Byzantine Small Finds and their Workshops in Ephesos

Research into the Byzantine small finds of non-ferrous and precious metals, as well as ivory, and their workshops at Ephesos, concentrates on the one hand on finds from the current excavations at the so-called Byzantine Palace and in the Late Antique-Early Byzantine residential buildings in the region of the imperial-period Harbour Gymnasium; and on the other hand also on previous finds (for example from Terrace House 2: taverns and the Early Byzantine hoard; workshops as well as Ephesian find-spots which are not yet processed). The goal of this research is an all-inclusive, context-oriented final evaluation of the entire spectrum of Byzantine small finds, incorporating the already-published finds such as those from the Church of Mary or the so-called Tomb of Luke. Objects from Ephesos housed in the Department of Antiquities at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and in the Efes Müzesi Selçuk, where approximately 470 inventoried finds from the Byzantine period are located, will also be considered. These finds mostly originate from Austrian and Turkish excavations at Ephesos, above all from the Basilica of St. John, as well as from the Selçuk area. These are also primarily scattered finds, whose exact provenance is unknown. Due to the cooperation with the Efes Müzesi Selçuk, it will now be possible to develop a complete representation of the materials from an entire region.

 

The Ephesian material is comprised of jewellery, elements from costumes, as well as objects of daily use, and extends over a time period from the Early up until the Late Byzantine period. The elements of costume and articles of jewellery are grouped into pendants, bracelets, earrings, rings, needles and fibulae, as well as decorative elements from belts. Worthy of mention is also a relatively large group of ca. 80 crosses made of bronze and silver, which served as pendants, reliquary crosses, or processional crosses. In addition to the jewellery and elements from costume, cosmetic and medical implements are also found, such as for example ear picks, weapons in the form of arrowheads, and objects of daily and household use. To this group primarily belong vessels and jugs, chains for hanging up lamps, weights, bells, spoons, furniture- and door-mountings, nails, locks and weighing scales.

 

The investigation of the Byzantine small finds will be carried out not only by archaeologists but also by technological specialists. It should be emphasized that such an investigation is not linked to specific monuments, but instead represents a far-reaching interdisciplinary study. For the technological investigations and the analysis of the workshop finds of non-ferrous metal: VIAS; metal analysis: Institute of Science and Technology in Art at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna; iconography and inscriptions on the crosses: Institute for the Study of Ancient Culture, carried out within the framework of cultural-historical synopsis. It is expected that the research will not only clarify questions regarding local workshops, but furthermore will also result in new information regarding aspects of trade, social history, and economic history.

 

 

Duration of the Project

March 2011 – February 2014

 

 

Financing

FWF, Austrian Science Fund, Project Number P 22941-G19

 

 

Cooperation

 

 

Bibliography

A. M. Pülz – F. Kat, Die byzantinischen Kleinfunde aus Ephesos. Ein Überblick über das Material, in: F. Daim – J. Drauschke (Hrsg.), Byzanz – das Römerreich im Mittelalter, Monographien des RGZM 84, 2, 2 (Mainz 2010) 697–712.

 

 

Contact

Andrea M. Pülz

 

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