Voutsaki et al 2006 Pharos XIII MH Argolid report 2005

8/8/2019 Voutsaki et al 2006 Pharos XIII MH Argolid report 2005

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1 The human remains (by Sevi Triantaphyllou)

The re-examination of all extant MH skeletons of Lerna (210 individuals) was completed in

December 2005. The study concentrated on biological parameters such as palaeodemography,health status and diet as well as musculo-skeletal markers indicating physical activities. 4 HereI would like to present brie y the results of the re-examination in relation to Angels seminal

publication (Angel 1972).If we rst take mortality pro les ( g. 1) both studies show high mortality rates among in-

dividuals under one year of age. This is a common occurrence in prehistoric populations due tothe dif culties affecting babies during the rst developmental months. A second peak can be ob -served in prime adulthood, i.e. among individuals between thirty and forty years old, rather than

as one would expect in old adulthood, i.e. among those over fty. This is due to the dif cultiesmacroscopic techniques encounter when attempting to age adult individuals. 5 It is interesting to

note, however, that my examination has produced signi cantly higher mortality rates in primeadulthood than did Angels study. This may be explained by the fact that the two studies haveused different macroscopic methods.

P roJeCt on tHe m Iddle H elladIC a rGolId

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%

Mortality profiles

Triantaphyllou

Angel

N e o n a t e

( 0 - 1 )

I n f a n t

( 1 - 6 )

C h i l d ( 6 - 1 2

)

J u v e n i l e

( 1 2 - 1 8

)

Y A ( 1 8 - 3

0 )

P A ( 3 0 - 4

0 )

M A ( 4 0

- 5 0 )

O A (

5 0 + )

Figure 1. Mortality pro iles in MH Lerna (mni=210)

4 The approach and methodology was more fully discussed in Voutsaki et al . 2005.5 The reliability of ageing methods decreases as biological age increases (Chamberlain 2000).

A reviations to t e igures:

AMTL: Antemortem tooth loss OA: Old adultMA: Mature adult PA: Prime adultMSM: Musculo-skeletal markers YA: Young adult


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When examining mortality rates for the two sex groups ( g. 2), there are some striking discrep -ancies between the two studies. In particular, according to Angel more women died in youngadulthood and more men died in the age categories over forty years old. In contrast, my examina-

tion concludes that more women than men died in prime adulthood and more men than womenin young, mature and old adulthood. This conclusion challenges Angels interpretation that at-tributed the high mortality rates of young women to childbirth and pregrancy complications. Ac-cording to my analysis, men were slightly more vulnerable and likely to die in young adulthoodthan women.

Turning now to health status, my re-examination has focused on two broad pathological cate-gories: First, bone lesions, such as osteoarthritis, vertebral arthritis, trauma, enthesopathies and

skeleto-muscular markers affecting the skeleto-muscular system, and Second, pathological conditions associated with physiological stress and stress episodes which

affect individuals during their lifetimes, such as non-speci c infectious lesions, anaemia andenamel hypoplasia.

s ofIa v outsakI et al .

Triantaphyllou

Angel Male

Female

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0

%

Y A ( 1 8

- 3 0 )

P A ( 3 0 - 4

0 )

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+ )

Y A ( 1 8

- 3 0 )

P A ( 3 0

- 4 0 )

M A ( 4 0 - 5

0 )

O A ( 5 0 +

)

Figure 2. Age distribution by sex group

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The frequency of pathological conditions has been rst plotted as measured among the total of individuals (210) represented in MH Lerna ( g. 3). The overall shape of lesions in both studiesis similar; however, the frequency of the conditions, is signi cantly higher in my study. Angel

employed the individual count analysis which is not recommended anymore for prehistoric as-semblages usually characterized by differential preservation. 6 This problem can be minimized byusing the skeletal element count whereby the occurrence of pathological conditions is measuredout of the total number of the skeletal elements represented in the assemblage. As the re-examina-tion of the Lerna skeletons has been completed only recently, the skeletal element analysis has

been applied so far only on fty individuals, i.e. on ten individuals for each subphase of theMiddle Helladic period to the end of Late Helladic I ( g. 4). The overall shape of the distributionof pathological conditions appears to be similar in both the individual and the skeletal elementcount. However, the rates produced by the individual count, i.e. by Angels analysis, are signi -cantly higher with the result that low levels of health status in the Middle Helladic period are

overrepresented.

The distribution of pathological conditions in the two sexes reveals an interesting picture ( g. 5).Men show signi cantly higher rates of lesions related to the skeleto-muscular system and non-speci c infections. This might suggest that men were engaged with manual heavy work as wellas with long-distance trade and contacts with the outside world. Women on the other hand, showa high prevalence of anaemia and enamel hypoplasia defects. This indicates that they were morevulnerable to stress episodes and metabolic disorders which might have been caused by poor


Triantaphyllou

Angel

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O s t e

o a r t h

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e a s e

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l h y p

o p l a s

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n

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t i c

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o p l a s

i a

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Figure 3. Distribution o pathological conditions in MH Lerna (mni=210)

6

I.e. not all skeletal elements are always present. See Triantaphyllou 2001 for an analysis of large skeletal popula-tions from Macedonia characterized by differential preservation.

