- University of Athens
Department of History and Archaeology - University Campus
GR 157 84 Athens - Greece - 0030 210 7277431
- Archaeological Method & Theory, Near Eastern Archaeology, Archaeological GIS, Funerary Archaeology, Ancient Near East, Anatolian Archaeology, and 42 moreNear Eastern Studies, Mesopotamian Archaeology, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Levantine Archaeology, Mesopotamia History, Assyria, Amarna Letters, Cultural interrelations in the eastern Mediterranean from the BA to the EIA, Archaeology and History, Hittite archaeology, Mesopotamia, Sea Peoples, Ubaid culture, Archaeobotany, Lithics, Ancient Topography (Archaeology), Assyrian archaeology, Uruk Period, Chalcolithic Archaeology, Obsidian, Kurdistan, Faunal Analysis, Chalcolithic Pottery, Excavation Methodology, Uruk Expansion, Chalcolithic Metallurgy, Ubaid expansion, Prehistory of Kurdistan, Ubaid, Neolithic Archaeology, Syria, Ancient Near Eastern History, Iranian Archaeology, Iranian History, Terracotta Figurines, Ancient Seals and Sealings, Levant, Mesopotamian history, Hittite Mythology, Minoan Egyptian Interrelations, Middle Bronze Age Southern Levant, and Neolithic of the Near East; figurinesedit
K. Kopanias. 2018. "An Ubaid Kiln at Tell Nader (Kurdistan Region in Iraq)". Études Mésopotamiennes 1: 70-76.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The Kouris Valley where the Iron Age kingdom of Kourion developed appears to have been densely inhabited during the Middle (MBA) and Late Bronze Age (LBA), offering important information on urbanisation processes, settlement hierarchies... more
The Kouris Valley where the Iron Age kingdom of Kourion developed appears to have been densely inhabited during the Middle (MBA) and Late Bronze Age (LBA), offering important information on urbanisation processes, settlement hierarchies and socio-political evolution at the regional level. This paper provides a brief reassessment and comparative analysis of selected sets of mortuary data coming from various LBA and Early Iron Age (EIA) sites. The distribution patterns of local and imported prized objects and their association with variable evidence stemming from topographic, architectural, economic and other relevant categories suggest the integration of the broader area around the flow of the river Kouris in a complex socio-political system. On current evidence, none of the excavated settlement sites can be distinguished as the indisputable centre of this system. Nevertheless, several signs of centralised politico-economic control, administrative strategies and the systematic consumption of prestige goods suggest the existence of local interdependent elite groups that cooperated with each other in order to maintain their high status and promote their common interests.
Research Interests:
This paper focuses on the study of ten swords from Cyprus of the Late Bronze Age (LBA) and the Early Iron Age (EIA). Using SolidWorks, a modelling computer-aided design and engineering program, we have produced 3D models of five bronze... more
This paper focuses on the study of ten swords from Cyprus of the Late Bronze Age (LBA) and the Early Iron Age (EIA). Using SolidWorks, a modelling computer-aided design and engineering program, we have produced 3D models of five bronze and five iron swords, based on their physical characteristics (mainly form and alloys). We ran tests on them by simulating cutting and thrusting blows at the maximum load of force, until their yielding point was identified. The iron swords were compared with their bronze predecessors and the benefits of using iron (as steel) instead of bronze were evaluated. This analysis offers new evidence on the old question of whether swords were used only as prestige objects by members of the elite or also as functional weapons. All the swords in our study were found to be capable of being used for both cutting and thrusting and we can therefore suggest that they were functional weapons, able to be used in battle.
Research Interests:
There is an ambivalence in the way, that Sicily and Italy are depicted in the Odyssey. They are portrayed as places with dangerous mythical creatures, albeit a visit from Italy was also perceived as nothing extraordinary. It is apparent,... more
There is an ambivalence in the way, that Sicily and Italy are depicted in the Odyssey. They are portrayed as places with dangerous mythical creatures, albeit a visit from Italy was also perceived as nothing extraordinary. It is apparent, that there is an amalgamation of contradicting myths and traditions stemming from different periods. In the Odyssey there is a reference to a ship travelling from the Ionian Sea with a cargo of iron to Temesa in Italy, in order to acquire copper. The mention of iron led many scholars to think, that this particular passage reflects the realities of the eighth century BC. In this paper I argue that the reference to this
particular journey reflects an early phase of trading activity in the 11th and 10th centuries BC, when iron was being produced in the Aegean, but not yet in Italy.
particular journey reflects an early phase of trading activity in the 11th and 10th centuries BC, when iron was being produced in the Aegean, but not yet in Italy.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Various Greek authors from the Archaic to the Roman period refer to a migration of population groups from the Aegean and West Anatolia to Pamphylia and Cilicia in the aftermath of the Trojan War. The meagre archaeological evidence, as... more
Various Greek authors from the Archaic to the Roman period refer to a migration of population groups from the Aegean and West Anatolia to Pamphylia and Cilicia in the aftermath of the Trojan War. The meagre archaeological evidence, as well as the Arcadocypriot and Mycenaean elements in the Pamphylian dialect, fits with this narrative. Furthermore, from (at least) the end of the 10th to the late 8th centuries a kingdom, which was called Hiyawa in Luwian and Qw or ‘mq ’dn in Phoenician inscriptions, controlled Cilicia and possibly also a part of Pamphylia. Its subjects were called Hiyawa in Luwian and dnnym in Phoenician. The term Hiyawa stems from the Hittite geographic term Ahhiyawa, which referred to one of the Mycenaean kingdoms in the Aegean during the LBA; both Ahhiyawa and Hiyawa derive from the ethnonym 'Achaean'. At least one of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hiyawa considered himself to be a descendant of Muksas/mpš, which shows that the later stories about Mopsos were not entirely fictitious. The Achaean settlers in Cilicia gradually fused with the Luwian population. Herodotus later called them Hypachaeans, which implies that they were neither Achaeans or Greeks, nor Luwians or Cilicians. Further waves of Aegean migrants continued to arrive mainly in Pamphylia and Cilicia Tracheia at least until the 7th century. These later migrants were also gradually amalgamated with the indigenous population and their vernacular became heavily influenced by the local Luwian dialects.
Research Interests: Phoenicians, Anatolian Archaeology, Luwian, Aegean Bronze Age (Bronze Age Archaeology), Cyprus, and 22 moreGreek Archaeology, Aegean Prehistory (Archaeology), Late Bronze Age archaeology, Cilicia, Ancient Greek History, Aegean Archaeology, Phoenician Punic Archaeology, Pamphylia, Aegean Prehistory, Early Iron Age, Late Bronze Age, Hittite archaeology, Ramesses III, Sea Peoples, Hittites, Ahhiyawa, Trojan War, Hieroglyphic Luvian / Luwian, Mopsos, LHIIIC, Ahhiyawa Texts, and Hiyawa
K. Kopanias. 2018. "Deconstructing Achilles. The Stories about Piyamaradu and the Making of a Homeric Hero." In ΕΥΔΑΙΜΩΝ. Studies in Honor of Jan Bouzek, edited by P. Pavúk, V. Klontza-Jaklová, A. Harding: 31-69. Opera Facultatis... more
K. Kopanias. 2018. "Deconstructing Achilles. The Stories about Piyamaradu and the Making of a Homeric Hero." In ΕΥΔΑΙΜΩΝ. Studies in Honor of Jan Bouzek, edited by P. Pavúk, V. Klontza-Jaklová, A. Harding: 31-69. Opera Facultatis Philosophicae Universitatis Carolinae Pragensis. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague.
