HARVARD-CORNELL ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF SARDIS 2008 Final Report Jennifer Kim, Special Projects Conservator for Ceramics July 24, 2008 Table of Contents I. Report A. Summary of Activities B. Updates to General Sorting, Treatment, and Recording Procedure C. Discussion of Atypical Condition and Treatment Issues D. Additional Activities E. Summary of Vessels Addressed in 2008 F. Conclusion and Recommendations for the 2009 Season II. Appendix- List of All Vessel Numbers and Current Status A. Summary of Activities Arrival: 9 June Departure: 24 July This season I continued the sorting and mending of Lydian pottery excavated from the Lydian house in the Theater (ThSt.06.2/ThSt.07.1/ThSt.08.1). To expedite the overall project, the work this season focused on fine ware vessels. Building on the work that was done last season, the main goals this year were to continue sorting and mending distinct fine ware vessels, as well as refine and update the estimated number and types of fine ware vessels that have been and continue to be excavated.1 A summary of updates to the recordkeeping, sorting, and treatment methods used for the project during this season will be discussed in section B. Section C will address specific concerns for vessels that have atypical condition issues. Section D will discuss additional 1 For summary of work done last season, please refer to this conservator’s final report from 2007. KIM -- 2007 Final Report activities I undertook this season. Summary of vessels treated and an estimate on the number of potential fine ware vessels will follow in section E. All sherds related to the ceramics project excavated from ThSt.06.2/ThSt.07.1/ThSt.08.1 have been labeled and stored together in the New Depot on shelves 311-320. B. Updates to General Sorting, Treatment, and Recording Procedure The project began with the securing of available workspace, re-assessment of vessels to be sorted and mended, and the laying out of sherds. The sherd sorting and recording system was determined last season and is explained in the 2007 ThSt pottery project final report. Only changes or updates to the system will be mentioned in this report. Once again this season, for the sake of overall efficiency work focused on sorting and mending fine ware. Newly excavated vessels and sherds from ThSt.08.1 were added to the sherds that had been already laid out. Non-vessel objects, including loom weights and spindle whorls, that were excavated this season were sent directly to the laboratory with regular excavation material. Awareness of previously mended vessels continues to be useful, as relevant sherds continue to be found during sorting. This season, new portions were mended to two previously treated vessels. Lydion Aryballos #60 (P06.055:12140) had been missing its handle, but this season received a portion of a handle; Lydion #86 (P07.040:12253) had been labeled a small jug when first excavated and mended, but since the addition of its base this year, has proven to be a large Lydion. The excavator, Ms. Lillian Barlett Stoner, did not continue the PMC vessel numbering system for the deposit this season. This season it was decided that newly excavated material would not be given a vessel number in the field, nor will they be immediately logged into the lab database. Instead, after sorting and just prior to mending, the sherds of a distinct vessel are assigned a lab page and given a vessel number by the conservator that continues from the #1000 series begun last year. At this time the recorder also assigns a catalogue and running number. A full list of all vessel numbers is included in appendix 1; with the last vessel number applied this season being 1005. A list of vessels estimated to exist from the trench regardless of numbering systems is included in section E. KIM -- 2007 Final Report This season we were able to refine and reduce the number sherds in the baskets being considered during sorting. Sherds relevant to the pottery project and diagnostic sherds to be saved for the study collection were kept from baskets other than those from and near Lydian destruction layers were and the remaining irrelevant sherds were discarded. Additionally, several baskets from the Lydian layers that had not been fully available to the project last season were examined thoroughly this year. This also proved useful as a Lydian inscription was found in basket 42 (P08.025/IN08.003:12307). Close consultation with the excavator of the Theater trench this season was also possible. As much of what would be considered irrelevant to excavators who are sorting their pottery for diagnostic purposes and discarded can actually be very relevant to conservators trying to mend vessels, this collaboration was essential to determine which sherds should be saved from baskets excavated this year. For specific treatment information on the cleaning and mending of vessels, please refer to the lab pages. C. Discussion of Atypical Condition and Treatment Issues The treatment and stabilization of burnished or painted surfaces on fine ware vessels sherds is a concern for several vessels. A number of sherds that have been excavated were found to be susceptible to accelerated weathering and deterioration when they are partially exposed but left in the trench for periods of time that would normally be acceptable for pottery finds. Also, these surfaces are easily damage during standard pot washing procedures executed by workmen. This was a concern in particular this season for the sherds associated with the Large Incised Jar #33, the Painted Figural Amphora #206 and the Painted Figural Sherd #1005. Vessels #206 and #1005 have especially fragile painted surfaces that can suffer heavily from the normal excavation procedures, causing irretrievable losses and increasing the treatment necessary to stabilize the sherds (for specific treatment information, please refer to lab pages 2008-260 and 2008-261). In the future if sherds are identified in the trench as associated with these vessels, or are thought to suffer from similar fragility of the surface, they will require immediate excavation, possibly by a conservator, to ensure that as much of the painted surface survives as possible. KIM -- 2007 Final Report The burnished slip surface of the Large Incised Jar #33 was durable enough to withstand normal excavation procedure. Unfortunately, a portion of the sherds that were washed by workmen before their receipt to the lab suffered from over scrubbing. It is suspected that the workmen attempted to clean the accretions that cover the majority of the sherds with a brush. To be cleaned safely, these accretions much be removed in the lab by acid cleaning. This season, these issues were worked out following dialogue between the conservator and the excavator. Daily conversations during which the excavator can update the conservator on pottery currently being excavated are the most reliable way to ensure safe removal and cleaning of these particularly fragile sherds. In the future, continuing collaboration and understanding between these parties can help ensure safe and quick removal and cleaning of other fragile painted sherds from the trench. D. Additional Activities In addition to the ThSt pottery, this season I was also able to attend excavation at ThSt 08.1. Attending excavation was a very enlightening little cultural revolution. By understanding more fully the goals and methods employed by an excavator, and especially the obstacles they face in the field, I was able to realign my expectations as a conservator of finds to better match the realities of a trench. Additionally, I feel I now know better the appropriate instances in which to interject advice or assistance to an excavator (and in which to not). I believe that the experience was also a benefit to Ms. Stoner, with whom I was able to share the repercussions of various excavation methods to finds while they are in the trench and after removal. A portion of my time was spent training Ms. Elizabeth Tiffen Thompson and Ms. Briana Feston to assist with the pottery project. I only hope that they took away as much from the experience as the project gained from their assistance. While a good deal of my work was done in the old laboratory working with the Theater pottery, part of my time this season was also spent working in the new lab with the other conservators. During the time I spent in the lab, I was able to give a bit of support to regular lab activities in the form of advice and discussion about a variety of finds and issues. I hope this participation was a benefit to general operations of the lab as it was great for me to revisit materials other than ceramic at least in a small way while I was here. KIM -- 2007 Final Report E. Summary of Vessels Following the work this season, the estimate of distinct and identifiable fine ware vessels excavated from ThSt 06.2/ThSt 07.1 is now 48. An additional two to four distinct vessels have been excavated from ThSt 08.1 this season. Overall, the amount of relevant pottery excavated this season was much less than in the previous two seasons Only fine ware ceramic vessels have been considered in the lists and estimates unless indicated as coarse ware (CW). List 1 is a summary of vessels treated in 2008, including one that will require further treatment and two for which further excavation may find more associated sherds. List 2 is the inventoried vessel that has not yet been treated. List 3 is un- inventoried vessels that require sorting and treatment. List 1. Inventoried Vessels Treated in 2008 CAT#