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Skeletal element analysisIndividual analysis

O s t e

o a r t h

r i t i s M S N T r a

u m a

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t i c

A n a e m i a

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l u s

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e l h y

p o p l a

s i a

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o r l s

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V e r t e


s ofIa v outsakI et al .98

Figure 4. Distribution o pathological conditions in MH Lerna (mni=50)

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o r l s

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Figure 5. Distribution o pathological conditions by sex group (mni=50)


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nutrition and sub-optimal living conditions. These may have had severe effects, but they were notfatal, since many women lived to be thirty to forty years old.

The distribution of skeletal markers in the upper and lower skeleton in the two sexes ( g. 6)

is consistent with a sexual division o labour . For example, the lower skeleton of men appears tohave been involved in physical work such as walking long distances in rough terrain; this is notobserved among the women.

P roJeCt on tHe m Iddle H elladIC a rGolId 99

Male

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Lower

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m a

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m a

Figure 6. Distribution o pathological conditions in the upper and lower skeleton by sex group

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Caries Calculus Abscess AMTL Caries Calculus Abscess AMTL

Figure 7. Distribution o dental disease by sex group


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The distribution of dental disease in the two sexes ( g. 7) shows high rates of calculus versuslow rates of caries for men, while the opposite pattern can be observed among women. Thissuggests that men and women consumed different foodstuffs and had a different diet. Because

of the mechanisms that cause them, caries and calculus tend to be mutually exclusive; therefore,comparison between rates of occurrence of the two conditions can provide important informationabout dietary patterns. Women in MH Lerna appear to have consumed foodstuffs rich in carbo-hydrates such as fruit, as well as starchy and processed food. In contrast, men appear to have hada diet based on protein; this may imply consumption of meat products. 7

The dental microwear analysis which has been applied for the rst time on skeletal popula -tions in the Aegean, 8 has reinforced this picture of differential food consumption between thesexes. Dental microwear analysis is based on the observation that there is a correlation between

pit size and the toughness of the food items consumed (Nystrom et. al. 2004). Therefore, broadscratches and large pits are consistent with hard components in the food, while narrow striations

and small pits suggest a more processed, soft type of food. Men from MH Lerna revealed large pits, broad scratches and a few small pits, while women produced the opposite pattern. This con-rms the observation made above on the basis of the caries/calculus rates, namely that women

consumed a more processed and soft type of food.Another interesting point arising from the re-examination of the human skeletal remains of

Lerna is change through time. The analysis is still in its early stages, but following points can bemade: Mortality rates ( g. 8) show an equal distribution among all age categories (including neonates

and infants) in all sub-phases of the MH period. Neonates and infants do not seem to predomi-nate in the earlier phases of the MH period as has been suggested elsewhere (Zerner 1990).

If we examine health status through time ( g. 9), there is a slight decrease in the levels of stress markers represented by anaemia and enamel hypoplasia lines from the early MH phasesto the MH III LH I period.

Differential rates of calculus versus caries ( g. 10) appear from the early MH to the MH III LH I periods; this may suggest a shift from a protein-based diet to a diet based on more processed foodstuffs, richer in carbohydrates.

A main aim of my analysis is to view Lerna in its broader context and to compare it with other MH skeletal assemblages of the Argolid, or of the prehistoric Aegean as a whole. However, sucha comparison is only possible if all the assemblages to be included in the analysis have been ex-

amined using the same methodological standards and a similar bioarchaeological approach.


7 We hope that the stable isotope analysis will provide us with more information about dietary variation in MHLerna (see Voutsaki et al . 2005, 33-34).8 The dental microwear analysis was undertaken during the tenure of an INSTAP Postdoctoral Fellowship. Theanalysis was carried out in the University of Shef eld, under the supervision of Dr Ingrid Mainland, Department of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford. I would like to thank Dr Mainland for her help and support whilethis research was carried out.


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101P roJeCt on tHe m Iddle H elladIC a rGolId

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MHI MHII MHIII SGEMHIII/LHI

Neonate (0-1)

Infant (1-6)

Child (6-12)

Juvenile (12-18)

YA (18-30)

PA (30-40)

MA (40-50)

OA (50+)

MH III / LH I = burial at the transition between MH III and LH ISGE = burials dated between the transition MH III / LHI and the end of LHI

Figure 8. Mortality pro iles by date

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Enamelhypoplasia

Vertebralarthritis

Anaemia

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MH III / LH I = burial at the transition between MH III and LH ISGE = burials dated between the transition MH III / LHI and the end of LHI

Figure 9. Distribution o pathological conditions by date


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To conclude: As is to be expected in a prehistoric assemblage, MH Lerna revealed high mor-tality rates among neonates, while adults survived into prime adulthood even if they sufferedfrom stress factors during their developmental years. Men appear to have been more exposed to

pathogens than women, while there are certain indications of a sexual division of labour as wellas of differential consumption of food by the two sexes. In most respects, therefore, the overall

picture of the MH population of Lerna does not differ signi cantly from that presented by other prehistoric populations in the Aegean. We hope that the re-examination of the human skeletalremains of Lerna will contribute to a better understanding of social life in MH Lerna and in theMH Argolid as a whole.