Piyamaradu was a nobleman with a Luwian name, who lived during the second to third quarters of the 13 th c. BC. It is possible that he was a grandson of king Uhha-ziti of Arzawa, who was defeated by the Hittite king Mursili II, lost his throne and died exiled on an Aegean island within the realm of the king of Ahhiyawa. Piyamaradu used Millawanda as a base for military operations, and later an Aegean island. He was a military leader who served the king of Ahhiyawa, although he retained a great degree of autonomy from him. Several Hittite texts describe his deeds, as well as the unsuccessful efforts of at least two Hittite kings to neutralize him. Piyamaradu was able to defeat the king of the Seha River Land and he raided the island Lazpa; he attacked the land of Willusa, but in the end its king Alaksandu was restored to the throne by Hittite intervention; he was active in the land of Lukka and raided many lands in west Anatolia. The case of Piyamaradu, an individual, who was not even a king, and still managed to cause so many problems to one of the superpowers of the time, is unparalleled. In this paper it will be argued that the legends about Piyamaradu found an echo in the Homeric Iliad.
Piyamaradu was a nobleman with a Luwian name, who lived during the second to third quarters of the 13 th c. BC. It is possible that he was a grandson of king Uhha-ziti of Arzawa, who was defeated by the Hittite king Mursili II, lost his throne and died exiled on an Aegean island within the realm of the king of Ahhiyawa. Piyamaradu used Millawanda as a base for military operations, and later an Aegean island. He was a military leader who served the king of Ahhiyawa, although he retained a great degree of autonomy from him. Several Hittite texts describe his deeds, as well as the unsuccessful efforts of at least two Hittite kings to neutralize him. Piyamaradu was able to defeat the king of the Seha River Land and he raided the island Lazpa; he attacked the land of Willusa, but in the end its king Alaksandu was restored to the throne by Hittite intervention; he was active in the land of Lukka and raided many lands in west Anatolia. The case of Piyamaradu, an individual, who was not even a king, and still managed to cause so many problems to one of the superpowers of the time, is unparalleled. In this paper it will be argued that the legends about Piyamaradu found an echo in the Homeric Iliad.
Research Interests: Near Eastern Archaeology, Homer, Near Eastern Studies, Anatolian Studies, Anatolian Archaeology, and 27 moreAnatolian History, Hittite, Luwian, Aegean Bronze Age (Bronze Age Archaeology), Epic Literature, Greek Epic, Ancient Near East, Aegean Prehistory (Archaeology), Epic poetry, Acculturation, Mycenaean era archaeology, Aegean Archaeology, Migration, Multiculturalism, Acculturation, Diasporas, Children in State Care, Youth Justice, Gender and Violence, Homeric poetry, Ancient Near Eastern History, Ancient Lycia, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Aegean Prehistory, Hittite archaeology, The Hittites, Iliad, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Mysia, Ahhiyawa, Trojan War, Homeric epic, and Wilusa
During the fifth regnal year of Merenptah, king Merey of the Rebu/Lebu attacked Egypt, together with his archers and many northern warriors. These northerners were not affiliated with any of the existing minor or major kingdoms of the... more
During the fifth regnal year of Merenptah, king Merey of the Rebu/Lebu attacked Egypt, together with his archers and many northern warriors. These northerners were not affiliated with any of the existing minor or major kingdoms of the eastern Mediterranean, since they are only identified by obscure ethnonyms. Five inscriptions of Merenptah refer to these particular events, but they offer scarce historical information; a sixth one, inscribed on a wall of the Amun temple in Karnak, is the most elaborate one. Although the Karnak inscription has often been cited, most scholars usually focus on the parts referring to the 'Sea Peoples', which are often examined in isolation and out of their context. The aim of this paper is to re-examine the available evidence.
Research Interests: Near Eastern Archaeology, Near Eastern Studies, Bronze Age Europe (Archaeology), Aegean Bronze Age (Bronze Age Archaeology), Migration Studies, and 11 moreAncient Near East, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Ancient Near Eastern History, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Societal Collapse, Late Bronze Age, Sea Peoples, Royal ideology in the ancient Near East, and Bronze Age Collapse
E. Mantzourani, K. Kopanias, Ι. Voskos. Forthcoming. "A Great King on Alashia? The Archaeological and Textual Evidence." In From LUGAL.GAL to Wanax? Kingship and State Formation in the Late Bronze Age Aegean, edited by J.M. Kelder and... more
E. Mantzourani, K. Kopanias, Ι. Voskos. Forthcoming. "A Great King on Alashia? The Archaeological and Textual Evidence." In From LUGAL.GAL to Wanax? Kingship and State Formation in the Late Bronze Age Aegean, edited by J.M. Kelder and W.J.I. Waal. Leiden: Sidestone Press.
Alashia's king was mentioned as an equal to the Egyptian King in the Amarna Letters, despite the fact that his kingdom was no match to Egypt from the political and the military point of view. It seems that Alashia's significance as a trade partner, as well as the fact that it was beyond Egypt's reach, were sufficient reasons, in order to pretend that its rulers belonged to the "big league". In our paper we offer a very brief overview on various texts from Egypt, Hatti and Ugarit concerning the political status of the king of Alashia, as well as a summary of the available archaeological evidence on Cyprus. It seems that there is no major site, which could be considered as the capital of a Great Kingdom. Υet, one of them was indeed viewed as such by Egypt for its own reasons. The same could apply also in the case of Ahhiyawa. Although we have no undeniable archaeological evidence to prove the "supremacy" of a single Mycenaean centre over the whole of the Aegean, one of them seems to have been considered by the Hittites as the capital of a Great King. The Identification of Alashia with Cyprus Previous attempts to locate Alashia outside Cyprus, either in Cilicia or Syria, 1 proved unrewarding. If Alashia is not to be identified with Cyprus, then we are confronted with two insurmountable problems: firstly, this would mean that Cyprus, a copper producing and trade centre with exports in all of the eastern Mediterranean, was never mentioned in any of the existing Bronze Age Near Eastern texts. 2 Secondly, we would have to assume that a copper producing centre, with a king who at times was considered to be an equal to the Egyptian king and superior to the king of Ugarit, was based somewhere on the mainland, but somehow managed to escape the attention of the Hittite, the Mitanni and the Egyptian armies. 3 The evidence from the Hittite, Ugaritic and Egyptian texts, 4 as well as the recent petrographic analysis of 1 E.g. Merrillees 1987; but see also the book review of Hout 1994.
Alashia's king was mentioned as an equal to the Egyptian King in the Amarna Letters, despite the fact that his kingdom was no match to Egypt from the political and the military point of view. It seems that Alashia's significance as a trade partner, as well as the fact that it was beyond Egypt's reach, were sufficient reasons, in order to pretend that its rulers belonged to the "big league". In our paper we offer a very brief overview on various texts from Egypt, Hatti and Ugarit concerning the political status of the king of Alashia, as well as a summary of the available archaeological evidence on Cyprus. It seems that there is no major site, which could be considered as the capital of a Great Kingdom. Υet, one of them was indeed viewed as such by Egypt for its own reasons. The same could apply also in the case of Ahhiyawa. Although we have no undeniable archaeological evidence to prove the "supremacy" of a single Mycenaean centre over the whole of the Aegean, one of them seems to have been considered by the Hittites as the capital of a Great King. The Identification of Alashia with Cyprus Previous attempts to locate Alashia outside Cyprus, either in Cilicia or Syria, 1 proved unrewarding. If Alashia is not to be identified with Cyprus, then we are confronted with two insurmountable problems: firstly, this would mean that Cyprus, a copper producing and trade centre with exports in all of the eastern Mediterranean, was never mentioned in any of the existing Bronze Age Near Eastern texts. 2 Secondly, we would have to assume that a copper producing centre, with a king who at times was considered to be an equal to the Egyptian king and superior to the king of Ugarit, was based somewhere on the mainland, but somehow managed to escape the attention of the Hittite, the Mitanni and the Egyptian armies. 3 The evidence from the Hittite, Ugaritic and Egyptian texts, 4 as well as the recent petrographic analysis of 1 E.g. Merrillees 1987; but see also the book review of Hout 1994.
