Population Reduction and a Polis Lee Ann Turner Boise State University

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Population Reduction and a Polis Lee Ann Turner Boise State University Boise State University ScholarWorks Art Faculty Publications and Presentations Department of Art 1-1-2017 Population Reduction and a Polis Lee Ann Turner Boise State University This document was originally published in The Galatas Survey: Socio-Economic and Political Development of a Contested Territory in Central Crete During the Neolithic to Ottoman Periods by INSTAP Academic Press. Copyright restrictions may apply. Further works by this publisher can be located at: www.instappress.com and http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=instappress& 11 Population Reduction and a Polis Lee Ann Turner The first three sections of this chapter present our area. The fourth section discusses the chang­ the survey data and sites of the Protogeometric­ ing settlement patterns that occurred during these Orientalizing, Archaic, and Classical periods in periods. The Protogeometric-Orientalizing Period Some 24 sites have material dating to the period. Of the 52 LM mA-IIIB and 17 LM me Protogeometric-Orientalizing period (Fig. 20), sites, the vast majority are small. The LM me small which represents an increase in overall numbers sites are comprised of 16 farmstead- or hamlet­ from the 17 LM me sites. All sites from this peri­ sized sites and one small village, Prophetes Elias od are located in the western portion of the survey (28). During the Protogeometric-Orientalizing pe­ area, continuing a trend established in the preced­ riod (Table 7), however, only 71% of the sites are ing period. The hilly area east of Galatiani Kepha­ small: 46% are farmsteads (44, 80, 91, 99, 102, 118, la (44) and the northeastern lowlands are entirely 130, 133, 144, 151, 154) and 25% are hamlets (22, abandoned at this time. Most sites are located on 105, 127, 129, 152, 160). Conversely, the number hilltops and hill slopes, primarily along or overlook­ of Protogeometric-Orientalizing villages increas­ ing the Karteros River or encircling the upland area es from one to five (Prophetes Elias [28], plus 97, west of Galatiani Kephala (44). The preponderance 107, Korakia [134], Paratiritirion [157]), and there of sites is in line with or south of Galatiani Kepha­ are now two towns (Astritsi Kephala [24], Choumeri la (44), while the north is more sparsely populated. Kephala [140]). This decrease in farmsteads, and the Protogeometric-Orientalizing site size appears concurrent increase in hamlet, village, and town per­ to be generally larger than that of the the LM III centages, might indicate a nucleation of population. 86 LEE AN:\f TURNER Eleven Protogeometric-Orientalizing sites are period is also found at its beginning during the new foundations (91, 105, 127, 130, 140 144, 160) Protogeometric period. Moreover, four of the or re-foundations from the LM 1IIA-IITB (99, 133) nine Protogeometric sites (44%) are new founda­ or NP (107, 151) periods, meaning that 46% of set­ tions (105, 127, Choumeri Kephala [140]) or re­ tlements during this period are new sites. These foundations (151). This situation also reflects the new foundations range from small farms to a town, overall Protogeometric-Orientalizing pattern of and include both low-lying and upland sites. While movement into previously unexploited locales, and there is no obvious pattern in either location or size, it is distinct from the LM III period where one of six sites do ring the upland area directly west of the LM IIIC sites (124) (5%) and 10 of the 52 LM Galatiani Kephala (44; clockwise from the north: IIIA-IIIB sites (20%) are new foundations. 105, 91, 130, 140, 144, 107). Overall, Protogeometric-Orientalizing site lo­ The number of new foundations and the increase cation, although largely concentrated in the south­ in site size in the Protogeometric-Orientalizing western quadrant of the survey zone, is fairly period suggests a slight demographic expansion. dispersed across the landscape. As Saro Wallace Notably, this is the only possible period of growth (1997-2001, 84) notes, Central Crete in the Pro­ during the Protogeometric-Hellenistic period in togeometric and Geometric periods has a more the survey zone. Similar instances of nucleation widely spaced and nucleated site pattern than oth­ and expansion have been noted elsewhere on er parts of the island where clusters are more com­ Crete, specifically during the Protogeometric peri­ mon. In the Galatas area, the dispersed pattern of od. These are seen as a result of the emergence of the Protogeometric-Orientalizing period is some­ new forms of social authority (Wallace 1997-2001, times due to the abandonment of low-lying sites 91; 2003, 604-605; 2006, 166). Within our suvey within previous LM IIIA-IIIC clusters. For in­ zone, the establishment of a new village (107) and stance, of the westernmost LM IIIA-IIIC