2 The pilot analysis o ancient DNA rom Lerna (by Sophia Kouidou-Andreou, Leda Kovatsi and Dimitra Nikou)

The analysis of ancient DNA can provide crucial information about the history of humankind

and other living organisms. Although ancient DNA analysis was introduced several years ago(Paabo 1989), serious technical problems have hindered the wider adoption of the technique. Thesmall amounts and integrity of ancient DNA and the risks of contamination from modern DNA

presented serious limitations. Among other factors, the preservation conditions (and, in the caseof samples retrieved from populations inhabiting warm climates, the temperature in particular)and the strand-breaks introduced as a result, were considered to have a detrimental effect and to

be seriously restricting the ampli cation ef ciency of the DNA. Therefore, until recently moststudies attempted to reconstruct DNA which had been preserved in low temperatures. In Greece,for instance, aDNA analysis has seen only few applications (Brown et al . 2000; Evison 2001), asunfavorable climatological-environmental conditions rendered isolated aDNA from Greek skel-

etal material less suitable for analysis. In our laboratory, the frequency of isolation of aDNAmaterial suitable for analysis was found to be very low.



35

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Calculus

Abscess

AMTL

MH III / LH I = burial at the transition between MH III and LH I

Figure 10. Distribution o dental disease by date


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However, the recent introduction of repair methods for the ampli cation of cross-linked DNA has brought signi cant advances in the eld. These methods are particularly suitable for sub-optimal -ly preserved ancient skeletal material (Pusch 1998; Di Bernardo 2002), and are now used in an

increasing number of studies. We employed it on our samples from MH Lerna with great success.In fact, in contrast to previous efforts which were performed on the same samples without havingsubmitted the DNA to repair prior to ampli cation, we achieved a success rate of 80%. Our analy -sis therefore achieved successful isolation, repair and ampli cation of nuclear DNA. Nuclear DNA allows us to identify the sex of the deceased; in our analysis, the results have largely con-

rmed the identi cations made during the osteological analysis. Most importantly, nuclear DNAcan give us the complete genetic ngerprint of the individual and can be used in various studies inthe emerging new scienti c discipline of palaeomicrobiology. The study of ancient pathogens bydirect detection of their DNA has answered several historical questions and indicated changes to

pathogens through time. 9 A recent example is the molecular analysis of DNA of skeletal remains

from late 5th

century Athens which was carried out in order out to nd the cause of the 431 BC plague in Athens (Papagrigorakis et al . 2006). For a long time now, the debate among scientistsand any attempted diagnoses were based exclusively on Thucydides account. The analysis of aDNA can shed new light on this question, and on pathologies of past societies in general.

We ought to stress that the high success rate involves nuclear DNA. Mitochondrial DNAseems to remain unaffected by the repair, and the results of this analysis remain rather limited.However, it is nowadays becoming apparent that nuclear DNA is more polymorphic and there-fore more informative than mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondrial DNA was the favourite targetof ancient DNA analysis for a long time despite the fact that it carries less information. This was

because it is more abundant when compared to nuclear DNA, as it can be found in many copies

in every cell. However, the introduction of successful repair methods has signi cantly altered thesituation.In conclusion, the repair method applied to our samples produced high quality nuclear DNA.

Such a result was until recently considered impossible, especially in the case of intramural buri-als preserved in unfavourable thermal conditions and excavated almost fty years ago. The studyof the nuclear DNA allowed us to determine the sex (in concordance with anthropological data),

but the analysis will continue in order to acquire the complete genetic ngerprint-pro le of eachskeleton. The aDNA analysis of MH Lerna opens up exciting possibilities for the exploration of ancient pathologies.

3 The radiocarbon analysis (by Sofa Voutsaki and Albert J. Nijboer)

Samples from 18 human skeletons from MH Lerna have been submitted to radiocarbon analysisat the Centre for Isotope Research, University of Groningen. The speci c method employed wasAccelerator Mass Spectroscopy (AMS) of direct 14C isotope counting. 10 As it was pointed outabove, the main advantage of this method is that it can date small samples (5g).

9 See studies such as Haas et al . 2000; Konomi et al. 2002; Zink et al . 2002; Gilbert et al . 2004; Donoghue et al .2004.10

The sampling strategy and analytical techniques of the radiocarbon analysis were presented in our previousreport (Voutsaki et al . 2005, 32).



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The aims of the radiocarbon analysis are: To re ne the MH chronological sequence, in general, and to enhance the chronological reso -

lution of our analysis of mortuary and settlement data;

To contribute to wider chronological debate in Aegean archaeology, and especially the highlycontested issue of High versus Low chronology (Table 2) with data from the mainland(Manning 2005, 113).In this report, we present some preliminary observations on the results. It is to be emphasizedthat the analysis has not been completed; in particular, we need to study once more in detailthe nd contexts of all the graves from which samples have been taken.

(i) The resultsThe interpretation of the radiocarbon results involves correlating the absolute dates with thestratigraphic data. The interpretation has to include an assessment of the quality of the radiocar-

bon results as well as a careful examination of the archaeological contexts. The quality of the ra-diocarbon determinations is high: the error of the analysis is low (at the most +/- 50 years) and thequality parameters of the bone samples such as the organic content and 13C value are good. 11

The quality of the archaeological contexts is a much more complex problem, and cannot befully discussed here. The problems are well known: Most MH tombs contain no offerings. Even if the graves do contain offerings, these objects are not always diagnostic. In particu-

lar, MH pottery cannot always be attributed with certainty to speci c sub-phases of the MH period.

