Loom Weights

This article is a result of the Women in Archaeology of Greece conference, the third edition of which we co-organized as the Polish Archaeological Institute in Athens, together with the Ecole Française d'Athenes. This workshop was dedicated to the memory of my professor and mentor, Maria Ludwika Bernhard. The article discusses her life and professional career, which paved the way for other women in classical archaeology in Poland.

Αυτό το άρθρο παρουσιάζει τα προκαταρκτικά αποτελέσματα της πρώτης ανασκαφικής περιόδου ενός κοινoύ πολωνο-ελληνo-γερμανικού ερευνητικού προγράμματος στην παραλαδώνια πόλη της δυτικής Αρκαδίας, τη Θέλπουσα. Αντικείμενο της ανασκαφής αποτελεί ένα ορθογώνιο οικοδόμημα της ρωμαϊκής περιόδου στο κέντρο της ελληνιστικής αγοράς της πόλης, το οποίο, παρά την καλή διατήρηση της τοιχοποιίας του, παραμένει αδημοσίευτο. Στόχος του προγράμματος είναι η αποσαφήνιση της αρχιτεκτονικής μορφής, της χρονολόγησης και της λειτουργίας του κτηρίου, προκειμένου να φωτιστούν καλύτερα οι διαδικασίες αστικής ανάπτυξης στις μικρές πόλεις της ενδοχώρας της ρωμαϊκής Ελλάδας.
This paper presents the preliminary results of the first field season of a joint Polish-Greek-German excavation project in the western Arcadian polis of Thelpousa. The focus is a rectangular Roman-period building at the centre of the city’s agora, which has remained unpublished despite its well-preserved masonry. The project aims to clarify the architecture, chronology and function of the building in order to shed new light on urban development within the small towns of the hinterland of Roman Greece.

Research in classical archaeology has been conducted at the Jagiellonian University since the
19th century. In 1897, the first Chair of Classical Archaeology in the Polish lands was established, held by
Professor Piotr Bieńkowski. A new stage in its history was marked by Professor Maria Ludwika Bernhard,
who headed it for many years from 1954. After the establishment of the Institute of Archaeology in 1971,
the chair was renamed the Department of Mediterranean Archaeology and was directed by Bernhard (until
1978), then replaced by Professor Joachim Śliwa. In 1998 this department was divided and the Department
of Classical Archaeology was created, under the direction of Professor Janusz A. Ostrowski (1998–2004) and
subsequently, Professor Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka (2005–2023). Currently Associated Professor Jarosław
Bodzek is leading the department. In addition to research on ancient Greek and Roman archaeology and
art, the history of archaeology, and collecting of antiquities, which have been the department’s stated areas
of study since its inception, research has expanded into ancient numismatics and pottery, particularly Hellenistic
and Roman. Fieldwork has been conducted in Strymon River valley in Bulgaria and in Koshary and
Akra – ancient Greek settlements on the Black Sea shores in Ukraine. Research in Paphos in Cyprus (from
2011), Daʿjāniya and Tūwāneh in Jordan, and Thelpousa in Peloponnese (Greece), conducted in line with
the latest technological trends, is particularly noteworthy. Moreover, new directions of research, mainly on
Roman public events and glyptics, have been opened. The department’s staff is currently leading the flagship
project of the Jagiellonian University – Initiative of Excellence ‘Mare Nostrum LAB’, which aims to provide
new impetus for research related to the cultural heritage of ancient societies in the Mediterranean area.

Among the many scientific disputes surrounding the Shroud of Turin, few have cut as deeply—or as uncomfortably for those who argue for its antiquity—as Andrea Nicolotti's analysis of the cloth itself. Not an argument about iconography, not a theological dispute, not even a challenge to the radiocarbon dating protocols, Nicolotti's critique operates at a more fundamental level. It concerns the mechanical logic of weaving, the silent grammar of warp and weft that any textile encodes at its moment of creation. His claim is not that the Shroud merely "looks medieval" to the untrained eye. His claim is that the cloth's weaving technology—the specific pattern of its defects, the rhythm of its errors—points to a medieval loom. This is not an argument about belief. It is an argument about looms.

