Site details

The Amyklaion

PK	C991
TITLE	The Amyklaion
WGS84	37.036279° N, 22.450199° E
Accuracy	Exact

LAT/LON	37.036279, 22.450199
LON/LAT	22.450199, 37.036279

DMS

37° 2' 10.6044" N

22° 27' 0.7164" E

W3W	reconstructed, scour, payback
UTM	34 S, 628975, 4099880
EGSA87	362016, 4099732

Elevation m	205
Elevation feet	672.6
Region	Laconia

GENERAL SITE TYPE Cult

TYPE

1.    Artifacts.   French [1971], 139    'Twenty-eight female figurines came to light among Amyklai sherd material in the apotheke of the Sparta Museum, ... '
2.    Cult.   Simpson [2018], 303    'This was apparently preceded by a cult here in Mycenaean times, evidenced by parts of 32 wheel-made figurines, of bulls and other animals, and elaborate Psi figurines ... '
3.    Cult Sanctuary.   Simpson [2009], 320    'Mycenaean habitation here had already been indicated by a spread of LH surface sherds...'
4.    hab.   Syriopoulos [1995], 1119

SITE SIZE

- Simpson [1981]  p. 103,  Size: 24000 sq. m.  '...an extent of settlement about 200 m. east to west by 120 m.'

- Simpson [2009]  p. 320,  Size: 24000 sq. m.  '...c. 200 m east to west by c. 120 m, i.e. c. 24,000 m² ...'

PERIOD (High Chronology)

1. Middle Helladic: (2000 BC - 1600 BC)
    a.    Cartledge [2002]: 57,

2. Late Helladic II: (1635 BC - 1410 BC)
    a.    Cartledge [2002]: 278, 'EH MH LH II LH IIIA-C PG G A C'

3. LH IIA: (1635 BC - 1470 BC)
    a.    Simpson [1981]: 103, 'LH IIA "palatial" jar fragments were found ...'

4. LH IIIA: (1410 BC - 1315 BC)
    a.    Cartledge [2002]: 278, 'EH MH LH II LH IIIA-C PG G A C'
    b.    Simpson [2009]: 322, 'The floruit of both (Amyklai and Vaphio, RHC) appears to have been in the LH IIIA and LH IIIB periods,...'
    c.    Syriopoulos [1995]: 1119,

5. LH IIIB: (1320 BC - 1190 BC)
    a.    Simpson [1981]: 103, '...and the elaborate Psi figurines and wheel made animal terracottas seem to indicate a cult in late LH IIIB and LH IIIC.'
    b.    Cartledge [2002]: 57, 'In LH IIIB a sanctuary was established, ...'
    c.    Simpson [2009]: 322, 'The floruit of both (Amyklai and Vaphio, RHC) appears to have been in the LH IIIA and LH IIIB periods,...'
    d.    Syriopoulos [1995]: 1119,
    e.    Ålin [1962]: 93, 'Auf dem späteren Tempelhügel fanden sich etwa 75 mykenische Figurinen und Tierstatuetten, aber auch einige Scherben, hauptsächlich aus IIIB.'
    f.    French [1971]: 140, 'The sherds illustrated in the report all belong to late L.H. IIIB, ... '
    g.    Simpson [2018]: 303, ' ..., Demakopoulou estimates that a Mycenaean cult here began late in the LH IIIB period and flourished throughout LH IIIC ... '

6. LH IIIB2: (1250 BC - 1190 BC)
    a.    Simpson [2009]: 320, 'Dickinson believes that a hill sanctuary was established here, probably in LH I1IB2,...'

7. LH IIIC: (1190 BC - 1060 BC)
    a.    Simpson [1981]: 103, '...and the elaborate Psi figurines and wheel made animal terracottas seem to indicate a cult in late LH IIIB and LH IIIC.'
    b.    Cartledge [2002]: 278, 'EH MH LH II LH IIIA-C PG G A C'
    c.    Simpson [2009]: 320, 'Morgan estimates that the initial phase of cult activity at the Amyklaion spanned the LH IIIC period...'
    d.    Syriopoulos [1995]: 1119,
    e.    Ålin [1962]: 93, 'Eine Rindstatuette scheint aus IIIC zu stammen.'
    f.    French [1971]: 140, 'A date ranging from late L.H. IIIB through IIIC would suit the figurines and is as close as can be determined for the time being.'
    g.    Simpson [2018]: 303, ' ..., Demakopoulou estimates that a Mycenaean cult here began late in the LH IIIB period and flourished throughout LH IIIC ... '

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Ålin [1962]: Ålin, Per. Das Ende der mykenischen Fundstätten auf dem griechischen Festland. Carl Bloms Boktryckeri A.-B., Lund, 1962., 'Ajia Kyriaki', pg. 92.

2. Cartledge [2002]: Cartledge, Paul. Sparta and Lakonia; A regional history 1300-362 BC. Routledge, London and New York. 2002., '', pg. 57.

3. French [1971]: French, Elizabeth. ‘The Development of Mycenaean Terracotta Figurines’, The Annual of the British School at Athens (66) 101-187. 1971, 'Late Figurines from Amyklai', pg. 139. Online here.

4. Simpson [2009]: Simpson, Richard Hope. ‘The Mycenaean Settlements in the Sparta Plain and the Ancient Traditions’, Studi Micenei ed Egeo-Anatolici, 51 (2009), pp. 315-335, 'Amyklai: Ayia Kyriaki (the Amyklaion)', pg. 320. Online here.

5. Simpson [2018]: Simpson, Richard Hope. Mycenaean Greece and Homeric Tradition. published online under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. 2018, 'Amyklai (Il. 2.584)', pg. 302. Online here.

6. Simpson [1981]: Simpson, Richard Hope. Mycenaean Greece. Park Ridge, New Jersey: Noyes Press, 1981., 'E 5 The Amyklaion', pg. 103. Online here.

7. Syriopoulos [1995]: Syriopoulos, Konstantinos. Γενικος Συνοπτικος Καταλογος Των Περιεχομενων και των Δυο Τομων: Δευτερος Τομος. Athens: Athens Archaeological Society. 1995., '', pg. 1119.