Therefore, the dating of the graves relies heavily on their stratigraphic association with other

graves, oors or houses. However, dating intramural graves opened upon disused houses isnotoriously dif cult ; as Carol Zerner has aptly put it: It is possible to establish into whichlayer a grave has been cut; but it is very dif cult to establish rom which layer the grave has

been cut. 12

The relative sequence and stratigraphy of the different areas excavated in Lerna are now be-ing re-examined and revised by Dr Carol Zerner. 13

Period No of C14 results

Relative date of tombs Durationin years BP

Duration in years BC

MHI 4 All tombs MH I 3830 - 3600 BP 2200/2100 - 1900 BC

MH II - III 13 Tombs assigned either to

MH II or MH III

3600 - 3450 BP 1900 - 1700 BC

Table 1. Preliminary results o the radiocarbon analysis rom MH Lerna

11 Only one sample had no bone collagen preserved, and was therefore not included in the analysis.12 Carol Zerner, personal communication.13

We would like to thank Dr Carol Zerner for discussing with us at length the problems of Lerna stratigraphy, andfor making her unpublished notes and plans of the excavation available to us.



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The following observations can be made on the basis of the preliminary results shown in Table 1and g. 11:

The lower chronological boundary between the EH III and MH I cannot be de ned with ab -solute accuracy. The C14 result from grave BD 27 (3830 +/- 35 BP), clearly strati ed withinthe MH I period, 14 falls within the EH III range. It may therefore be necessary to raise the EHIII / MH I transition to 2200 BC.

Despite the uncertainty about the lower boundary, the duration of the MH I period seems tot with the accepted chronological schemes (see Dickinson 1994, 19; Dietz 1991, 316ff.).

The chronological division between MH II and MH III seems more problematic: the 14Cresults fall too close together, and the absolute date of a sample does not always correspondto the relative date of the grave. This may be attributed either to the complex stratigraphy of MH Lerna, or to problems inherent in the radiocarbon method (Wiener 2003), or both.

The upper chronological boundary, i.e. the transition from MH II/III to LH I, seems to be placed around 1700 BC. This may render support to the High Chronology.

Further analyses may be needed in order to clarify the problems: The chronological limits of the period may be de ned more accurately by sampling more EH

III and LH I / IIA burials. The chronological division between MH II and MH III may be set more celarly by sampling

more burials with a more secure stratigraphic position, or more diagnostic artefacts.


14

It is earlier than House 13 (MH II), and contemporary to or later than House 24 (MH I early) (C. Zerner, personalcommunication).

Trace line plot of 17 Lerna 14C dates

3850 3800 3750 3700 3650 3600 3550 3500 3450 3400

18

16

14

12

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6

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i n d i v i d u a

l d a t e s

Radiocarbon years BP

Figure 11. Trace line plot o C14 dates rom MH Lerna


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The results also raise some wider issues: How secure are the internal sub-divisions o the MH period? How should a local sequence be tied to a widely accepted scheme? These questions leadus inevitably to the wider chronological debate in Aegean prehistory (Table 2). The debate and

in particular the High versus Low Chronology controversy (Manning 1999, Warren 1996), has become highly polarized.

Low Chronology High Chronology

MH I 2100-1900 BC 2200 /2100 1900 BC

MH II 1900-1700 BC 1900 1800 BC

MH III 1700-1600 BC 1800 1700 BC

Table 2. Approximate dates or the MH period: the debate

In order to move beyond the current impasse (Wiener 2003), we need: To approach the scienti c dating methods and the traditional synchronisms as objectively as

possible. To remain aware of the advantages and shortcomings of both methods. To acquire new sequences of absolute dates from well strati ed contexts. To acquire new sequences of absolute dates from mainland sites which so far have played a

limited role in the debate (Manning 2005, 113).

We hope that the 14C analyses of MH samples will contribute to the discussion. However, at this

moment, we do not wish to take a position in this debate, as we rst need to complete the re-ex -amination of the nd context of all the graves included in the analysis. 15

4 The analysis o the archaeological data (by Eleni Milka)

The burial data from the MH cemetery of Lerna (which had been collected in 2004; see Voutsakiet al. 2005, 36-7) were further analyzed in 2005. During the analysis special attention was givenon the location of the cemetery in relation to the settlement, and on the relation between gravesand houses.

The main question addressed at this stage was whether the burials at Lerna should be char-acterized as intramural throughout the course of the MH and LH I periods. Dietz (1991, 275,285) had already suggested that during MH IIIB - LH I the site was exclusively used as a burialground; and Maran (1995) had concurred with this view. More precisely, the graves were placedupon abandoned houses, as in the case of Barbouna in Asine (Nordquist 1987, 98-99), and Peu-kakia Magoula in Thessaly (Maran 1995).

A systematic examination of the preliminary reports (Caskey 1954; 1955; 1956; 1957; 1958)and the preliminary publications (Blackburn 1970, Zerner 1978), supplemented with the revised


15 Eventually the Lerna results will be compared to those obtained from Aspis and Asine. A brief report on the 14Cresults from Aspis is given below. The results from Asine will be available in spring 2006.


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dating of the graves, 16 con rmed this pattern for the latest part of the MH and for the LH I period.During MH III / LH I and LH I, the excavated area was used primarily for burials, as no housesdating to LH I have been found so far. In addition, two shaft graves were constructed during the

later part of LH I. The presence of these two graves reinforces the hypothesis that the site wasexclusively used as cemetery during this period, as shaft graves were always placed outside thesettled area.