The Early Iron Age site in Bánovce nad Bebravou, Biskupice-Keblov II (western Slovakia) was excavated by Archaeological Agency in 2014. During the excavation, there was found a feature connected with spinning and weaving – one of the important activities of Early Iron Age people, which penetrated to various spheres of life. This paper concerns short evaluation of the site with spatial analyses and reconstruction of the so-called workshop feature and its respective activities. The spatial analysis is evaluated by applying virtual space. The procedure is based on 3D reconstruction of individual features and creating of possible solutions in relation to original record. Part of this procedure was based on abstract visualization from archaeological record and second part used data from 3D photogrammetry. Results includes among visualization and space distribution of individual features, possible interior proportion and hut structure which could be used in this case.

It is a great honor to present the postprint proceedings of the VIIIth edition of the Purpureae Vestes International Symposium, held in Athens in 2022. The Purpureae Vestes symposium, established as an international point of reference for the study of ancient textiles, dyes, and related technologies, reflects the enduring significance of interdisciplinary dialogue in the field of cultural heritage. The eighth edition, hosted in Athens, brought together distinguished researchers and practitioners from across the world to exchange insights on the production, use, and conservation of textiles, tools and related material and to highlight their importance within ancient societies. The fruitful discussions that took place during those days are now made accessible through this volume, ensuring their lasting value for the scientific community. in the field, is also dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge, the encouragement of scholarly exchange, and the fostering of international collaboration. Publications have always formed a vital part of this work, allowing the results of research and conservation practice to be shared with both specialists and the wider public. We extend our gratitude to all participants, reviewers, and organisers whose efforts made this conference a success. It is our hope that these proceedings will serve as a valuable resource for continued exploration and dialogue within the academic and professional communities, and a resource and an inspiration for future research in this field.

Resumen: El artículo analiza los distintos usos y funciones de la escritura ibérica en el ámbito doméstico, lo que permite desarrollar determinadas consideraciones a propósito del nivel de literacy atribuible a la sociedad ibérica, especialmente en época romana.

Two small objects from the old excavations of J. Deshayes of the Mycenaean (Late Bronze Age) necropolis at Deiras at Argos (Tomb XXI), now in the archaeological storeroom of the French School at Athens in the Archaeological Museum at Argos, may have originally belonged to the same object or feature, broken during the excavation or later. The lumps of unfired clay or well-beaten earth bear imprints of textiles, which are otherwise only rarely preserved in funeral or habitation contexts in Bronze Age Greece. They are of special significance since they may represent negatives (impressions) of a bier cloth or blanket on which the deceased was laid, or of a shroud wrapped around a dead body. The aim of the paper is both to present the objects and the imprints of the textile(s), and to discuss the role of textiles in the funerary context of Mycenaean Greece.

OBSERVATIONS REGARDING SOME DISCOVERIES FROM DWELLING NO. 2 OF SULTANA MALU ROŞU ENEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT Sultana Malu Roşu is one of the most spectacular sites belonging to Gumelniţa culture and generally to Encolithic Agc. The te/l-settlement is placed on Iezerul Mostiştei Lake shore at 15 km north ofthe Danube Valley. Thc archacological researches were restarted in 2001 with the discovery of interesting complexes, for example the housc no. 2, with a rich archaeological inventory. lnside the house there was discovered, among other things, a burnt clay structurc. maybc a sort of bench. Near it there was discovered a clay box with a big size stone, having a nat uppcr part, which was fit in thc clay box. This object was found in secondary position, under it there were discovcred loom wcights of burnt clay and vesscl fragments. lt was recovered from thc site and partially rebuilt in the laboratorics of Lower Danubc Museum-Călăraşi.

In this paper we analyzed a batch of 64 clay weights from three archaeological sites located in Romania (Gumelniţa, Măgura-Jilava, and Sultana) that belong to Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI cultural complex (4600–3900 cal. BC). Our approach includes an interdisciplinary investigation based on technological analysis, experimental archaeology, and X-ray CT scans coupled with statistical analysis. This investigation has a high potential to reveal relevant information regarding the technological background (e.g., inclusion, voids, temper, etc.), manufacturing stages (e.g., modeling, shaping, kneading, etc.), or transformation processes (e.g., drying and firing vs. weight and size modification) in order to identify, explain and understand thechaîne operatoirefor this type of artefacts. Moreover, correlation of the results with the experimental archaeology could offer an integrative interpretation about the material culture of past humans and its multiple meanings, but also critical in...

