteil und Power: The Uruk Contact (c. 3400-2900 B. C.)) und anhand Schlussfolgerungen gegliedert, was allerdings manchmal zur der Forschungsergebnisse im Raum Anatolien ausführlicher mehrmaligen Wiederholung der Hauptgedanken führt. illustriert: Case Study Number 1: Degirmentepe (Malatya) Mit dem Kapitel 1., The Rise of Complex Metal Industries (A., S. 33-38); Case Study Number 2: Arslantepe, Malatya in Anatolia, Ancient Turkey, S. 1- 16, wird die ganze Arbeit (B., S 48-52); The Altınova Valley Sites: Keban Dam Salvage eingeleitet. Es werden die Anliegen und Methoden der Arbeit Projects (Nor≥untepe, Tüllintepe, Tepecik, Hassek Hüyük, S. angeführt und eine kurze Geschichte der Erforschung der 57-64); The Mediterranean Coast (Yümük Tepe — Mersin, Metallurgie im Nahen Osten dargelegt. Der Autor setzt sich S. 64-66). Die Übersicht wird mit einer die Entwicklung der mit den früheren Hypothesen auseinander, nach denen die anatolischen Metallurgie in der frühen Bronzezeit behandeln- Zinnquellen für den Nahen Osten auf weit entfernten Lager- den Passage abgeschlossen (C. The Early Bronze Age: Indu- stätten in Süd-Ostasien, Cornwall oder im Erzgebirge zu strial Production, S. 67-70). Diese Zusammenfassung ist für suchen waren, und bezweifelt die Schlussfolgerungen, nach den Leser ohne Zweifel sehr wertvoll, weil der Verfasser für denen die Bestimmung der jeweiligen Fundstätte auf der ihn nicht nur allen wesentlichen technologischen Schritten Analyse der Spurenelemente basiert, indem er sagt, dass die nachgeht (Schmelzen in Tiegeln, Gegenwart von Arsen, Expe- Erzzusammensetzung auch innerhalb einer einzigen Lager- rimente mit Komplexerzen, intentionelle Produktion von Zinn- stätte variiert. Er stellt sich kritisch gegenüber den auf der bronze, Verwendung von Mehrfachformen, Wachsaus- Entwicklung, bzw. Erweiterung der typologischen Skala auf- schmelzverfahren, Spezialisierung im Produktionsprozess) bauenden Theorien, die einen allmählichen Übergang von der und sie in entscheidende Zusammenhänge mit Hinweisen auf anfänglichen Produktion von Verzierungen, Schmuckstücken die relevante Literatur bringt, sondern er versucht auch das und Luxusgegenständen zur späteren Herstellung von Gerä- Material auszuwerten und vertritt auch dort einen klaren ten und Werkzeugen für den täglichen Gebrauch voraussetzt. Standpunkt (Degirmentepe), wo bisher kein Finalfundbericht Dessen ungeachtet lässt die Argumentation der folgenden zur Verfügung steht. Kapitel gerade eine solche Entwicklung zu. Der Vefasser ver- Das Kapitel 3: Kestel Mine and Göltepe, S. 71-109, stellt tritt weiter die Ansicht, dass die Metallurgie sich in ver- den eigentlichen Kern der ganzen Arbeit dar. Der Verfasser schiedenen Zentren, die über notwendige Voraussetzungen, widerlegt anhand der eindeutigen Argumentation die seit lan- d.h. Rohstoffvorkommen, Brennstoff-, Wasser- aber auch gem allgemein immer wieder weitergegebene Ansicht über Lebensmittelversorgung und erfahrene Arbeitskräfte verfüg- das Nicht-Vorkommen von Zinn im Nahen Osten und belegt ten, unabhängig entwickelte. Der Autor will, im Gegensatz aufgrund der Grabungen auf den Fundstätten Grube Kestel zu den meisten, auf strikt thematische Aspekte konzentrier- und Siedlung Göltepe das Vorkommen von Zinn in Taurus ten synthetischen Arbeiten, zum Verständnis der gegenseiti- sowie seine tatsächliche Gewinnung. Die ersten veröffent- gen Beziehungen und Zusammenhänge beitragen und zeigen, lichten Funde erweckten eine große Überraschung innerhalb wie die metallurgische Produktion von der Erzgewinnung an der archäologischen Gemeinde und es entbrannte eine auf- bis zum Finalartefakt als ein ökonomisches sowie kulturelles geregte Diskussion, mit deren wichtigsten Einwänden sich System organisiert wurde. In diesem Sinne legt er seine der Autor in der einleitenden Passage, The Problem of Tin Grundthese vor, dass nämlich nicht nur günstige Umweltbe- Sources, S. 71-76, auseinandersetzt. In den den einzelnen dingungen, sondern auch kulturelle Faktoren bei der Ent- Forschungsetappen gewidmeten Abschnitten (Field Research wicklung der Metallurgie eine grundlegende Rolle spielten. in the Central Taurus Mountains: The Physical Setting, S. Im Kapitel 2., The Archaeological Background, S. 17-70, 76-109 / The Bolkardag Area Site Survey, S. 78-80; The wird die Geschichte der Metallurgie verfolgt von ihren Anfän- Çamardi Area, S. 80-81 / The Çamardi Area Site Survey, S. gen im 8. Jt. bis zu der hochentwickelten Erzeugung zum 81-85; The Kestel Intensive Surface Survey, S. 85-87 / Soun- Schluss des 3. Jt. v.u.Z., die der Autor nicht zögert als indu- ding S. B., S. 87-88; Excavations at Kestel Tin Mine, S. 88- strielle Produktion zu bezeichnen. In der Einleitung (Intro- 90 / Kestel Mine Soundings S. 1 — S.4, S. 90-95 / Burial duction, S.17-18) meint er, dass Anatolien, wo nach und nach Chambers, S. 95-98) legt er Informationen vor über den zu alle metallurgischen Arbeitstechniken (bis auf Eisenguß und erforschenden Raum, vorkommende Erze und ihre Zusam- Stahlhärten) ausgearbeitet wurden, die die Menschheit bis zum mensetzung, Abbaumethoden, Belege zur Aufbereitung und 19. Jh. u. Z. kennen gelernt hatte, das Zentrum darstellte, von Bearbeitung, identifizierte Siedlungen, Datierungen, um sich dem sich die Metallurgie nach Mesopotamien verbreitete. Die zuletzt — wie auch den Titeln der einzelnen Abschnitte zu historische Übersicht (The Technology of Prestige: The entnehmen ist — der Beschreibung der Grabungsarbeiten in Aceramic and Pottery Neolithic Beginnings, S. 18-25) beginnt der Grube Kestel und in ihrer Umgebung zu widmen. Auf- in tiefster Vergangenheit mit den Eisenoxidknollen, die in der grund seiner Funde nimmt er an, dass das Zinn hier ursprüng- Höhle Beldibi und Belba≥i gefunden und in das 10. Jt. v. u. lich am Anfang des 3. Jt. in offenen Gruben gewonnen wurde Z. datiert wurden. Nach einem kurzen Exkurs zu den Kup- und die Gewinnung erst in EB I/II auf ein System von ferfunden aus Zawi Chemi Shanidar im Zagros-Gebirge, die Schächten und Galerien erweitert wurde. Noch in der Grube nach dem lithischen Verfahren bearbeitet wurden, analysiert und ihrer Umgebung wurde das Erz grob zerkleinert und 143 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LIX N° 1-2, januari-april 2002 144 sortiert. Die Finalaufbereitung erfolgte in der Siedlung Göl- eingehalten hatte, die K. A. Yener an den Funden aus Göltepe tepe, die auf einem Hügel gegenüber dem Eingang in die demonstrierte: Zinn und Kupfer wurden noch im 13. Jh. v. u. Grube Kestel liegt. Die Beschreibung der Erforschung die- Z. in den anatolischen Siedlungen gewonnen und als Abgaben ser Lokalität und der hier belegten Tätigkeiten bildet den an die Verwaltungszentren entrichtet: Zinn in Gewichtsmen- Gegenstand des Abschnittes Intensive Surface Survey at Göl- gen2), also wahrscheinlich in Halbfabrikate/Ingots gegossen, tepe, S. 88-101; Göltepe, Tin Smelting Workshops, and Habi- Kupfer dagegen überwiegend als Gegenstände von standardi- tation, S. 101-104 / Area A and Area B Pithouse Structures, sierter Form und standardisiertem Gewicht (Pfeilspitzen, Äxte, S. 104-109. Die Funde sprechen dafür, dass in Göltepe sich Beile, Sicheln)3); in dieser Form wurden sie in spezialisierte Werkstätten befanden, in die das in Kestel gewonnene Erz Werkstätten bzw. Magazine zur weiteren Bearbeitung gelie- gebracht, hier gemahlen, in Tiegeln geschmolzen und in fert. Eine ähnliche Organisation — die ebenfalls mit der Sai- Ingots gegossen wurde, um dann in dieser Form in die städ- sonarbeit rechnete (Yener, S. 83) — kann man sich auch im tischen Zentren transportiert zu werden, wo Bronze erzeugt Hintergrund des Briefes von Hattusili III.4) vorstellen, der sich wurde. bei dem assyrischen König für die Verzögerung der Eisenlie- Die Grabungsergebnisse wurden von dem Verfasser und ferung aus dem Magazin in Kizzuwatna entschuldigt. Die seinen Mitarbeitern Prüfungen in einer Reihe von replikati- schriftlichen Dokumente und die Ergebnisse der archäologi- ven Experimenten unterworfen (Kapitel 5: The Production schen Forschungen scheinen in mancher Hinsicht miteinander of Tin, S. 111-123), deren Schlussfolgerungen zweifellos übereinzustimmen. In einem Punkt jedoch gehen die schriftli- ebenfalls die durch die Forschung aufgeworfenen Fragen zu chen und archäologischen Dokumente auseinander: Während klären halfen und somit rückwirkend zur Deutung der Funde der Autor feststellt (S. 69), dass 69 % der auf der Basis von sowie zur überzeugenden Formulierung der Publikation bei- Kupfer hergestellten Gegenstände im 3. Jahrtausend v. u. Z. getragen haben. Das Erz für die Experimente wurde sehr eine bestimmte Form von Legierung mit Arsen oder Zinn dar- sorgfältig ausgewählt (Ore Materials from Göltepe, S.112- stellen, überwiegen in den hethitischen Texten aus der 2. 115), ausgehend von der vorherigen Analyse (Analysis of the Hälfte des 2. Jt. v. u. Z. immer noch eindeutig die Gegenstände Earthernware Crusible / Bowl Furnaces, S. 115-121) wur- aus Kupfer diejenigen aus Bronze5). den Tiegel aus einheimischem Ton und in entsprechenden Die andere offene Frage der alten Metallurgie, die ähnlich Größen gefertigt, und schließlich wurden 4 Experimente unter wie die Problematik der Zinnquellen dringend einer variierenden Bedingungen (Zahl der Gebläse, Temperatur) Erklärung bedarf, ist die Frage der Herstellung und Verwen- durchgeführt (Smelting Experiments, S. 121-123). dung von Eisen in Kleinasien gegen Ende des 3. und im 2. Alle seine Feststellungen und Hauptthesen fasst der Autor Jt. v. u. Z. Dieses Problem blieb bei der Verfolgung der in der abschliessenden Passage zusammen (Conclusions, S. »Domestikation der Metalle« und der »Entstehung von kom- 125-128), wenn er erneut die Hauptentwicklungsetappen der plexen Metallindustrien in Anatolien« leider unbeachtet, auch Metallurgie in Anatolien andeutet und sich auf seine vorher- wenn der Autor dieses Thema streift: Auf S. 69 zitiert er gehenden Ausführungen stützend feststellt, dass Industrie- ältere Arbeiten von J. Yakar, de Jesus und Wertime und zentren wie Kestel und Göltepe eine örtliche Zinnproduktion Muhly über den Anstieg der Verwendung von Eisen im 3. Jt. beweisen und dafür zeugen, dass diese hochentwickelte Tech- und erwähnt die Anwendung der Eisenerze bei der Pig- nologie in Anatolien autochthon ist. mentherstellung oder die Verwendung von Hämatit für Beile Die Angaben aus beiden Fundorten deuten an, dass sie und Hammer. Beides hat bestimmt praktische Erfahrungen gegen Ende des 3. Jt. v. u. Z. stillgelegt wurden. Der Ver- und Kenntnisse über die Eigenschaften der Eisenerze fasser spekuliert (S. 75), dass die Lagerstätte damals, bis auf gebracht, die hier leider nicht weiter behandelt werden, ähn- wirtschaftlich nicht verwertbare Reste, erschöpft war und die lich wie der in der Literatur oft wiederholte Gedanke von U. Lieferungen von (billigerem) Zinn in die Hände der assyri- Esin (S. 36), der das Vorkommen von Eisenerz als ein schen Kaufleute gekommen sind. Er zieht ebenfalls in Erwä- Nebenprodukt der Kupfererzeugung betrachtet. Wir würden gung, dass der — möglicherweise in andere Gebiete Kleina- wirklich gern zuverlässige Angaben darüber gewinnen, wel- siens hinführende — Fernhandel mit Zinn in Anatolien schon che Technologien zur Anwendung von Eisen führten und früher betrieben werden könnte. An einer anderen Stelle (S. welche Gründe im Hintergrund der allmählichen Verbreitung 98) erwägt er auch eine dramatische Klimaänderung, die die eines Metalls standen, das zunächst so viele Nachteile im Stilllegung der Grube verursachen könnte. Für die gegebene Vergleich mit Bronze aufwies. Lokalität sind die Behauptungen von K. A. Yener sicher rele- Die Arbeit von K. A. Yener wird mit umfangreicher vant. Nicht jedoch im allgemeinen. Die schriftlichen hethiti- Bibliographie (S. 129-159) abgeschlossen, die auf eine schen Dokumente zeigen, dass Zinn in Anatolien fast noch ein Jahrtausend später gewonnen und bearbeitet wurde1). Die- selben Dokumente belegen, dass die Kupfer- und Zinnpro- duktion noch nach tausend Jahren die gleiche Arbeitsteilung 2) Zinn wird — im Verhältnis zu Kupfer — in kleinen Mengen gelie- fert und stets genau (bis zu Grammeinheiten) abgewogen. Der grösste Gewicht, dem wir in KUB XL 95 II 6 begegnen, ist 1 (oder 2) Talent (s. J. Siegelová, ibid. S. 268). Es handelt sich dabei allerdings nicht um eine orts- 1) Keilschrifttexte aus Boghazköi (KBo) XVIII 164, lk. Kol. 1’, 4’, [7’], gebundene Abgabe, sondern um einen in einem zentralen Magazin gela- r. Kol. [3’], [6’]; Keilschrifturkunden aus Boghazköi (KUB) XXVI 67, lk. gerten Posten. Kol. [1‘], [4‘], [7‘], r. kol. [1‘], [4‘], [7‘], [9‘], [11‘], [14‘]; KBo XVIII 162 3) S. J. Siegelová, ibid. 143 ff., 169. (+)KBo VII 24 I [1‘], 4‘, [7‘], [10‘], [14‘], 16‘, II 3‘, 5‘, 7‘, 9‘, 12‘, 15‘, 4) KBo I 14 Vs. 20-24. Vgl. C. Zaccagnini, Rivista degli Studi Orien- 17‘, IV(?) 2‘, [3‘], [4‘], V(?) 2‘, 3‘ (Vgl. S. Kosak, Hittite inventory texts, tali 45 (1971), 11-20 und J. Siegelová, Gewinnung und Verarbeitung von Heidelberg 1982, 77 ff. und 84 ff.; J. Siegelová, Hethitische Verwaltungs- Eisen im Hethitischen Reich im 2. Jahrtausend v.u.Z., Annals of the Nápr- praxis im Lichte der Wirtschafts- und Inventardokumente, Praha 1986, 162 stek Museum 12 (1984), 155 f. ff.). Die Abgaben wurden von verschiedenen, sonst unbekannten Ortschaf- 5) S. J. Siegelová, Anwendung von Kupfer und Bronze in Anatolien ten und dem — einzig lokalisierbaren Land Kizzuwatna, d.h. Kilikien, gelie- anhand der hethitischen Texte, in: Wartke R.-B.: Handwerk und Techno- fert. logie im Alten Orient, Mainz, von Zabern, 1994, 119-124. 