Samothrace Archaeological Survey 1985-1987 Revisited: Towards a Final Publication -- Surveying Aegean Thrace in the Digital Era. Proceedings of the Workshop Held for the Research Project Archaeological and Geophysical Research at the Peraia of Samothrace
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Abstract
The Samothrace Archaeological Survey, conducted from 1985 to 1987, was an intensive diachronic survey of the SW arable part of the island, in which 2,706 field–units measuring 14.06 sq km were surveyed. Bringing the data collected then to publication offers the chance to subject this rich legacy dataset to contemporary practices in spatial statistics, environmental variables, and topographic factors. A new relational database integrates into a project Geographical Information System (GIS) and is subject to statistical queries, upscaling and refining the resolution of surface densities, down to the level of every single walker. The surface material establishes a chronological horizon spanning the last quarter of the 6th century BCE through the 14th–15th century CE, apart from the area of Mikró Vouní, where there is Late Neolithic, Early and Middle Bronze Age material, and two fields with possible Final Neolithic sherds. The pottery of the Late Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods (late 6th–1st centuries BCE) shows a large array of shapes with an emphasis on storage and cooking vessels. Much smaller is the impact of fine ware. This evidence points toward a denser occupation pattern during the Hellenistic period and activities oriented towards the production, processing, and storage of goods. The study of the Roman period focuses on the ceramic imports of fine wares and transport amphoras since there is no evidence of local production on Samothrace. Although the absolute sherd counts of Roman imported pottery are relatively sparse, there are noticeable clusters of Roman period sherds. The imported Roman and Early Byzantine pottery (1st through mid-7th century CE)can be organized into two principal ceramic phases, Roman 1 and Roman 2, or four fine ware sub-phases: R1a, R1b, R2a, and R2b. Typical of the Middle and Late Byzantine periods is a range of coarse wares and table ware types. The glazed wares recognized include Fine Sgraffito, Sgraffito with Concentric Circles, Incised Sgraffito Ware, and Painted Ware; the survey also yielded several amphora samples of the so-called Günsenin I, II, and III types.