‘I only trust my wife’. This would have been Louis Robert’s response to a proposal that he should delegate the publication of the inscriptions to a number of young students. Often regarded as the founding father of Greek epigraphy, Louis Robert made a major contribution to the development of this discipline and is said to have written on almost all Greek inscriptions. From the time of their initial encounter in the rooms of the École Pratique des Hautes Études in 1934 until his demise, Jeanne Robert, née Vanseveren, never left Louis Robert’s side, first as his student, then as his wife and faithful collaborator, and finally as curator of the Fonds Louis Robert.
Since Jeanne Vanseveren’s arrival at his lectures, L. Robert had not failed to observe the student’s proficiency in Greek epigraphy and her enthusiasm, as evidenced by the republication of a foundation from Ilion, her very first article. It was probably at his encouragement that she tried to gain admission to the French School in Athens, where he himself had been a member in 1931. However, she was met with serious opposition from the director and was not admitted. In 1936, she was nevertheless awarded a mobility grant from the Fondation Jules Delamarre, which enabled her to undertake fieldwork research in the Greek islands. She also began editing the corpus of inscriptions from Halicarnassus.
Her marriage to Louis Robert in 1938 seems to have interrupted this personal research. From then on, Jeanne took her husband’s surname, thereby establishing a profound and indivisible connection between her future and scientific endeavours and those of her husband. Throughout their life together, she accompanied him on his missions, particularly in Asia Minor, and assisted him with his knowledge of Turkish and his research.
Behind the couple’s colossal number of publications, especially those of the Bulletin épigraphique, sometimes signed by J. and L. Robert, sometimes by L. Robert alone, lies a meticulous work of indexing and preliminary research, often carried out by Jeanne. Following her husband’s demise in 1985, Jeanne Robert assumed a significant role in the administration of his archives, bequeathed to the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres.
Although her commitment has been acknowledged to some extent after her death, her scientific role has often been overshadowed by that of her husband. The numerous articles dedicated to Louis Robert and his contributions to epigraphy generally acknowledge Jeanne’s help, but rarely highlight the significant role played by this researcher, who sacrificed her own academic career to support her husband and thus remained in his shadow until her death in 2002.
The purpose of this paper is therefore to acknowledge Jeanne Robert’s own contribution to the field of Greek archaeology and epigraphy, and to shed light on her role in the research partnership she shared with her husband.

In the residential quarters of a small fortified town in the peninsula of Trypitos near Siteia (3rd and 2nd c. B.C.), a considerable number of loomweights (more than 300) was found. They are pyramidal and discoid in shape with one or two attachment holes. Their weight vary. The most common group is that of the pyramidal loomweights weight between 50-55 gr. They were used to weave all kinds of material and cloth. Some of them bear incisions and seal impressions and one of them a letter. Among the finds there is a clay mould offering evidence for the manufacture of the loomweights.

In 1987, N. Papadakis, then head of the 24th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, began excavating in the Trypitos area where a fortified Hellenistic town had been discovered. By 2000, various buildings had been excavated, which were organized into town blocks, as well as a large part of the fortification wall. Among the great number of small finds that came to light, the large number and uniform character of the loomweights were the most impressive. The 219 loomweights that are presented here were found in the first town block (Cluster A), which is located directly next to the fortification wall of the ancient city. The loomweights (or αγνύθες) are the clay weights used to keep the warp threads taut in a standing loom. In the Greek world, the warp-weighted standing loom was used from Neolithic times until the Roman period, when it was replaced by a different type of standing loom that utilized an upper and lower cloth beam (αντίον) and did not require αγνύθες.

In this paper we analyzed a batch of 64 clay weights from three archaeological sites located in Romania (Gumelniţa, Măgura-Jilava, and Sultana) that belong to Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI cultural complex (4600–3900 cal. BC). Our approach includes an interdisciplinary investigation based on technological analysis, experimental archaeology, and X-ray CT scans coupled with statistical analysis. This investigation has a high potential to reveal relevant information regarding the technological background (e.g., inclusion, voids, temper, etc.), manufacturing stages (e.g., modeling, shaping, kneading, etc.), or transformation processes (e.g., drying and firing vs. weight and size modification) in order to identify, explain and understand thechaîne operatoirefor this type of artefacts. Moreover, correlation of the results with the experimental archaeology could offer an integrative interpretation about the material culture of past humans and its multiple meanings, but also critical in...

