Excavations at Satrianum 1967 Author(s): R. Ross Holloway Source: American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 72, No. 2 (Apr.

, 1968), pp. 119-120 Published by: Archaeological Institute of America Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/502834 Accessed: 13/10/2008 08:43
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Excavations

at

Satrianum

1967

R. ROSS HOLLOWAY
PLATES 43-44

The second campaign of excavation conducted by Brown University at Satrianum in Lucania took place in June and July 1967. Areas tested during the first season were further explored.1 In the lower city attention was devoted to changes in the defenses after their original construction in the fifth century B.C. In 1966 it was observed that at some time a part of the original fortifications had been dismantled and the stone of their foundations removed. The same phenomenon appeared this year in a different sector; it became clear, however, that the dismantling of certain parts of the original wall had been carried out in antiquity before other structures, datable to the fourth century B.C.,had replaced them. The new defense line did not abandon its predecessor but extended the defense perimeter to east and west to include the new quartersof an enlarged city (pl. 43, fig. i). Excavation of the western area of the lower city provided further information on this period of urban development. In the sixth and fifth centuries there was a pottery kiln here, and its dump contained an interesting group of fragments of local geometric ware. Pottery manufacture in this area ceased with the enlargement of the city. A portion of the extended city wall of the fourth century was found at a point below the kiln on the western slope of the lower city. The new walls were approximately 4 m. in width, thinner by I m. than their fifth century predecessorsbut built with a similar technique of an "emplekton"between two faces of boulders. Also in this area houses of the fourth century were excavated which had been destroyed by fire in the second half, most probably in the third quarter, of the century. This disaster was also evident
1 For the first campaign cf. AJA 7I (1967) 59-62. Warm thanks are once again expressed to Dr. Dinu Adamesteanu, Superintendent of Antiquities for Basilicata, whose enthusiasm and many individual courtesies were a constant support for our work. The excavation was carried out under authorization of the Ministry of Public Education, and arrangements for the work force were administered by the Firm of Giovanni Volpe, Scavi e Ricerche Archeologiche, Metapontum, under the able direction of Rag. Bruno Chiartano. The staff consisted of the undersigned as director, Mrs. Mariann Maaskant, architect, Mrs. R. Ross Holloway, Cataloguer, Professor

in excavation on the acropolis,where a building was identified just outside the acropolis walls which had been destroyed by fire at the same time. The relation of this building to the city wall is important because the latter had been erected over part of its collapsed walls (pl. 44, fig. 2). A considerable quantity of fragments of black glazed pottery was found in the destruction level of the building, and from fragments recovered during two seasons of work it was possible to restore a large "nestoris," 0.525 m. in height and richly ornamented with designs in black glaze (inv. 67-210; pl. 44, fig. 3). It is notable that the destruction level contained no sherds of Gnathia style wares, which are present, however, in the strata contemporary with the construction of the acropolis fortifications. Since the lower city was not reoccupied after the fire, the acropolis walls may be viewed as the remains of a castle or "phrourion"erected after the events which led to the destruction of the enlarged city of the fourth century. Both the excavation of the lower city and work on the acropolis led to the discovery of new and interesting tomb groups. As suggested hypothetically on the basis of the I966 season's results, a city gate existed on the south side of the lower city walls. Here again the two phases in the construction of the lower city defenses were clearly observed. A tomb was discovered lying directly under the paving of the city gate; it must be older than either of the defense circuits and dates in the second half of the sixth century B.C.The item of major chronological interest in the tomb group was a kotyle based on late Corinthian prototypes (inv. 67-218). An iron fibula ornamented with amber and ivory and belonging to a class of elaborate
Miriam Balmuth, Tufts University, supervisor of small finds and cleaning, Miss BarbaraH. Pough, surveyor,Mr. Mario Jurca and Mrs. Gertrude M. du Pont, restorers, Miss Anne Booth, drafting, Mr. Stephen Mitchell and Mr. Steven Ostrow, excavators, and Miss Hollis H. Haven, general assistant. Special photograph assistance was rendered by Mr. Antonio Solazzi. All deserve high commendation for their achievements. The excavation was made possible by the generous and gratefully acknowledged financial support of Mrs. du Pont, Mrs. Elise du Pont Elrick, and Brown University.

