Excavations on the acropolis of Midea: results of the Greek-Swedish excavations -

Excavations on the acropolis of Midea: results of the Greek-Swedish excavations -- the excavations of the lower terraces 1985-1991. GISELA WALBERG. Excavations on the acropolis acropolis(əkrŏp`əlĭs)[Gr.,=high point of the city], elevated, fortified section of various ancient Greek cities.TheAcropolis of Athens, a hill c.260 ft (80 m) high, with a flat oval top c. of Midea: results ofthe Greek-Swedish excavations -- the excavations of the lower terraces1985-1991. Vol. I:1 (text): 364 pages, figures, tables; vol. I:2(plates): 7 pages, 145 plates. 1998. Stockholm: Paul Astrom;91-7916-039-5 hardback [pounds sterling] 48. Midea is the third large fortified fortified (fôrt´fīd),adj containing additives more potent than the principal ingredient. Mycenaean site of the Argolid,with Mycenae and Tiryns. It is a lofty acropolis which offers a veryfine view of the Argive plain, and surely had an important strategicrole in the control and defence of the plain, and it can be associatedwith the extremely rich cemetery of Dendra; but until recently it hasnot received much attention in discussions of Mycenaean civilization,for lack of major finds on the acropolis itself. As a result of theexcavations there in recent years, this situation should change. The excavation is a joint Greek-Swedish project, which hasconcentrated on the lowest parts of the area enclosed by thefortification fortification,system of defense structures for protection from enemy attacks. Fortification developed along two general lines: permanent sites built in peacetime, and emplacements and obstacles hastily constructed in the field in time of war. wall, since the uppermost parts of the acropolis are tooeroded to yield much useful information. This volume provides finalpublication only for material excavated between 1985 and 1991 in theSwedish sector of the excavations, near the East Gate, whereas many ofthe more remarkable finds have been made here more recently or in theGreek excavations by the West Gate. Nevertheless, there is plenty toattract attention. Only structures of the final phase of Mycenaean palacecivilization, Late Helladic IIIB, and the post-palatial Late HelladicIIIC IIIC International Independent Investigation Commission period are preserved, but unstratified un��strat��i��fied?adj.Lacking definite layers: unstratified rock.Adj. 1. unstratified - not deposited in layers; "glacial till is unstratified" finds confirm that there wasa long previous history of occupation; the oldest pottery is FinalNeolithic, but continuous occupation is only demonstrable from theMiddle Helladic period. The quantity and quality of the Middle Helladicmaterial suggest that Midea was relatively important then, and thepre-Late Helladic IIIB Mycenaean material includes a fine range ofdecorated types stretching back to the beginning of Late Helladic I. The Late Helladic IIIB structures include the fortification wall,some rooms built against it on the inside (better preserved exampleshave been found in the Greek sector) and on a higher level part of a`megaron' building (now completely uncovered). Finds associatedwith the rooms against the wall include lead vessels and items withsignificant cult associations, fragments of large wheel-made female andbovid bovidAny ruminant of the family Bovidae. Bovids have hollow, unbranched, permanently attached horns; they are grazing or browsing animals found in both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, most often in grasslands, scrublands, or deserts. Most species live in large herds. figures (a complete female comes from the Greek sector,illustrated on the cover of Archaeological Reports for 1997-1998) and anextraordinary stirrup stirrup,foot support for the rider of a horse in mounting and while riding. It is a ring with a horizontal bar to receive the foot and is attached by a strap to the saddle. jar decorated in the belly-zone with panelscontaining apparent `horns of consecration' symbols surmountedvariously by flowers, birds and a double axe. Other finds, mainly fromthis phase, cover the whole range from common to very rare. The mostnotable, which indicate that this is no ordinary settlement, are aLinear B-inscribed sealing (comparable material has been found elsewhereon the site), vessel fragments of metal and stone, fragments of bronzearmour, glass beads, ivory scraps, remains of painted plaster and clayroof tiles, now well documented from other important late Mycenaeansites. Some good deposits of domestic pottery and implements were foundin the rooms, from which quantities of plant (especially a wide range oflegumes) and insect remains were also recovered by flotation; these arepublished as part of a valuable general discussion of the vegetation ofthe area. This phase seems to have ended in an earthquake and fire, butthis part of the site was reoccupied and continued in use for most ofthe Late Helladic IIIC period. Later, there is Archaic material, but theonly major phases of occupation represented are later Roman andmediaeval me��di��ae��val?adj.Variant of medieval.mediaevalAdjectivesame as medievalAdj. 1. (12th-13th centuries AD). All this is meticulously documented through accounts of thestratigraphy in each trench, which summarise the major phase(s)represented and list the most important finds, cross-referenced to awell-illustrated catalogue of over a thousand pottery items and allsmall finds. At times the detail seems a little overwhelming, but whenso few excavations of Mycenaean sites have been adequately recorded, onecan sympathize with the desire to give a full account of allobservations made. There are discussions of each class of find(including animal bones and shells), and overviews of the material andthe history of Midea generally, which incorporate references tosignificant finds from other areas. The full significance of the Midea material, and its relevance tothe sequence of events in the final Mycenaean phases, will only becomeapparent with further publication; many important results are alreadybecoming known from preliminary reports and papers given by Prof.Walberg and her Greek collaborators Dr Demakopoulou and MrsDivari-Valakou. But this is a fine beginning, which should place Mideafirmly on the map. Though not a major settlement on the model of Mycenaeor Tiryns, it was surely an administrative and craft centre, and in alllikelihood the third most important site of the Argolid at the height ofMycenaean civilization. OLIVER DICKINSON Department of Classics & Ancient HistoryUniversity of Durham (body, education) University of Durham - A busy research and teaching community in the historic cathedral city of Durham, UK (population 61000). Its work covers key branches of science and technology and traditional areas of scholarship.