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The Villa Dionysos Excavations, Knossos: The Pottery

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2013

J. W. Hayes
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Abstract

The pottery found in the Roman urban villa at Knossos (the Villa Dionysos), excavated in 1935 by R. W. Hutchinson and in several post-war seasons by Prof. M. R. E. Gough, is described. The circumstances and context of the discoveries are described, together with a general account of the types of fabric. Many examples are illustrated by drawings, and a full catalogue description is given of them, amphorae being treated separately. The bulk of the material is second century A.D. in date (part of the villa being destroyed in A.D. 170–80, other parts collapsing and being abandoned in the second quarter or middle of the third century A.D.).

Type
Research Article
Information
Annual of the British School at Athens , Volume 78 , November 1983 , pp. 97 - 169
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 1983

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References

Acknowledgements. I here wish to express my deep debt of gratitude to the late Professor M. R. E. Gough for having encouraged me, many years ago, to work on the material presented here. My first brief encounter with the Villa Dionysos excavation was in 1961; I participated in the 1971 excavations, and have returned to Knossos on several occasions since then to complete study and drawing of the finds. My thanks go to Mrs. Gough and to Dr. H. W. Catling for having permitted the publication of this article in advance of the main report on the site. My only regret is that the appearance of this study has been so long delayed, for which I must bear responsibility. Over the years successive Knossos Fellows have assisted my labours in the Stratigraphical Museum at Knossos; I have also benefited from discussions with Dr. P. Callaghan, Professor J. N. Coldstream, Mr. L. H. Sackett, and others. The Royal Ontario Museum has defrayed some of the expenses for travel to Crete, and has allowed me study leave.

Additional abbreviations:

Brock, Fortetsa: Brock, J. K., Fortetsa: Early Greek Tombs near Knossos (BSA Suppl. Vol. no. 2, London 1957).Google Scholar

(Coldstream,) KDS: Coldstream, J. N., Knossos: The Sanctuary of Demeter (BSA Suppl. Vol. no. 8, London 1973).Google Scholar

(Hayes,) LRP: Hayes, J. W., Late Roman Pottery (London 1972, with Supplement 1980).Google Scholar

MNA: CCCP.

Ostia i–iv: Carandini, A. et al. , Ostia i–iv = Studi miscellanei 13, 16, 21, 23 (Rome 1968–1977).Google Scholar

Oxé/Comfort, CV Arr.: Oxé, A. and Comfort, H., Corpus Vasorum Arretinorum (Bonn 1968).Google Scholar

RCRF Acta: Rei Cretariae Romanae Fautorum Acta.

Vegas, Cermica común: Vegas, M., Cermica común romana del Mediterrneo occidental (Barcelona 1973).Google Scholar

Classifications:

Beltrn = Beltrn Lloris, M., Las nforas romanas en España (Zaragoza 1970).Google Scholar

Callender = Callender, M. H., Roman Amphorae (London 1965).Google Scholar

Camulodunum = Hawkes, C. F. C. and Hull, M. R., Camulodunum (Society of Antiquaries of London, Oxford 1947).Google Scholar

Dressel = H. Dressel, in CIL 15.2 Tabula II.

Haltern = Loeschcke, S., ‘Keramische Funde in Haltern’, in ‘Ausgrabungen bei Haltern’, Mitteilungen der Altertums Kommission für Westfalen 5 (1909) 101 ff.Google Scholar

Pélichet = Pélichet, E., ‘A propos des amphores romaines trouvées à Nyon’, Zeitschrift für schweizerische Archaeologie und Kunstgeschichte 8 (1946) 189–202.Google Scholar

Others are explained in the text.

Dates, where unspecified, are A.D.