Research Interests: Levantine Archaeology, Cyprus Studies, Mediterranean Studies, Hittite, Egypt, and 11 moreAegean Bronze Age (Bronze Age Archaeology), History of the Mediterranean, Aegean Prehistory (Archaeology), Late Bronze Age archaeology, Aegean Archaeology, Early Bronze Age (Archaeology), Mediterranean archaeology, Ancient Egyptian History, Ugaritic Studies, Hittite archaeology, and Archaeology of the Levant
K. Kopanias, G. Barlagianni. Forthcoming. "Unequal in Life but Equal in Death? The Mortuary Evidence for Social Stratification in the Ubaid Polities." In Archeology of Historical Period of Iran, edited by Kamal Aldin Niknami & Ali... more
K. Kopanias, G. Barlagianni. Forthcoming. "Unequal in Life but Equal in Death? The Mortuary Evidence for Social Stratification in the Ubaid Polities." In Archeology of Historical Period of Iran, edited by Kamal Aldin Niknami & Ali Hozhabri. Tehran: Department of Archeology of the University of Tehran.
The archaeological evidence is inconclusive as to whether the Ubaid society was egalitarian or not. The almost complete absence of prestige goods and the rarity of imported raw materials in the Ubaid settlements appear to indicate the existence of an unstratified society. On the other hand, it is possible that an elite did indeed exist, but left almost no trace in the material culture. A re-evaluation of the mortuary practices in the Ubaid period offers some insight on this subject. A closer look at the archaeological evidence shows little variation concerning the quantity and quality of grave offerings. This means that the mortuary evidence too offers no direct clues for the existence of a stratified society in the Ubaid polities. Rather, the funerary practices indicate that in the Ubaid period there was no symbiotic relation between the living and the dead, as was witnessed in both previous and later periods in Mesopotamia. After the completion of the funerary rites, a deceased person was no longer considered to be a threat to or an asset for the community.
The archaeological evidence is inconclusive as to whether the Ubaid society was egalitarian or not. The almost complete absence of prestige goods and the rarity of imported raw materials in the Ubaid settlements appear to indicate the existence of an unstratified society. On the other hand, it is possible that an elite did indeed exist, but left almost no trace in the material culture. A re-evaluation of the mortuary practices in the Ubaid period offers some insight on this subject. A closer look at the archaeological evidence shows little variation concerning the quantity and quality of grave offerings. This means that the mortuary evidence too offers no direct clues for the existence of a stratified society in the Ubaid polities. Rather, the funerary practices indicate that in the Ubaid period there was no symbiotic relation between the living and the dead, as was witnessed in both previous and later periods in Mesopotamia. After the completion of the funerary rites, a deceased person was no longer considered to be a threat to or an asset for the community.
Research Interests:
K. Kopanias. Forthcoming. "Πειρατές, Hapiru και Μισθοφόροι στην Ανατολική Μεσόγειο κατά την Ύστερη Εποχή του Χαλκού" [Pirates, Hapiru and Mercenaries in the Eastern Mediterranean During the Late Bronze Age] In Proceedings of a Symposion... more
K. Kopanias. Forthcoming. "Πειρατές, Hapiru και Μισθοφόροι στην Ανατολική Μεσόγειο κατά την Ύστερη Εποχή του Χαλκού" [Pirates, Hapiru and Mercenaries in the Eastern Mediterranean During the Late Bronze Age] In Proceedings of a Symposion in Memory of Professor Spyridon Iakovides, edited by. P. Polychronakou-Sgouritsa. Athens.
Research Interests:
J. MacGinnis, and K. Kopanias. Forthcoming. "Recent Archaeological Investigations in Iraq." Journal of Iranian Archaeology 8.
Research Interests:
K. Beuger and K. Kopanias. 2018. “Neolithic Pottery from Tell Nader (Erbil).” In II Workshop on Late Neolithic Ceramics in Ancient Mesopotamia: Pottery in Contect, edited by A. Gómez-Bach, J. Becker and M. Molist: 91-98. Barcelona:... more
K. Beuger and K. Kopanias. 2018. “Neolithic Pottery from Tell Nader (Erbil).” In II Workshop on Late Neolithic Ceramics in Ancient Mesopotamia: Pottery in Contect, edited by A. Gómez-Bach, J. Becker and M. Molist: 91-98. Barcelona: Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya-Barcelona.
The present volume is the result of the workshop celebrated by researchers and specialists in prehistoric pottery from the Middle East in the MAC-Empúries venue in October 2015. Research in archaeological pottery, in the framework of the appearance and development of the first agricultural and pastoral communities, is of outmost importance to gain new knowledge about the technological, social and economic processes this first neolithic communities had. Said phenomenon took place around 7000 cal BC in the Middle East and its incidence in Europe and the rest of the world is well known for its inference to the associated productive processes, the transformation of mineral raw materials, and their morphometric and decorative diversity. The articles presented in this publication have been written by 31 researchers from 13 nationalities and comprises themes involving from raw material collection to the manufacture, use and characterisation of diverse ceramic productions. Other themes are the use of new methodologies, techniques and biotic and abiotic analyses, relative and radiometric chronologies and production and distribution networks. In the geographic level, research covers studies from Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Israel and Palestine, regions where pottery appeared in the mediterranean area for the first place, reflecting a quick technological and morphotypological transformation process. More precisely, archaeological sites associated to the ceramic productions from the Hassuna, Samarra, Halaf and Ubaid cultures have been studied. This publication, which presents the II Workshop on Late Neolithic Ceramics in Ancient Mesopotamia: Pottery in context, consolidates the celebration of meetings congregating international specialists on these research areas which started in Brno (Check Republic) and whose third Edition will be celebrated in Antalya (Turkey) in 2019. Coberta: Ceràmica Halaf del jaciment de Tell Halula (Síria) (Fotografia GRAMPO) Amb la col·laboració:
The present volume is the result of the workshop celebrated by researchers and specialists in prehistoric pottery from the Middle East in the MAC-Empúries venue in October 2015. Research in archaeological pottery, in the framework of the appearance and development of the first agricultural and pastoral communities, is of outmost importance to gain new knowledge about the technological, social and economic processes this first neolithic communities had. Said phenomenon took place around 7000 cal BC in the Middle East and its incidence in Europe and the rest of the world is well known for its inference to the associated productive processes, the transformation of mineral raw materials, and their morphometric and decorative diversity. The articles presented in this publication have been written by 31 researchers from 13 nationalities and comprises themes involving from raw material collection to the manufacture, use and characterisation of diverse ceramic productions. Other themes are the use of new methodologies, techniques and biotic and abiotic analyses, relative and radiometric chronologies and production and distribution networks. In the geographic level, research covers studies from Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Israel and Palestine, regions where pottery appeared in the mediterranean area for the first place, reflecting a quick technological and morphotypological transformation process. More precisely, archaeological sites associated to the ceramic productions from the Hassuna, Samarra, Halaf and Ubaid cultures have been studied. This publication, which presents the II Workshop on Late Neolithic Ceramics in Ancient Mesopotamia: Pottery in context, consolidates the celebration of meetings congregating international specialists on these research areas which started in Brno (Check Republic) and whose third Edition will be celebrated in Antalya (Turkey) in 2019. Coberta: Ceràmica Halaf del jaciment de Tell Halula (Síria) (Fotografia GRAMPO) Amb la col·laboració:
Research Interests:
K. Kopanias. 2018. "An Ubaid Kiln at Tell Nader (Kurdistan Region in Iraq)". Études Mésopotamiennes 1: 70-76.
Research Interests:
K. Kopanias. 2018. "Μηχανισμοί εθνογένεσης κατά την Πρώιμη Εποχή του Σιδήρου: η περίπτωση των Υπαχαιών στην Κιλικία [The Process of Ethnogenesis during the Early Iron Age: the Case of Hypachaeans in Cilicia]" In Έλλην, Ρωμηός, Γραικός.... more
K. Kopanias. 2018. "Μηχανισμοί εθνογένεσης κατά την Πρώιμη Εποχή του Σιδήρου: η περίπτωση των Υπαχαιών στην Κιλικία [The Process of Ethnogenesis during the Early Iron Age: the Case of Hypachaeans in Cilicia]" In Έλλην, Ρωμηός, Γραικός. Collective Identifications and Identities, edited by O. Katsiardi-Hering, A. Papadia-Lala, K. Nikolaou, B. Karamanolakis: 33-43. Athens: Eurasia.