145 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 146 begrüssenswerte Weise die rezente Literatur zur Metallurgie the total area to be submerged was covered by surveying. des Nahen Ostens zugänglich macht (obwohl die schriftlichen These statistics underscore the importance of the current sal- Urkunden nur am Rande beachtet werden und wenn schon, vage projects, as this small sample forms our only ‘window' dann vorwiegend die ausseranatolischen), dann folgt ein into the past of the region. Index (S. 161-168), der die behandelten Hauptthemen, The various reports are all kept short and preliminary, and archäologischen Lokalitäten und Kulturen aufschlüsselt. Wei- perhaps this is what makes the book so valuable, making it ter folgen übersichtliche Tabellen (S. 169-182) mit den Anga- a collection of short communications on what has actually ben, die in den einzelnen Kapiteln angeführt oder zur Argu- been going on in terms of archaeological fieldwork. The rapid mentation angewendet wurden, die Landkarte der Türkei mit publication of the reports — about a year after the actual den erwähnten Ortschaften, topographische Landkarten und fieldwork — is laudable. In fact, readers will notice that a Pläne der erforschten Fundorte sowie Tafeln mit der Luft- second volume on the salvage projects in these regions has aufnahme und dem Computermodell der Kestel — Göltepe followed promptly (Tuna N., Öztürk J. and Velibeyoglu J., Region und mit den Fotografien von Proben, Werkzeugen Eds., 2001). This second volume in many cases presents more und Artefakten. Die Arbeit überzeugt also nicht nur durch substantial work carried out at the sites following the initial ihre Argumentation, sondern auch durch die Begleitdoku- explorations discussed in the present report. The reports are mentation und der Verfasser verdient für diese synthetische, informative and well written. All reports are bilingual, Turk- übersichtliche und aktuelle Bearbeitung eines wichtigen The- ish and English, which certainly contributes substantially to mas unseren Dank. the accessibility of the reports to both the international and Turkish archaeological community. Bibliographical refer- November 2001 Jana Siegelová ences have been included in each of the reports. The clear lay-out of the book makes for easy reading and quick access to the individual reports. A number of coloured illustrations ** have been included, which are in fact informative and which * offer a valuable extra. Two good, coloured, maps of the Char- chemish and Ilısu dam areas have been provided on the inside TUNA, N., J. ÖZTÜRK — Salvage Project of the Archaeo- of the front and back covers of the book. logical Heritage of the Ilısu and Carchemish Dam Reser- I shall quickly summarize the individual contributions voirs Activities in 1998. Centre for Research and Assess- roughly in chronological order, starting with the Charchem- ment, Ankara, 1999. (28 cm, XXIV, 367). ISBN ish dam projects. Ta≥kıran and Kartal (p. 45-62) discuss the 975-429-182-7. earliest human remains in “Palaeolithic survey in the Char- The construction of the Charchemish and Ilısu reservoirs chemish Dam Reservoir Region”. They discuss the history on the Turkish Euphrates and Tigris respectively forms part of Palaeolithic research in the Charchemish region, their dis- of the ambitious GAP project initiated in the late 1960s, covery of six Palaeolithic sites, and they offer some general which aims to develop the region's economic and cultural observations. Most interestingly, various contributors discuss potential. A number of dams have already been completed as the discovery of aceramic Neolithic and Late Neolithic sites. part of the project along the Euphrates, the Tigris and their In “Mezraa-Teleilat: Preliminary Reconnaissance of a tributaries, including the Keban, Attatürk and Karakaya dams. Neolithic site in the Euphrates basin”, Özdogan, Ayhan and Scholars have, of course, acknowledged the enormous Demirta≥ (p. 1-17) present Mezraa-Teleilat, the occupation archaeological potential and important cultural heritage of of which covers the time-span from the aceramic Neolithic these regions from the outset, as well as the huge loss of to the later, Pottery Neolithic (PPNB to EPN). After pre- archaeological information accompanying these projects. senting a general background to the project, they briefly dis- There can be no doubt that the GAP project has stimulated cuss the site and its environmental setting as well as the finds extensive archaeological research. Some of the salvage pro- found at the surface of the mound, including an interesting jects carried out in these areas have become widely known collection of Late Neolithic pottery. Balkan-Atlı, Erim-Özdo- not only to the scholarly community, but also to a much gan and Özba≥aran (p. 63-80) present the site of Akarçay wider audience. The rescue excavations currently conducted Tepe in “Akarçay Tepe: Research in 1998”. In addition to at the large site of Zeugma, for instance, have not failed to giving a summary of the site and its environment, they dis- attract maximal media coverage and public attention. cuss surface finds, including lithics from the PPNB and Late The book presents the first series of preliminary reports of Neolithic pottery. Pollock and Bernbeck (p. 81-95) present rescue projects currently conducted within the Charchemish the Halaf site of Fıstıklı Höyük in “Fıstıklı Höyük 1998: Sys- and Ilısu reservoir areas, including archaeological excava- tematic Survey and Sounding”. Surface collecting and a first tions and survey. Of the fourteen projects discussed in the sounding at the site — covered by a pistachio orchard from report, ten are in the Charchemish area (excavations at which it derives its name — yielded ceramics dated (largely) Mezraa Teleilat, Akarçay Höyük, Akarçay Tepe, Fıstıklı to the Middle Halaf period and to the first millennium AD. Höyük, Zeytin Baçeli Höyük, Gre Virike, Seraga Höyük, The authors discuss the pottery and its relationships with Late Mezraa Höyük, Harabe Bezikan Höyük and a Palaeolithic Neolithic sites in Syria and Turkey. These projects have survey) and four are in the Ilısu reservoir (Gre Dimse, Ziyaret yielded important new insights concerning local develop- Tepe, Salat Tepe and Hassankeyf). It is important to keep in ments during the Late Neolithic, a period which has hitherto mind that these projects concentrate upon a small portion of received only marginal interest in this part of the Near East the archaeological and historical remains in the area. During but which has recently become a major topic for archaeo- the survey work that preceded the excavations about 250 logical research in Syria and northern Mesopotamia. archaeological sites were detected. These in themselves may The remaining projects presented from the Charchemish form only the tip of the iceberg, since only about one fifth of dam area focus upon later periods, from the Chalcolithic to 147 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LIX N° 1-2, januari-april 2002 148 medieval times, and give overviews of the pottery from these References cited in the text: periods collected at the various sites. In “Zeytin Bahçeli Höyük 1998: Preliminary Report”, Deveci and Mergen (p. Tuna N., Öztürk J. and Velibeyoglu J. (eds.), 2001, Salvage Pro- 97-118) present and discuss ceramics collected at the surface ject of the Archaeological Heritage of the Ilısu and Carchem- ish Dam Reservoirs. Activities in 1999. Ankara, Middle East of the mound. Zeytin Bahçeli Höyük is a rather steep and Technical University. conical mound which, on the basis of its ceramics, is dated to the Early Bronze Age, the Roman and Medieval period. In Leiden, October 2001 Olivier NIEUWENHUYSE “Gre Virike: Research in 1998”, Ökse (p. 119-155) discusses pottery collected at Gre Virike, which can be dated to the final stages of the Chalcolithic to the early part of the Mid- ** dle Bronze Age. Sertok and Ergeç (p. 157-174) present their * preliminary investigations at Seraga Höyük in “Seraga Höyük: Research in 1998”. After summarizing their objec- MUSCARELLA, O.W. — The Lie Became Great. The tives and the state of research, they present the results of a Forgery of Ancient Eastern Cultures. Styx Publications, survey and an investigation of a number of natural and arti- Groningen, 2000 (24 cm, VIII, 540). ISBN 90-5693-041- ficial sections on the slopes of the mound. The sections 9. Nlg. 250,- / $ 100.00. yielded remains dated to the 4th and 3rd millenniums and the Roman period. In “Mezraa Höyük: Research in 1998”, Ökse In this book the author consolidates, and greatly extends, and Tekinalp (p. 175-214) discuss the site of Mezraa Höyük his thesis previously presented in several articles (e.g. (not to be confused with the nearby site of Mezraa Teleilat). “‘Ziwiye’ and Ziwiye: the forgery of a provenience”, Jour- After a short general overview they discuss pottery groups nal of Field Archaeology, 4 (1977) 197-219; “Unexcavated collected at the mound dating to the Late Chalcolithic, Early objects and ancient Near Eastern Art: addenda”, Mono- to Middle Bronze Age, Iron Age and Hellenistic to Byzan- graphic journals of the Near East. Occasional papers, 1/1 tine and Medieval periods. Tekinalp and Alp (p. 215-235) (October 1979), 1-18; “Excavated and unexcavated follow with a discussion of Harabe Bezikan Höyük (“Harabe Achaemenian art” in Denise Schmandt-Besserat (ed.), Bezikan Höyük: Research in 1998”). They discuss pottery Ancient Persia: the art of an empire (Invited lectures on the collected at the site, which dates from the Early Iron Age to Middle East at the University of Texas at Austin, Volume the 7th century BC. In “Akarçay Höyük 1998: Preliminary IV), Undena 1980, pp. 23-42), that considerable numbers of Report”, finally, Mergen and Deveci (p. 19-44) present their supposedly Near Eastern artifacts purchased by museums, exploration of Akarçay Höyük, a mound that was occupied more particularly in the United States, and/or published by from about 3500 BC to the 13th century AD (again, not to specialists, are modern fabrications promoted through the be confused with the nearby mound of Akarçay Tepe). After antiques market. Indeed, for a good many years one has giving a historical overview, they discuss a stone construc- noted with concern growing numbers of dubious pieces tion dating to the Medieval period and pottery finds from the appearing in the literature, and featuring in the reserves of Bronze Age and the Medieval periods. even eminent museums. Many, however, figuring in the col- In contrast to the Charchemish dam area, the four projects lections of smaller New World institutions, or in lesser- from the Ilısu dam area on the Tigris discussed in the report known sale catalogues, have, happily no doubt, remained out largely date to historical periods. Karg (p. 237-296) in “Gre of view. It has been left for the present work to demonstrate, Dimse: 1998 Preliminary report” presents the results of a sur- with meticulous detail, the full, and indeed frightening, scale vey at this site. After offering a detailed historical background of the problem. One may in fact infer, from the author’s and an overview of previous explorations, the author dis- introduction, that the environment of the United States could cusses the collected pottery, which dates to the Chalcolithic, be especially susceptible to the acceptance of forgeries. It Bronze Age and Iron Age. In “Surface and Subsurface Sur- lacks indigenous artifacts from the classical civilizations, for vey at Ziyaret Tepe, Diyarbakır Province, 1997-1998”, Mat- which there is a cultural hunger. Furthermore, local curators ney (p. 297-331) presents a survey carried out at the large and collectors may often be less experienced than in Europe mound (32 ha.) of Ziyaret Tepe. Although Ziyaret Tepe was at evaluating materials offered for their collections. As the occupied from the Late Neolithic to the Islamic period, its author repeatedly points out, there are many accessions being largest extension dates to the Late Bronze Age and Late Iron published that are glaringly unconvincing. Again, in the Age, during which periods it was a small urban centre. After States there are fiscal inducements to donate doubtful objects placing Ziyaret Tepe in its historical context, the author pre- to museums, since wealthy donors obtain tax relief on such sents the results of topographic mapping and intensive sur- benefactions. This might be acceptable, perhaps, if such face survey as well as the detailed results of a magnetic sur- pieces were thereby taken out of circulation, but their con- vey. These studies show that Ziyaret was a fortified tinuing exhibition and publication is evidently detrimental. settlement with a citadel and a lower town. Ökse (p. 333-351) Finally, of course, the concentration of private wealth in presents the preliminary investigations carried out at Salat America makes it an obvious target for vendors of suspect Tepe (“Salat Tepe: Research in 1998”). Pottery collected at antiquities. This is not to claim, of course, that bogus antiq- the site dates to the Late Chalcolithic, Early Bronze to Late uities are never purchased by European institutions. No Bronze, Iron Age and Hellenistic to Byzantine periods. Arık doubt quite a few cases can be cited, and indeed several are (p. 353-367), finally, discusses the important medieval site listed here, but one hopes not on the scale of the American of Hassankeyf (“1998 Excavations at Hassankeyf”). Work context. in 1998 exposed parts of the lower city, including Koç Cami, The author’s remedy for this situation is simple (p. 12): which is a Seljuk period mosque, and parts of an adjoining “if collecting stopped, plunder would stop — certainly it han as well as other medieval buildings. would be mitigated — and forgery manufacturing would 149 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 150 decrease”. There is no doubt force in this, but it is a totali- quite plausible hypothesis (of course no more) that the tarian solution, which in some areas could have other harm- multiple-animal style of the original Ziwieh finds, and of ful consequences. If this solution were imposed, especially sheaths of the typically Median weapon, the akinakes, reflect bearing in mind a Near Eastern environment, the conse- the influence, in the art of the Achaemenids, of a fashion quences would be that finds of gold and silver would be characteristic of their Median