1 Hood, M. S. F. and Smyth, D., Archaeological Survey of the Knossos Area (BSA Suppl. no. 14, London 1981) no. 114 p. 43.Google Scholar This supersedes Hood, , Arch. Survey of the Knossos Area (BSA, London 1958) no. 67 p. 15.Google Scholar

2 Payne, H. G. G., ‘Archaeology in Greece, 1934 1935’, JHS 55 (1935) 164. fig. 12 on 167, pl. xiCrossRefGoogle Scholar; Megaw, H., JHS 56 (1936) 150Google Scholar; Hood, M. S. F., in AR 1957 24 fig. 6d, eGoogle Scholar; AR 1958 22; AR 1960–1 29–30; Catling, H. W., AR 1971–1972 21–2.Google Scholar

3 See n. 1, and Sanders, I. F., Roman Crete (Warminster 1982) 51–3, 69–70Google Scholar, 152 pls. 13–14, 26–27. Hutchinson's and R. Radford's records of 1935 and 1937 are not available; the unpublished record of the work done in 1975 is on file in Athens.

4 This plan should not be considered as definitive, but serves merely to indicate the general relationships of the various trenches excavated.

5 Compiled on the basis of Professor Gough's excavation diary. Certain problem areas remain; for these see the architect's plans in the forthcoming final report (not available at time of writing). Note: some small deposits were not assigned regular layer numbers (especially in trenches B, E, J).

6 JHS 55 (1935) 164; Sanders, , Roman Crete 48, 70, pl. 11.Google Scholar

7 Layers SE/β/4–5, with associated pits, SH 4–5, G 2–3, EG 2–3. The finds from trenches SE/β and SH are tabulated in detail below; only selected finds from the deposits in G and EG (which are similar in composition) are listed

8 Hayes, , LRP 318 ff.Google Scholar The form-numbers cited follow the classification proposed there.

9 Cf. LRP 319 no. 1 (the Knossos fragment cited there is not from this site). Typologically earlier than no. 2 in same list.

10 The large dimensions of 7 are a feature of earlier 2nd cent. dishes; cf. LRP fig. 63c on p. 318.

11 For slightly earlier examples from Knossos, see Sackett, AR 1972–1973 68 fig. 21Google Scholar; Coldstream, , KDS J 16, K 25, fig. 17 pls. 28, 32.Google Scholar

12 For further examples of the shape (not in LRP), see Beltrán, M. Ribas, in Noticiario arqueológico hispanico: Arqueología I (1972) fig. 42 on p. 168.Google Scholar

13 e.g., only two fragments are noted from the Athenian Agora excavations (publication forthcoming).

14 To be published shortly; information from the finder.

15 For the typologies cited here, see (for Eastern sigillata wares) Hayes, in Enciclopedia dell'arte antica: Atlante (forthcoming).

16 See principally Hochuli-Gysel, A., Kleinasiatische glasierte Reliefkeramik (Bern 1977) 107–22Google Scholar and passim (‘Tarsos-Werkstätten’).

17 For 213–14, cf. KDS 47, J 8, fig. 17 pl. 28.

18 For early examples, see Hayes, , BSA 66 (1971) 258 ff., especially fig. 17Google Scholar; AR 1972–3 66, fig. 17.

19 The dates proposed by H. S. Robinson in Athenian Agora v need modification in some cases. Group G layer III is probably Hadrianic (c. A.D. 120–50), while the earlier layer IIb should be late Flavian (after c. A.D. 80, on the basis of comparisons with finds from Pompeii). The dates proposed for Groups J and K should be correct. Thus Group G layer III is similar in date to the Baulk layer 9 deposit in the Villa Dionysos (see cooking-pots 56, 59).

20 Cf. Robinson, , Athenian Agora v G 193, J 55–6, K 92.Google Scholar

21 Cf. ibid. K 97–105 (also Sackett, , AR 1972–1973 70 fig. 29Google Scholar).

22 Cf. Robinson, , Athenian Agora v G 194–5, J 57 K 93.Google Scholar

23 Cf. ibid. G 188, K 106, M 101.

24 Some pieces of late cooking-pot types are listed by Johnston, D. E., BSA 57 (1962) 222–7 passimGoogle Scholar; these generally differ from the present examples. For 95, cf. perhaps p. 222 and fig. 15 no. 29.

