Archaeology of Dodecanese

The study focuses on the monumental painting of the island of Rhodes, Greece, during the 13th century and specifically from the year 1204, when the Byzantine official Leo Gabalas took over the administration of the island, until the arrival of the Knights of Saint John in 1309. The remains of the artistic production are located in six churches in the town and the countryside of Rhodes. The monuments in question are presented in chronological order. After the detailed description and iconographic examination follows the stylistic analysis of the wall paintings along with the proposed dating. In particular, the study deals with the frescoes of Hagios Phanourios in the Medieval Town of Rhodes, of the monastery of the Archangel Michael at Thari, of Hagios Ioannes Theologos at Kouphas in Paradeisi, of Hagios Niketas in Damatria, of Hagios Georgios Vardas in Apolakkia (1289/90) and of Hagios Georgios Kounaras in Asklepeio. Two sub-chapters concerning the wall paintings of the church of Hagios Georgios Vardas were expanded because of their special interest: one concerns the rare inscription Akedioktene which accompanies the representation of the Virgin Glykophilousa and the other deals with the iconography and local cult of Saint Philemon, following his rare representation in the church. Given that the paintings of the church of Hagios Georgios Kounaras in Asklepeio is ascribed to the same hand as that of Hagios Georgios Vardas, the painter’s style in both monuments and the particularities of his art are examined in a special chapter. In the final part of the book, the overall consideration of the artistic production is developed: the structure and order of the iconographic programmes are assessed, some interesting issues of iconography are discussed, as well as matters concerning the donors of the churches. The stylistic trends are analysed, compared with monuments from other Dodecanese islands and within the artistic currents of the first and second half of the 13th century.

This small article deals with the presence of medieval Cypriot icons and artifacts at the Aegean islands. The origin of one icon at Paros, three at Amorgos, an icon and a bema door from Patmos and one icon from Rhodes are discussed here, considering that the only indisputably Cypriot icon is a Deesis one, found after works of restoration at the church of the Dormition of the Virgin at Trianda (Ialysos), Rhodes. Finally, some remarks are made about the similarities and the connection between medieval Rhodian and Cypriot painting.

In this paper, we discuss the problem of object detection in a cultural heritage application context. In particular, the objects to be detected are ancient rock carvings, discovered at the archaeological site of Vathy, Astypalaia in Greece. Without the help of a marker or a human expert, the rock carvings are extremely difficult for a visitor of the site to discern from their surroundings. We explore the possibility of using a computational method that could replace the human expert and detect the rock carvings of interest without the aid of a specific marker. We present a dataset of images that is comprised of annotated photographs of the rock carvings, taken in situ and under differing poses and lighting parameters. Two methods for detection are applied; the first method makes use of a supervised, deep learning-based model, while the other relies on feature point-based matching to an annotated template, in the context of which we propose a simple image matching distance. We show that each method is applicable under different conditions, and evaluate their effectiveness with numerical trials.