predecessors. melted, as has happened in the past, with vast loss of scien- This is a work of enormous industry and acumen. A large tific information. In the present reviewer’s experience one is number of often preposterous forgeries are catalogued, faced with a dilemma. In 1968, he carried out an assignment besides many others that are not so obvious. The present recording inscribed woodwork in the Mazandaran area. reviewer is not a specialist in every one of the areas covered, Among the specimens recorded, one, a shrine door, subse- but wherever he is at home, he finds himself in agreement quently made its appearance in the London antiques market. with the author’s judgments, and indeed in various cases, had Another, a cenotaph rail, carried fitted wooden mosaics in long since formed a similar opinion. Some readers may regret colour, and a unique inscription in Mazandarani dialect. the note of acrimony that from time to time enters into the When the site was revisited in the following year, while discourse, nourishing fears that besides the ethical, there extraneous labourers were working in the vicinity, the shrine could be a factional slant to the author’s treatment. None the has been vandalised, and the inscribed rail broken up and less, this is a work of dedicated scholarship, which conveys thrown away on muddy ground, together with the dismantled a salutary message to the antiquarian community. mosaic. It is a delicate question which of these outcomes was the more deplorable. A legalist would denounce the illicit October 2001 A.D.H. BIVAR export, a humanist the senseless destruction of cultural herit- age. ** In the same vein, the reviewer has seen in various bazaars * — in Nowshera before the partition, in Isfahan, and in Bag- dad — jewellers’ stores containing sackfuls of ancient silver MULLER, B. (ed.) — “Maquettes architecturales” de l’an- coins, kept presumably for melting. The Sikh jeweller in tiquité. Actes du Colloque de Strasbourg 3-5 Décembre Nowshera was no doubt expelled shortly afterwards, and his 1998. (Travaux du Centre de Recherche sur le proche-Ori- stock disappeared. It is improbable those of the others found ent et la Grèce Antique 17) de Boccard, 11 rue de Medicis their way to numismatists. Yet if studied, all these accumu- F, 75006 Paris, 2001 (574 pp. with many drawings and lations could have yielded important scientific results. Indeed, photographs as text figures). ISBN 2-911488-03-02. in the case of numismatic research, its whole structure depends on collectors. But for the reference collections of This publication of the proceedings of a colloquium is of great museums, received from generations of donors, coin altogether exceptional quality. The topic of discussion has sequences could not be reconstructed, nor damaged speci- fixed on a matter of great interest in several connections, of mens matched and read. Quite a proportion of these coins widespread occurence and with an extendedhistory. The may have been irregularly exported, yet their assemblage is organisation of the report is excellent as is the typography of key importance to field archaeologists for identifying their and layout on art paper which shows off the illustrations to strata. In contrast, one may say a majority of excavations advantage. In the first instance the editorial work of Beatrice have neglected to record their coin finds properly, to effect Muller must be accorded due praise — e.g. she has provided their publication or to employ an appropriate specialist on the valuable indexes, a series of maps indicating all the places site. An uninformed worker usually finds uncleaned coins referred to in the discussion, and a chronological chart cov- indistinguishable and confusion sets in. ering 10 millenia. Notable is the analytical organisation of It has to be said that from time to time our author over- the contributions. These are presented in aptly distinguished strains the argument. In connection with the finds of the Oxus “chapters”, as follows: Treasure (p. 208), he inclines to the old Soviet contention, Regional reports (Middle East, Egypt, Mediterranean) that because these finds were not discovered in formal exca- Architectural and archaelogical viewpoints vation — something inconceivable in the environment of that Technical aspects and typologies place and time — therefore they lack evidential value. With Iconographic aspects regard to these finds he speaks of “the uncertainty of dis- Philological aspects parate, stray, orphaned objects collected over years and in Models and Symbolism different market places”. Yet the extraordinary splendour of Experimental archaeology of models including computer based the original finds, their character of a cumulative deposit cov- work. ering several centuries, and the presence of votary plaques, To all this there is an overall conclusion by J.-C. Mar- typical of Iranian shrines even to the present day, decidedly gueron, long known for his concern with the subject. favour a temple origin, and is in harmony with the ivories The opening regional studies are general and descriptive. from Takht-i Sangin. No comparable pieces transmitted Models are very common archaeological finds — models of through different channels support the idea that such mater- all sorts: model carriages, model ships, model industrial ial was commonplace in the area, or could have been pur- installations etc. However if one speaks of models without chased anywhere in the Tadzhikistan of 1877. Though the qualification, this will be understood as building models, late Dr. Pitschikian may have been carried away by his the- “Maquettes architecturales”, models of houses, of temples, orizing, his discoveries emphatically support the unity of the etc. Such objects take many forms and fulfil many functions, Oxus Treasure, and clarify its context. For our author, the so that they are of interest in a variety of connections: social, word “Median” is like a red rag to a bull. Because spurious economic, religious, as well as preserving an intrinsic archite- objects have been promoted with this label, he scouts the tural interest. 151 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LIX N° 1-2, januari-april 2002 152

There are three obvious ways of categorising building mod- The section Technical Aspects and Typologies proceeds els: from various approaches (the makers of models, the purposes (1) by what they represent they serve) to basic questions of the locus standi of models, (2) by form which are better mentioned in conclusion. (3) by function. The virtue of a model is that it is a three dimensional rep- These three categories are interrelated, but by no means resentation and thus more fully and immediately revealing uniformly — e.g. models may represent temples, but they than a plan or elevation, or both combined. The nearest may take strikingly different forms; models may represent approximation is some graphic convention which simulates houses but they may function as tombs or ossuaries; models a three dimensional view — i.e. a perspective. This lets into may be curvilinear or rectilinear in plan, they may be of a the colloquium, via Iconographic Aspects, discussion of per- single storey or of several storeys or take the form of a tower spective representation — e.g. on vases. Equally another half in elevation, but this in itself does not necessarily designate way house to three dimentionality are representations in what they may represent or what is their function. Thus the (high) relief; and this question is discussed in connection discussion of Mesopotamian and Syrian models proceeds with Hellenistic bowls. In this section there also falls to be from their form (models of several storeys, models of a sin- mentioned a really ingenious contribution — that is, of the gle storey unroofed and with a compartmentalised interior, pictorial representtion of ancient building models. Of these tower models etc.) towards attempted identification of reli- there are a number, e.g. on reliefs, coins, mosaics. And the gious function, viz offering tables, libation vessels, (cult) motif survived strongly in Mediaeval and Renaisance times. object stands. On the other hand the discussion of the numer- Of great prospective interest is the rubric “Philological ous models from Palestine proceeds from their function; Aspect”. Anyone who has sought to extract information on ossuaries, offering tables and tabernacles. In Egypt there are details of ancient building from cuneiform sources will read the “soul houses” and offering tables which sometimes take eagerly the contribution on “Models in Mesopotamian texts”. the form of a shrine. Here again it is religious function which This contribution is, in fact, very learned and very interest- classifies the object in the first instance. However Pel- ing, but it is rather background music than recitative. tenberg’s well known model from Kissonerga in Western When symbolism is spoken of it is difficult to set bounds. Cyprus (c 3000 B.C.) shows another face. This model clearly Speculation in this section includes models as the “living” represents the Cypriote round house of Neolithic / Chalcol- presence of the buried dead; representations of the empty ithic times — and represents it accurately in considerable temple as the sign of the deity. More generally Minoan- detail. On the other hand its function is not easy to precise, Mycenaean models suggest their prime purpose was sym- and sustained “contextual analysis” has been devoted to this bolism and thus they had little to do with real buildings. end. Unfortunately, in spite of its detail, it does not extend Another ingenious speculation concerns the Temple of Seti I our knowledge of such round houses. All the detailing has at Abydos. The seven cult chapels of this strange temple can been previously revealed by actual remains on the ground of be considered as full scale models of other notable Egyptian such buildings. The only feature still in doubt is the roofing, temples, thus permitting symbolic participation in their rites and this is lacking in the model. In contrast to this, consid- and festivals. erable information is given regarding the development of The full and varied discussion of ancient building models gable roofing by house models from pre-classical Greece. virtually drew its own conclusion, which was spelt out by With the section on Architectural Viewpoints comes in the Professor Margueron. Two presences could be seen: the heart searching of attempted definitions and distinctions. model as a ding an sich with its own intrinsic and What is a building? What is a model? A building in English autonomous nature; and the model as representation. Since usage certainly connotes the enclosure of space which the former concept has an undeniable real existence, it is pro remains accessible for shelter (or storage). Thus (unfortu- tanto a limitation on expectations of the information that nately) the verb and abstract noun mean one thing; the con- models may supply of real buildings. Where the model is crete noun means another. In English you can build many undoubtably a representation in some way of a building, then things beside buildings: e.g. bridges, dams, docks, etc.; but two cases must be clearly distinguished: it is soon possible to come to splitting hairs. As for a model, (a) where the representation is incidental to the purpose of this word has acquired a diffuse semantic field in English. In the model, e.g. to display ex votos, to contain bones, the present connection, it carries the sense of being a repre- ashes, etc. sentation of something (or of some idea). Within the ety- (b) where the precise purpose of the model (its function) is mology resides the concept of being a smaller (scaled down) to represent a real building. version (model > modus = measure). There was some dis- The latter case is the true “architect’s model” as opposed to cussion concerning a distinction between a model and a piece the “architectural model” of the book’s title. The architect’s of sculpture, but this was to no point. It is a theoretical ques- model was regarded as a very significant adjunct to archi- tion whether a building model should be subject to the same tectural practice, and until very recently it was much pro- criteria as a building. moted in architectural education. Its position has obviously In another vein the section also makes mention of specific been affected in various ways by today’s computer. Perhaps archaeological-architectural gleanings from models: e.g. the because of modern experience, when building models are use of wood in Late Bronze Age Syrian building; also the spoken of, most people’s idea focus on this latter category, same sort of thing in Hittite building together with a number particularly if they have an interest or training in architecture. of other details (an interesting contribution); again Greek In modern times building models are very rarely made for building models show details which serve to emphasize the other purposes (e.g. liturgical or funerary). The overall bent discontinuity between “primitive” Greek temples and the of this colloquium is to emphasize how restricted was the Classical peristylar Temple. occurence of this category in antiquity. This constitutes part 153 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 154 of the reason for a pessimistic conclusion so far as the study If a count is made of the items so categorised the follow- of ancient architecture is concerned. Building models offer ing is obtained: very restricted information on ancient architecture since the Traditional Archaeological reports and studies, ca 250. overwhelming majority were never designed in this instance, Studies of material deriving from archaeological investi- while those that were are very, very few. Thus ancient mod- gations, ca 130. els give little real help in reconstructing ancient buildings. Contemporary consideration of theory, ca 100. And in the overall assessment ancient architectural models