25 Cf. AR 1972–3 68 fig. 24; Robinson, , Athenian Agora v [G 103], J 43Google Scholar (the first of these early—Flavian?); also Hayes, , RCRF Acta xvii–xviii (1977) 99 fig. 7·7, from Paphos.Google Scholar

26 Cf. Robinson, op. cit. G 117 (early version—late Flavian) and G 182; Ostia i (= Studi Miscellanei 13) 65–7, pl. 7 figs. 143–9, pl. 61 figs. 792–840; Hayes, J. W., Roman Pottery in the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto 1976) 11 no. 44 fig. 6, with refs. citedGoogle Scholar; Hayes, , RCRF Acta xvii–xviii (1977) 99 fig. 6.4.Google Scholar For late copies of the painted type, see Robinson, op. cit. J 10, J 34, K 58, etc.

27 Cf. especially Sackett, , AR 1972–1973 70 fig. 30Google Scholar; also Robinson, op. cit. G 113–15; Wright, K. Slane, Hesperia 49 (1980) 155 no. 77 pl. 31 (early version)CrossRefGoogle Scholar, with bibliography cited.

28 Cf. Robinson, op. cit. J 22, K 89–91; his G 191 is a short-rimmed version of the type.

29 Hayes, , RCRF Acta xvii–xviii (1977) 96–7 fig. 1. 1–3Google Scholar, with parallels cited n. 7. The same series has been noted in Italy at Luni (in mid/late 2nd-cent. contexts), though the fragments published in Scavi di Luni ii do not belong to it, being apparently residual pieces of the earlier series.

30 See Peacock, D. P. S., in Pottery and Early Commerce (ed. Peacock, ) (London etc. 1977) 149, 153.Google Scholar

31 Examples are published from, e.g., Carthage, Caesarea (Palestine), and Paphos (Cyprus). Another example from Knossos: Hayes, , BSA 66 (1971) 269 and fig. 17 no. 49.Google Scholar

32 e.g., CVA Michigan i pl. 42.10 (used as cover of an urn dated A.D. 32); see also comments in Hayes, Roman Pottery in the Royal Ontario Museum 32, under no. 149; Wright, K. Slane, Hesperia 49 (1980) 155 and fig. 5 no. 78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

33 It may be observed that the same cream-buff ware is used for the ‘vault-pins’ found in the later destruction layers (presumably from the fabric of the main Villa). Examples are listed below as 171, 172.

34 Early versions: Hayes, , BSA 66 (1971) 258, 261, 266, figs. 10, 11, 16.Google Scholar Cf. also Coldstream, , KDS 48 and fig. 17, J 20.Google Scholar Examples from late contexts (some residual): Johnston, , BSA 57 (1962) 227–8Google Scholar, nos. 81, 86, figs. 18, 19.

35 Cf. Hayes, , BSA 66 (1971) 261 and fig. 12 no. 53, and 269 no. 50 pl. 39c.Google Scholar

36 For 221, cf. ibid. 253 and fig. 5 no. 25, and 266 and fig. 16 no. 34. For 222–3, cf. KDS 48 and fig. 17, J 17.

37 Johnston, , BSA 57 (1962) 228 and fig. 19 no. 98 may be an example (residual).Google Scholar

38 For the classic study of the shape, with its internal combing, see Jones, J. E. et al. , BSA 68 (1973) 397–413, 443–52, pls. 75–80, 83–6.Google Scholar Examples come chiefly from Attica (including Athens) and neighbouring islands (see Hesperia 46 (1977) 310 no. 34. pl. 70, from Keos), the area around Mt. Helikon in south Boiotia (evidence of production at Askra, and examples from the surrounding countryside, collected by the Cambridge Boiotia Survey in 1982), and Crete. The date of these varies from Classical Greek to at least Early Byzantine. Other examples from Knossos (mostly rim-sherds): BSA 57 (1962) 223 and fig. 15 no. 34, and 227–8 nos. 92–4 fig. 19 (with report of many more similar); also a few pieces from 7th-cent. A.D. contexts on the University Medical Faculty site (1978 dig; to be published shortly). Note also the extension-ring, BSA 76 (1981) 95 no. V.325 fig. 6.