SOMMARIO DEL VOLUME


L. Vagnetti, L'insediamento neolitico di Festòs

L. Morricone, Coo. scavi e scoperte nel Serraglio e in località minori (1935-1943)

C. Laviosa, Un rilievo arcaico di Iasos e il problema del fregio nei templi ionici

E. La Rocca, Una testa femminile nel nuovo Museo dei Conservatori e l'Afrodite Louvre-Napoli

F. Berti, Poseidon ed Amymone. Un mosaico romano di Chanià

L. Rocchetti, Un'ipotesi sui gruppi porfirei del periodo tetrarchico



                                                                  SCUOLA ARCHEOLOGICA DI ATENE E MISSIONI IN ORIENTE



L. Beschi, Antichità cretesi a Venezia

C. Laviosa, L'abitato prepalaziale di Haghia Triada

V. La Rosa, Saggio di scavo in contrada Selì di Kamilari
Atti della Scuola (D. Levi)

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Indice delle materie

Edita nell’ambito della rivista di archeologia e architettura antica Thiasos, recentemente varata, la monografia vuole inaugurare una collana di opere dedicate all’architettura di Kos e delle altre isole del Dodecaneso, di cui questo costituisce il primo volume, a cui seguirà l’edizione del Ginnasio e delle Terme Centrali a cura di Monica Livadiotti. Il volume è edito in forma di e-book, ma è in preparazione una traduzione in inglese, a cura di Rita Sassu, con edizione a stampa sempre per i tipi dell’editrice Quasar.
Lo studio della Stoà Meridionale dell’agorà si inserisce nell’ambito di una più generale analisi della topografia della città antica di Kos che l’équipe del Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ingegneria Civile e dell’Architettura del Politecnico di Bari, diretta da Giorgio Rocco, sta portando avanti ormai da molti anni in collaborazione con i colleghi delle Eforie del Dodecaneso e con l’Istituto Archeologico di Studi Egei di Rodi.
Frutto di una ricerca sul campo sempre attenta al dato proveniente dal rilievo delle strutture e dei frammenti architettonici, l’ipotesi di ricostruzione della Stoà fornisce un importante tassello per la conoscenza complessiva dell’agorà di Kos e dei suoi monumenti, argomento a cui l’Autore ha dedicato negli ultimi anni diversi contributi. L’esistenza stessa di questo lungo edificio porticato posto a delimitare il lato sud della piazza agorale ha risolto inoltre alcuni quesiti riguardo alla configurazione topografica dell’area centrale della città, rimasti insoluti dopo gli scavi di Luigi Morricone del tratto più occidentale della plateia ellenistica e di Charis Kanzia lungo la sua prosecuzione più ad Est. Inoltre, la descrizione della consistenza del monumento e della sua ricostruzione sono integrate da un serrato sistema di confronti con l’architettura del periodo di area microasiatica, arrivando ad inquadrare in modo più preciso la produzione architettonica dell’isola in età ellenistica e conferendole un rilievo maggiore di quanto finora sia stato supposto.
Il volume è poi completato dal Catalogo degli architettonici della Stoà Meridionale (a cura di F. Liuni e A. Ferrante), dal Catalogo delle Unità Stratigrafiche Murarie (a cura di M. Livadiotti e M. Messina) e da due brevi studi, posti in Appendice, riguardanti un inconsueto sistema di fissaggio verticale dei blocchi (A. Fino) e un particolare sistema di sollevamento che apparenta la produzione architettonica coa alla “Rinascenza ionica” del  mondo microasiatico ellenistico (M. Livadiotti).
L’apparato illustrativo, tutto di prima mano, è stato realizzato con l’apporto degli studenti, laureandi e dottorandi del DICAR di Bari, che dal 2004 partecipano alle missioni a Kos, sempre di più “cantiere scuola” per i futuri “Bauforscher” italiani.

Published in the context of the recently launched “Thiasos, journal of archaeology and ancient architecture”, the monograph inaugurates, being its first volume, a series of works dedicated to the architecture of Kos and other Dodecanese islands, that is going to include the edition of the Gymnasium and Central Baths by Monica Livadiotti. The volume is published in e-book form, but a translation in English, edited by Rita Sassu, is under preparation and will be shortly available in printed edition (always with Quasar publisher).
The study of the South Stoa of the agora is part of a more general analysis concerning the topography of the ancient city of Kos that the team of the Department of Sciences of Civil Engineering and Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Bari, directed by Giorgio Rocco, has been carrying out for many years, in collaboration with colleagues of the Ephorates of Dodecanese and the Archaeological Institute of Aegean Studies of Rhodes.
The hypothesis of reconstruction of the Stoa results from a research paying special attention to data coming from the survey of structures as well as architectural fragments and turns out to be a relevant element for the overall knowledge of the agora of Kos and its monuments, a topic the author dealt with in several contributions during the last few years. The very existence of this long porch defining the south side of the agora also solved a number of questions regarding the topographical configuration of the city’s central area, that remained unanswered since Luigi Morricone’s  excavation in the westernmost sector of the Hellenistic plateia and Charis Kanzia’s archaeological investigations in its eastern extension.
In addition, the description of the consistency of the monument and its reconstruction are complemented by a comprehensive system of comparisons with the coeval micro-Asiatic architecture, hence contributing to the understanding of the architectural production of the island in the Hellenistic age, giving it a greater importance than has hitherto been supposed.
The volume is then completed by the Catalogue of Architectural Fragments of South Stoa (edited by F. Liuni and A. Ferrante), by the Catalogue of Structural Stratigraphic Units (edited by M. Livadiotti and M. Messina) and by two brief studies, in Appendix, the first one regarding an unusual system of vertical fixing (A. Fino) and the second one about a particular lifting system that connects Kos’ architectural production to the “Ionian Renaissance” of the Hellenistic Asia Minor (M. Livadiotti).
The illustrative apparatus, entirely original, has been realized with the contribution of undergraduate, graduate and PhD students of DICAR of Bari, who, since 2004 participated in missions in Kos, which is gradually assuming the role of  ”school yard” for future Italian “Bauforscher“.

