PhD by Christos Kleitsas
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BOOKS by Christos Kleitsas
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BOOK CHAPTERS by Christos Kleitsas
The phenomenon of hoarding is a special aspect of economic, social or political life throughout t... more The phenomenon of hoarding is a special aspect of economic, social or political life throughout the European continent, generally divided into utilitarian assemblages and votive deposits. To a lesser extent, it is located at the Helladic area in the third phase of the Late Bronze Age, almost parallel to the establishment of the Mycenaean palatial civilization. To date, only twenty-three hoards of metal objects have been identified from the core or the periphery of the Mycenaean world. Although in most cases there is a lack of data from the context or the conditions of unearthing Helladic hoards, few deposits are recognized as possible collective offerings to the aquatic or supernatural element. Mainly though, they are located in a domestic or public space, which is usually controlled by the administrating bodies of the Mycenaean authority. The brief examination of the Helladic hoards leads to few interesting conclusions, regarding their contents and their possible character or their chronological order, before and after the gradual decline of the Mycenaean civilization in 1200 BC.
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Β. Ν. Παπαδοπούλου (επιμ.), Μολοττίς: Αρχαιολογικός Άτλαντας των θέσεων της περιοχής των Ιωαννίνων, Ιωάννινα 2022, 53-60.
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JOURNAL PAPERS by Christos Kleitsas
AURA 6, 2023
The Mycenaean citadel of Ephyra, on the coastal passage of the Ionian sea, is perhaps the most im... more The Mycenaean citadel of Ephyra, on the coastal passage of the Ionian sea, is perhaps the most important site of the Late Helladic III period in Epirus, as a trading post on the plain of Phanari and the mouth of the river Acheron, with a desirable harbour available. The new Mycenaean grave under discussion was discovered by chance in the year 2012, outside the walls of the Mycenaean citadel of Ephyra, during the enhancement work of the archaeological sites of Nekromanteio and Ephyra. The skeleton was found richly furnished, with bronze weapons (a T-handle dagger, a leaf-shaped and two lanceolate spearheads) and tools (a single-edged knife, a flat chisel and a socketed chisel), a few items of personal ornament (three bone pins and a golden bead), as well as nine wheelmade vases. The new tomb was located outside the walls, in contact with the fortification wall and at a short distance from the main southern gate of the Mycenaean citadel. Due to the location of the find, the wealth and variety of the gifts, it is significantly distinguished from the other known tombs of the three burial mounds inside the Mycenaean citadel, and all of Epirus. Endowed with the virtue of valor, the local 'hero' of Ephyra was honored by the members of the thriving Mycenaean community in a transitional period with many vicissitudes.
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Athens University Review of Archaeology, 2023
The Mycenaean citadel of Ephyra, on the coastal passage of the Ionian sea, is perhaps the most im... more The Mycenaean citadel of Ephyra, on the coastal passage of the Ionian sea, is perhaps the most important site of the Late Helladic III period in Epirus, as a trading post on the plain of Phanari and the mouth of the river Acheron, with a desirable harbour available. The new Mycenaean grave under discussion was discovered by chance in the year 2012, outside the walls of the Mycenaean citadel of Ephyra, during the enhancement work of the archaeological sites of Nekromanteio and Ephyra. The skeleton was found richly furnished, with bronze weapons (a T-handle dagger, a leaf-shaped and two lanceolate spearheads) and tools (a single-edged knife, a flat chisel and a socketed chisel), a few items of personal ornament (three bone pins and a golden bead), as well as nine wheelmade vases. The new tomb was located outside the walls, in contact with the fortification wall and at a short distance from the main southern gate of the Mycenaean citadel. Due to the location of the find, the wealth and variety of the gifts, it is significantly distinguished from the other known tombs of the three burial mounds inside the Mycenaean citadel, and all of Epirus. Endowed with the virtue of valor, the local ‘hero’ of Ephyra was honored by the members of the thriving Mycenaean community in a transitional period with many vicissitudes.
