CHAPTER 1 When I Came to the Netherlands in 2012, I Girls” [Insert Karpoozi Emoji]

University of Groningen The Process of Death Jones, Olivia DOI: 10.33612/diss.108355327 IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below. Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Publication date: 2019 Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database Citation for published version (APA): Jones, O. (2019). The Process of Death: a bioarchaeological approach to Mycenaean mortuary traditions in Achaia. https://doi.org/10.33612/diss.108355327 Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). 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Download date: 10-10-2021 Introduction 01 I’m thrilled that we are planning to continue suggest you settle in for the long haul be- our collaboration! cause in my mind, we are forever the “Greek CHAPTER 1 When I came to the Netherlands in 2012, I girls” [insert karpoozi emoji]. was convinced that I would “get in and get Penultimate thanks are due to my patient, out” and likely not make any friends be- supportive family. They have been my unfai- cause it was only going to be four years and ling cheerleaders since day one. They never Introduction I honestly thought I would be much older once questioned my passion for archaeology 1.1 Introduction than the other students or too new for them and have been enthusiastic guests in Lon- to want to hang out. I now know those were don, Greece, Groningen, or wherever ar- tain deposits of disarticulated and com- mingled human remains labeled as ‘se- incredibly naïve assumptions, the truth is chaeology took me. It is to them that I truly This dissertation focuses on two main issues condary burials’ without questioning that those fellow PhDs are your people owe any success since they never pressured within Mycenaean burial traditions: secon- their formation and without utilizing all because they know exactly what you’re me to pursue any other career path. To my dary treatment and burial exclusion. Ap- evidence within the tombs. In Chapter 3 going through. I thank the kind group of brother and sister, I thank you both for proaching these themes with a multi-faceted (Jones 2018a), I stress that the varia- PhDs at Arizona State Univeristy for being (nearly) always answering the phone when bioarchaeological methodology has allowed tion and complexity of Mycenaean mor- welcoming and inviting me to cohort socials I called just to talk. Patrick, thank you for all me to explore Mycenaean burial in a new tuary practices, especially secondary while I was there for a semester. I thank the those times that I crashed at your flat in light. The evidence utilized in this study is a burial, can only be reconstructed using Groningen Institute of Archaeology PhDs for London. Jana, your ability to instantly sample of cemetery sites with various tomb a bioarchaeological framework and in- generally being a daily resource in all things distract me from productive work with non- types from the region of Achaia. This sample terpreted with clear terminology. Dutch or academic. I’m especially thankful stop chatter was the double-edged sword was chosen based on availability and 3) In addition, the study of secondary bu- for the lively discussions and general cama- that I sometimes needed when I was too documentation of the human remains. Al- rial must address the timing of tomb raderie of the “Writing Squad”. Special disconnected from home. Lastly, I dedicate though the documentation of the human reuse, a feature that is not well under- thanks go to Dr. Tanja van Loon and Dr. this thesis to those who did not live to see it remains was not ideal since a bioarchae- stood. Thus, I ask, what is the timing of Sarah Willemsen for always letting me come finished, my grandmother, Zelma Huffman ologist was not present during excavation, tomb reuse in a Mycenaean tholos into your office for tea and conversa- and Max the dog. My grandma was always the quality of documentation was good tomb? Conducting radiocarbon sam- tion/commiseration. Your friendship and eager to hear about my life, be my cheer- enough in some tombs for exploring secon- pling in reused tombs is often the only support made the GIA, and Groningen in leader, or ready for a card game. dary burial and burial exclusion. general, feel like home. method that can accurately date multi- Finally, I must thank the person who was These themes lead to