At the same time, however, it became obvious that already in MH I-II some graves post-datedthe houses in which they were dug. In the absence of a published plan showing both houses and

burials in each sub-phase, a more detailed analysis based on the preliminary information alonecould not be undertaken.

After extensive discussions with Dr C. Zerner and consultation of the unpublished plans 17 showing the relation between houses and graves in three important excavation areas (namely BE,DE and D), a series of new observations can be made:

During the MH I period only a few graves in all three areas may have been contemporary tothe houses they were associated with. From the late MH I onwards, a new practice was introduced (Area DE): graves were opened

upon ruins of earlier houses. In all three areas this was more widely practiced upon destruc-tion levels of the MH II period.

After some time, roughly at the transition from MH II to MH III, new houses were erectedupon these graves. The use of the three areas alternated between habitation and burial useuntil the transitional MH III/LH I phase.

In areas D and DE graves dating to the early part of the LH I period may have been contemporary or later than some walls of the same period.

Finally, all graves dating to the later part of LH I period (contemporary or slightly earlier than the two shaft graves) post-date the houses in which they were dug. In fact, architecturalremains from this period have not been found in the excavated part of Lerna.

We see, therefore, that there are separate horizons of house construction, destruction and aban-donment of houses, and construction of graves. It becomes therefore obvious that the generalcharacterization of all burials at Lerna as intramural is neither suf cient nor accurate. 18

I would like to suggest that the cemetery history developed in three stages:1. EH / MH I - MH I late: Typical intramural burials. Few individuals (mainly neonates and

infants) were buried among or inside houses.

2. MH I late - MH III / LH I: the use of space moves back and forth between habitation and burial. The burials may be considered intramural, as they were situated inside the settlement, but they were mainly placed upon abandoned houses rather than under the oors or in be -tween houses still in use.

3. MH III / LH I - LH I late: extramural cemetery upon abandoned house. The same phenom-enon can be observed in the Barbouna cemetery in Asine and in Peukakia.


16 Kindly provided by Dr C. Zerner.17 I am extremely grateful to Dr C Zerner for taking the time to discuss with me MH Lerna at great length and for allowing me to use unpublished plans of the MH layers of Lerna.18 Maran 1995, 71 has stressed that the term intra-muros is rather unfortunate for the Shaft Grave Era tombs.


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II. Argos, Aspis

The settlement on the Aspis is the only well documented part of the large and important MH site

of Argos (Touchais 1976; 1978; 1996). The Aspis presents some very interesting contrasts toLerna: the settlement is occupied from MH II onwards, and seems to grow, expand and acquire amore organized lay-out in MH III (Touchais 1998). The extensive MH cemeteries, the so-calledtumuli of Argos (Protonotariou-Deilaki 1980) will be discussed in the next section.

During 2005 the following analyses were carried out on the Aspis assemblage: The aDNA analysis of 5 samples and the stable isotopes analysis of 7 samples from Aspis will

be completed in spring 2006; the results will be described in the next report. The analysis of the funerary data by Eleni Milka has been completed. The analysis is reveal-

ing an interesting contrast between Lerna and Aspis: the burials in Aspis can be described asclassic intramural graves, as they were placed under, or in between houses that were in use

at the time. As has been pointed out above (section I.4), the situation appears to be more complex in Lerna, where certain areas seem to be used interchangeably for habitation and burial.

The 14C analysis o human remains rom the Aspis (by Sofa Voutsaki and Albert J. Nijboer)

Samples from 7 human skeletons from MH Aspis have been submitted to radiocarbon analysisat the Centre for Isotope Research, University of Groningen. Once more, the method used wasAccelerator Mass Spectroscopy (AMS).

Unfortunately 3 out of the 7 samples 19 produced results which were too high (4275 40 to4000 50). This clearly indicates that there was a problem with the samples. Indeed further ex-

amination revealed that these bones had been treated with a consolidant (Betacryl). Fortunately,the other 4 samples produced meaningful results ( g. 12). These samples come from graves datedto the MH III period. 20 The interpretation of the data and the examination of the archaeological


Trace line plot of 17 Lerna 14c dates and 4 Aspis 14C datesreferring to the Middle Helladic sequence

ca. 2100 BC ca. 1900 BC ca. 1700 BC

I n d i v i d u a

l d

a t e s

20

25

15

10

5

03850 3800 3750 3700 3650 3600 3550 3500 3450 3400

Radiocarbon years BP

Figure 12. Trace line plot o 14

C dates rom MH Lerna (dots) and MH Aspis (rectangles)

19 From graves TA 12 - locus 600; TA 5 locus 591b; TA1 locus 586.20 These graves are: TA7 locus 469; TA8 locus 529; TA4 locus 591; TA11 locus 598.


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contexts is now under way. In general, however, it can be said that the Aspis dates seem to con-rm the Lerna results for the MH III period. As the Aspis graves can be dated to sub-phases of the

MH III period (MH III A and MH III B), the 14C results may enable us to de ne the chronological

boundaries of the MH III period with more accuracy.