Organisers: Sylviane Déderix, Maguelone Bastide, Katarzyna Dudlik, Inga Głuszek, Małgorzata Kajzer, Beata Kukiel-Vraila, Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka & Laureline Pop

The third workshop on Women in the Archaeology of Greece, jointly organised by the École française d’Athènes and the Polish Archaeological Institute at Athens, will take place on 12 and 13 March 2025. The event will be held in honour of Maria Ludwika Bernhard (1908-1998), a Franco-Polish classical archaeologist, former foreign member of EFA, Professor of Classical Archaeology at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and curator of the Ancient Art Gallery at the National Museum in Warsaw.
For its third edition, the workshop will focus on the women often referred to as the ones ‘behind great men’, whose behind-the-scenes support helped these men rise to scientific prominence. In particular, it will highlight the wives – and, more broadly, the female partners – of renowned male archaeologists who worked alongside their husbands, helping them build brilliant careers and lasting legacies, while they themselves faded into obscurity, their contributions reduced to mere footnotes. Much like a magician’s assistant, whose skills and discretion bring the magic trick to life, these women operated in the shadow of a prominent male figure, either with his success as the sole objective or setting aside their own aspirations as secondary. Their role as devoted wives extended beyond the private and domestic sphere into their spouses’ professional lives: in addition to managing the household and raising children, they took charge of a range of archaeological tasks, such as securing funding, cataloguing excavation finds, drawing and photographing objects and architectural remains, writing reports, proofreading and editing publications, and sometimes even directing excavation campaigns in their spouse’s name.
Some of these women had no formal archaeological education but nevertheless embraced their husband’s profession, gradually learning their way into it. Others were trained as archaeologists but renounced (or were forced to renounce) pursuing independent careers – whether owing to tradition, personal choice, or a lack of professional opportunities – and instead dedicated their time, energy, and expertise to supporting their partners. A few managed to continue their archaeological research while contributing to their spouse’s projects, which always took precedence over their own. These women often had to lower their professional ambitions and forgo academic positions to avoid competing against their life partners, and as they assisted their husbands, their own work progressed more slowly and resulted in fewer publications. Often deprived of paid research positions, their access to resources was more limited, their professional networks were less extensive, and they did not officially mentor students – all of which prevented them from achieving the same lasting recognition as the ‘great men’ behind whom they stood.
This workshop is devoted to them.

The paper examines the as-yet unpublished fictile votive offerings made of impasto rosso-bruno which emerged during the 2009-2021 excavations at the Sanctuary of Diana at Lake Nemi (Rome). Although these finds quantitatively represent a minority compared to the overall votive material, the use of this particular ceramic class, typical of Southern Etruria and Latium Vetus between the late 7th and the 5th century BC, allows us to consider them, with relative certainty, as the oldest ritual offerings present within the sanctuary. The iconographic analysis of these materials highlights a discrepancy between their stylistic dating, traditionally

The paper examines the as-yet unpublished fictile votive offerings made of impasto rosso-bruno which emerged during the 2009-2021 excavations at the Sanctuary of Diana at Lake Nemi (Rome). Although these finds quantitatively represent a minority compared to the overall votive material, the use of this particular ceramic class, typical of Southern Etruria and Latium Vetus between the late 7th and the 5th century BC, allows us to consider them, with relative certainty, as the oldest ritual offerings present within the sanctuary. The iconographic analysis of these materials highlights a discrepancy between their stylistic dating, traditionally attributed to impasto rosso-bruno as a ceramic class, but thin-section analysis has confirmed that votives and ceramics in impasto rosso-bruno in Nemi were produced using the same technology, and possibly in the same workshops.

The careful examination of the clay findings collected during the extensive excavation of the Terramara of S. Rosa di Poviglio (Reggio Emilia, IT) led to the identification of several small objects that can be associated with sealing practices. By presenting and briefly discussing the sealing elements from S. Rosa di Poviglio, this paper intends to prompt greater attention toward the nonceramic clay findings, usually mostly neglected during post-excavation works, highlighting their potential in the reconstruction of sealing practices and in the identification of the perishable materials of which they can preserve the imprint.