specific research ques- level reuse. In Chapter 4 (Jones et al To my dear paranymphs, Dr. Eleni Panagio- my biggest and more important supporter, tions that correspond to the chapters within 2018) I use the tholos tomb at Petroto topoulou and the newly Dr. Tamara Dijkstra, my husband Zach. Five weeks before we got this thesis. My main questions and aims are: I thank you for all of the feedback, for- married, I was accepted for the PhD position to present a common issue in reused matting, and translating that went into this in Groningen and from that day until now Mycenaean tombs and show how radio- thesis. But more importantly, I thank you for you never once questioned my choice. 1) What is the timeline of introduction and carbon dating can aid in reconstructing your close friendship over the years; you Rather, you made countless trips to and adoption of Mycenaean mortuary prac- the timing of burials. have become like sisters to me over these from the airport, and a few trips to Gro- tices in Achaia? By evaluating the 4) Does burial exclusion exist in Myce- last seven years. I have shared everything ningen and Athens to spend time with me changes through time, my aim in Chap- naean burials? Present research has ne- from apartments to hair straighteners with and learn about my research. Your faithful ter 2 is to explore mortuary variations ver before employed a regional sample you two and I never regretted it for one support will always be the most meaningful in order to reconstruct which practices of skeletal data to address whether or second. You are both lifelong friends, so I gift that you could have ever given me. are one-off actions and which are true not persons interred within Mycenaean local traditions. Here, I employ archae- chamber or tholos tombs were selected ological evidence such as tomb types, based on age or sex. In Chapter 5 (Jones grave goods, and treatment of the body 2018b), I utilize a sample of bioarchae- separated by Pre-Palatial, Palatial, Post- ological data from various sites in Palatial periods. Achaia to evaluate if burial exclusion 2) What is secondary burial in Mycenaean based on age or sex was present. mortuary practice? How can we recon- 5) Finally, what is the demographic com- struct the actions that produced the position of the Mycenaean world? In burial deposits? Mycenaean tombs con- recent decades, bioarchaeological re- xii 1 140130_Olivia Jones_A4_BNW.indd 13 03-12-19 13:40 Introduction Introduction Table 1. Bronze Age Chronology in Greece (modified from Shelmerdine 1997: Table 1; Toffolo et al. 2013; Voutsaki 2010: Table 1, and Voutsaki et al. 2013: Table 1). Time Period Abbreviation Approximate Dates (BC) Mycenaean Period Middle Helladic I-II MH I-II 2100-1800 ---- Middle Helladic III MH III 1800-1700 Pre-Palatial/ Late Helladic I LH I 1700-1580 Early Mycenaean Late Helladic II LH II 1580-1390 Late Helladic IIIA LH IIIA 1390-1300 Palatial Late Helladic IIIB LH IIIB 1300-1190 ACHAIA Late Helladic IIIC LH IIIC 1190-1065 Post-Palatial Submycenaean -- 1065-1000 -- aeology an overnight sensation (1978, 16). ments) pits or cists with few grave goods Just a few years shy of 150 years since (Cavanagh and Mee 1998, 23–40). However, Schliemann’s ground-breaking discovery, some regional traditions, such as tumuli Mycenaean archaeology continues to fasci- containing multiple burials in Western nate the public, as recently seen in the Grif- Greece (e.g. Papadopoulos 1979, 49-50), fin Warrior found in 2015 in Pylos (Davis show that variation also occurred during and Stocker 2017). Meticulous excavations this period. Recent research by Michael throughout Greece and thorough research Boyd has found evidence that all tombs by Greek and international scholars has types were present late in the Middle Figure 1 produced a tome of Mycenaean archaeolo- Helladic period, in smaller or rudimentary . Map of Mycenaean Greece (adapted from Map 2 in Kelder 2010, 5). gical publications. From the (Tholos) Tomb forms, suggesting that Mycenaean tomb of Atreus at Mycenae to the small, provincial architecture was introduced before the Late tombs of Achaia, Mycenaean archaeology Helladic period (Boyd 2002, 92-95). By the search has contributed data from all oriented osteological studies when applied has benefitted from nearly two centuries of end of the period, in Middle Helladic III, over the Mycenaean world.

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