III. Argos, MH Tumuli cemeteries

In 2005 we applied for permission to study and re-publish the MH tumuli of Argos, i.e. theexcavations by the late Dr E. Deilaki in the foothills of the Aspis (Protonotariou-Deilaki 1980). Inspring 2005 we undertook a rst examination of the nds stored in the Argos Museum, searchedfor the skeletons in one of the apothekai of the Argos Museum, and located the sherd material fromthe excavations in a different apotheke .21 We located approximately 15 skeletons, 22 but we hope tocontinue our search in a future occasion. In July 2005 we were granted permission by the Ephorate

of Palaeoanthropology and Speleology of southern Greece to undertake a preliminary examinationof the archive of the late Dr E. Deilaki which is kept at the Ephorate. These preliminary investiga-tions indicated that the study and re-publication of the material from the Argos tumuli may offer important insights into the development of the MH settlement of Argos which must have been thelargest and perhaps the most important site in the Argolid during most of the MH period.

For this reason, a separate sub-project has been set up in order to study the nds, skeletalremains and archival material pertaining to the Argos tumuli. The project team consists of Dr Kalliopi Sarri who will study the MH nds and the archival material, Dr Oliver Dickinson whowill examine the grave contexts, Dr So a Voutsaki who will co-ordinate the project and study theLH nds, Dr Sevi Triantaphyllou who will examine the skeletons, and Eleni Milka who will carry

out the analysis of the funerary data. As only a small number of skeletons seem to be preserved,the decision whether we will carry out any analyses on the human bones ( 14C, DNA, stable iso-topes) will be taken only after the osteological examination has been completed.

IV. Asine

During the rst year of the research programme, we concentrated on Lerna (Voutsaki et al . 2004), but already during the second year we laid the foundations for the research on the next biggest MHassemblage in the Argolid: Asine. Asine is an extremely interesting site, extensively excavated and

relatively well documented (Frdin and Persson 1938; Hgg and Hgg 1973; Dietz 1980; Dietz1982; Nordquist 1987; Nordquist 1996; Ingvarsson-Sundstrm 2003). The site is used throughoutthe MH period, and both the settlement area and different cemeteries or burial areas have been ex-cavated: there are intramural burials among the houses of the Acropolis and the Lower Town; thereare burials on top of ruined houses in Barbouna; and there is a formal cemetery (East Cemetery)with a burial mound (Tumulus IQ) east of the settlement. Asine, therefore, gives us the opportunityto study differentiation between groups of people who receive different treatment, and to studychange through time. Different analyses of the Asine material have started: The examination of the human remains by Dr Anne Ingvarsson-Sundstrm is progressing.

A full report is given below (section IV.1).


21 We would like to thank the apothekarios of the Argos Museum, Mr Vangelis Giannopoulos, for his invaluableassistance in locating the sherd material and the skeletons.22 The number is approximate, as we did not open the bags containing the human bones.


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4 samples for aDNA analysis have been taken from Asine. The analysis by Prof. SophiaKouidou-Andreou, Dr Leda Kovatsi and Dr Dimitra Nikou is now under way.

21 samples for C14 analysis from Asine have been taken. The samples are being analyzed

at the Centre for Isotope Research, University of Groningen; the results will be available inspring 2006. 38 samples have been taken for the stable isotopes analysis, which will be carried out by Prof.

M. Richards. The results will be available in the summer 2006. The analysis of the archaeological data by Eleni Milka is reaching completion, and will be

presented in more detail in section IV.2. The analysis of the settlement data by Dr. So a Voutsaki has just begun, and will be presented

in the next report.

1 The human remains rom Middle Helladic Asine (by Anne Ingvarsson-Sundstrm)

The MH skeletal material from the two burial locations Barbouna and East Cemetery at Asinewas inventoried and repacked during 2004 and 2005. During the autumn 2005, I examined thedental remains from the two burial locations, as well as the skeletons from the East Cemetery.Sampling for stable isotope-, radiocarbon- and DNA analyses was carried out alongside the os-teological examination.

(i) Inventory o skeletal remainsFollowing excavations in the 1970s, the skeletons from the East Cemetery and Barbouna had

been packed in paper boxes, many of which were now found to be severely damaged by humid-ity, mice and earthquakes. In some instances information about the nd-context of the skeletonwas lacking, but on the majority of boxes a burial number, or the number used by the anthropolo-gist (i.e. Angel no.) was written on the outside. However, changes and additions had often beenmade to this information, and some skeletons (or parts of skeletons) seem to have been re-packedwithout the labels having been modi ed accordingly. A grave number could eventually be at -tributed to the majority of individuals, with the exception of bones from 4 large boxes markedKarmaniola 1970-72 which could not be associated with a speci c grave.

Most paper boxes contained 3-4 individuals individually packed in plastic bags (or morerarely paper bags). Since these bags, in many cases, had also started to disintegrate, bones were

leaking out and the labels had sometimes gone missing.All skeletons were fragmentary and most were poorly preserved. Dietz (1980) reports thatsome graves lay under water at the time of excavation; the wet/soggy burial environment mayexplain the bad skeletal preservation. Many of the skeletons had also been subjected to sampling

by earlier researchers: in some cases notes were found together with skulls indicating that teethhad been removed by Dr Kim Cramr. 23 Furthermore, an unidenti ed researcher (probably Dr Sara Bisel) had sampled compact bone. The sampling was noticeable as small drilled holes in

parts of the skeletons. In addition, no skeletons had been cleaned with the exception of certain


23 The late Dr Kim Cramr, a Swedish physician, carried out research on the effects of lead content in ancient and

modern material and lead poisoning in the ancient world. Unfortunately, the teeth sampled by him seem to have been lost.