El presente trabajo , presenta una inscripción ibérica inédita sobre fusayola que desde hace muchos años está en manos de un particular en la ciudad de Liria. Aunque solo poseemos un dibujo de la pieza y del texto , que fue proporcionado por el dueño en el año 2009. Sin embargo la notable extensión de este, obliga a un examen exhaustivo de los datos existentes con el fin de poder  determinar su autenticidad y valor epigráfico.

Due to the establishment of specific research strategies, especially in the last 20 years, the importance of considering textiles and textile tools from archaeological sites for our understanding of technical, economic, and social aspects of past societies can no longer be overlooked.
The paper presents examples of teaching and disseminating textile archaeology across diverse channels (in universities and for the broader public). This ranges from exhibitions to virtual reconstructions, workshops with children and citizen science projects for the reconstruction of historical handicraft techniques to media-effective historical fashion shows. Archaeological textile research needs a strong commitment to public outreach and education. Textile research in the 21st century also needs to be integrated into the challenges of our time and current debates.

In this paper we analyzed a batch of 64 clay weights from three archaeological sites located in Romania (Gumelniţa, Măgura-Jilava, and Sultana) that belong to Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI cultural complex (4600–3900 cal. BC). Our approach includes an interdisciplinary investigation based on technological analysis, experimental archaeology, and X-ray CT scans coupled with statistical analysis. This investigation has a high potential to reveal relevant information regarding the technological background (e.g., inclusion, voids, temper, etc.), manufacturing stages (e.g., modeling, shaping, kneading, etc.), or transformation processes (e.g., drying and firing vs. weight and size modification) in order to identify, explain and understand thechaîne operatoirefor this type of artefacts. Moreover, correlation of the results with the experimental archaeology could offer an integrative interpretation about the material culture of past humans and its multiple meanings, but also critical in...

On the hill of Brecciara, the preventive archaeological excavation for the Termoli-Lesina railway line brought to light important archaeological evidence dating from the Early Bronze Age to the Medieval period. In 2020-2021, the fieldwork explored the settlement area dated to Middle Bronze Age, richly articulated in dwelling and craft/productive structures. The different architectural and organisation choices of domestic space succeed one another around the middle of the 2nd millennium B.C., often related to fireplaces, ovens, and furnaces. The state of conservation of many of the buildings and features is exceptional. These include huts/houses or structured areas as well as floors, ruins, foundations walls, internal divisions, and fireplaces, which have been well-maintained in relation to abandonment by fire or sudden obliteration. In addition, a large and articulated system of open-air fire features, overlapping each other over time, is a typical framework. The domestic space also includes the deposition of human remains in 'disused' areas of the settlement.

The two conferences held in Verona in 1992 ("Settlement patterns between the Alps and the Black sea, 5th to 2nd millennium B.C.") and in Como in 1995 ("Introduction to the Archaeology of Domestic Spaces") are two important events in the field of studies on domestic spaces in pre- and protohistoric Italy: both aimed at shifting attention towards a more articulated methodology of analysis of settlement and its structures, both in terms of construction and use of space. Although later than in the Anglo-Saxon world, thanks to the progressive change in data collection methodologies and technologies, in the last 20 years the practice of spatial analysis of dwelling, domestic and/or productive contexts has become increasingly widespread in Italian protohistory and the Bronze Age. The home is fundamental to understand past societies and can change the way in which a specific culture is perceived in both diachronic and synchronic terms.  Archaeological micro-techniques, chemical and micro-morphological analyses of stratigraphic layers, the contextual study of artefacts, structural analyses, ethnoarchaeological data, functionalist studies, valorisation projects and so on, represent the common denominators linking the research presented in this volume: the tip of the iceberg of a field with great potential.