39 A similar ‘domed’ example has been found at Gortyna, in a 2nd(?)-cent. A.D. tomb (kindly shown to me by Professor A. Di Vita). Hives from elsewhere (Attica, etc.) tend to have flat ends.

40 Dated on the basis of other Knossos finds (to be published shortly).

41 Examples of similar trays in local fabric occur in Hadrianic(?) contexts at the ‘Unexplored Mansion’ site (publication forthcoming). The shape of 128, probably oval, may be compared with that of a series of red-gloss vessels found mostly on Black Sea sites (see Athenian Agora Roman pottery report, forthcoming).

42 Probably a free copy of African Red Slip Ware form 58.

43 For the ware only, cf. Hayes, , BSA 66 (1971) 258 fig. 10 no. 25, etc., and comments 274.Google Scholar

44 Cf., for instance, Robinson, , Athenian Agora v K. 78–9 pl. 13.Google Scholar

45 For the forerunners of 136, see Callaghan, P., BSA 76 (1981) 37–8Google Scholar, with fig. 1, and 55 fig. 9 nos. 53–5; for those of 137, see ibid. 51, with no. 41 fig. 5. Closer parallels are noted in the Catalogue. For the mug 136, cf. also BSA 66 (1971) 266 and fig. 16 no. 33 (perhaps also 258 and fig. 10 no. 27).

46 For a recent survey of opinions, and a new typology, see Pavolini, C., ‘Appunti sui “vasetti ovoidi e piriformi” di Ostia’, MEFRA 92.2 (1980) 993–1020.CrossRefGoogle Scholar This cites the other relatively recent surveys by Beltrn Lloris, Annecchino, and Rodriguez-Almeida.

47 Pavolini's types 16–17 (op. cit. 1003–4 Pls. iv–v, with comments on the fabric 1004). The ware of the Ostia finds seems the same as here; a connection with the fabric of Spanish garum amphorae is already advanced by Pavolini (1008). Further examples of the shape (buff fabrics): Jones, F. F., in Tarsus i 268–9 no. 717 figs. 158, 201 (with parallels cited)Google Scholar; Curle, J., A Roman Frontier Post and its People: The Fort of Newstead (Glasgow 1911) 252 and pl. xlviGoogle Scholar, type 27 (noting many parallels in south France); Gillam, J. P., Types of Roman Coarse Pottery Vessels in Northern Britain (1957; 3rd edn.Newcastle 1970) type 36 fig. 6 (cf. also type 38).Google Scholar

48 For the shape, see principally Gose, E., Gefässtypen der römischen Keramik im Rheinland (1950, reprint Köln/Bonn 1975)Google Scholar; Gillam, op. cit. type 347 fig. 32; Vegas, , Cerámica común 154–5 type 64 fig. 58.Google Scholar

49 Another frilled fragment from Knossos: Johnston, , BSA 57 (1962) 221 and fig. 13 no. 10 (residual?).Google Scholar

50 The characteristics of the Keratokambos examples, which do not seem to be identical to the ones published here, have been established by clay-analysis: see Krywonos, W. et al. , Journal of Archaeological Science 9 (1982) 65, 70–2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar The Kommos examples will be published by myself in the final report on that excavation. I thank Professor A. Di Vita for access to the Gortyna finds.

51 See especially Panella, C. in Ostia iii 476–8Google Scholar, with ref. to Knossos finds on p. 477.

52 See Robinson, , Athenian Agora v 69, K 113, etc.Google Scholar The type is very common on that site in contexts of the 3rd and 4th cent. A.D.

53 I thank Dr. R. Hancock (Toronto) for the loan of this volume.

54 Drs. Widemann and Laubenheimer have kindly supplied me with copies of their articles.