Research Interests:
The Amarna Letters seem quite puzzling to the modern reader, because they refer mostly to private affairs of the kings, while matters of diplomacy and trade are discussed only very briefly or not at all, as if the kings were not... more
The Amarna Letters seem quite puzzling to the modern reader, because they refer mostly to private affairs of the kings, while matters of diplomacy and trade are discussed only very briefly or not at all, as if the kings were not interested in the foreign policy of their states. In this paper it is argued that this was just a façade, designed to keep up the pretext that the countries of the Great Kings were self-sufficient from the military and economic point of view; economic and diplomatic requests needed to be made in a way that none of the involved parties would ‘loose face’. The discussion of state affairs is brief and well hidden within the part of the letters concerning the ‘household’ of the king, in order to keep up the appearances. The trade of raw material was never discussed in these letters, because the commercial activity was managed by lower administrators.
Summary in French:
Les Lettres d’Amarna laissent le lecteur moderne tout à fait perplexe parce qu’elles se réfèrent surtout aux affaires privées des rois, tandis que les questions diplomatiques et commerciales ne sont discutées que brièvement ou ne le sont pas du tout, comme si les rois ne s’intéressaient pas à la politique étrangère de leur État. Il est soutenu dans cet article que ce n’était là qu’une façade destinée à préserver l’idée que les territoires du Grand Roi étaient auto-suffisants du point de vue militaire comme du point de vue économique ; les demandes militaires ou économiques devaient être faites d’une manière telle qu’aucune des parties impliquées ne perdît la face. La discussion des affaires publiques est brève et bien dissimulée dans la partie des lettres concernant la maison du roi. Le commerce des matières premières n’ est jamais discuté dans ces lettres, cela parce que l’activité commerciale était gérée par des administrateurs moins importants.
Summary in French:
Les Lettres d’Amarna laissent le lecteur moderne tout à fait perplexe parce qu’elles se réfèrent surtout aux affaires privées des rois, tandis que les questions diplomatiques et commerciales ne sont discutées que brièvement ou ne le sont pas du tout, comme si les rois ne s’intéressaient pas à la politique étrangère de leur État. Il est soutenu dans cet article que ce n’était là qu’une façade destinée à préserver l’idée que les territoires du Grand Roi étaient auto-suffisants du point de vue militaire comme du point de vue économique ; les demandes militaires ou économiques devaient être faites d’une manière telle qu’aucune des parties impliquées ne perdît la face. La discussion des affaires publiques est brève et bien dissimulée dans la partie des lettres concernant la maison du roi. Le commerce des matières premières n’ est jamais discuté dans ces lettres, cela parce que l’activité commerciale était gérée par des administrateurs moins importants.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Near Eastern Studies, International Trade, Egypt, and 12 moreAegean Bronze Age (Bronze Age Archaeology), Cyprus, Ancient Near East, Aegean Prehistory (Archaeology), Amarna Letters, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Aegean Archaeology, Amarna Studies, New Kingdom (Egyptology), Late Bronze Age, Ahhiyawa, and Amarna Period
Research Interests: History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Near Eastern Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, and 27 moreOttoman History, Assyriology, Iraqi History, Mesopotamian Archaeology, Kurdish Studies, History of Iran, Mesopotamia History, Medieval Archaeology, Ottoman Studies, Turkish and Middle East Studies, Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Iraq, Iranian History, Ancient Near East, Prehistory of Kurdistan, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East, Assyrian Empire, Kurdistan, Neo-Assyrian studies, Mesopotamia, Kurdish history, archaeology in Iraq, Kurdish Civilization, Assyriology Sumerology Akkadian Sumerian Sumerian & Akkadian literature Sumerian Religion Mesopotamia History Ancient Mesopotamian Religions Cuneiform Ancient Near East Ancient Near Estern Languages Religious Studies, Iraqi Kurdistan Region, and Kurds in the Middle East
From the late 15th until the third quarter of the 13th century BC, the kings of Ahhiyawa were in a position to threaten the Hittite interests in Western Anatolia. As a consequence, the Hittite kings Mursili II, Muwatalli II and Hattusili... more
From the late 15th until the third quarter of the 13th century BC, the kings of Ahhiyawa were in a position to threaten the Hittite interests in Western Anatolia. As a consequence, the Hittite kings Mursili II, Muwatalli II and Hattusili III were obliged to accord their Ahhiyawan counterparts an equal status. This was not just a means of appeasing an obtrusive neighbor, since it would be tantamount to publicly admitting Hittite military weakness. Also Thutmose III and Amenophis III recognized the authority of one (or more) kings in the Aegean. The Mycenaeans got involved in the affairs of Anatolia in order to gain access to the gold and silver deposits in central West Anatolia and copper deposits in Assuwa. Finally, we could assume, at least as a working hypothesis, that, as in the case of amber, one of the trade routes for tin would have been through the Aegean.
Research Interests:
K. Kopanias. 2017. "Ubaid ‘islands’ in a non-Ubaid ‘sea’: An Attempt to Define the Ubaid and its Cultural Boundaries in Northeastern Mesopotamia". In Bordered Places - Bounded Times. Cross-disciplinary perspectives on Turkey, edited by... more
K. Kopanias. 2017. "Ubaid ‘islands’ in a non-Ubaid ‘sea’: An Attempt to Define the Ubaid and its Cultural Boundaries in Northeastern Mesopotamia". In Bordered Places - Bounded Times. Cross-disciplinary perspectives on Turkey, edited by E.L. Baysal and L. Karakatsanis: 27-35. BIAA Monograph series. London: The British Institute at Ankara.
This paper was presented in the conference "Bordered Places. Bounded Times. Cross-disciplinary perspectives on Turkey". The term Ubaid is used to define a particular pottery type, an associated material culture and the chronological period from the late seventh to the end of the fifth millennium. The Ubaid Culture spread over a vast geographic area, in southern and northern Mesopotamia, western Iran, northern Syria, and southeastern Turkey. Two theories have been recently proposed to explain this phenomenon: first, that the Ubaid culture was adopted by the elites, as a means to form communal identity and consolidate their social status; second, that expanded because of the need to create an extensive trade network for the import of essential raw material. In this paper it is suggested that the Ubaid Culture should be connected to a particular tribe or conglomeration of tribes, which gradually spread throughout the Near East during the sixth and fifth millennium and created nuclei of settlements in various regions.