The two conferences held in Verona in 1992 (“Settlement patterns between the Alps and the Black sea, 5th to 2nd millennium B.C.”) and in Como in 1995 (“Introduction
to the Archaeology of Domestic Spaces”) are two important events in the field of studies on domestic spaces in pre- and protohistoric Italy: both aimed at
shifting attention towards a more articulated methodology of analysis of settlement and its structures, both in terms of construction and use of space. Although later
than in the Anglo-Saxon world, thanks to the progressive change in data collection methodologies and technologies, in the last 20 years the practice of spatial analysis
of dwelling, domestic and/or productive contexts has become increasingly widespread in Italian protohistory and the Bronze Age. The home is fundamental to
understand past societies and can change the way in which a specific culture is perceived in both diachronic and synchronic terms. Archaeological micro-techniques,
chemical and micro-morphological analyses of stratigraphic layers, the contextual study of artefacts, structural analyses, ethnoarchaeological data, functionalist studies,
valorisation projects and so on, represent the common denominators linking the research presented in this volume: the tip of the iceberg of a field with great potential.
Key words: household archaeology, Italian protohistory, multi- and interdisciplinary research.
RIASSUNTO
I due convegni tenutisi a Verona nel 1992 (“Settlement patterns between the Alps and the Black sea, 5th to 2nd millennium B.C.”) e a Como nel 1995
(“Introduzione all’archeologia degli spazi domestici”) rappresentano due momenti significativi nell’ambito degli studi sugli spazi domestici della
pre- e protostoria italiana: entrambi rivolti a spostare l’attenzione verso una metodologia di analisi più articolata degli abitati e delle sue
strutture, sia in termini costruttivi che dell’uso dello spazio. Seppure in ritardo rispetto al mondo anglossassone, complice il progressivo
cambiamento delle metodologie e tecnologie di raccolta dei dati, negli ultimi 20 anni si è sempre più diffusa anche nella protostoria italiana
e per l’età del Bronzo, la pratica dell’analisi spaziale dei contesti abitativi, domestici e/o produttivi. La casa è basilare per la comprensione
delle società passate e può cambiare il modo in cui viene percepita una specifica cultura sia in chiave diacronica che sincronica. Le microtecniche
archeologiche, le analisi chimiche e micro-morfologiche dei livelli stratigrafici, lo studio contestuale dei reperti, le analisi strutturali,
i dati etnoarcheologici, gli studi funzionalistici, i progetti di valorizzazione e così via, rappresentano i comuni denominatori che uniscono
le ricerche presentate in questo volume: punta dell’iceberg di un settore con grandi potenziali. Parole chiave: archeologia degli spazi domestici, protostoria italiana, ricerca multi- e interdisciplinare.

opera è rilasciata sotto la licenza Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives. Questo libro è disponibile direttamente presso la sezione pubblicazioni del sito del Museo di Storia Naturale di Verona https://museodistorianaturale.comune.verona.it/

The pile dwelling was discovered in 1955 in the valley of the river Menago, just a few hundred meters south of the settlement of Tombola di Cerea (VR). A first excavation was carried out that very year by Francesco Zorzi, director of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale of Verona; the digging has been resumed in 1999 by the Soprintendenza Archeologica of Veneto. The results of these excavations have ascertained that the prehistoric dwelling site was built in a marshy environment. Only some vertical poles and some horizontal beams were preserved, which leads to the hypothesis that there existed a wooden platform on which the sheds were standing. The structural elements of the palafitte find correspondents in others settlements in moist environment from the Middle Bronze Age. The paleogeographic reconstruction of the immediate hinterland confirm the location of the site at the center of the Menago River Paleovalley, an incision a few hundred meters wide and more than ten meters deep, a...

Late Antique Quadi Residence in Cífer-Pác. Reconstruction of Building Development
In the 4th c., a princely residence was built on the outskirts of the Germanic settlement in Cífer-Pác (SW Slovakia). It consists
of a quadrangular enclosure with two stone and several wooden buildings. The residence was built in the spirit of Roman building traditions according to a carefully thought-out plan, using Roman building technologies and Roman building materials. It served the needs of the local Germanic chieftain and is an eloquent testimony to the peaceful
Roman-Germanic relations at the end of Antiquity. The article summarizes the development of the residence with its three building phases and offers architectural reconstructions of its appearance.

From the excavations carried out between 1936 and 1967 in the Chalcolithic settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Azambuja, Portugal), there were recovered more than 500 ceramic elements usually known as “loom weights” with different shapes, dimensions and, in the majority, with decorated surfaces. The iconographic repertoire is quite diverse, with the geometric motifs in higher representation, followed by soliforms, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic motifs. For the zoomorphic motifs there were identified eleven decorated surfaces, whose typology is split into two categories: quadruped – whose species are not identifiable; deer representations. These iconographic motifs are part of the symbolic and conceptual universe of Iberian communities from the 3rd Millennium BC, also appearing in several artifactual categories such as ceramics, figurines, plates, engravings and rock art paintings. Understanding the mechanisms that create and increase this thematic uniformity, as well as the meanin...