This in the roundest of terms means that the proportion tell us more about ancient religion, ancient funerary practices between primary archaeological studies, archaeologically etc. than they do about ancient architecture. based thematic studies, and contemporary disquisitions on theory is ca 5:3:2. Obviously the count gives great promi- Caari, Nicosia, July 2001 G.R.H. WRIGHT nence to contemporary analytical theory which is entirely abstract speculation; but it also reveals the author’s breadth of approach. ** At this point a few words on the book’s title as an indica- * tion of the overall scope of the work are relevent. As is often so, the title is imprecise. The subject is not Minoan Archi- HITCHCOCK, L.A. — Minoan Architecture. A Contextual tecture at large. The author does not deal at all with building Analysis. (Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology & construction. (This subject is expertly treated at length is Literature Pocket Book 155). Paul Aströms Förlag, Shaw’s well known book on Minoan Architecture “Materi- Partille, 2000 (21 cm, 267). ISBN 91-7081-192-X. als and Techniques” — and is well left there). Furthermore The object of writing reviews is to be useful — and with she is relatively little concerned with development in eleva- recent developments this object is intensified; to be useful to tion of Minoan architecture. Thematically the subject of the librarians facing the nightmare of inadequate shelves; and to book is Minoan Architectural planning; and it is manifest that be useful to scholars in profitably apportioning their limited the interest is not in formal arrangement and patterns of plan- time and energies. Unfortunately at this juncture very many ning elements, but in the functional significance (explana- reviews are manifestly of no use to either librarians or schol- tion) of plans. More accurately expressed the title should read ars. It may be that the writers imagine that their reviews are “The Functional Planning of Minoan Architecture”. of use to authors, as demonstrating to them the inadequacy This gives on to the second determinant of the title, which of their ways; certainly the only utility which can be read is “contextual”. Subjects are not usually considered out of into many reviews is that to the reviewer in advertising his context — and if they are, it is customary to mention or own published works. The present book demands a useful explain the fact. So what is intended here? In this context review, but here this is difficult to provide since the contents what does “contextual” mean? The question stands behind of the book are varied, indeed it may be reckoned two books. all comment on the work’s merit. In brief, the brief answer The following remarks are submitted with diffidence. might be “total context”, with a personal predeliction for Perhalps the best way of approaching the book is via the socio-economic cum political rather than for formal archi- (very extensive and wide ranging) bibliography. Bibliogra- tectural context or for religious context — although these phies of this type are normal in contemporary publications, aspects are mentioned. but very often the text indicates that they are more or less The following is a synopsis of the author’s treatment. Her independent of the text: they are addenda and not the record first step in Chapter 2 is to survey the (worth/reliability) of of the literature with which the author is familiar and has con- archaeological reports on the important excavated sites: Knos- sulted in his study to formulate the text. However in this sos, Phaistos, Mallia, Kato Zakro, Gournia, Pylos. This is not instance the author’s text proclaims that she is familiar with an examination of content (which appears ad hoc in later chap- the material cited in her bibliography. In this way it is of ters) but an aperçu of their style and approach. Following this interest to classify the items. rapid survey of the sites there is an extended discussion of the The classification is neither exhaustive nor decisive. It concepts and approaches adopted in the past by those dealing omits unpublished items and those the nature of which is not with Cretan architecture, which proceeds on a tireless ad duly apparent; while some items, of course, bestride cate- hominem basis. The gist of it is to draw attention to the limita- gories. However for the purposes of the review it seems use- tions of substantive treatments of Cretan architecture, while ful to divide the works cited into the following categories: advertising favorably recent works on analytics of general appli- (1) Traditional archaeological works (cf. excavation reports) cation, viz outlines of structuralism and semiotics etc. In this which are based on the study of material remains of the way some 60 pages of the book (one third of the text) are taken past; although these, of course, may extend to interpre- up before the author’s own views on the subject are advanced. tations of the material in terms of aesthetics, religion, And it is mainly in this chapter that the aforementioned 100 ref- political economy etc. erence works dealing with analytics are ventilated. (2) More or less traditional works dealing with art history, Chapters II-IV comprise the substantive part of the work, religious history, economic history, socio-political his- where the author analyses elements of Minoan architecture tory proceeding on an archaeological basis. “contextually”; and it is of immediate interest to state what (3) Contemporary “archaeologese” works discussing men- elements she identifies and selects for this purpose, particu- tal constructs purporting to be operative in the past or in larly in view of her criticism of formal, element by design the interpretation of the past, represented as anthropo- element analysis. Chapter II deals with courts and entry- logical, sociological, political, philosophical in nature — ways; Chapiter III with storage areas and workshop spaces; but not being demonstrated by, or arising out of the accu- Chapter IV with halls. All these design elements on the face mulated material remains of the past. of it are well recognised items in anterior consideration, and 155 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LIX N° 1-2, januari-april 2002 156 the very detailed documentation of these chapters is mainly “Structural distribution is basically a formal item for drawn from the first two categories of works in the bibli- recognising repetitive behaviour in an architectural context ography, viz archeological reports and thematic studies based as structured by patterns in the distribution of artifacts and/or on them. Hence the novelty of the author’s (contextual) treat- architectural features. ment can only be in manner not matter. (p. 20) “From time to time the reader should feel as if s/he The author’s view are very strongly expressed and an is being drawn away from the thread of linear argument… attemps is made to characterise them — firstly her apologet- The text may wander along several paths of discussion some ics. She says in effect that the traditional process of study of of them ending at another level, others crossing a boundary categories of objects has been cataloguing the class with an and leading into other areas only to pick up the thread in a aim to establish chronology and regional distribution. This different place by another road when the discussion comes to process, once regarded as the natural objective way of going a dead end (caveat lector!). about things is itself a product of its time and place of ori- (p. 21) “Structure does not exist outside of social action, but gin. It may be called the empirical outlook. Latterly it has it is both constraining and enabling, hence there is a duality been subject to criticism to the following effect of structure. (a) it is only the primary stage in analysis “Material culture is thus seen as communicated system that (b) it is limited, since it takes no account of the functional actually structures social practices and is structured by them; significance of the object in society it is a reciprocal relationship”. (c) in any event it is not objective, since the description and This brief abstract does little justice to the earnestness, ent- classification per se involve interpretation. housiasm and industry of the author is preparing and Put thus these observations are all truisms; and the past announcing her aim and method, by way of an extensive attitude has been to maintain awareness of (c) which is of study of modern critical literature (NB her close references wide application in mental processes; and to consider (b) sub- to sources are not included in the abstracted passages). How- sequent to establishing (a), if such consideration is within the ever on the face of it, it appears “contextual” refers primar- purview of the work (e.g. it can be left for others to follow ily to the social background; and that the analysis will not on with). So much for the negative prologue. proceed in a traditional framework, but will be informed by When the author proceeds to the positive aspects of her “structuralism” which will take into account many factors system the remarks are very difficult to represent in plain lan- previously passed over and will highten awareness rather than guage. Perhaps, at least initially, the best approach is to lay down laws. “Out of (this) critical discourse it is hoped abstract, verbatim, passages from her remarks. She says (p. that a productive dialogue will emerge”. So she says by way 16) “Material culture studies can be defined as the system- of introduction but the terms used may leave a subsisting atic exploration of relationships between artifacts and their curiosity, as to what will emerge in the performance. social relations including their production and re-use… Mate- In fact whatever might be said, and how it was said, in the rial culture studies oppose (traditional) Studies; Dichotomy introduction it would appear in the performance that contextual / Sublimation; Category / Context; Theory / Praxis; Closed analysis closely equated with a first class knowledge of Cretan / open; Data as objective / Data as theory laden; History-as- archaeology in general — i.e. the exposition of questions con- same / History-as-other. cerning Minoan Architecture is presented with a wider frame “… the writing of the past into the present serves as an of reference than is customary. One or two quotations serve to agent of change (in the present?) rather than as reification or confirm this. Opening the book at random we find (p. 168): legitimisation of present norms. “The later LMII bath tub placed in the bathroom was found in (p. 17) “Contextual archaeology is radically empirical while the Queen’s Megaron, and the stone lamp in Evans’ recon- eschewing empiricism. struction drawing was “inferred” from the presence of stone “The interpretation of archaeological context begins as a lamps found elsewhere (Evans 1930:385). If we are to accept practice of structural analysis. room 4a at Hagia Triada as a bedroom, then the similarity of “Structure refers to an underlying organisational scheme its relationshiip to a benched hall might suggest a small bed- and can be used for technological systems, relations of pro- room or sleeping area as a plausible alternative to the bath- duction and kinship or even religion, although it originally room interpreation. Kadaka (1990:220) interprets the “Room of the Plaster Couch” at the far west end of the “Queen’s referred to the underlying system of language which makes Megaron” functioning as a sleeping area in which the plaster the speech act possible. “couch” could have received a bed or bedding. Its proximity “In applying semiotics to archaeology, the objects consti- to the “toilet” (cf. MacDonald Driessen 1988; 1990) which tute a set of signs to be “read”, understood and interpreted was added later, is not an insurmountable obstacle. However by means of their relationships to other objects. accepting either the “Bathroom” or the “Room of the Plaster (p. 18) “The meaning and function of a Minoan room type Couch” as bedrooms presents a problem with climate control cannot be reduced to or fixed by, the establishment of cate- resulting from them being adjacent to light wells — at least in gories of Minoan rooms but (it) changes based on where it is the winter months. Furthermore if we accept the proposition found, what it is found in association with and how it was that individual lived in the “Palace”, it would seem that we used or experienced. would need more than one or two tiny bed rooms”. “I have termed my approach to reading these different Again (p. 76) types of distinction contextual… because I analysed differ- “Evans (ibid.) goes on to recount a visit by Dörpfeld who was ences seen in the spatial and syntagmatic relationships. (This) impressed by the view created by the Southern Propylaeum and emphasis is a cognitive style in that there is a greater toler- suggested that the denuded area to the North of it must have ance of ambiguity. carried a ramp or stepway leading to the next storey. Further “Structural distribution is based on the concept of “struc- (ibid.) “Of the two alternatives the former existence of a broad tured deposition”. flight of steps is much more in accordance with the architec- 157 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 158

