Description
Book SynopsisThis book centres on the anthropological study of two late 8th century BC monumental graves, designated as T144 and T105, at the ancient necropolis of Paroikia at Paros. The study investigates inter-island features of the human record, observable as ingrained traces in the skeletal record. These have particular significance as they may relate to Parian endeavours in the northern Aegean to colonise Thasos. Through the ‘Paros Polyandreia Anthropological Project,’ it was possible to gain insights into aspects of the human environment and experience in the Parian context. A considerable population sample of cremated male individuals was available, shedding light on trends that would have involved Thasos; and discerning further facets of the human condition during the Late Geometric to the Early Archaic periods in the ancient Hellenic world. The report integrates the basic anthropological data, evaluations and assessments derived from the study of the human skeletal record of Polyandreia T144, and T105. Bioarchaeological and forensic anthropological research results include the morphometric analyses of biological developmental growth and variability in relation to manifestations of acquired skeleto-anatomic changes, along with inquiries into the demographic dynamics, and the palaeopathologic profile of the individuals involved. Such intra-site juxtaposition afforded the possibility to deliberate on issues of the intended purpose, function, and symbolic meaning of the two funerary activity areas, and to reflect on the organizational abilities and capacities of the Parians in political and military affairs. Moreover, inter-site evaluations of the burial grounds of Orthi Petra of Eleutherna-Crete, Plithos of Naxos, Athenian Demosion Sema, Pythagoreion of Samos, and Rhodes make possible comparisons of taphonomic conditions, with cremated materials’ metric analyses, and reflections on aspects of the funerary customs and practices of the interring of cremated war dead.
Table of ContentsPreface; Archaeologikόn Prolegόmenon; Chapter 1 Introduction; Chapter 2 Methods; Chapter 3 ‘Vase Contexts’ Recovered from Monumental Tomb T144; Chapter 4 Metric Studies of Cremated Human Remains Retrieved from T144 ‘Vase Contexts’; Chapter 5 Bone Elements and Other Materials Recovered from T144 ‘Non-Vase Contexts’; Chapter 6 Metric Studies of Cremated Human Remains Retrieved from ‘Non-Vase Contexts’ of T144; Chapter 7 Regarding a Select Number of T144 Archaeological Contexts’ Osteo-Anthropological Study Results; Chapter 8 ‘Archaeological Contexts’ with Human Cremains Recovered from Monumental Tomb T105; Chapter 9 Metric Studies of Cremated Human Remains Retrieved from ‘Archaeological Contexts’ of T105, along with Intra- and Inter-site Comparisons; Chapter 10 Toward a Synopsis of Results on the Anthropological Materials Studied from Monumental Tombs T144 and T105; Postface (On matters of an unfinished discussion); Select Bibliographical References; Appendix 1 Human Skeletal Map with Anatomic Directions; Appendix 2 Human Deciduous and Permanent Dental Map; Appendix 3 Laboratory Form for the Inspectional & Metric Study of Human Cremated Materials and for Recording Relative Artifacual and Ecofactual Remains; Appendix 4 Excerpt (pages 2 and 11 of 11) of field form for the excavation, documentation, and recovery of burial features; emphasis on cultural materials and taphonomic conditions; Appendix 5 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Range of Weight Values (in grams) per ‘Vase Context’ for the Sample of 67 ‘Vase Contexts’; Appendix 6 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Distribution of 328 Cranial Male Measurements out of a Sample of 74 Homini from within ‘Vase Contexts’; Appendix 7 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Distribution of 326 Postcranial Appendicular Male Measurements out of a Sample of 68 Homini from within ‘Vase Contexts’; Appendix 8 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Range of 74 Cases of Male Individuals’ Cranial Average Values from within ‘Vase Contexts’; Appendix 9 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Range of 68 Cases of Male Individuals’ Postcranial Appendicular Average Values from within ‘Vase Contexts’; Appendix 10 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Range of Weight Values (in grams) per ‘Non-Vase Context’ for the Sample of 10 ‘Non-Vase Contexts’; Appendix 11 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Distribution of 17 Cranial Male Measurements out of a Sample of 9 Homini from within ‘Non-Vase Contexts’; Appendix 12 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Distribution of 24 Postcranial Appendicular Male Measurements out of a Sample of 11 Homini from within ‘Non-Vase Contexts’; Appendix 13 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Range of 9 Cases of Male Individuals’ Cranial Average Values from within ‘Non-Vase Contexts’; Appendix 14 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Range of 11 Cases of Male Individuals’ Postcranial Appendicular Average Values from within ‘Non-Vase Contexts’; Appendix 15 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Distribution of 345 Cranial Male Measurements from ‘Vase’, and ‘Non-Vase Contexts’; Appendix 16 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Distribution of 350 Postcranial Appendicular Male Measurements from ‘Vase’, and ‘Non-Vase Contexts’; Appendix 17 Polyandreion T144: Ascending Range of Weight Values (in grams) per Burial Context for the Sample of 77 Burial Contexts; Appendix 18 Polyandreion T105: Ascending Distribution of 131 Cranial Male Measurements out of a Sample of 20 Homini from within Archaeological Contexts; Appendix 19 Polyandreion T105: Ascending Distribution of 103 Postcranial Appendicular Male Measurements out of a Sample of 20 Homini from within Archaeological Contexts; Appendix 20 Polyandreion T105: Ascending Range of 20 Cases of Male Individuals’ Cranial Average Values from within Archaeological Contexts; Appendix 21 Polyandreion T105: Ascending Range of 20 Cases of Male Individuals’ Postcranial Appendicular Average Values from within Archaeological Contexts; Appendix A Table 3 Polyandreion T144: Archaeological and Anthropological Contextual Information of 68 (86.08%) out of 79 Archaeological Contexts Submitted for Osteo-Anthropologic Analysis; Appendix B Table 21 Polyandreion T144: Archaeological and Anthropological Contextual Information of 11 ‘Non-Vase Contexts’ (13.92%) out of 79 Archaeological Contexts Submitted for Osteo-Anthropologic Analysis; Appendix C Table 44 Polyandreion T105: Archaeological and Anthropological Contextual Information of 11 (100.0%) out of 11 Archaeological Contexts Submitted for Osteo-Anthropologic Analysis