OBSERVATIONS REGARDING SOME DISCOVERIES FROM DWELLING NO. 2 OF SULTANA MALU ROŞU ENEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT Sultana Malu Roşu is one of the most spectacular sites belonging to Gumelniţa culture and generally to Encolithic Agc. The te/l-settlement is placed on Iezerul Mostiştei Lake shore at 15 km north ofthe Danube Valley. Thc archacological researches were restarted in 2001 with the discovery of interesting complexes, for example the housc no. 2, with a rich archaeological inventory. lnside the house there was discovered, among other things, a burnt clay structurc. maybc a sort of bench. Near it there was discovered a clay box with a big size stone, having a nat uppcr part, which was fit in thc clay box. This object was found in secondary position, under it there were discovcred loom wcights of burnt clay and vesscl fragments. lt was recovered from thc site and partially rebuilt in the laboratorics of Lower Danubc Museum-Călăraşi.

When compared with contemporary Germanic settlements, the assemblage of beads from the late antique elite residence at Cífer-Pác (Trnava district) is exceptional not only in the number of individual specimens but also in the variability of forms and materials used. Apart from usual types of glass beads, the assemblage also comprised specimens made from rare materials (marble, carnelian) and materials that appear exotic in the barbarian territory north of the Danube (sea coral, jade). They were identified with the help of natural scientific analyses and gemological methods (Raman spectroscopy). Absorption spectroscopy was used to analyse elements that influence the final glass colour.

In this paper we analyzed a batch of 64 clay weights from three archaeological sites located in Romania (Gumelniţa, Măgura-Jilava, and Sultana) that belong to Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI cultural complex (4600–3900 cal. BC). Our approach includes an interdisciplinary investigation based on technological analysis, experimental archaeology, and X-ray CT scans coupled with statistical analysis. This investigation has a high potential to reveal relevant information regarding the technological background (e.g., inclusion, voids, temper, etc.), manufacturing stages (e.g., modeling, shaping, kneading, etc.), or transformation processes (e.g., drying and firing vs. weight and size modification) in order to identify, explain and understand thechaîne operatoirefor this type of artefacts. Moreover, correlation of the results with the experimental archaeology could offer an integrative interpretation about the material culture of past humans and its multiple meanings, but also critical in...

The submitted monograph deals with Roman-German relations and the social structure of Germanic society in the area of the central Danube region. At the same time, the aim of the work was to publish findings from the excavations of the Germanic residence, which was discovered in the cadastre of the village Milanovce/Veľký Kýr. The research at the site in the years 1956-1957 was led by T. Kolník. During the research, negatives of a rectangular building measuring 21 x 30 m were uncovered. The work analyzes and interprets numerous findings of stamped bricks and ceramic material, which are currently stored in the depository of AÚ SAV and have not been published so far. It mainly concerns burnished ceramics, stamped bricks, and Roman-provincial imported vessels. The work presents relevantly documented findings and complete finding situations. Comprehensive processing of the findings was essential for the interpretation of the masonry structure, the presumed residance, and the determination of construction phases.

This article briefly presents the history of textile archaeology in Slovakia, the foundations of which were laid out by Karol Pieta. With his scientific curiosity and hunger for the new adventures, Karol Pieta has been crossing the boundaries of his discipline his whole life. The conditions for the preservation of organic materials are generally very unfavourable, which is why they were often overlooked by archaeologists. Interest for textiles first started with remains hidden in tubular anklets dated to the La Tène Period, initially noticed and studied by Karol Pieta. The most unique ones come from Nové Zámky and shed light on an embroidery technique of the Late Iron Age. The majority of prehistoric textiles in Slovakia are dated to the La Tène Period and it is comparable with finds from the Czech Republic and Austria. A find from an unknown location analysed in 2021, can with certainty be assigned to the corpus of La Tène Period textiles. It can be assumed that linen tabbies made of simple z-spun threads were preferred in this period. Textiles were found in different circumstances, usually mineralised on metal artefacts in graves. The primary use of these textiles was for clothing and ritual wrappings. A secondary use is evidenced by textile fillings of bronze hollow anklets. A Celtic female dress was reconstructed based on the position of artefacts found in the graves, as well on the observations of La Tène Period textiles, in particular the Nové Zámky embroidery. It is interesting to see, that textiles were apparently used as a code to reflect social and aesthetic values. In society they played an important role in the definition and expression of social space and of group relations.