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skulls and pathological bones, therefore other materials (such as stones, sherds or animal bones)were frequently found together with the human bones. A number of skulls had also been recon-structed with preservatives without having been cleaned rst. In conclusion, the preservation of

the Asine skeletons, and the problems encountered during inventory, very much resembled thecircumstances described for the Lerna skeletons (cf. Voutsaki et al . 2005).

The inventorization of the human remains from MH Asine involved the following steps:1. Identifcation o the individual skeletons : When information written on the boxes was frag-

mentary or inconclusive, the available data (for instance, trench no. and date) were comparedto unpublished excavation documentation and to descriptions and photographs from the site

publications (Dietz 1980; Hgg and Hgg 1973).2. Cleaning the bones with a brush, or in some cases with water. Many skeletons were covered

with hard dried-out soil or a chalky crust sticking to the bone surface. Several skeletons were

successfully cleaned, but in a number of cases it was impossible to remove the cement-likesoil without causing damage to the bone surface.3. Sorting and re-packing the bones from each individual in new sturdy plastic bags. Any old

documentation (e.g. tags and/or paper bags with notes) was kept together with the bones. Thisinformation may, I hope, aid in further investigations regarding missing samples and burialcontexts, and may help identifying the scholars who handled the material previously.

4. Labelling: the new plastic bags were labelled on the outside with permanent ink. Acid freetags were also placed inside the bags. The bags were then packed in wooden cases especiallymade for this purpose. The burial no. and Angel no were marked on the outside.

(ii) The osteological re-examination and samplingDuring the autumn of 2005, 18 adult MH skeletons from the East Cemetery were re-examinedand documented. Since no description of the individual skeletons and their preservation wasincluded in Angels report (1982), providing a detailed account of each skeleton is an importantaim of this study. The forms recommended in Buikstra and Ubelaker 1994 were used for re-cording preservation and completeness of skeletal elements (for example, number of joints andthe preservation of bone element as percentages), pathologies, muscular-skeletal stress markers,non-metric traits and criteria for sex- and age determinations. Further, the preserved parts of eachskeleton were illustrated on a visual recording form, and pathologies were photographed. In ad-dition, the ve subadult skeletons which had earlier been re-examined and reported (Ingvarsson-

Sundstrm 2003) were registered in accordance with the current study protocol.All dental remains from the East Cemetery and Barbouna were macroscopically and mi-croscopically examined at the Wiener Laboratory at Athens, and the following information wasregistered: tooth type, development, wear, pathologies, morphology and measurements.

Angels (1982) report did not include the number of teeth present nor any data on dental pathology. For the Bronze Age sample he gave instead a mean gure for lesions per mouth. Itwas therefore considered particularly important to examine and document all the existing teeth.Unfortunately, only 12 out of 24 skeletons from the East Cemetery, and 8 out of 11 skeletonsfrom Barbouna still preserved their teeth. Ante mortem tooth loss was sometimes noticeable, but,as mentioned above, taphonomic processes and sampling by earlier researchers may have been

largely responsible for the majority of missing teeth.



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The osteological data collected from Asine will be used in bioarchaeological comparisons be-tween the cemetery populations included in the project. So far, a comparison between Angelswork and my re-examination allows me to make the following preliminary observations:

Extra bones indicating the presence o more than one individual were found among eightskeletons: 44AS, 45AS, 47AS, 49AS, 53AS, 56AS, 60AS and 61AS. In ve cases, only oneor a few extra bones were found among the bones from the original individual. It is possiblethat these extra bones should be regarded as unrelated to the burial, but their presence isnevertheless interesting from a taphonomical point of view, since they indicate a proximity todestroyed or unexcavated graves. In three cases (47 AS, 49AS, 56AS) two individuals buriedin one grave or in a double grave had probably caused their bones to get mixed.

There is an underestimation o skeletal pathologies in Angels study, especially of periosteitis,cribra orbitalia and osteo-arthritic changes.

Dental hypoplasia is not reported in Angels study. His mean gure for dental lesions per

mouth included only ante-mortem tooth loss, caries and abscesses. The re-examinationshowed that out of 20 individuals having teeth preserved, 15 showed hypoplasia. The re-examination yielded wide age categories or the adult individuals and slightly lower

ages or the subadults when compared to Angels study. The sex determinations made by Angel agreed fairly well with the re-examination. However,

a few individuals showed contradictory criteria for a sex determination.

In connection to the osteological re-examination, bone samples for stable isotope (38), radiocarbon (21) and DNA analysis (4) were selected from the East Cemetery and the Barbouna skel-etons. The results from the osteological and chemical analyses will be integrated with the aim

to explore intra-cemetery variation in diet, pathology and genetic af nity between the sexes, between individuals from different burial grounds, and between different grave groupings withinthe cemeteries.