This paper was presented in the conference "Bordered Places. Bounded Times. Cross-disciplinary perspectives on Turkey". The term Ubaid is used to define a particular pottery type, an associated material culture and the chronological period from the late seventh to the end of the fifth millennium. The Ubaid Culture spread over a vast geographic area, in southern and northern Mesopotamia, western Iran, northern Syria, and southeastern Turkey. Two theories have been recently proposed to explain this phenomenon: first, that the Ubaid culture was adopted by the elites, as a means to form communal identity and consolidate their social status; second, that expanded because of the need to create an extensive trade network for the import of essential raw material. In this paper it is suggested that the Ubaid Culture should be connected to a particular tribe or conglomeration of tribes, which gradually spread throughout the Near East during the sixth and fifth millennium and created nuclei of settlements in various regions.
This paper originates from the 8th ICAANE. It presents a preliminary report of the excavation seasons 2011 and 2012 in Tell Nader. The archaeological finds are discussed by K. Kopanias, the pottery by C. Beuger, and the anthropological... more
This paper originates from the 8th ICAANE. It presents a preliminary report of the excavation seasons 2011 and 2012 in Tell Nader. The archaeological finds are discussed by K. Kopanias, the pottery by C. Beuger, and the anthropological material by S. Fox.
Research Interests:
This paper was presented in the Conference "The Provincial Archaeology of the Assyrian Empire". It focuses on Tell Baqrta, until recently an unknown site located 28 km south of Erbil. In the introduction of the paper the site is presented... more
This paper was presented in the Conference "The Provincial Archaeology of the Assyrian Empire". It focuses on Tell Baqrta, until recently an unknown site located 28 km south of Erbil. In the introduction of the paper the site is presented (K. Kopanias). In the next chapter the Neo-Assyrian sources are discussed, which show that Tell Baqrta can probably be identified with the Neo-Assyrian town Baqarru (J. MacGinnis). In the next chapter the pottery from the preparatory survey in 2011 (C. Beuger) and then the results of the systematic survey of 2012 are presented (J. Ur). The pottery find show that this site was in use from the Late Chalcolithic up to the Early Islamic period. The survey by Jason Ur also revealed that the size of this site reached a total of 95 ha. (950.000 m2) during the second half of the 3rd mill. BC. During that time Tell Baqrta seems to have been one of the largest sites in the Near East, bigger even than Ebla, Brak, Chuera, and slightly smaller than Mozan, Leilan and Hamoukar. In the last chapter a synopsis of the aforementioned results is offered, as well as a discussion of the question of the location of the kingdom of Qabra (K. Kopanias). It is suggested that Tell Baqrta could possibly have been the seat of this kingdom. Then the find of a sherd from an early 4th century BC Attic oinochoe is discussed. Several topographical aspects are examined concerning the return of the Ten Thousand of Xenophon from Kunaxa. It is suggested that the Greek texts do indeed support the theory of Layard that the capture of the Greek generals from Tissaphernes and the crossing of the river Lykos (i.e. the Great Zab) took place in the vicinity of Tell Baqrta.
Research Interests: Near Eastern Archaeology, Assyriology, Pottery (Archaeology), Iraqi History, Mesopotamian Archaeology, and 20 moreIraq, Neolithic & Chalcolithic Archaeology, Chalcolithic Pottery, Chalcolithic Archaeology, Survey Research, Alexander the Great, Xenophon, Lithics, Assyria, Ancient Topography (Archaeology), Prehistory of Kurdistan, Assyrian archaeology, Sassanid Empire, Assyrian Empire, Kurdistan, Excavation Methodology, Parthian Empire, Uruk Period, Ubaid culture, and Ur III period
This paper was published in SUBARTU, the journal of the Union of Archaeologists of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. It presents the preliminary report of the excavation seasons 2011 and 2012 in Tell Nader, as well as the preparatory work for... more
This paper was published in SUBARTU, the journal of the Union of Archaeologists of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. It presents the preliminary report of the excavation seasons 2011 and 2012 in Tell Nader, as well as the preparatory work for the excavation in Tell Baqrta, which started in 2013. Most of the team members contributed to this report: the introduction and the presentation of the excavation results in Tell Nader was written by K. Kopanias (pp. 23-27), C. Beuger discussed the pottery finds (pp. 27-29), A. Livarda the plant remains (pp. 29-30), A. Chatzikoumis the animal bones (pp. 30-32), S. Fox the human remains (p. 32), G. Kourtessi-Philippaki the stone tools (pp. 32-33), and T. Carter presented the results of the obsidian analyis (pp. 33-36). In addition, Tell Baqrta is discussed by K. Kopanias (pp. 36-37) and the relevant written sources by J. MacGinnis (pp. 37-40).
Research Interests: Near Eastern Archaeology, Assyriology, Pottery (Archaeology), Mesopotamian Archaeology, Iraq, and 19 moreChalcolithic Pottery, Chalcolithic Archaeology, Survey Research, Alexander the Great, Xenophon, Lithics, Assyria, Ancient Topography (Archaeology), Prehistory of Kurdistan, Assyrian archaeology, Sassanid Empire, Assyrian Empire, Kurdistan, Faunal Analysis, Excavation Methodology, Parthian Empire, Uruk Period, Ubaid, and Ur III period
This paper originates from the conference "Embodied Identities In The Prehistoric Eastern Mediterranean: Convergence Of Theory And Practices". It discusses an important find of the 2011 excavation season in Tell Nader, namely a single... more
This paper originates from the conference "Embodied Identities In The Prehistoric Eastern Mediterranean: Convergence Of Theory And Practices". It discusses an important find of the 2011 excavation season in Tell Nader, namely a single primary inhumation burial from a simple circular kiln reused for the grave of this individual. The kiln was lined with clay, tiles and stone. A middle-aged adult female was recovered from this context. She was found in a prone position with forearms folded beneath her chest and abdomen, and her legs were flexed. Her head was oriented toward the west and her legs were situated to the east. It appeared that she had been placed in the kiln in a rather haphazard manner. In addition to exhibiting evidence for having survived at least one episode of stress early in life based upon the presence of dental linear enamel hypoplasias, this individual also demonstrates a healed depressed fracture from blunt force trauma to the right parietal bone of the cranial vault. Furthermore, a type of cultural modification of the body in the form of headshaping had been practiced from binding her head in infancy. This type of headshaping is commonly observed among individuals from the cultural sphere of the Ubaid in both time period and general region, although the reconstruction of the placement of the bindings does not exactly follow the standard “Byblos a” type proposed by Özbek (1974). A new reconstruction of the positioning of the bindings is proposed that produced this shape It should be noted that these results are preliminary as they are based on only one individual who led an apparently challenging life in northern Mesopotamia during the Ubaid period. Future excavations should help to clarify the practice of headshaping at Tell Nader. Although her persona may have changed during life, particularly after sustaining her cranial trauma, what is understood is that her group identity had been permanently shaped from infancy.
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This paper was presented in the conference "EX ORIENTE LUX. Proceedings of the 1st Panhellenic Symposium for the Research and Archaeology of the Civilizations of Egypt, the Near East and Cyprus in Greek Universities". It presents the... more
This paper was presented in the conference "EX ORIENTE LUX. Proceedings of the 1st Panhellenic Symposium for the Research and Archaeology of the Civilizations of Egypt, the Near East and Cyprus in Greek Universities". It presents the first preliminary report of the excavation season 2011 in Tell Nader.
Research Interests:
This paper was presented in the Conference "NOSTOI. Indigenous Culture, Migration and Integration in the Aegean Islands and Western Anatolia during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age". It presents an extensive analysis of the available... more
This paper was presented in the Conference "NOSTOI. Indigenous Culture, Migration and Integration in the Aegean Islands and Western Anatolia during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age". It presents an extensive analysis of the available Greek, Assyrian, Babylonian and Achaemenid texts referring to the Phrygians and the Mushki respectively. In recent years several studies have been published which propose that these two ethnonyms did not refer to the same population group of the Early Iron Age. In this paper it is argued that the contrary was the case. It is also proposed that the Phrygians/Mushki were maybe associated with the inhabitants of the country of Masha, which is mentioned in Hittite texts from the Late Bronze Age. The Phrygian migration, which is mentioned in the Greek sources to have take place shortly after the Trojan War, is likely to have occurred much earlier and in many stages. It was not a massive movement of people, which came as conquerors in Anatolian, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. On the contrary, it was the migration of relatively small groups of people, which dispersed throughout Anatolia, from its west coast (mainly in the NW) and to the SE Anatolia, where they came into conflict with the emerging Neo-Assyrian empire during the 12th century BC.