This paper reviews interpretations of the East Aegean-West Anatolian Interface conceptualised originally by Penelope Mountjoy in 1998. By addressing material culture aspects of the Upper Interface, with particular attention to pottery, tomb architecture and grave assemblages, seals, and personal adornments, we discuss the validity of Mountjoy’s seminal proposal. Firstly, we consider the Interface as an intercultural contact space, leading to a variety of narratives and intercultural outcomes. We then discuss the Mycenaeanisation process in the Upper Interface in relation to the preceding period of cultural contacts with Crete (usually defined as Minoanisation), and we conclude by elaborating a new concept of the Central Interface.

In this paper we analyzed a batch of 64 clay weights from three archaeological sites located in Romania (Gumelniţa, Măgura-Jilava, and Sultana) that belong to Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI cultural complex (4600–3900 cal. BC). Our approach includes an interdisciplinary investigation based on technological analysis, experimental archaeology, and X-ray CT scans coupled with statistical analysis. This investigation has a high potential to reveal relevant information regarding the technological background (e.g., inclusion, voids, temper, etc.), manufacturing stages (e.g., modeling, shaping, kneading, etc.), or transformation processes (e.g., drying and firing vs. weight and size modification) in order to identify, explain and understand the chaîne operatoire for this type of artefacts. Moreover, correlation of the results with the experimental archaeology could offer an integrative interpretation about the material culture of past humans and its multiple meanings, but also critical ...

Projekt "aktívna textília" je výskum technológie samoskladania textílie na základe predpätej textílie potlačenej 3D tlačenou grafikou. Výskum prebiehal v úzkej spolupráci s Ing. arch. Kristýnou Uhrovou, ktorá sa venuje digitálnemu navrhovaniu a 3D tlači. Brožúra obsahuje 29 obrázkov s podrobnou číselnou dokumentáciou o materiáloch a ich spracovaní. Predmetom skúmania je priestorový vizuálny efekt, ktorý vzniká po uvoľnení prepätej textílie. Na výskum sme používali elastický úplet-plavkovinu 20 % EA a 70 % PES, ktorá sa naťahuje do všetkých strán takmer rovnako. Táto textília je pružná a zároveň dostatočne hustá, takže výrazne nemení štruktúru pri natiahnutí. Textil sme natiahli do dreveného okrúhleho rámu na vyšívanie a po okrajoch pravidelne poťahovali. Textil v ráme sme umiestnili na podložku 3D tlačiarne a v štyroch bodoch prilepili páskou. Páska zabezpečí, aby sa rám na podložke nepohol.

This paper examines the emergence of the non-submerged type of round building in the settlements of prehistoric Aegean, including Crete. It complements our earlier discussion of the Minoan evidence that concentrated on the properties of architectural form and the cultural semantics of its perishable structure. This work explores the common characteristics that this particular architectural genre acquires in the prehistoric communities of the Greek mainland, the Aegean islands and Crete, along with the features that seem to demarcate distinct chronological and geographical groupings. More specifically, the systematic co-occurrence of features warrant, in our view, the identification of a hitherto unidentified round building type, detected in the iconography of Minoan Crete. It is the Minoan evidence par excellence that presents the greatest diversity of architectural variants, contexts and apparently function. On a more general level, the tradition of a round building type is inferre...

In this paper we analyzed a batch of 64 clay weights from three archaeological sites located in Romania (Gumelniţa, Măgura-Jilava, and Sultana) that belong to Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI cultural complex (4600–3900 cal. BC). Our approach includes an interdisciplinary investigation based on technological analysis, experimental archaeology, and X-ray CT scans coupled with statistical analysis. This investigation has a high potential to reveal relevant information regarding the technological background (e.g., inclusion, voids, temper, etc.), manufacturing stages (e.g., modeling, shaping, kneading, etc.), or transformation processes (e.g., drying and firing vs. weight and size modification) in order to identify, explain and understand the chaîne operatoire for this type of artefacts. Moreover, correlation of the results with the experimental archaeology could offer an integrative interpretation about the material culture of past humans and its multiple meanings, but also critical ...