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SOMMARIO DEL VOLUME

Ι. Papachristodoulou, Γεωμετρικά εὑρήματα στό Βάτι Ρόδου

A. Archontidou-Argiri, Μιμήσεις πρωτοκορινθιακῶν ἀγγείων ἀπό τήν Ρόδο

H.W. Catling, New Light on Knossos in the 8th an 7th Centuries B.C.

G. Rizza, Priniàs nelle fasi geometrica e orientalizzante

G. Fiorentini-E. De Miro, Gela proto-arcaica

ISOLE DELL'EGEO, LA COLONIA DI THASOS, TRACIA

V.K. Lambrinoudakis, Νέα στοιχεῖα γία τή γνῶση τῆς Νάξιακῆς γεωμετρικῆς καί πρώιμης αρχαïκῆς κεραμεικῆς

E. Zaphiropoulou, Γεωμετρικά ἀγγεῖα ἀπό τή Νάξο

A. Kalogeropoulou, Δείγματα ἀγνώστου κεραμεικοῦ ἐργαστηρίου στή Σκύρο τοῦ 7ου π.Χ. αἰ.

N.S. Zaphiropoulos, Εὐβοïκοί ἀμφορεῖς ἀπό τή Θήρα

R. Martin, Thasos colonie de Paros

D. Triandaphillos, Ἀρχαïκό νεκροταφεῖο στή Δυτική Θράκη

Interventi

SANTUARI GRECI

P.G. Themelis, Δέλφοι καί περιοχή τόν 8ο καί 7ο π.Χ. αἰώνα

N. Bosana-Kourou, Some Problems concerning the Origin and the Dating of the Thapsos Class Vases

H.V. Herrmann, Altitalisches und Etruskisches in Olympia

H. Kyrieleis, Neue Holzfunde aus dem Heraion von Samos

A. Lebessi, Τό ἐλεφάντινο εἰδώλιο τοῦ νέου ἀπό τή Σάμο

Ι. Travlos, ῾Η Ἀθήνα καί ἡ Ἐλευσίνα στόν 8ο καί 7ο π.Χ. αἰώνα

E. Mastrokostas, Ἐκ τῶν ἀνασκαφῶν τοῦ βωμοῦ τοῦ Διός ἐπί τῆς κορυφῆς τῆς Πάρνηθος. Ἀλάβαστρα τοῦ 7ου αἰ. π.Χ.

SICILIA FENICIO-PUNICA

V. Tusa - Mozia ed altre località della Sicilia Occidentale

Interventi

Relazioni di Chiusura

Indice dei nomi propri

Indice dei nomi geografici

Indice tematico

SOMMARIO


G. Gerola, I monumenti medievali delle tredici Sporadi - Parte seconda

G. G. Porro, Bolli di anfore rodie nel Museo Nazionale Romano

G. G. Porro, Iscrizioni di Rodi

A. Maiuri, Nuove iscrizioni greche dalle Sporadi meridionali

C. Anti, L'Arthemis Laphria di Patrai

G. LibertiniI, I propilei di A. Claudio Pulcro ad Eleusi (tav. I-III)

D. Comparetti, Tabelle testamentarie delle colonie achee di Magna Grecia (tav. IV-V)

A. Maiuri, Un'iscrizione greco-fenicia a Rodi

A. Maiuri, Lavori della Missione archeologica italiana a Rodi
A. Maiuri, Ricerche archeologiche nell'Isola di Rodi
A. Maiuri, Il restauro dell'albergo della lingua d'Italia a Rodi
L. Pernier, Prosecuzione degli scavi in Gortina (Creta)
B Pace, Nuovi scavi nel Pretorio e scoperta di un nuovo ninfeo in Gortina
G. Oliverio, Santuario delle divinità egizie in Gortina
G. Oliverio, Gortina - Dedica di Satyrides
L. Pernier, Una scultura in pietra di arte dedalica dal territorio di Malles (Creta)

Bibliografia relativa ai lavori delle Missioni archeologiche italiane. Cont., v. vol. I (T.C.)