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The hoard of Rodotopi in Ioannina is a set of four copper single-edged shaft-hole axes of the Ear... more The hoard of Rodotopi in Ioannina is a set of four copper single-edged shaft-hole axes of the Early Bronze Age. Together with eight isolated similar artefacts from Epirus, they are classified in the type with the conventional name Veselinovo (after Vulpe 1970). Its distribution is mainly located in the regions of Epirus, western-central Macedonia and in the neighbouring areas of Bulgaria or Romania. These were tools and/or weapons with a symbolic character, which were withdrawn from circulation (recycling) to become utilitarian or votive deposits. Furthermore, issues of production, consumption or use, combined with archaeometric data (metallography and chemical analysis), are examined to give a more comprehensive interpretation. This gives us an insight into the networks of ideas, commodities and know-how existing at an early period, when copper working was still at an experimental stage, in general.
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Ancient Dodona is located on the outskirts of the Greek world as Pan-Hellenic sanctuary and oracl... more Ancient Dodona is located on the outskirts of the Greek world as Pan-Hellenic sanctuary and oracle of the Dodonaean Zeus at least from the eighth century BC onwards. It has a remarkable prehistoric phase during the Late Bronze Age, impressive by the preservation through time of many bronze objects, such as sacred heirlooms or recyclable raw material. In the above framework, a bronze disc-butted axe was found there, the type of which is spreading over the Carpathians’ region (mainly Rοmania). The artefact from Dodona has some unique characteristics, to be considered by research as a local hybrid imitation, although it is the only known example in Greece. Its presence at Dodona as an ‘exotic’ artefact is explored, which, combined with other traces and finds, render possible the practice of prehistoric cult at Dodona. This is highly significant, particularly at a time when the material culture of the region was oriented toward the ‘markets’ of the Mycenaean world.
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The hoard of Stephani, a remarkable assemblage, was found in 1985 at the head of the Ambracian gu... more The hoard of Stephani, a remarkable assemblage, was found in 1985 at the head of the Ambracian gulf in Epirus. It consists of seventeen artefacts: ten bronze double-edged axes, three bronze spearheads (one leaf-shaped), two unidentifiable bronze cylindrical and pointed rods and two large stone tools, probably whetstones. The items of the hoard are mainly dated to the final phases of the Late Bronze Age, when the phenomenon of hoarding has yielded similar depositions in the wider Balkan and European regions. Macroscopic observations on typology, manufacture and other matters are combined with metallographic, chemical and lead isotope analyses. This data is used to explore aspects related to the production or manufacture, consumption or use, recycling or deposition of the items, as well as the trading of artefacts and raw materials. The examination of the hoard of Stephani within the geographical and cultural contexts of Epirus in the Late Bronze Age assists the better comprehension of the social structures of the day and the exchange networks of ideas, products and know-how then in operation.
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CONFERENCE PAPERS by Christos Kleitsas
The archaeological supervision of two major public works in the plain of Konitsa and in the Katsi... more The archaeological supervision of two major public works in the plain of Konitsa and in the Katsikas area yielded some important new findings for the topography of the area. Combined with older archaeological data, new conclusions are drawn about the extent of habitation in different periods of prehistory and historical times. The long-term use of Konitsa plain has already been documented, but the possibility of a lake settlement at the southern edge of lake Pamvotis is very interesting. Its existence at this point is supported for the first time by archaeological research. Direct and indirect indications will be presented here.
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E. Karantzali (ed.), 3rd Ιnternational Interdisciplinary Colloquium: The Periphery of the Mycenaean World. Recent Discoveries and Research Results, Lamia 2018, Athens 2021, 635-644.
Epirus is a relatively isolated area geographically, stretching between the Pindus mountain range... more Epirus is a relatively isolated area geographically, stretching between the Pindus mountain range and the Ionian sea. It is located just outside the boundaries of the so-called Mycenaean periphery, since the latter generally extends to the present regions of Thessaly and Aitoloakarnania. In contradiction to the large volume of handmade pottery that is conservatively produced or consumed in the area, there appears a quantity of bronze tools or weapons of Helladic or Balkan types, mainly coming from hoards and graves. This paper explores potential evidence of local metalworking activities (analysis) practised, matters of manufacture and use, as well as the importation or consumption of established types and exotic artefacts in a seemingly self-sufficient society. The fruitful exchanges of products, ideas or know-how between Epirus and the core or the periphery of the Mycenaean world shape the special material culture and cultural identity of this intermediate region of the Helladic area or more of the southern and central Balkans.