tural practice of Minoan architects of Crete, as is now con- In muted tones it may be pointed out that the English word sipcuously shown by the noble flight of the Phaistos Palace”. “context” does not mean “with a text” (p. ??). Its meaning The quotes indicate that the reconstruction, or better the in a literary connection is the passages about a statement construction of the “Grand Staircase” is a result of three which serve to explain its meaning; and, by extension, it things: 1) a suggestion by Dörpfeld, whose main experience means the circumstances surrounding anything which serve was with Anatolian and Mycenaean architecture, 2) Evans’ to explain it. This latter is a direct meaning in English usage, desire to have a staircase equal in status to that at Phaistos as it is not metaphorical. If the etymology of the word is hinted by Preciosi (1982:93), and 3) Evan’s Victorian adverted to, then context is the fabric (stricto sensu) into Weltanschauung as discussed in Chapter 1. which something is interwoven. These random selections indicated that this “Minoan Perhaps a final overall view may be submitted. This book Architecture” will be very useful for quick and effective con- contains the well organised material of a handbook on the sultation on specific elements of Minoan planning. These can functional planning of Minoan architecture — a welcome be located immediately in the text, thanks to an analytic Table contribution. It contains other things beside. It would be a of Contents; and not only does the text describe them in out- good idea in the public interest to recast the book omitting line, but it does so with full reference to the literature. The the other things and publish the book with an index and a bet- latter fact has two special virtues: (a) it includes critical ref- ter typographical layout, and in a larger format to permit of erence to all recent publications, a matter of some conve- much improved, more extensive illustration. If this were done nience for those who may not be very keen to wade through under the auspices of, say The American School in Athens, post-Graham material; also (b) there is the unusual coverage the book would then deservedly enjoy the prestige and avail- of unpublished sources — e.g. theses and papers at colloquia. ability of other works which the author claims are insuffi- Over and above its general merits there are miscellaneous cient, unreliable and misleading. aspects of Louise Hitchcock’s book which are of interest in a time of great change regarding humanities scholarship. Caari, Nicosia, July 2001 G.R.H. WRIGHT Passing mention may be made of some. One of the first things in the biography to impress is the ** very ample inclusion of unpublished works. Such is the devel- * opment of modern academic mores that contributions of this nature often are valuable documents for study. The author’s WEBB, Jennifer M. — Ritual Architecture, Iconography and diligence in obtaining copies of these papers must have con- Practice in Late Bonze Age Cyprus. (SIMA Pocket Book tributed greatly to her background in the subject, and adver- 15) (pp. XII + 369 with 94 drawings as text figures). Jon- tising the existence of such papers to a wider circle of readers sered 1999. is a positive service. However the problem of the accessibil- ity of such material remains, and it is a mixed blessing to learn This practical book is a version of a thesis written in 1988 of the existence of a bulk of contribution when the only thing and accepted for publication in SIMA at that time. The 10 that is known of their merit is that they have not been pub- years delay in appearance has been, if anything, beneficial; lished. Perhaps in this connection the rationalisation would be since the work has been thoroughly revised up to the moment, to include the addresses of the authors of such contributions so that it takes into account the discoveries and literature of so that personal communication would be possible, if consid- the intervening period. ered desirable. This seems the inevitable trend in contempo- The overall organisation of the book is as follows: rary scholarship — to become a series of exchanges among Chap 1 gives “Theory and Context” (in effect acknowledg- individuals. The less charitable say, in a word: gossip. Cer- ing the signs of the times); Chap II gives the description of tainly the tenor of the author’s criticism is to promote “inclu- the sites, which, be it noted, is not the description of the siveness”, where everyone is entitled to have a say and there buildings but of the entire archaeology of the sites (includ- is no hierarchy of value in opinions — or, to be more precise, ing the relevent finds); Chap III analyses the evidence, both the old hierarchy of values is abrogated. structural and other; Chap IV deals with the iconography; Manifestly the author is no respector of persons, however Chap V is the conclusion, which proceeds from the site evi- august; and this sometimes slips out obliquely, cf. her comment dence to assessments of Late Cypriote Society. From this it on Sir Arthur Evans: he can sometimes be right in spite of being may be divined that this is not an architectural study of Late a member of the Victorian gentry. This is somewhat ironical Bronze Age building; but it is a study of the functioning of since the range and scope of the author’s discussion of Minoan organised religion in Late Bronze Age Cyprus as revealed by architecture inevitably recalls Evans’ founding work “The archaeological evidence. In short the aim of the book is (in Palace of Minos”. Further in this connection the author is very the fashion of the day) to resuscitate the life of the past by aware of the necessity of taking into account the cultural back- an interpretation of material remains. In this fashion religion ground of all those pronouncing on the meaning of Minoan here means a type of social behaviour with its implications Architecture — that is to say, of all those except herself. While for and effects on other types of social behaviour. The author this is a perfectly sensible and matter of fact attitude, her apolo- is not concerned with theological dogma. getics here invoke Derrida and deconstruction. Derrida is cited First of all in Chap II the author examines all the buildings on several occasions as an authority in the text, and figures in proposed as religious (ca 38) and weeds out those for which the bibliography. Many would find this unnecessary. If, as sug- such an ascription can not be well maintained (ca 22). This gested, Levi Strauss should be cast out of the Garden of Eden, process is effected not via formal design and construction, but then Derrida should be kept out of ancient architectural history principally by the ancilliary evidence of associated objects (his proper habitat being modern architecture). (i.e. by archaeologial criteria, rather than architectural crite- ria). In this way the author tacitly asserts a very significant 159 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LIX N° 1-2, januari-april 2002 160 fact concerning the architectural nature of Late Bronze Age possibly used for “temporary aggregation” in connection with buildings in Cyprus, viz that in general it is impossible to metallurgy; specialised extra-mural locales of mortuary purport recognise their religious function from their design and con- regional general purpose cult centers; urban upper class sanc- struction. This polarises them from e.g. Egypt or Classical tuary sites. This discussion is based on an excellent knowledge Greek religious buildings, where the religious nature of the of the material permitting its categorical handling.Inevitably it buildings is manifest when e.g. the only remains are founda- deals largely with evidence derived from metallurgy as this tion cuttings in rock. In this connection it is of some interest related to social issues (class distinctions) and economic issues to note the existence of a close parallel in another age — i.e. (long distance maritime trade). In turn an effort is made to the earliest phase of Christian cult building (in fact it might assess the reflection of these factors on the varied nature and be said the first two phases). The earliest Christian cult development of ritual practices. From this the final considera- premises were in private houses (and are to be recognised tion passes to the political order in Late Bronze Age Cyprus — only by their furnishings and utensils). This developed into i.e. the state/states. Was the Island a state, or was it composed cult premises in private houses suitably modified. The cate- of city states? What was the role of indigenous factors and what gory is called “The House Church”. The religious buildings of foreign relations in this question? The author’s final words of the Late Bronze Age in Cyprus share their characteristics (p. 308) may be quoted. “In Late Bronze Age Cyprus, in spite within a wider regional continuum. Obviously attention has of an array of past and current excavation, the ritual data base been drawn to the contrast with temple buildings elsewhere is limited and beset by problems of identification. Nevertheless which are clearly distinguished architecturally from buildings existing remains and the repertoire of motifs provided in par- with a different function. Given the motivation it may be pos- ticular by glyptic iconography allow some understanding of the sible to interpret this contrast in terms of social behaviour in profound shift in material culture which marks the beginning line with the nature of this book. of the period and the critical role of ideology in the develop- Chap III, the analytical part of the book, is principally con- ment and maintenance of complex society on the Island”. cerned with objects rather than structures. In the latter con- (These words also mark the profound shift in the study of archi- nection Jennifer Webb mentions some elements, roofing, ori- tecture (and iconography) form the days of Choisy, Durm, entation etc. and notices that the building construction is on Dinsmoor, Stryzogowski etc.). the whole not differentiated from secular building. But her However this is not really the end of the matter, since not interest is to speak of the functioning of a religious complex; the least striking part of the book is the Bibliography which is it to be considered a Wohnungstempel; or a place of pop- includes ca 600 items and is worth some review in itself. The ular assembly, an ecclesia. In contrast to this it is the con- beginning of any such consideration is to make some classi- sideration she bestows on the associated installations and fication of its contents. This can not be in any way rigourous objects which constitutes the strength of the book. The range for a number of obvious reasons (e.g. in some instances the of this discussion is very great: benches (for the display of title is not sufficiently indicative, and often works shade from votive objects); hearths; stone tables (possibly with balda- one classification to another). In any event the classification chini); slaughtering blocks; stone platforms / altars; basins; adopted is an ad hoc one designed in the present interest. horns of consecration; stepped capitals and bases; anchors. (1) More of less factual reports and studies of the material Then the classes of pottery found in religious buildings is dis- remains of the past (i.e. the core of archaeology). cussed very expertl (pp. 186-209); terra cottas and masks are (2) Studies, analyses of aspects of the past more or less similarly dealt with (pp. 209-22); bronzes (which, of course, directly based on material remains (obviously (1) may have a special significance — n.b. the Horned God and the contain an element of (2), but in practice the distinction Ingot God at Enkomi, pp. 223-36); metal objects, scrap and if fairly clear). waste (pp. 237-43); ivory, faience, glass, alabastor, ostrich (3) Studies of ancient religion/cult etc. more or less pro- eggs (p. 243); seals, of great significance for their iconogra- ceeding directly from ancient material remains. phy (pp. 243-47); tools (pp. 247-48); weights (pp. 248-49); (4) Social anthropology studies (political, economic or pur- faunal remains (pp. 250-53). portedly religious) — both modern and also studies con- Chap IV specifically deals with the iconographic evidence ceived in the same manner of ancient times. at large. It is subtitled “Images of the Supernatural”. It lists (5) “New Archeology”, its theory etc. which has very little the mythological figures etc. revealed as also ritual scenes, connection with any material remains of the past. and attempts to marshall this evidence in the interest of Obviously these categories are arranged in descending demonstrating the mechanisms of “legitimising” social stand- order of “materiality” (some would say here reality). A rough ing and political power. The overall idea presented here is count of the items in Jennifer Webb’s bibliography gives the that foreign contacts of Late Bronze Age Cyprus provided following distribution: the resources to develop a more authoritarian, more cen- (1) ca 300 items tralised society than was the old native Cypriote tradition. (2) ca 200 items The conclusion (Chap V) to Jennifer Webb’s study of Rit- (3) ca 25 items ual Architecture, (Ritual) Iconography, and (Ritual) Practice (4) ca 50 items sets out to rationalise the elements of the title. What she (5) ca 10+items terms structural evidence is, in fact, social evidence from site distribution in time and territory concerning Late Cypriote This distribution is certainly interesting. It shows that the Society, its economics and politics (e.g. the much discussed study is archaeologically based, and very significantly on pri- connection with metallurgy). The typology derived from this mary archaeological reports. After that it is social anthropol- is expressed entirely in social terms and is not a typology of ogy style works which constitute the remaining significant building design and construction. It refers to e.g. possible items. That archaeology is reckoned to be in good measure kin based cult locales; specialised extra-mural cult locales palaeo-anthropology. It is significant that some of these 161 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 162 works are concerned with religion after their manner, while account comprehends an extended irony. To spell out details the bibliography includes very few studies of religion based of this irony devitalises it — but some aspects may be on material remains of the past (i.e. archaeologically based touched on in passing. studies). Thus