La Società italiana p'er la ricerca dei papiri greci e latini in Egitto (L.P.) - La società per lo studio della Libia e delle altre colonie italiane (G.L.) - Studi e ricerche della missione archeologica italiana nell'Anatolia meridionale (L.P.) - L'opera della R. Scuola archeologica italiana in Atene dal 1 luglio 1912 al 30 giugno 1915 (L.P.) - Direttore e alunni - Adunanze annuali

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Errata corrige

The roof tiles found at the fortified establishment of Kastraki, in Agathonisi belong to plain undecorated tiled roofs of the so- called corinthian type. From the data which have been so far revealed in the course of the excavation, the existence of flat pan tiles and double slopping cover tiles has been certified, in three variants of their usual overlapping form, pointing out a chronological succession for the pan tiles. Moreover, the raisedborder, cross-section typology of the pan tiles and its association with their chronological classification lead to the calculation of the number of roofs which are represented within the fort during its whole historic course from the 4th century Bc to the 2nd century Ad. Of particular interest is the finding of flat pan tiles which
have their corners perforated; this fact indicates, as the
preliminary comparative study has shown, that the perforations
served the better attachment of the first, or
evenmore, set of tiles οn the frame of a wooden roof, by
iron nails. In addition, the implementation of mortars
or clay bedding during the placement of the tiles reveals
an existing intricate roofing technique at the Milesian
fort.

