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The
OSU Excavations at Isthmia - 1995 Preliminary Report
Fieldwork during the
1995 season again focused on study and conservation in various parts
of the site. A primary concern, as past seasons, was the Roman Bath
to the north of the Temple of Poseidon. Architectural study and
recording was coordinated by Fikret Yegul of the University of California
at Santa Barbara, assisted by Omur Harmansah and Elizabeth Hornbeck.
The full architectural documentation of the building was virtually
completed, including a total of some eleven sections through the
bath, all done at a scale of 1:50. These, along with the various
plan drawings and details of individual features, will form the
primary basis for the final publication of the structure. Further
consideration and study by Professor Yegul has raised the question
of whether the extant remains might not represent two major construction
phases, both probably in the second century after Christ.
Relaying
the mosaic in the Roman Bath.
Conservation of the
large monochrome mosaic in the Roman Bath, begun in 1990, reached
an important stage this year, as all of the panels raised in 1980
and 1990--a total of 148--have now been successfully re-laid. This
work, as in the past, was carried out under the direction of Ioannis
Daglis of the Department of Conservation of the Ministry of Culture.
We wish to thank Mr. Daglis for his assistance, hard work, and skill.
Much of the physical work was accomplished by Ioannis and Panagiotis
Elias and Christos and Nikolaos Venetsanos, all of Kyras Vrysi.
Much detailed work of consolidation still remains to be done on
the mosaic, as something under half of the re-laid panels still
must be sealed around each of their four edges, and a protective
roof must be constructed over the mosaic. We are pleased, however,
that the basic task of conservation of this important work of ancient
art is now complete.
Replacing
the last panel of mosaic.
Conservation
was also carried out as part of a project with the University of
Delaware and the Winterthur Museum, sponsored by the Samuel H. Kress
Foundation. As part of this project, two conservators, Brenda Smith
and Julie Trosper (both then of the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum, University
of California), carried out an extensive program of object conservation.
This involved the examination and conservation of all metal objects
and coins, and the complete rehousing of the miscellaneous (small)
finds, in proper archival-quality containers according to material
and size. In addition, a major program was begun to rehouse all
the miscellaneous finds (glass, stone, and organic material) now
stored with context pottery, in order better to protected it from
long-term deterioration. Finally, a conservation database was set
up to record and allow access to information about conservation
treatment of all objects. This has, as a special feature, a means
to indicate when an object should again be subject to conservation
treatment.
Further study
was conducted this year in the so-called East Field, in the area
between the Temenos of Poseidon and the Byzantine Fortress. This
study included the examination of large quantities of material excavated
in 1970-72 in an attempt to understand this enigmatic area of apparently
domestic structures. Considerable progress was made this year in
the identification of specific architectural complexes, indicating
that several spaces once though to represent separate buildings
were in fact rooms in larger architectural complexes. It is now
possible to suggest that the central part of the area was originally
dominated by two rather large complexes, with a courtyard or open
space between them. At a later date the ground level was raised
considerably and several other structures were built and the existing
structures apparently subdivided.
Joseph Rife,
of the University of Michigan, continued his work this season on
the skeletal material from previous excavations (nearly 200 individual
burials in all). He cleaned and investigated two burials in the
area of the Byzantine Fortress originally excavated in 1969. These
investigations allowed further observations on the nature of the
burials and their chronology.
Finally, the
preliminary stage in the investigation of the so-called 1969-72
Dump was completed this year. This dump, discovered in 1993, contained
pottery and other objects that had been excavated and then discarded,
apparently in 1972. The discovery of the dump provided us with an
opportunity to study large quantities of excavated material from
earlier years, perhaps approaching a 100% sample, and to discuss
issues and methods of object disposal and storage. All the objects
recovered from the dump were sorted into 74 categories, counted,
weighed, and placed into temporary storage for further analysis
and study. A total of 131,047 artifacts were counted, and these
weighed some 4,020 kg. This project was under the direction of Jeanne
Marty of the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
Stephen Lattimore's
volume, Isthmia VI, Sculpture 1967-1978, presents a catalogue of
sculpture excavated by the UCLA Excavations at Isthmia. It will
appear this autumn from the American
School in Princeton. Also appearing in Hesperia this autumn
is a preliminary report on the excavation and study of the Roman
Bath, 1972-1992.
Major support
for this year's season of conservation and study was provided by
a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, whom we warmly
thank. The Director would also like to thank an unusually large
and cooperative staff, and Richard Rothaus, Assistant Director,
and P. Nick Kardulias, Field Director, for considerable care, insight,
and cooperation.
Timothy E. Gregory
October, 1995
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