for the author religion if largely on aspect of According to the values of the several generations suc- social anthropology. Finally there are a number of New ceeding Cesnola’s, one thing was clear. Whatever may be Archaeology style items concerned with theory and related said about his activities in the field, he was unsuited to the matters very little to any material point. However this ele- position of museum director. This office was then reckoned ment is slighter than in much other contemporary archaeo- to demand great knowledge of and concern for interminable logical writing. In short the work is in large mesure based on numbers of objects, bits and pieces; i.e. the readiness to make the study of material remains (which accounts for the archi- all this into the meaning of life. And now in the generation tecture and partly for the iconography). Whereas the ritual which has succeeded these generations? All this has changed. practice (and in part the iconography) are understood to refer The person in charge of the collection of a great museum to a division of social anthropology equated with religion. must be above all adept in worldly affairs / public relations, This book reveals broad and incisive archaeological knowl- whose mind is geared to think in very large sums of money edge of the Late Bronze Age in Cyprus which is concisely and how to acquire them. Detailed knowledge and overrid- expressed, with impeccable documentation and very valuable ing concern for ancient bits and pieces is, if anything, an illustration. Whether or not people are interested in the putative impediment. In short, after a century, Cesnola would be once social anthropology of the period, they will find this assembled more a suitable appointee to a post such as he occupied. Plus information very useful and the book worth purchasing. ça change, plus c’est la même chose. Again Cesnola harped on the public spirited understand- Caari, Nicosia, August 2001 G.R.H. WRIGHT ing which motivated him to keep his enormous collection of objects intact, rather than to dispose of them piece-meal (to his own greater profit as he averred). In this way he reckoned ** that the value of the collection to historical scholarship in all * its branches was secured and maximised. In these opinions he was absolutely justified — as time has demonstrated with MARANGOU, Anna G. — Life and Deeds. The Consul an unexpected added emphasis. The author impugns Ces- Luigi Palma de Cesnola. 1832-1904. (pp. XX + 393 with nola’s here, asserting that he did, in fact, dispose a profusion of photographic illustrations). Cultural Cen- bona fides piece-meal of a number of his objects. Certainly during the tre of the Popular Bank. Theopress Ltd. Nicosia, 2000. last few years renewed study of the Cesnola collection in the A starting point in the production of this highly ornamen- Metropolitan has demonstrated how valuable to scholarship tal book was the acquisition by the Cultural Centre of the this legacy is, in spite of the diminution of its numbers. The Laiki Trapeza of an original album prepared by Cesnola for said diminution, however, is in no way the result of Cesnola’s the publicising in England of his collection of Cypriote antiq- peccadilos. A generation after his death the curatorial staff of uities. This contains captions and annotations in his own the Museum sold off 30,000 or more objects without the hand. There is also an accompanying collection of pho- slightest concern to record their new locations, on the grounds tographs mounted on loose sheets. The present work incor- that such Cypriote material possessed little art value. porates this record and expands it with other contemporary Within the breadth of view of this book perhaps the infer- illustrations of days and deeds in Cyprus, including copious ence of unmitigated evil falls on removal of antiquities from photographic reproductions of Cesnola’s correspondance, etc. their country of origin. Such ideas descend quickly into the The presentation of all this material is of the highest stan- shadows of endless corridors. In the first and most obvious dard. The book is all silk art paper; and the layout of the large instance, there was no provision of any sort in Cyprus for hous- format pages effectively balances text and illustrations. ing, caring and publicly displaying of antiquities when Cesnola Over and above this the book has an avowed programme. and the others removed them to countries where these facilities The author states in the introduction that one cannot under- existed. And in the last (latest) instance, today from Lebanon stand the life and deeds of Cesnola without studying orien- to Latin America traffic in antiquities is reckoned the proper talism. By this she does not mean acquiring a good ground- means of financing popular uprisings. Or alternatively it is the ing in oriental languages. She means subscribing to the last resource within a society ruined by such popular uprisings popular tract of Edward Said “Western Conceptions of the to gain some means of subsistence. Equally the destruction of Orient”. As to the text of the book at large, its bark is worse monuments, from the Balkans to Bactria is reckoned to be an than its bite — or rather , its bite is better than its bark. Much outward sign of the inner workings of spiritual grace. interesting material is conveniently gathered together and pre- A concern for preserving intact the cultural heritage of a sented reasonably. Indeed many people with no specialised country may well be a laudable one. Its prime manifestation background could read much of it without gaining any pejo- would then appear to be the prohibition of all archaeological rative view of Cesnola. excavation. In this contect there is a telling image from Norse For those who have had a long and close association with Saga: the slumbering dragon guarding ancient treasure con- archaeology in its various manifestations this book affords cealed beneath a tumulus within a prehistoric chamber tomb. unexpected enlightenment — probably unforeseen by the author. The more the author belabors the singularity of Ces- Caari, Nicosia, August 2001 G.R.H. WRIGHT nola’s misdeeds and the benighted values of his day and age, the more apparent become the inevitable conflicts endemic ** in a concern for the material remains of the past: their dis- * covery, preservation and display. In short this extended 163 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LIX N° 1-2, januari-april 2002 164

KARAGEORGHIS, V. and C.E. MORRIS, (eds.) — Defen- the west coast, Kokkino Kremos and Maa. The historical issues sive Settlements of the Aegean and the Eastern Mediter- raised by these sites induced him to make study tours of other ranean after c. 1200 B.C. Proceedings of an International regions of the Mediterranean continuum in an endeavour to Workshop held at Trinity College Dublin, 7th-9th May, provide a “categorical” background to his Cypriote sites. Out 1999. Anastasios Leventis Foundation, Nicosia, 2001. of this experience with the collaboration of Trinity College, (27 cm, XIII + 259 with 105 photographs and drawing Dublin, he arranged the present project of a workshop discus- as text figure). ISBN 9963-3b-433-0. sion between archaeologists concerned with arguably similar features in e.g. Crete, the Aegean, Dalmatia, etc. The pro- This handsome book is an excellent record ( ) of well bis dat ceedings were thus invested with a very specific topic, and organised proceedings to discuss an issue which has been nar- those taking part were restricted to field archaeeologists hav- rowed down as significant in the decline of Bronze Age civil- ing responsible experience in dealing with material remains isation about the Eastern Mediterranean. It is both of interest related to the topic. This was not an exercise in “inclusive- in itself and of general interest as an exemplar of a profitable ness”. As is evident in the published proceedings the accounts development in archaeological studies. It certainly merits and discussions dovetailed well together. Furthermore the clar- some special notice on the latter account. ity with which the proceedings are reported puts the reader in It is perhaps advantageous to refer to this latter issue first. a good position to estimate their virtue, and that with an addi- The proliferation of archaeological education together with tional dimension. The (non-specialist) reader can estimate not staggering increase in funding has meant that more and more only the benefits of the colloquium to the experts taking part, there are experienced, professionally trained archaeologists but also the very significant matter of its possible benefit to able to concentrate their investigations on narrowly delimited archaeologists and scholars at large, who have some interest topics. Specialisation they call it. This inter-active chain of in the end of the Mediterranean Bronze Age. formulation and investigation of categories is at the heart of increasing historical knowledge. There is, of course, nothing Participants at the workshop delivered the following papers: automatic about such increase. We say “formulation” not “recognition”. It can only be hoped that the two expressions concur. In many instances they do not — and the false trails Vassos Karageorghis Patterns of Fortified Settlement in the Aegean and Cyprus c. (sometimes ridiculous) are in themselves useful evidence for 1200 B.C. contemporary history. Here archaeological features have a certain value, since, in general, there is some realia to begin with; although there is nothing to prevent this being disas- Athanasia Kanta Cretan Refuge Settlements: Problems and Historical Impli- trously misinterpreted. In the present instance it seems a valid cations within the wider Context of the Eastern Mediter- category has been “recognised” (and validly subclassified) ranean towards the End of the Bronze Age. to the advantage of increased understanding of a climactic epoch in Ancient History. It is worth while speaking of this general question in a lit- Krzysztof Nowicki Sea-riders and Refugees: Problems of Defensible Sites in tle more detail. The formulation of categories (universals, Crete c. 1200 B.C. forms) traditionally has been the modus operandi of scholar- ship. With the formulation of a “type”, random, episodic observations can be understood, marshalled, related together, Donald C. Haggis A Dark Age Settlement System in East Crete, and a Reassess- made relevent. This traditional proceeding latterly has been ment of the Definition of Refuge Settlements. stridently contested and devalued. And nowhere more so than in “post-modern”, “post-processual” archaeology, with its semiotics, deconstruction, etc. All this is to say that the pre- Barbara J. Hayden Elias to Nisi: A Fortified Coastral Settlement of possible Late sent work appears to be concerned with a feature of real sig- Minoan IIIC Date in the Vrokastro Area, Eastern Crete. nificance and deals with it realistically in the traditional man- ner of field archaeology. Its presentation is very compact, matter of fact; and there are no “unreal” interludes to be L. Vance Watrous The Isthmus of Ierapetra in East Crete and the Dark Age passed over. Refuge Settlement of Profitis Elias: Diaspora or Local Pop- Decline and Fall is a concept is history which has a peren- ulation Change? nial fascination. In the present connection how did the well organised, wealthy central governments which characterised the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1600 B.C.-1200 B.C.) become bat- Athanasia Kanta and Nicolas C. Stampolidis Orné ‘AITTY’ in the Context of the Defensive Settlements tered, impoverished, break down, collapse during the 12th of the End of the Bronze Age. and 11th centuries BC? An archaeological feature which could help in the interpretation of this phenomenon is the existence of a class of fortified settlement widespread in the Yannos G. Lolos Dark Age Citadels in Southern Salamis. region during the 12th and 11th centuries B.C., which occupy salient positions readily accessible from the sea and appar- ently divorced culturally and economically from their imme- Vince Gaffney et al Enclosure and Defence: the Context of Mycenaean Contact diate environment. within Central Dalmatia. The distinguished Cypriote archaeologist Vassos Kara- georghis was concerned with the excavation and publication of two such sites: one by the east coast of Cyprus, and one on Vassilios Lambrinoudakis and Olga Philaniotou-Hadjianas- tasiou 165 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 166

The Town of Naxos at the End of the Late Bronze Age: the from depredations by the Mycenaean dispersal? Or are they Mycenaean Fortification Wall. wandering groups of homeless Mycenaeans fleeing the down- fall of their kingdom and apprehensive of depredations from Nota Kourou other such groups? Tenos-Xobourgo: a New Defensive Site in the Cyclades. It was to these issues that the colloquium discussion directed the findings of the investigations reported in the sub- Christine A. Televantou mitted papers. Could the siting of the defensive settlements, Ayios Andreas on Sifnos: a Late Cycladic III Fortified the construction of the fortifications and the pottery found in Acropolis. them help to refine the chronology and elaborate a history of the period? There were anomalies to be dealt with. Cyclo- Also during the sessions it was realised that because of the pean type masonry is indicative of a Mycenaean connection accidents of excavations policy Crete was over-emphasized / presence; but it is not appropriate to refugee fortifications in representation, and some difficulty was experienced in in inacessible locations. broadening the discussion regionally. Therefore, as a wise These are the questions which were discussed at the work- measure to rectify this, two additional papers were secured shop. The report of the proceedings is easy to read and it may for the report: set its readers thinking along useful lines.