SOMMARIO

† Federico Halbherr

F. Franco, Le asimmetrie della Pinacoteca dei Propilei sull'Acropoli d'Atene (tav. I-IX)

M. Segre, Iscrizioni dell'Aclepieo di Atene

S. Ferri, Nuova testa di Alessandro

D. Levi, I bronzi di Axòs (tav. X-XV)

E. Stefani, La grande tomba a tholos di Hagia Triada

L. Banti, La grande tomba a tholos di Hagia Triada (tav. XVI-XIX)

G. Jacopi, Nuovi scavi nella Necropoli micenea di Jaliso (tav. XX-XXV)

G. Gerola, Le fortificazioni di Napoli di Romanìa

D. Levi, Abitazioni preistoriche sulle pendici meridionali dell'Acropoli (tav. XXVI-XXVII)

R. Scuola Archeologica Italiana di Atene: Atti della Scuola (1930-1931)

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Tavole

The present study examines four fortified complexes of Kos, namely the castles at Palio Pyli, Antimachia and Kefalos, and the small fortress at Kastelli Kefalou.  They were all built in the medieval period (byzantine or hospitaller) and continued to be used well into modern times.  These castles formed part of the island’s defences whose exact range is still unknown. 
Byzantine fortifications are encountered only at Palio Pyli, dating from middle byzantine times.  There is however no trace from the castle that was supposedly built by St.Christodoulos during his brief stay on the island (1080-8).  Yet, at the end of the 11th-beginning of the 12th cen. a building activity is observed; and it is this point that we consider as a terminus for the existence of the castle. 
Ceramic finds are valuable since late byzantine wares of the 13th-14th cen were collected from the castle of Palio Pyli, but also from Kefalos and Kastelli Kefalou.  It is logical to conclude that under conditions of insecurity and upheaval in the area of eastern Aegean, the inhabitants sook refuge in more secure places.  The question whether there had been fortifications at Kefalos and Kastelli Kefalou, remains unanswered.
So, in late byzantine period, we may suppose that three castles were in use on the island:  the capital Kos, for whose fortifications we lack evidence, the castle at Palio Pyli, fortified settlement mentioned as “largely populated” in sources, and the  castle at Pardobouno, referred to in a document of the year 1271, and  yet unidentified.  Based on this scarce evidence there can be no conclusions as to the defence state of the island or its settlement patterns.   
The conquest of the island by the Order of St.John of Jerusalem (first attempt  at 1306, final conquest at 1337) was a decisive factor for its fortifications.  The Order saw to the building  of the castle of Antimachia built between 1337 and 1346, and the reinforcement of the defences at Palio Pyli.  The castle of Kefalos was constructed probably at the end of the 14th-beginning of the 15th cen., while the walls at Kastelli Kefalou are dated from the second half of the 15th cen., perhaps before 1480.
A crucial part  at the defence of the island during hospitaller rule was played by large fortified settlements, near or within which a large part of the population lived.  Besides, the administrative division of the island in districts was based on these castles, as noted in hospitaller documents.  They were dispersed and covered the whole surface, built at strategic points both for the interior organisation of Kos, as well as for repulsing enemy raids.
The main fortress of the island is Nerantzia (the capital’s castle), seat of the knight-governor.  However, Hospitallers didn’t hesitate to abandon it during the raid of 1457, in order for the population to be more effectively protected at the castles of Palio Pyli, Antimachia and Kefalos.  It is also mentioned that during the same raid, the hospitaler castle of Peripatos was abandoned and burned down; parts of Peripatos were recently identified , though without assessing the dimensions of the whole.  The movement and dispersion of the island’s population to the castles, so as to withstand the raid, may draw us to the thought that there was a central defence plan, for which there is no mention in the sources.  A similar plan is known to have existed for the island of Rhodes.  The small fort at Kastelli Kefalou, that was perhaps a look-out post or seat of a small garisson, could be part of this defence system, with the aim to survey the island’s north-east coasts.
For the hospitaller period, there are also references to other fortifications, whose place is not yet known:  Bosio  mentions the castles of Cognino and Entoemo in relation to the events of 1494, while Buondelmonti  (1420) records the fortifications Petrai, Thermia, as well as a fort at the peak of mount Dikaios.  Subsequently, an overall view of the island’s defence state during hospitaller rule, is not yet possible.
The conquest of Kos by the Ottomans in 1522 did not mean the distruction or desertion of its castles.  The settlements continued to be inhabited (Palio Pyli until ca.1830, Antimachia until 1821) and architectural elements show that defence character was maintained.  Modern features were also added, such as gunloops at Palio Pyli and Antimachia.  It is noteworthy that the garrison left the castle of Antimachia only at 1871.  However, the castle of Kefalos, based on surface ceramics, seemed to have been inhabited until the 17th cen., while Kastelli Kefalou was abandoned after 16th cen.  The castle of Nerantzia remained the seat of the turkish governor of the island right down to the beginning of the 20th cen.  Its walls, though, were progressively neglected and gradually lost their defence capacity

SOMMARIO

L. Pernier, L'«Odeum» nell'«Agorà» di Gortina presso il Leteo (tav. I-V)

D. Levi, Le cretule di Hagia Triada e di Zakro (tav. VI-XVIII)

D. Levi, La necropoli geometrica di Kardianì a Tinos

D. Levi, La grotta di Aspripetra a Coo (tav. XIX)

A. Maiuri, Nuovi supplementi al «Corpus» delle iscrizioni di Rodi

A. Maiuri, Iscrizione di Calimno - Catalogo dei cittadini di Panormos

E. Rossi, Memorie dei Cavalieri di Rodi a Costantinopoli

E. Rossi, L'iscrizione ottomana in Persiano sul bastione della Torre si S. Maria a Rodi

F. Gabrieli, Gli ospitalieri di San Giovanni negli storici musulmani delle crociate

V. Viale, Relazione sull'attività della Missione Archeologica di Adalia

R. Scuola Archeologica Italiana di Atene: Atti della Scuola (1925-1926)

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Tavole

The inventorying of the architectural fragments of the “Walled Town” at Kos started in 2004 and the new reliefs made possible the revision of what had already been published up to now and the beginning of a study programme regarding the main monuments. This article synthesizes the new information about the Aphrodite Pandamos and Pontia sanctuary: the plan has been restored, by defining mainly the eastern part, articulated by a big central exedra, on the side of which there are two staircases and four hestiatoria. The wall has also been restored, enhancing the use of two colours white/black and the rich decoration of the internal part of the enclosure, with the rear wall of the portico, completely in black/blue stone, articulated by engaged Ionian columns as background to the Doric white marble collonade of the peristyle. It has also been possible to outline the chronology, with its first phase dated to the second half of the 3rd century BC and a successive second one to the earthquake of 198 BC.