Research Interests:
This paper was presented in the conference "KOSMOS. Jewellery, Adornment and Textiles in the Aegean Bronze Age". It focuses on the Near Eastern cylinder seals which have been imported in the Aegean during the Bronze Age. A catalogue of... more
This paper was presented in the conference "KOSMOS. Jewellery, Adornment and Textiles in the Aegean Bronze Age". It focuses on the Near Eastern cylinder seals which have been imported in the Aegean during the Bronze Age. A catalogue of all imported cylinder seals (published up to 2011) serves as the basis of the analysis. The main objective of this paper is to address the question of why these Near Eastern cylinder seals were imported in the Aegean, since they were never used as seals. Did they serve merely as "exotic" prestige objects, as diplomatic gifts, as magic apotropaic items, or just as raw material for the production of jewels? Several maps with the distribution of the items (sorted according to the place of their manufacture, their find place in the Aegean, their material and their dating) offers new evidence for this question. Nevertheless, there cannot be a simple answer. Through the maps it becomes evident that the cylinder seals have been imported by specific palace centers (mainly Mycenae, Thebes, Knossos), and that they were afterwards distributed through them in their wider area, because they were obviously prized as "exotic" items. The fact that they have been used as grave offerings shows clearly that they could also serve as magic items. Finally, the fact that several of them were found in workshops shows that they were also recycled as raw material for the production of jewelry.
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This paper was presented in the conference "ATHANASIA. The Earthly, the Celestial and the Underworld in the Mediterranean from the Late Bronze and the Early Iron Age". The available Bronze Age literary texts from the Near East offer us an... more
This paper was presented in the conference "ATHANASIA. The Earthly, the Celestial and the Underworld in the Mediterranean from the Late Bronze and the Early Iron Age". The available Bronze Age literary texts from the Near East offer us an almost complete image of the beliefs on the nature of the soul, the geography of the Netherworld, the postmortem fate of the souls and their symbiotic relation with the living. The Homeric Epic is clearly influenced by the gloomy Mesopotamian image of the Netherworld. On the contrary, the belief, that a more pleasant afterlife was possible, which we find in Hesiod and later authors, is influenced from the Egyptian tradition.
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This paper was presented in the conference "The Memory of the Community and its Management. Studies Dedicated to the Memory of Titos Papamastorakis". The "Royal Cemetery" of Ur contained 16 graves, which, according to their excavator Sir... more
This paper was presented in the conference "The Memory of the Community and its Management. Studies Dedicated to the Memory of Titos Papamastorakis". The "Royal Cemetery" of Ur contained 16 graves, which, according to their excavator Sir Charles Leonard Woolley, belonged to members of the city's royal dynasty. In every burial a single person was accompanied by numerous followers (up to 74). The deceased have been carefully arranged in a staged scene, which hasn't been convincingly interpreted so far. This paper proposes a new interpretation, based on the poem The Death of Ur-Namma and also other texts of the late 3rd and early 2nd mill. BC. The staged scene is not depicting a feasting in honor of the dead, but the preparation for the procession, which is going to escort him/her to the Netherworld. The honored dead awaits in his chamber for the conclusion of the funerary rites of his relatives. Then he will be able to join his entourage and proceed with his long and arduous journey. When they finally cross the Gate(s) of the Netherworld and enter the palace of Ereshkigal, he is going to offer a feasting and also give his own funerary offerings as gifts to various deities, in order to secure his high social status in his new and permanent abode.
Research Interests: Near Eastern Archaeology, Mesopotamian Archaeology, Death and Burial (Archaeology), Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), and 7 moreEarly Dynastic Sumer, Early Dynastic Mesopotamia, Ritual Feasting, Ur, Ur III period, Royal ideology in the ancient Near East, and Netherworld Mesopotamia
This paper was presented in the conference "Οι οικονομικές κρίσεις και η αντιμετώπισή τους στο μακρό ιστορικό χρόνο", organized by the Faculty of History and Archaeology of the University of Athens, and was submitted for publication in... more
This paper was presented in the conference "Οι οικονομικές κρίσεις και η αντιμετώπισή τους στο μακρό ιστορικό χρόνο", organized by the Faculty of History and Archaeology of the University of Athens, and was submitted for publication in the Honorary Volume for Prof. G.S. Korres. It aims to offer a concise review of the development of the various economic systems in Mesopotamia from the 4th to the 2nd mill. BC. First, the economic aspects of life during the Hassuna, Halaf and Ubaid periods (7-5 mill. BC) are briefly discussed and an emphasis is put on the fact that there are no concrete evidence in favor of the widespread theories of "egalitarian prehistoric societies". The economic administration systems of the Uruk, Early Dynastic and Ur III periods are then summarily examined. The economic life of that time appears to have had a more or less centralized and re-distributive character. But it is also noted that the available texts from those periods originate mainly from the "public" sector, and so, it is possible that a parallel "private" economy also existed, albeit probably in a very small scale. In contrast to the "state economies" of the 4th and 3rd mill. BC a new economic system is developed during the Old Babylonian period, which puts an emphasis on the "private initiative". It turned out that also this system had inherent weaknesses. The constantly recurring problem of the ever-growing interest-bearing debts of the landowners became a serious destabilizing factor in the economic life.