120

R. ROSS HOLLOWAY

[AIA 72

Lucanian fibulae known at Sala Consilina and at Pontecagnano2 was also found (inv. 67-94; pl. 43, fig. 4). A bracelet of amber beads (inv. 67-50), a bronze bracelet (inv. 67-116), a bronze fibula of the "Certosa" type (inv. 67-183) and plain ware vases (inv. 67-I28, 2II, 222) complete the tomb group, which belongs to a youth of about 25 years of age who was buried in a seated position in a small pit. On the acropolis and in the vicinity of the building of the fourth century described above, excavation came upon a group of five childrens' pithos tombs. Each of the burials was accompanied by iron fibulae and two or more vases, which provide welcome examples of local wares of the mid-fifth century B.C.The tombs are dated on the basis of a fragment of an Attic red-figured cup (inv. 67-29; pl. 44, fig. 5). Nearby lay the first cremation burial discovered at Satrianum. It is datable to the sixth century B.C. on the basis of an "Ionian" cup which was part of the tomb furniture (inv. 67-I40). Also interred with the burial were two iron spearheads (inv. 67-189, 212), a two-handled Lucanian cup (inv. 67-I41), a small pitcher (inv. 67-134) and a
Sala Consilina, unpublished; Pontecagnano, tomb no. 45, cf. M. Napoli, B. d'Agostino, G. Voza, Mostra della Preistoria e della Protostoria nel Salernitano (Salerno 1962) fig. 46.
8 C. Valente NSc (x949)
2

coarse ware jar (inv. 67-I43). But the most important tomb gift was another pitcher of the typical Lucanian three-color ware documented at Satrianum in the group of tombs excavated in I948 (inv. 67-I42).3 Although it must belong to the archaic age, the stylized cuttlefish that constitutes the major element of its decoration is clearly derived from Mycenaean antecedents (pl. 44, fig. 6). The Satrianum pitcher is an important addition to the evidence for the presence of Mycenaean elements in the cultural heritage of South Italy.4 Considerableattention was devoted to restoration work during the past campaign. Especially noteworthy is the bronze helmet discovered in I966 (inv. 66-132; pl. 43, fig. 7), which has now recovered something of its original appearance. It is an example of the poorly documented class of Italian helmets made with the crown separate from the lower part and with the borders perforated for the attachment of a lining.5 The 1967 campaign has brought the Brown University excavations at Satrianum to a conclusion. Early publication is planned of the full results.
BROWN UNIVERSITY

4 Cf. F. Biancofiore,La Civilta Micenea nell' Italia Meridion-

110-II3.

ale (Incunabula Graeca 4, Rome I963). 5 Two other examples, one from Benevento, are cted by E. Kukahn, Die GriechischeHelm (Marburg-Lahm 1936) 2930, cat. no. I and 12.

HOLLOWAY

PLATE

43

SATRIANUM
1966
ituy

\
-

egend
Cty Aropois WAI W-

67
r Meters

c I. SCAE ?RX

FIG. I.

Satrianum: plan of the excavations

1

FIG. 4. Inv. 67-94. Amber and ivory elements

for decoration of iron fibula

FIG. 7. Inv. 66-I32. Bronze helmet

PLATE

44

HOLLOWAY

FIG. 2. Acropolis

fourth century acropolis wall. Scale I m.

trench 28: stratigraphy against

FIG. 3. Inv. 67-210. Nestoris

with

black-glaze decoration

FIG. 6. Inv. 67-142. Lucanian jug of three-colored ware

FIG. 5. Inv. 67-29. Fragment of Attic red-figured cup