Adam Zertal Caari, Nicosia, July 2001 G.R.H. WRIGHT The ‘Corridor-builders’ of Cental Israel: Evidence for the Settlement of the ‘Northern Sea Peoples’? ** * Mario Benzi LH IIIC Late Mycenaean Refugees at Punta Meliso, Apulia. KARAGEORGHIS, V. — Ancient Art from Cyprus in the Cultural Foundation of the Bank of Cyprus (The Col- The individual papers will not be reviewed here since the lection of George and Nefeli Giabra Pierides). (220 pp. essence of the proceedings lies in the ensemble as adduced with illustrations of ca 400 individual items). The Lev- from discussions of the papers and from the final general entis Foundation, Kailas Press, Nicosia, 2001. review, where attemps were made to relate the reported mate- rial to the topic of the colloquium. The field of consideration Since the middle of the 19th century the Island of Cyprus was roughly as follows. has been known for its profusion of antiquities of all ages Avoiding technical analysis and terminology, fortification from Neolithic to Gothic. In certain connections ancient cus- can be aggressive or defensive in its inspiration. It can pro- toms promoted the accumulation of collectors’ items. There vide a secure base for a ruling group, or for dominant raiders was first of all the obsessive concern with richly provided (or indeed for a combination of the two, i.e. for “robber burials in all ages down to the establishment of Christian- barons”). Or fortification can be wholly defensive in purport ity. Another factor was the ubiquitous Rural Sanctuary — an attempt by the peaceable to avoid molestation. In this which flourished during the first millenium B.C. These al instance two possible classes can be distinguished: where a fresco shrines were furnished by way of ex votos, with settlement in a normal, economically viable location is pro- armies of devotees in life size simulacra out of stone and vided with defences; and where the settlement is located in terre-cotta — the ‘living’ dead ranged around the altars were a place difficult of access to the prejudice of its economic counted in thousands, while the ‘dead’ dead buried in both- welfare — i.e. it was a refuge. Here four scenarios are pos- roi were even more numerous. In this way collections of sible: antiquities were assembled in the Island during the latter (1) Local inhabitants securing themselves against other half of the 19th century by foreign consuls (e.g. the Amer- locals. ican Consul Cesnola, the British Consul Lang, etc…) where (2) Local inhabitants fleeing from new arrivals (invaders). the items were as sands of the sea for multitude. In the well (3) New arrivals (invaders) securing themselves against known case of Cesnola the collection for the most part locals. found its way to the Metropolitan Museum in New York — (4) New arrivals securing themselves against other prospec- indeed it was virtually the founding collection of the tive new arrivals. Museum, and Cesnola became the first director. Also objects from such collections accumulated in the Louvre, All these paradigmatic possibilities can be given historical The British Museum and other museums. The enormous substance within the speculation concerning the disappear- scale of this activity has attracted the attention of current ance of the Mycenaean kingdoms and the arrival / passage / ideological attitudes, so that it has become a favorite vehi- presence of new-comers (Peoples of the Sea) in the Eastern cle for “cultural” execration. Over the succeeding period, Mediterranean at the end of the Bronze Age. It is a far cry however, several other extensive collections of antiquities from the aggressive fortifications on a grand monumental were formed by cultured Cypriotes. Little mention of these scale of Mycenae and Tyrins etc., centrally located to domi- collections has been made — and their existence is virtu- nate a territory, on the one hand; to earnest attempts to for- ally unknown; completely unknown, it might be said, out- tify a naturally defensive position in a more or less inacces- side the Island. sible place (yet generally one within sight of the sea). The It is impossible to prescribe any logical sanction for col- latter are examples of defensive settlements — in some lecting antiquities. At the present moment the middle of the instances they seem refuges, the work of refugees. Are these road attitude appears to be that the desiderata are: local inhabitants (Eteo Cypriotes, eteo Cretans, etc.) fleeing (1) Antiquities should remain in the country of origin. 167 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LIX N° 1-2, januari-april 2002 168

(2) They should be kept together in groups; i.e. things found collection was being formed the rich development of in association should not be separated. Neolithic Cyprus was not known. Subsequently to this period, (3) They should be given into the possession and keeping of however, each class of objects in the collection affords a rea- cultural institutions (e.g. museums) to be properly cared sonable synopsis of its historical occurence. The particular for, published, and made available for public viewing. strength of the collection lies in stone sculpture, where it is unrivaled by any other private collection. The antithetical abominations are that antiquities should be The pottery section includes some notable Mycenaean taken out of the country of origin, be disposed of separately pieces (large craters, and also other vases decorated in the item by item and get into private possession where they are ‘pictorial style’). Additionally there are rare examples of pic- not necessarily properly cared for and are not available for torial vases from the Archaic Period. The sculpture contains public viewing. Any knowledge of antiquities work will make many individual pieces of merit. A portrait head of Com- it immediately apparent that the above mentioned desiderata modus is a very nice piece of work indeed, approaching met- are self conflicting and are often impractical or have damag- ropolitan standards. There is also a specialised collection of ing consequences. In any case the attitude outlined are those “Temple Boys” — a feature of Cypriote culture, but they are of the moment, they are changeable and are changing. Pos- known elsewhere. Probably they form commemorative cir- sibly in the near future merit will be seen in destroying antiq- cumcision tokens, but there is much to be said about them. uities, as is being done presently in liberated Afghanistan. Another unexpected strength is the very pleasing collection At all events the fine private collections of antiquities made of mediaeval glazed pottery from the Frankish Period. This by Cypriote collectors would seem to have fulfilled pretty pottery is now becoming justly appreciated, and is receiving well the current desiderata. They were kept in the country, the scholarly attention it deserves. In considerable part the they were kept together and for the most part interested and production centres of this pottery lay in the northern part of knowledgeable people could obtain pleasant access to them. the Island — now inaccessible to many. This both inhibits However these remarks are geared to the mid 20th century. study and restricts the material available for viewing: e.g. a The civil disturbances and invasion of the Island after the end large amount of such pottery was discoverd 50 years ago dur- of the British regime have impinged drastically on local col- ing the mise en valeur of Kyrenia Castle. Another item of lections of Cypriote Antiquities. It is against this backdrop note are the Late Bronze Age cylinder seals, and the stamp that the energies of Dr. Vassos Karageorghis in preparing a seals and gems generally. publication of the George and Nefeli Pierides collection This expertly prepared catalogue of an important private should receive due recognition. Associated with it are dra- collection of antiquities now ‘gone public’ also suggests a matic circumstances which deserve to be noted. few general remarks. To make such catalogues requires a The collection was formed during the first half of the 20th great deal of labour backed up by wide experience. Also it century by George Giabra Pierides (Hon. Norwegian Consul needs recognition of personal limitations combined with the for Cyprus). The smaller objects and all precious ones were capacity to obtain expert individual commentaries. Such qual- shown in his Nicosia home, while the larger items were kept ities are not widespread. However the guaranteed utility of in store at his business premises in Larnaka. George Pierides, this work should recommend it to the good offices of foun- like all the Cypriote collectors, was knowledgeable in the dations (as here) and to international organisations. Island’s past and encouraged the publication of items from his collection (e.g. in the Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum) and Nicosia, August 2001 G.R.H. WRIGHT arranged for a catalogue to be made of them. Subsequently, to provide more spacious exhibition of the objects kept in his ** house, he transferred them to larger premises in Kyrenia. * Such was the status quo early in 1974 when the political situation in the Island became dire. Dr. Karageorghis at that KARAGEORGHIS, V. & V.P. VANCHOV, (eds.) — Greek stage wisely counselled the Pierides family to return the and Cypriote Antiquities in the Archaeological Museum objects to Nicosia where at least they would be somewhat of Odessa. (91 pp. including ca 200 illustrations of less exposed than in Kyrenia. This was done in spite of the objects displayed). Leventis Foundation, Odessa difficulties of movement already obtaining in the Island, and Museum, Ukraine Academy of Sciences. Kailas Press was completed two months before the Turkish Invasion made Ltd, Nicosia, 2001. ISBN 9963-560-45-8. Kyrenia inaccessible to the owners and to many interested viewers. In this way the collection escaped the ill fate of This is a book which deserves to be brought widespread another fine collection housed in Famagusta — items from public notice on several counts: which appear from time to time on the antiquities market. (a) the intrinsic quality and importance of the material rep- There is no question but that the Pierides Collection of resented. Cypriote Antiquities donated to the Bank of Cyprus Cultural (b) its topicality as mirroring the contemporary interest in Foundation is an important one which well merits a rigorous, Pontic antiquities. scholarly publication — and also fitting public exhibition. (c) vision coupled with effective realisation in the outlay of The present catalogue registers ca 400 items. They range in Foundation resources and energies. Here is a project of time from the Early Bronze Age to the Middle Ages (indeed guaranteed, inbuilt utility, rather than one which eventu- to the Renaissance) — i.e. from ca 2500 B.C. to ca 1500 ally may or may not be of much benefit. A.D., thus extending over a period of ca 4,000 years. The objects comprise: Pottery; Terra-cottas; Sculpture; Bronzes The genesis of the project is of interest. The Leventis Foun- and other metallic objects; Jewellery; Glass; Cylinder and dation is conscious of a mission to sustain and promote the Stamp Seals as also Gems; and inscribed material. When the international manifestation of Greek Culture — “every age 169 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARCHEOLOGIE 170 is an age of Greek colonisation”. In pursuance of this aim the later detailed knowledge! There is reason to both statements, Director, Dr. Vassos Karageorghis, visited Odessa in 1999 to but the first statement is of subsisting validity. It is the ini- invetigate appropriate ways of supporting the role of the tial reaction of anyone who comes to Etruscan antiquities Odessa Branch of the Greek Cultural Foundation (not only from experience in the Eastern Mediteranean and the Near in Odessa but in the Ukraine generally). Here the good case East. They immediately sympathise with the ancient view that of the Odessa Archaeological Museum was seen to be out- Etruscans were immigrants from that part of the world. This, standing. The rich collection of Antiquities which it harbours of course, may be the ancient mode of referring to the sum is very little known outside Slav speaking areas, since the of influences discussed at the Symposium — or indeed the (very considerable) literature this has generated is virtually two view points could be complementary. all in Russian. Thus the publication in English of a new cat- In fact by the time the Symposium could be arranged (a alogue raisonné of meticulous scholarship was clearly indi- working lifetime after Dr. Karageorghis’ initial perception), cated. accumulated archaeological discoveries required the ambit of It is the Greek and Cypriote collection from the Bronze the western connections of Cyprus to be extended both Age to Roman times which are covered in this catalogue. chronologically and regionally. It had become apparent that And this project of importance in itself neatly responds to the the weight of a Cypriote presence / connection in the West general aim of the Leventis Foundation in as much as it not antedated the formation of the Etruscan people; and more- only exemplifies the formative role of Greek colonisation in over it spread widely both in Italy generally (n.b. Sardinia) this historically significant region, but it bespeaks the cultural and also, e.g. to Spain. This however did not abrogate the apect of a Greek presence in modern times. A considerable later Iron Age connections suggested by some of the Etruscan part was played in the establishment and development dur- remains — and here occasion was given for an interesting ing the 19th century of the Odessa Archaeological Museum concern to differentiate between Phoenician Cyprus and by men of culture among the large and flourishing Greek homeland Phoenecia. community which established itself there at that time. As reformulated, the subject of the Symposium brought The knowledge, skill and experience of Dr. Karageorghis into focus a number of very live issues of the moment: the in organising such projects has ensured that this project has highly organised trade developed in the Mediterranean dur- been successfully realised without delay. He has been able to ing the Late Bronze Age (cf. wrecks); the role of this trade assemble a group of expert collaborators (both from the in antedating (or indeed promoting) later colonisation — the Ukraine and abroad). In this way the scholarship of the text flag follows trade, not vice-versa (cf. Kipling’s poetic is guaranteed, the photography of the objects is of excellent acknowledgement of the gentlemen adventures); the inter- quality, while the layout of the book is handsome and win- twined role of Phoenecian and Greek in the West together ning. The material recorded comprises pottery, terra-cotta, with the constituent presence of both in Cyprus; and finally sculpture, bronzes, ivories, glass, jewellery and coins. to abreviate the catalogue, metal. Not only in this catalogue an indispensable guide for a visit There were 19 contributors whose remarks ranged in period to the Museum, but it is also a valuable source of informa- from the Late Bronze