This paper was presented in the conference "Spyridon Marinatos 1901-1974". Spyridon Marinatos offered regularly courses on Mesopotamian and Egyptian Archaeology at the University of Athens right from the beginning of his academic career... more
This paper was presented in the conference "Spyridon Marinatos 1901-1974". Spyridon Marinatos offered regularly courses on Mesopotamian and Egyptian Archaeology at the University of Athens right from the beginning of his academic career in 1939/40. He also printed in 1947 an extensive teaching document about the Egyptian culture and in 1949 another one about the Sumerian and Babylonian history and art. These teaching document are clearly based on very thorough research and reveal the author’s genuine interest on Near Eastern archaeology on its own merit, not as a complimentary study to Aegean archaeology. He also undertook official visits to Turkey, Egypt and Iran, among other countries, thus conducting a very successful “cultural diplomacy”. Marinatos was a pioneer, who introduced the study of the Near East not only to the University of Athens, but also in Greek academia in general.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Κ. Κοπανιάς, Γ. Δουλφής. Επιμ. 2020. Τέχνης ἐμπειρία. Nέα Αρχαιολογικά Ευρήματα και Πορίσματα. Τιμητικός Τόμός για την Καθηγήτρια Γεωργία Κοκκορού-Αλευρά. Αθήνα: Καρδαμίτσα. ISBN: 978-960-3545-19-4
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Kurdistan is home to some of the most important archaeological sites in the world, ranging from the Stone Age to the most recent past. While in earlier decades this exceptional potential did not receive the degree of attention which it... more
Kurdistan is home to some of the most important archaeological sites in the world, ranging from the Stone Age to the most recent past. While in earlier decades this exceptional potential did not receive the degree of attention which it merited, the past ten years has seen a burgeoning of cutting-edge archaeological field projects across the region. This volume, the outcome of a conference held at the University of Athens in November 2013, presents the results of this research. For the first time the archaeological inventory of the region is being systematically documented, laying the foundations for intensive study of the region's settlement history. At the same the area has seen a flourishing of excavations investigating every phase of human occupation. Together these endeavours are generating basic new data which is leading to a new understanding of the arrival of mankind, the development of agriculture, the emergence of cities, the evolution of complex societies and the forging of the great empires in this crucible of mankind.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Near Eastern Archaeology, Near Eastern Studies, Egyptian Art and Archaeology, Anatolian Studies, Mesopotamian Archaeology, and 13 moreMesopotamia History, Hittite, Egypt, Ancient Near East, Ancient Near East (Archaeology), Assyrian Empire, Neo-Assyrian studies, Ancient Near Eastern History, History and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Hittite archaeology, Sumer, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, and Akkad
"The edited book originates from the related conference, which is part of a series of conferences organised by the Faculty of History and Archaeology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (10‐11 December 2013). Its... more
"The edited book originates from the related conference, which is part of a series of conferences organised by the Faculty of History and Archaeology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (10‐11 December 2013). Its conceptual starting preise holds that archaeological research often places emphasis upon the formal expression of religious beliefs and upon ritual related to the political authorities of past societies, such as elite groups, kings, state authorities, emperors etc. Thus, it focuses upon palatial complexes, significant sanctuaries and monumental tombs. However, there is another aspect of ritual activity. Ritual, as stereotyped behaviour aiming at social reproduction, permeates almost all levels of social life down to the daily lives of ordinary people. Furthermore, there are religious beliefs and related ritual acts that evade formal recognition. Magic is often part of this informal ritual framework. The book aims, first of all, to describe this field of informal and popular beliefs through the examination of relevant categories of past material remains. Archaeological examples that are indicative of the conference interests include places of house cult; other popular sanctuaries; remains of small scale rituals, such as foundation or initiation rites; remains of funerary rites; witchcraft remains; the use of figurines and other objects with metaphysical or ritual character. Moreover, the book aims to examine the importance of this feld of human action for the organisation and operation of past societies in the east Mediterranean. If the wish of political authorities to control religious and other types of ritual was part of their strategies to control the operation of society as a whole, then popular beliefs and rituals suggest that the exercise of power is dynamic and based upon the dialectics between different parts of the social pyramid. Especially the base of the latter has the ability to emulate and transform top‐down directives, so as to develop its own agency, organise itself, permeate and actively contribute to the constitution, maintenance and/or transformation of social structures. Popular ‐religious and other‐ rites make a fruitful field of research regarding the above social and historical processes."
The Conference Proceedings "NOSTOI. Indigenous Culture, Migration and Integration in the Aegean Islands and Western Anatolia during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age", co-organized by Ν. Stampolidis, C. Maner, and K. Kopanias, include a... more
The Conference Proceedings "NOSTOI. Indigenous Culture, Migration and Integration in the Aegean Islands and Western Anatolia during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age", co-organized by Ν. Stampolidis, C. Maner, and K. Kopanias, include a total of 39 papers. The publication is now at its final stage, the page layout is complete. The aim of the Conference was to present new archaeological finds from both sides of the Aegean.
The first part includes papers on the political geography of the local kingdoms in the West Anatolian coast during the 2nd mill. BC, through the prism of the textual evidence (J.D. Hawkins and M. Alparslan), the Mycenaean (P.A. Mountjoy) and local 'Anatolian' (P. Pavúk) pottery, as well as the geoarchaeology (R. Becks). In the second part the phenomenon of migration is discussed: throught the Hittiite and Hurrian sources (M.R. Bachvarova), the texts concerning the migration of the Phrygians/Mushki (K. Kopanias) and evidence on the migration of the Greeks to Anatolia during the Early Iron Age (C. Chabot Aslan - Pavol Hnila, Fl. Fragkopoulou and N. Mac Sweeney). In the third part of the volume finds from excavation in various sites of the Aegean and Anatolia are presented: in the SE Aegean (F.K. Seroglou – D. Sfakianakis, J. Eerbeek, S. Vitale - A. Trecarichi, A. Vlachopoulos – M. Georgiadis), Cyclades (J.W. Earle) and NE Aegean (L. Girella – P. Pavúk, L. Coluccia, L. Danile, with a linguistic approach by A. Dale), from west and south Anatolia (R. Yağcı, Elif Ünlü, B. Hürmüzlü – P. Iversen, N. Momigliano – B. Aksoy, I. Kaiser – J. Zurbach, M. Krumme, V. Şahoğlu, R. Meriç – A. Kazım Öz, S. Günel, S. Mangaloğlu-Votruba), as well as from Alalakh (K.A. Yener). In the last part of the volume a series of issues are discussed concerning trade (A. Michailidou, E. Kozal, K. Giannakos), religion and various social aspects (M. Mikrakis, R. Vaessen, M. Pieniążek, E. Gorogianni – J. Cutler – R.D. Fitzsimons, A.P. Agelarakis).
The first part includes papers on the political geography of the local kingdoms in the West Anatolian coast during the 2nd mill. BC, through the prism of the textual evidence (J.D. Hawkins and M. Alparslan), the Mycenaean (P.A. Mountjoy) and local 'Anatolian' (P. Pavúk) pottery, as well as the geoarchaeology (R. Becks). In the second part the phenomenon of migration is discussed: throught the Hittiite and Hurrian sources (M.R. Bachvarova), the texts concerning the migration of the Phrygians/Mushki (K. Kopanias) and evidence on the migration of the Greeks to Anatolia during the Early Iron Age (C. Chabot Aslan - Pavol Hnila, Fl. Fragkopoulou and N. Mac Sweeney). In the third part of the volume finds from excavation in various sites of the Aegean and Anatolia are presented: in the SE Aegean (F.K. Seroglou – D. Sfakianakis, J. Eerbeek, S. Vitale - A. Trecarichi, A. Vlachopoulos – M. Georgiadis), Cyclades (J.W. Earle) and NE Aegean (L. Girella – P. Pavúk, L. Coluccia, L. Danile, with a linguistic approach by A. Dale), from west and south Anatolia (R. Yağcı, Elif Ünlü, B. Hürmüzlü – P. Iversen, N. Momigliano – B. Aksoy, I. Kaiser – J. Zurbach, M. Krumme, V. Şahoğlu, R. Meriç – A. Kazım Öz, S. Günel, S. Mangaloğlu-Votruba), as well as from Alalakh (K.A. Yener). In the last part of the volume a series of issues are discussed concerning trade (A. Michailidou, E. Kozal, K. Giannakos), religion and various social aspects (M. Mikrakis, R. Vaessen, M. Pieniążek, E. Gorogianni – J. Cutler – R.D. Fitzsimons, A.P. Agelarakis).
Research Interests:
This book offers a concise and critical review of the archeology of prehistoric Mesopotamia, i.e. the period that precedes the appearance of writing in the late 4th mill. BC, with an emphasis on the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods... more
This book offers a concise and critical review of the archeology of prehistoric Mesopotamia, i.e. the period that precedes the appearance of writing in the late 4th mill. BC, with an emphasis on the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods (10500-3100 BC). The first chapter of the book offers an introduction to the geography, climate, as well as the main languages and scripts of the ancient Near East. In the second chapter the Neolithic period in Mesopotamia and the southeastern Anatolia is briefly discussed. In the next two chapters follows a detailed presentation of the Hassuna culture, that flourished in northern Mesopotamia duing the 7th mill. BC, and the Samarra culture (6500-5700 BC) respectively. Next come the Halaf (6000–5300 BC), Ubaid (ca. 6500–4000 BC) and Uruk (4000-3100 BC) periods, with a detailed analysis of the main archaeological sites and also a discussion of what we currently know about the society, art and religion. In the last chapter a short review of the Early Bronze Age is offered.