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Epirus and Albania are two neighboring regions, which over time follow joint or separate ways in ... more Epirus and Albania are two neighboring regions, which over time follow joint or separate ways in the formation of their cultural identity. During the Late Bronze Age special cultural groups developed in the above areas. Their populations exchanged products or- and ideas, assimilating influences both from the Balkans or Europe and the Aegean or Mycenaean world. Impressive remains the amount of some thirty bronze double-edged axes from Epirus. Corresponding quantity of some twenty bronze double-edged axes has been mainly found in southern Albania, where local production of the type is documented. This evidence is important, since the double axe is a distinctive Cretomycenaean inspiration and product with a wider geographical distribution. These artifacts were mainly used as woodworking tools for cutting down, chopping and shaping trees, as evidenced by their manufacturing technology and specific traces of use-wear. Their votive deposition in watery or other environment cannot of course be ruled out. Most are single finds, if we exclude the two bronze hoards from Katamachi at Ioannina and from Stephani at Preveza, Epirus. Aspects of production, trade, use, disposition or recycling are examined comparatively, aiming to trace common options, workshops and traditions in this area.
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The Gormos river valley in the wider area of Pogoni is located on the northwestern part of the Io... more The Gormos river valley in the wider area of Pogoni is located on the northwestern part of the Ioannina region, across natural passages in connection to the southern edge of neighbouring Albania. This land balances diachronically between Helladic and Balkan area to form its own distinctive cultural characteristics. Perennial surface survey and excavations were conducted at sites of the modern settlements Merope, Palaiopyrgos and Kato Merope, which successively develop on the outskirts of mount Koutsokrano. Various burial groups were investigated with more than one hundred graves (six tumuli at Paliouria of Palaiopyrgos, one tumulus at Plasi of Palaiopyrgos, a tumulus and cemetery at Glava of Kato Merope) and parts of the neighbouring settlements with fortification or retaining walls and curvilinear or rectangular buildings (Paliouria, Plasi and Pervanas at Palaiopyrgos, Anemomylos and Ampelia at Merope, Glava at Kato Merope). The above burial and settlement complexes date from the 12th century BC to the Hellenistic period, while present are the so called "Slavic" tombs of Byzantine era. At this communication, synthesis of the available data is attempted, as well as identification of the perspectives of the archaeological material’s study, which will result to its final interdisciplinary publication.
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Ancient Dodona lies in the hinterland of Epirus, just outside the boundaries of the periphery (Ae... more Ancient Dodona lies in the hinterland of Epirus, just outside the boundaries of the periphery (Aetoloakarnania, Thessaly) of the Mycenaean world. The sanctuary and oracle of Dodonaean Zeus acquires “international lux” already from the early historic period and finds reference to the literature of many authors of the ancient world. Much yet remains the interest for the prehistoric phase of Dodona, when first inhabited probably during the second millennium BC. Cult activity seems to grow alongside the life of a small unfortified settlement of the prehistoric and protohistoric era. The involvement of Dodona in foundation myths, related to the heroic past of the Greeks, cannot be considered accidental. The relatively large, at least for Epirus, amount of imported Mycenaean pottery and miniature handmade offering vases support the case of cult at least from the 13th century BC onwards. Otherwise, the existence and worship of god Zeus throughout the Aegean is established via the Linear B tablets. Moreover, several bronze tools and weapons of Helladic and few of European origin come from the site. The significant interactions between Dodona and Cretomycenaean world of the Aegean are thoroughly investigated. Where did the intercultural communication of the two above specific regions aim to?
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T. KRAPF, E. AGOLLI, O. ASLAKSEN, E. ILIEVA, St. IVANOV, Ch. KLEITSAS, G. PAPADIAS, A. PAPAZOVSKA SANEV, E. TSAFOU, A. TSONOS, E. VLIORA, "Balkan Bronze Age borderland, along ancient routes from the Aegean to Albania, F.Y.R.O.M., Kosovo and SW Bulgaria", in HESPEROS, AEGAEUM 41, 2017, 279-286.
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PhD by Christos Kleitsas
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