2 The analysis o the archaeological data (by Eleni Milka)

During 2005 the burial data from Asine were collected. All archaeological publications and pre-liminary reports (Frdin and Persson 1938; Hgg and Hgg 1973; Dietz 1980; Dietz 1982; Nor -dquist 1987; Nordquist 1996; Nordquist n.d. (a); Nordquist n.d. (b); Nordquist n.d. (c); Backe-

Forsberg and Norgquist n.d.24

) as well as the anthropological studies of the burials (Angel 1982;Ingvarsson-Sundstrm 2003) were consulted. 25 The burial offerings were systematically re-ex-amined and photographed at the Nauplion Museum. Further, an electronic archive of all the avail-able grave photos was created.

All the available information from the three burial grounds of Asine-Kastraki, East Cemeteryand Barbouna- was encoded into a relational data base. The use of exactly the same methods of


24 I would like to thank Prof. G. Nordquist for making these manuscripts available in advance of publication.25 As the anthropological re-examination of the skeletons from Asine is still in progress, the information on sexand age of the adult burials is still based on Angel (1982), and for the sub-adult burials on Ingvarsson-Sundstrm

2003. The results of the re-examination will be incorporated into the archaeological analysis once Dr Ingvarsson-Sundstrms study is completed.


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data collection and of the same database structure as for Lerna and Aspis will facilitate the com- parative analysis between the sites. In total 148 tombs were included.

The analysis of the Asine data proceeds in two stages: an intra-cemetery analysis and an

inter-cemetery comparison. In the rst stage all data from each burial ground will be analyzed;the second stage involves a comparison of the three different cemeteries. The type of the tomb,the burial offerings, the sex and the age of the diseased and the position of the body together withany evidence of ritual behaviour are used as tools in order to detect variation among the burials.The cemetery type and the spatial organization of the burial ground are additionally used for theinter-cemetery analysis.

At Asine a unique opportunity is given to discus the signi cance of co-existing differentcemeteries in the same site. The study of the differentiation between the burial grounds can giveus invaluable insights into the social structure and burial ideology of the MH community.

V. Epilogue

In 2005 the work concentrated on the large assemblages of the MH Argolid: Lerna, Asine and Ar-gos. As the results have started to come in, we hope to integrate archaeological, osteological and

biomolecular data, and complete the work on the individual sites by 2006-2007. The next stageof the analysis will involve the comparison between the large sites. In the nal and third stage wewill add the results from the analysis of smaller sites, or sites which are not very well documented(such as Mycenae, Tiryns, Prosymna, Berbati and Myloi). We hope that this integrated and multi-disciplinary approach will elucidate social change in the MH Argolid.

Dr So a VoutsakiGroningen Institute of Archaeology

University of GroningenPoststraat 6

NL 9712 ER [email protected]

Dr Sevi TriantaphyllouShef eld Centre for Aegean Archaeology

University of Shef eldShef eld

Dr Anne Ingvarsson-SundstrmSocietas Archaeologica Upsaliensis

Upsalla

Prof. Sophia Kouidou-AndreouDepartment of Biological Chemistry

Medical School

Aristotle UniversityThessaloniki



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Dr Leda KovatsiDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology,

Medical School

Aristotle UniversityThessalonikiDr Albert J. Nijboer

Groningen Institute of ArchaeologyUniversity of Groningen

Groningen

Dr Dimitra NikouDepartment of Biological Chemistry

Medical School

Aristotle UniversityThessaloniki

Ms Eleni MilkaGroningen Institute of Archaeology

University of GroningenGroningen

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the National Scienti c Organization of the Netherlands (NWO) for its gener -ous funding of this project and the Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen for providing match-ing funding. We would also like to thank the Institute of Aegean Prehistory, Philadelphia for

nancing the study of the human remains from Asine, and the study and publication of the MHtumuli at Argos. Finally, our thanks to Enboms Donation, Societas Archaeologica Upsaliensis(SAU) and the Wiener Laboratory for providing additional grants for the study of the Asine hu-man bones.

We would like to express our thanks to Mrs Zoi Aslamatzidhou, Head of the 4 th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, and to the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Culture

for granting us permission to examine and take samples from the human skeletons from Lerna,Aspis, Asine, and to study for publication the nds from the MH tumuli of Argos. We wouldalso like to acknowledge the assistance of the staff at the 4 th Ephorate, particularly Mrs A. Banaka,Mrs E. Pappi and Dr A. Papadimitriou. Our thanks also to the Ephorate of Palaeoanthropologyand Speleology of southern Greece, and especially to the Head of the Ephorate, Mrs StauroulaSamartzidou and Mrs Katerina Gleni-Barakari, for allowing us to make a preliminary examina-tion of the archive of the late Dr. E. Deilaki.

We thank the American School of Classical Studies, the French School at Athens and theSwedish Institute in Athens as well as Prof. M. Wiencke, Dr C. Zerner, Professor E. Banks, Pro-fessor G. Touchais, Mrs A. Philippa- Touchais, Professor G. Nordquist, Professor C.G. Styrenius

and Professor R. Hgg for granting us permission to study the nds and to take samples from theLerna, Aspis and Asine skeletons respectively.



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We are particularly grateful to Professor G. Touchais, Mrs A. Philippa-Touchais, Professor G. Nordquist and especially to Dr C. Zerner for giving us additional data in advance of publication,and for helping us in every possible way.

Finally, we would also like to thank Dr C. Zerner, Mr P. Zerner and Mrs C. Winder for their wonderful hospitality in Winston-Salem, NC.

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Documents

Voutsaki et al 2006 Pharos XIII MH Argolid report 2005