Research Interests: Near Eastern Archaeology, Mesopotamian Archaeology, Mesopotamia History, Neolithic Archaeology, Neolithic & Chalcolithic Archaeology, and 13 moreChalcolithic Pottery, Ancient Near East, Ancient Mesopotamian Religions, Uruk Period, Ubaid expansion, Chalcolithic, Mesopotamian art and visual culture, Chalcolithic Anatolia, Late Chalcolithic, Ubaid culture, Halaf culture, Hassuna Culture, and Late Chalcolithic, Uruk expansion
Aim of this book is the (re)dating of the "phrygian", i.e. anatolian/late hittite sculptures and the re-determination of their relationship to the Greek archaic art.
Proceedings of an International Conference organized by the Program of Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of History and Archaeology, University of Athens, on 1st of April 2004. Included are eight papers, which represent the modern... more
Proceedings of an International Conference organized by the Program of Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of History and Archaeology, University of Athens, on 1st of April 2004. Included are eight papers, which represent the modern archaeological methods used in the research of ancient the Greek and Roman sculpture.
Research Interests:
The University of Athens obtained permission to conduct excavation in Tell Nader, which lies on the outskirts of the city of Erbil (36.173148°, 44.075490°) and was first discovered by Mr. Nader Muhammad, an archaeologist of the General... more
The University of Athens obtained permission to conduct excavation in Tell Nader, which lies on the outskirts of the city of Erbil (36.173148°, 44.075490°) and was first discovered by Mr. Nader Muhammad, an archaeologist of the General Directorate of Antiquities of Kurdistan. Prior to its discovery a part of it was unfortunately destroyed during construction works. The unauthorized excavation was brought to a halt by the Directorate of Antiquities and this Tell was declared an archaeological site. Despite this fact, the site remained under threat because of the very intensive building activity in the area. Thus, conducting a rescue excavation was imperative.
The University of Athens conducted a survey and begun with the excavation in April 2011. The surface finds indicate that the site was used from the Hassuna probably until the Neo Assyrian period. The excavation has so far revealed one main stratigraphic layer. According to the preliminary examination of the pottery, the layer seems to be dated to the Ubaid period. To this layer belong a number of simple clay constructions, and possibly also a grave of an adult woman, which was discovered undisturbed. The excavation produced several animal figurines and small finds, but the great bulk of finds were pottery sherds (18.610 with a total weight of 560 kg) and lithics (2.979 with a total weight of 32 kg). The finds include many cores, flakes, blades and waste, so there is evidence of all stages of the reduction sequence. A sample of the obsidian, analyzed by Dr. Tristan Carter (McMaster University, Canada), originates from Bingol and Nemrut Dag or Eastern Turkey.
From all excavated units soil samples have been collected: for archaeobotany and environmental sampling, for mineralogical analysis, and for the identification of insects. In addition, the excavation brought to light a total of 472 animal bones, all of which were examined.
It is hoped that the study of the stratigraphy and finds from Tell Nader will offer a better understanding of the important finds at the nearby site Qalinj Agha, which was excavated in the 60s and early 70s, but still remains unpublished in corpore.
The University of Athens conducted a survey and begun with the excavation in April 2011. The surface finds indicate that the site was used from the Hassuna probably until the Neo Assyrian period. The excavation has so far revealed one main stratigraphic layer. According to the preliminary examination of the pottery, the layer seems to be dated to the Ubaid period. To this layer belong a number of simple clay constructions, and possibly also a grave of an adult woman, which was discovered undisturbed. The excavation produced several animal figurines and small finds, but the great bulk of finds were pottery sherds (18.610 with a total weight of 560 kg) and lithics (2.979 with a total weight of 32 kg). The finds include many cores, flakes, blades and waste, so there is evidence of all stages of the reduction sequence. A sample of the obsidian, analyzed by Dr. Tristan Carter (McMaster University, Canada), originates from Bingol and Nemrut Dag or Eastern Turkey.
From all excavated units soil samples have been collected: for archaeobotany and environmental sampling, for mineralogical analysis, and for the identification of insects. In addition, the excavation brought to light a total of 472 animal bones, all of which were examined.
It is hoped that the study of the stratigraphy and finds from Tell Nader will offer a better understanding of the important finds at the nearby site Qalinj Agha, which was excavated in the 60s and early 70s, but still remains unpublished in corpore.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Le bouillant héros d’Homère serait inspiré de Piyamaradu, personnage
haut en couleur du XIIIe siècle av. J.C.
haut en couleur du XIIIe siècle av. J.C.
Research Interests:
Writing with ancient scripts and making your texts available to text editors of multiple platforms (Windows, Linux/Unix, Macintosh etc.) is unfortunately still not a very easy task. KORAIS is a word processor and email application with an... more
Writing with ancient scripts and making your texts available to text editors of multiple platforms (Windows, Linux/Unix, Macintosh etc.) is unfortunately still not a very easy task. KORAIS is a word processor and email application with an integrated input method, that will help you address exactly this problem.
Here is a summary of what KORAIS allows you to do:
- Write texts or emails in Aramaic, Ancient Greek (Polytonic) and Modern Greek (Monotonic), Coptic, Cypriot Syllabogram, Etruscan, Hebrew, Old Persian, Phoenician, Ugaritic, Linear B.
-Convert texts from 137 various Encoding into Unicode.
- Use up to 137 Encodings to save your texts.
- Convert any non-Unicode Greek font to Unicode Greek.
- Use as many of the available Keymaps as you want in a single document
- Easily add your own Keymaps using any characters in Unicode 4.1 (e.g. Egyptian Hieroglyphic, Luwian, Linear A etc.), using combinations of up to 7 Hotkeys you can assign up to 3433 characters to a single Keymap!
- Easily add any Unicode 4.1 characters into your document through a table that displays all Unicode characters available
- Convert your text to Unicode or to one of 137 available Encodings
- View all Unicode characters available on your system in a graphical representation
- Send and receive e-mails with or without attachments. The recipient will be able to read your text, even if he does not have KORAIS
- Administrate easily an infinite number of IMAP, POP and SMTP accounts!
Here is a summary of what KORAIS allows you to do:
- Write texts or emails in Aramaic, Ancient Greek (Polytonic) and Modern Greek (Monotonic), Coptic, Cypriot Syllabogram, Etruscan, Hebrew, Old Persian, Phoenician, Ugaritic, Linear B.
-Convert texts from 137 various Encoding into Unicode.
- Use up to 137 Encodings to save your texts.
- Convert any non-Unicode Greek font to Unicode Greek.
- Use as many of the available Keymaps as you want in a single document
- Easily add your own Keymaps using any characters in Unicode 4.1 (e.g. Egyptian Hieroglyphic, Luwian, Linear A etc.), using combinations of up to 7 Hotkeys you can assign up to 3433 characters to a single Keymap!
- Easily add any Unicode 4.1 characters into your document through a table that displays all Unicode characters available
- Convert your text to Unicode or to one of 137 available Encodings
- View all Unicode characters available on your system in a graphical representation
- Send and receive e-mails with or without attachments. The recipient will be able to read your text, even if he does not have KORAIS
- Administrate easily an infinite number of IMAP, POP and SMTP accounts!
Thetis is a Java application (thus OS-independent) that allows philologists to statistically analyze the Homeric and Hesiodic Epic. So far Thetis can sort all words and all phrases (consisting up to sixteen words) and automatically store... more
Thetis is a Java application (thus OS-independent) that allows philologists to statistically analyze the Homeric and Hesiodic Epic. So far Thetis can sort all words and all phrases (consisting up to sixteen words) and automatically store them in a MySQL database for further analysis. In its final stage of development Thetis is going to enable the user to make a complete statistical analysis and automatically create a Thesaurus from any given text.