Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- Preface and acknowledgements
- Abbreviations used in the text and bibliography
- 1 Phrasing the problem
- 2 The nature and expression of ethnicity: an anthropological view
- 3 The discursive dimension of ethnic identity
- 4 Ethnography and genealogy: an Argolic case-study
- 5 Ethnicity and archaeology
- 6 Ethnicity and linguistics
- 7 Conclusion
- Chronological table
- Chronological table of authors cited in the text
- Bibliography
- Index
4 - Ethnography and genealogy: an Argolic case-study
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 February 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- Preface and acknowledgements
- Abbreviations used in the text and bibliography
- 1 Phrasing the problem
- 2 The nature and expression of ethnicity: an anthropological view
- 3 The discursive dimension of ethnic identity
- 4 Ethnography and genealogy: an Argolic case-study
- 5 Ethnicity and archaeology
- 6 Ethnicity and linguistics
- 7 Conclusion
- Chronological table
- Chronological table of authors cited in the text
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The ethnic populations of the Argolid
The Argolid area of the northeastern Peloponnese (fig. 2) is bounded to the north by Korinthia, to the northeast and east by the Saronic Gulf, to the south and southeast by the Argolic Gulf and Kynouria, and to the west by Arkadia. It can be thought of as divided into two distinct regions. The Argive plain itself, which covers an area of approximately 200 square km, is triangular in shape and was formed from black alluvial soil washed down from the surrounding mountains. On the western side of the plain are the setdements of Argos (by far the most important and best documented site of the Argive plain in the post-Mycenaean period) and Lerna (modern Míli). On the eastern side are the settlements of Mykenai (Mikínes), the Argive Heraion, Berbati, Midea (Déndra), Tiryns, Nauplia (Náfplio) and, a little further to the southeast, Asine. The second region is the eastern Argolid, or Aktí Peninsula, divided into two by the Adhéres mountain range which runs like a spine from east to west. On the southern coast of Aktí are the sites of Mases (on the modern Koiládha bay), Halieis (Portohéli) and Hermione (Ermióni), while on the northern coast are the sites of Troizen (Trizína) and Epidauros (Epídhavros) along with the Methana peninsula and the island of Kalaureia (modern Póros).
The reason why the Argolid has been selected to provide a more detailed illustration of the discursive construction of ethnicity is due to the fact that – as figure 3 shows – it is a region whose population is characterised by the literary sources as being multi-ethnic in its composition.
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- Ethnic Identity in Greek Antiquity , pp. 67 - 110Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1997
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