Age down to the end of Archaic and tion and reference in itself. the beginning of Classical times. While the regions dealt with included: the Phoenecian homeland, Anatolia, Greece (n.b. Caari, Nicosia, July 2001 G.R.H. WRIGHT the special case of Euboea), Cyprus, Italy (n.b. again the spe- cial case of Sardinia) and the Iberian peninsula. In line with current concerns it was the metallurgy question which was ** most strongly emphasized in the discussion — cf. the papers * of Kassianidou (Cypriote copper to Sardinia); Lo Schiavo (Later Cypriote Bronze Work in Italy). Pottery evidence was BONFANTE, L. and V. KARAGEORGHIS (eds.) — Italy dealt with by Vagnetti (Some Observations on Late Bronze and Cyprus in Antiquity 1500-450 B.C. Proceedings of Age Cypriote Pottery from the Central Mediterranean); Hir- the International Symposium at Columbia University shfeld (The Evidence of Potmarks). Some contributors pre- Nov. 16th-18th 2000 (pp. XIV + 392 with 94 drawings ferred general surveys: Pulak (Evidence from the Uluburun and photographs as text figures). Constantine and shipwreck for Cypriote Trade); Matthäus (Cyprus and Italy Leto Severis Foundation, Kailas Press Ltd, Nicosia, in the 11th to 9th Centuries B.C.); Almagro-Gorbea (Cyprus, 2001. Phoenecia and Iberia); Turfa (The Etruscans and Phoenecians This book is the record of a Symposium conducted in ideal of Cyprus: the 8th to 6th Centuries B.C.); Lemos (The circumstances: i.e. in conjuction with the inaugural exhibi- Lefkandi Connection). Several other miscellaneous themes tion of an enormously extended display of Cypriote objects were also dealt with: Frost (Anchors); Emiliozzi (vehicles); from the Cesnola collection at the Metropolitan Museum. The Prayon (Architecture); Serra Ridgeway (Art); Arnold-Biuchi subject of the symposium is one of real interest for ancient (Coins — but only a brief remark made available for publi- history. Both the perception of the significance of the subject cation); Strøm (Banqueting Customs). The proceedings were and the seizing of the moment for the proceedings are the reviewed by Professor David Ridgeway under the following inspiration of Dr. Vassos Karageorghis. The perception of the heads: (1) Metallurgy, (2) Unpublished Excavations, (3) The historical issue occured to Dr. Karageorghis early in his First Really Busy Period, (4) People, (5) Trade. None of these scholarly career, and he referred to this occasion is his inau- rubrics gave him reason to develop any argument: but he was gural remarks. He says that when he first viewed the Etruscan fulsome in expressing his approbation and enjoyment of the antiquities in the Vatican Museum he was conscious of an occasion. underlying Cypriote cast of feature inherent in them. He goes There were one or two contributions which were pièces on to say modestly that this perception did not outlast in force d’occasion; but in general the papers are extremely thorough 171 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LIX N° 1-2, januari-april 2002 172 and learned. Clearly the participants proceeded on the idea thousands. All this work/activity was private enterprise, there that their task was to ‘animate’ the concept of relations were no government grants or funds as reckoned proper form between Cyprus and Italy — i.e. these relations were to be today. Thus the aims of this enterprise were: conceived sub specie ‘human relations’. Thus the papers (1) thrill of discovery each comprised two portions: the factual basis in archaeo- (2) contribution to art and science logical sources, and their interpretation / vivification in (3) pecuniary advancement. human terms. With respect to the factual basis most of the contributors Both the latter two aims meant in effect that great numbers rehearse a broad and detailed range of information; several of Cypriote antiquities were transferred out of Cyprus to calinto account a truly massive battery of factual knowledge, Europe and America during this period and many museums e.g. Cemal Pulak; Hartmut Matthäus; Martin Almagro-Gor- (not only the Metropolitan, the British Museum and the Lou- bea. Inevitably the ‘animation’ tends to be slightly stereo- vre) got possession of considerable collections. Supply typed, but in this connection the contribution of Cemal Pulak depresses value — and moreover Cypriote Antiquities, being was sui generis. Based on a meticulous item by item study markedly cross-bred, could be and were subject to the dis- of the cargo of the Uluburn wreck, he did not proceed to gen- approbation of purists. The upshot of all this has been that eralised issues and categories. On the contrary, he treated the (again) very great numbers of Cypriote Antiquities have been individual details of the finds as pieces of evidence for stocked in cellars and store-rooms of European and Ameri- extended ‘detective work’ whereby he provided human solu- can institutions for a century or more. This is certainly not tions to the various clues afforded by individual objects. This what their 19th century discoverers had in mind. They gen- was refreshing to read — and the inference would be that the uinely believed that they were acting in the public interest by author is a long-time admirer of Conan Doyle. The majority making the gamut of Cypriote antiquities available to enlight- of the general categories invoked in the ‘animation’ of the ened public viewing, as also to scholarly investigation. Now papers were common to several papers. Development of trade a century later others have resumed this attitude and have out of and accompanying piracy and raids; the entrepot determined to do something about it. The required knowl- nature of developed international marine trade. The distribu- edge, energy, and financial resources have been assembled at tion of foreign objects as evidencing the step by step pene- the Leventis Foundation. And a double fronted campaign has tration of local culture by imported goods, itinerant foreign been launched: craftsmen, immigrants etc. The induced changes in local (1) to finance the exhibition of Cypriote antiquities in suit- tastes crystallising caste distinctions; e.g. luxury goods, ban- ably expanded public galleries (e.g. in the British quetting and heroic burials, etc., etc. Finally the issue of metal Museum); where hitherto much has been made of a problem which (2) to arrange for the proper publication of the extensive col- seems to be no problem, viz the fact that an area can be both lection of Cypriote antiquities in museum store rooms, a producer and an importer of the one commodity. etc. (e.g. in the Vienna Museum of Art History). In short the theme of this symposium is a real one and the The present volume constitues an important advance on the papers are relevent and substantial. Over and above this, the second front. publication is of high standard; but the most commendable Some particular circumstances in connection with Cypri- thing of all is the speed with which it has been produced — ote antiquities in Berlin are of interest and warrant prelimi- it has been effected in less than a year. This speaks not only nary mention. Under the agreement reached by the powers at for the efficiency of the editors, but also for the high level of the Congress of Berlin the British Government took over the printing in Cyprus. It is a book which is abreast of the administration of Cyprus in 1878, holding the Island on lease moment and one which virtually all concerned with such from the Ottoman Sultan. Immediately steps were taken to issues will consult. put an end to the uncontrolled consular enterprise in collect- ing antiquities. However it is not generally realised that this Caari, Nicosia, August 2001 G.R.H. WRIGHT was effected under the terms of the Ottoman Antiquities Law promulgated in 1874, but not enforced in Cyprus. The terms of the British Administration of the Island were to govern it ** in accordance with Ottoman Law, and thus the dead-letter * Ottoman antiquities law was enforced. Thereafter antiquities operations in Cyprus took on a new cast. Exactly at this time BREHME, S., M. BRÖNNER, V. KARAGEORGHIS, G. a new comer arrived in the Island who was to personify the PLATZ-HORSTER and W. WEISSER — Ancient next stage in Cypriote antiquities activity. He was a German Cypriote Art in Berlin. (XII + 236 catalogued objects and thus it was that over the following 20-30 years consid- profusely illustrated). Leventis Foundation & Staatliche erable batches of Cypriote antiquities found their way into Museen zu Berlin, Kailas Printers, Nicosia, 2001. ISBN German museums. 9963-560-46-6. Max Ohnefalsch Richter was a man of talents and stature. Everyone knows that in the third quarter of the 19th cen- Without much higher learning he educated himself to pro- tury, during the ultimate years of Ottoman rule, Cyprus fessional level in several spheres. He was, above all, a man became a scene of frenetic antiquities gathering. This was of adventurous disposition, both physically and mentally. In promoted and effected almost entirely by foreign consuls, this way he came to Cyprus immediately after the British based in Larnaka — those operating on the largest scale being occupation and was employed there in several capacities — the American, the British and the French consuls. In conse- e.g. as a photographer a forester and, above all, as an archae- quence of this, collections of Cypriote antiquities were accu- ologist (in the German sense of someone with a knowledge mulated which when catalogued ran to thousands or tens of of the classical heritage, its art, religion and literature). 173 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — ARABICA 174

There are several introductory chapters to this book — and This constituent feature of Indo-European heroics survived one of them, by Silvia Brehme, is a notice of Ohnefalsch in the East Aryan world (India and Iran) but gave place to Richter and his life in Cypriote antiquities. This is written cavalry in the classical world. Only in Cyprus did it continue with close concern for ‘archeological correctitude’ (as they to flourish until the end of the Cypriote kingdoms. Several would now say). Ohnefalsh Richter’s study of the archaeo- examples of chariots and chariotry, both in terra-cotta and logical evidence as indicating the position of Cyprus within stone are illustrated in this book (e.g. n°s 70, 88, 89, 178). the continuum of the Middle East and the Mediterranean On the other hand horse riding after the Greek manner is also takes its place among studies of Helleno-Semitica, after the to be seen (e.g. n°s 90, 91). manner of Astour. He was, moreover, a sensible ethno- Some unfamiliar decorative motifs appear on White archaeologist. If the appraisal of his work “an abundance of Painted and Bichrome vases (styles renowned for their dec- material, but no conclusive results” is to be understood as oration). N° 55, a large amphora of White Painted ware dis- still obtaining, then this is nonsense. What results were con- posed seried triangles above a horizontal band (frieze) giv- veyed out of the activities of the official British Museum ing (by accident or design) a vivid impression of the façades excavators, Murray, Smith, Walters, Hogarth who disputed of juxtaposed long houses (megarons). A Bichrome IV jug Cypriote excavation with Ohnefalsch Richter? None at all! (n° 70) displays a scene which is of interest in many ways. Silvia Brehme also contributed a note on the Collection of A chariot is shown in full career, and fixed to the pole are Cypriote Antiquities in the Antikensammlung indicating the two severed heads as trophies. This is not a Greek custom, varied sources of the material. A similar note is provided by they commented on it as barbaric (cf. its association with Ori- Melitta Brönner concerning the Ancient Cypriote Material in entals and Celts); and hitherto it has not been marked on in the Museum für Vor und Frühgeschichte. This collection is Cyprus. largely made up of material emanating from Ohnefalsch Aesthetically remarkable are several large scale terra-cotta Richter — and the note included interesting accounts of its statues from Late Archaic and Classical times. N° 122, the subsequent vicissitudes, as also something of Ohnefalsch head and torso of a large female figure from the Paphos Richter’s experiences in Germany (which are not well known). region displays a severe funerary aspect, but with a striking Melitta Brönner further contributes a short appraisal of mixed Greek and Oriental charm. Even more impressive is a “Cypriote Limestone Sculpture” which is most apt. This large funerary statue from Marion of a woman seated on a striking individual genre is not as well known as it deserves throne (n° 124). This is well nigh perfectly preserved. The to be. Although built up out of patent formal influences, restrained sadness of expression is very affecting. Also of nonetheless it contrives to convey an idiosyncratic air of great technical interest is the oriental simplification and styl- ‘actuality’ of a real (human) presence. ising of Greek naturalism in rendering the drapery. The book is initiated by Vassos Karageorghis’ up to the In short this publication of material in Berlin will give any- moment account of the development of Cypriote Archaeol- one a convenient general impression of Ancient Cypriote Art; ogy in terms of its message at large. Also to be mentioned and those who are familiar with this will discover interesting here is a valuable component. At the end of the book are con- additions to their knowledge. cordances and indexes of provenance giving a ready con- spectus of the nature of objects together with their origin in Caari, Nicosia, August 2001 G.R.H. WRIGHT terms of sites (where known) and (otherwise) collections (e.g. of Cesnola, Ohnefalsh Richter, etc.). The substantive part of the book consists of a catalogue of 215 objects. These range in date from the Early Bronze Age down to Graeco-Roman times, and comprise pottery, terra- cottas, stone sculpture, metal work, jewellery, seals and coins. The full description with bibliography and interesting dis- cussion are shared among the various authors. The pottery and terra-cottas (constituting the largest division) is dealt with by Vassos Karageorghis; stone objects and sculpture by both Silvia Brehme and Melita Brönner; metal work by Silvia Brehme; jewellery and seals by Gertrud Platz-Horster and coins by Bernhard Weisser. Among this material now made immediately available for reference are objects of considerable artistic merit and/or his- torical significance. One object (n° 45) which could be over- looked completely has been correctly noticed by Kara- georghis (p. 63) as of prime historic interest. It is a terra-cotta bull’s head found by Ohnefalsch Richter in the cemeteries at Ayia Paraskeve, and correctly seen by him to be akin to a figure from Bogaz Köy. It is thus one of the very few Hittite objects recovered in Cyprus — a question to which much attention has been directed. Typically Ohnefalsch Richter’s perception has been ignored. Of reverse interest is a footed bowl of Bichrome IV ware (n° 67) found at Troy. One aspect of the conservative “Cypriote character” which is well represented in material at Berlin is chariotry.