cluster town {Choumeri Kephala [140]), the expansion (Melissokopa [118], 121, 122), only Melissoko­ of small sites to village (97) and town sized (As­ pa (ll8) continues, the highest in elevation of the tritsi Kepahala [24)), and numerous new founda­ three. From the cluster of sites between Choumeri tions exploiting previously unused locales would and Zinta (128, 129, 133), farmsteads 129 and indeed support the idea of some sort of change in 133 continue. The abandoned farmstead 128 is social organization during the Protogeometric­ the only site of the three on level ground, while Orientalizing period. the highest (129; Pl. 25A), expands into a ham­ Exactly when this local reorganization and ex­ let in the Protogeometric-Orientalizing period. pansion occured remains uncertain; it could have The cluster south of Astritsi (97, 102, 103) has two begun in the Protogeometric period. Of the 24 continuing sites (97, 102). Again, the abandoned Protogeometric-Orientalizing sites, four (Astritsi site 103 is the lowest lying, while the highest (97) Kephala [24], Trochaloi [80], 127, 129) have def­ expanded into a village in the Protogeometric­ initely identifiable Protogeometric material, while Orientalizing period. Continuing sites 97 and 102 another five (105, Melissokopa [118], Choumeri may form a new cluster with hamlet 105 and farm­ Kephala [140], 151, Paratiritirion [157]) have only stead 91. These lie within the valley overlooked possible Protogeometric remains. Although the to­ by Astritsi (24) and should perhaps be associat­ tal number of purely Protogeometric sites would ed with that town. Only the highest site (Trocha­ mark a decrease from the 17 of the LM IIIC pe­ loi [80]; Pl. 25B) from the cluster of sites 75, 80, riod, site size is larger overall. Only 66% of Pro­ and 81 continues into the Protogeometric period, togeometric sites are small as compared to the ca. though it does shrink somewhat in size. From the 95% of the LM IIIC period. The Protogeometric LM IIIA-IIIC sites that followed the ridgeline (3, sites are 33% farmsteads (Trochaloi [80], Melis­ 10, 13, 25, 22) just east of ancient Galatiani Keph­ sokopa [118], 151), 33% hamlets (105, 127, 129), ala (44), only site 22 continues. Site 22, with its 11 % villages (157), and 22% towns (Astritsi Keph­ commanding views of Galatiani Kephala (44) and ala [24], Choumeri Kephala [140]). In general, this the western uplands, and a spring located 150-200 indicates that the pattern of larger site size noted m to the north, was in fact in continuous use from in the overarching Protogeometric-Orientalizing PP through Archaic times. POPULATION REDUCTION AND A POLIS 87 All but five of the 24 sites dated to the with a strategic vantage point, could certainly be Protogeometric-Orientalizing period are located understood in these terms as well. Furthermore, on hilltops or slopes. Of the low-lying sites, site their abandonment at the end of the period could be 102, previously mentioned as part of the Astritsi taken as a failure of this movement into low-lying cluster, has such a minor presence of post-LM III arable areas. material (out of 308 sherds: one Geometric han­ Site 107 is village sized. Not only is it large and dle, one EIA handle, one Archaic cup, one possible low lying, but it is also long lasting. It is located Archaic-Classical loomweight) that its function is in a valley on south-facing slopes behind two low difficult to determine. There is, however, a spring hills, the western one topped by the modern town to the south, and the finds here may be the detri­ of Alagni's cemetery and the eastern one topped tus from its use. Site 99 may be in a similar situ­ by a mougla (µouyA.a; a large pit containing the ation, with somewhat more substantial finds and foul-smelling byproducts from present-day olive usage from PP times through the modern period. pressing). The site spreads along a well-watered Located near the Church of Michael the Archan­ ravine and is southeast of, but invisible to, Alag­ gel and a branch of the Karteros River, site 99 is at ni (Pl. 26B). Finds, including a Hellenistic-Roman the far north of the survey zone. Finds indicate that stone olive press (see this vol., Ch. 12, p. 97), date its primary ancient period of occupation was dur­ to the Geometric through Roman periods and may ing the LM III period. The size of the site (0.45 ha) extend into the Byzantine era and later. Neopala­ would make it a small hamlet at the time; in subse­ tial sherds were found on the hill to the north. The quent periods, it is no larger than a farmstead, be­ water and protected nature of the site is probably cause the Iron Age finds are much fewer and more the draw to this location. random (a loomweight, two Geometric kraters, a Another Protogeometric-Orientalizing foun­ Geometric/Archaic mortar and bowl, and a Classi­ dation, Choumeri Kephala (140), will prove to be cal lamp and cooking pot).
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