Ephesos in the Prehellenistic Period

The Settlement History from the Late Bronze Age until the Foundation of the City by Lysimachos

Artemision in the Prehellenistic Periods

The Settlement History from the Late Bronze Age until the Foundation of the City by Lysimachos

When Lysimachos founded a new the city of Ephesos at the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. on the site of today’s ruins in the depression between the hills of Panayırdağ and Bülbüldağ, the city already had a centuries-long history behind it. Where the Ephesians in the previous centuries lived, however, ancient authors give only sparse and sometimes contradictory information. Excavations carried out in the past have also only revealed a few indications regarding the prehellenistic settlement history.

The goal of this project is, through systematic archaeological and interdisciplinary investigations, to study the location, extent, structure and chronology of the settlement in the region of Ephesos from the Late Bronze Age until the Classical period. With the aid of focussed stratigraphic sondages, the settlement sequence and the chronology should be clarified at topographical key points. Surveys and geophysical surveys will be applied to the study of the physical extent and structure of the settlement. In the flood plain between Ayasoluk and Panayırdağ, where the buried levels of the prehellenistic finds cover a number of metres, paleogeographical drillings might provide information on the key questions. In addition, such drillings make possible the localisation and dating of the coast line and the harbour, the successive silting up of which played a significant role in the transferral of the settlement at Ephesos.

Since 2008, research has concentrated on a rock terrace, located at a height of ca. 50 m on the north-east side of the Panayırdağ, which lay outside the walled Hellenistic-Roman city. Following on from trial sections, in which Franz Miltner in 1926 discovered a prehellenistic fortification wall on the northern edge of the terrace, in 2008/2009 it was possible to clarify the course and dating of the construction. Based on stratigraphy the oldest building phase provides a terminus post quem of ca. 500 B.C. This therefore represents the oldest city wall known so far at Ephesos. By means of surveys in the area, it was also possible during the campaign of 2009 to identify the eastern, southern and western sides of the fortifications and to survey these. The fortifications enclose a rectangle with a surface area of approximately 9 ha.

While Josef Keil and Franz Miltner thought that the fortification wall represented the remains of a sort of ›refuge‹, remains of houses dating to the late 4th/early 3rd century B.C. were brought to light during the 2009 excavations. These houses were abandoned when the residents moved to the city newly established by Lysimachos on the opposite side of the Panayırdağ. The oldest architectural finds discovered so far extend back to the later 6th century B.C. The earliest pottery finds indicate activity on the north-east terrace after the second half of the 8th century B.C.

At its north-east corner, the city wall forms a bastion above a steep rocky incline. Directly in front of this, in 2009 a previously unknown element of the Sanctuary of the Goddess Meter was discovered on a narrow, jagged rock terrace; this dates to the 3rd century B.C. Here were found a total of ten completely preserved marble reliefs with the representation of the Goddess Meter; four of these were discovered in the location where they were originally displayed.

Beginning of Project

July 2008

Financing

OeAI

Cooperation

• Amphorae of the Classical and early Hellenistic epochs: Mark Lawall, Department of Classics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg
• Epigraphy: Hans Taeube, University of Vienna, Institute of Ancient History
• Geoarchaeology: Helmut Brückne, University of Cologne, Institute of Geography, Working group Geoarchaeology, Coastal Geomorphology, Geochronology
• Geophysics: S. Sirri Sere, Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics
• Sanctuary of Meter (excavations J. Keil 1926 und Survey 1999–2001): Feriştah Alanyalı-Soyka, Archaeological Institute, University of Eskişehir
• Numismatics: Alexander Rusk, Numismatical Commission of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
• Literary sources regarding historical topography: Norbert Ehrhard, University of Münster, Department of Ancient History
• Terracottas: Fikret Özcan, Archaeological Institute, Süleyman Demirel University Isparta

Bibliography

• O. Benndorf, Zur Ortskunde und Stadtgeschichte, in: O. Benndorf (Hrsg.), FiE 1 (Wien 1906) 9–110.
• J. Keil, XII. Vorläufiger Bericht über die Ausgrabungen in Ephesos, ÖJh 23, 1926, 247–300.
• M. Büyükkolancı, Excavations on Ayasuluk Hill in Selçuk/Turkey. A Contribution to the Early History of Ephesus, in: F. Krinzinger (Hrsg.), Die Ägäis und das westliche Mittelmeer. Beziehungen und Wechselwirkungen 8. bis 5. Jh. v. Chr., Akten des Symposions Wien 24.-27. März 1999, AForsch 4 = DenkschrWien 288 (Wien 2000) 39–43.
• J. C. Kraft – İ. Kayan – H. Brückner – G. (R.) Rapp, Jr., A Geological Analysis of Ancient Landscapes and the Harbors of Ephesus and the Artemision in Anatolia, ÖJh 69, 2000, 175–233.
• P. Scherrer – E. Trinkl, Die Tetragonos Agora in Ephesos. Grabungsergebnisse von archaischer bis in byzantinische Zeit – Ein Überblick. Befunde und Funde klassischer Zeit, FiE 13, 2 (Wien 2006).
• M. Kerschner, Die Ionische Wanderung im Lichte neuer archäologischer Forschungen in Ephesos, in: E. Olshausen – H. Sonnabend (Hrsg.), »Troianer sind wir gewesen« – Migrationen in der antiken Welt, Stuttgarter Kolloquium zur Historischen Geographie des Altertums 8, 2002, Geographica Historica 21 (Stuttgart 2006) 364–382.
• M. Kerschner – I. Kowalleck – M. Steskal, Archäologische Forschungen zur Siedlungsgeschichte von Ephesos in geometrischer, archaischer und klassischer Zeit. Grabungsbefunde und Keramikfunde aus dem Bereich von Koressos, ErghÖJh 9 (Wien 2008).

Contact

Michael Kerschner

The Artemision the Prehellenistic Period

The Artemision is the most important sanctuary of the Polis of Ephesos, and as such is inextricably linked to the history of the city. The massive, over 100 m long dipteros of the 4th century B.C. was counted by ancient authors amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. Its predecessor, the first marble temple sponsored by the Lydian King Kroisos and begun in the second quarter of the 6th century B.C., was only slightly smaller and had broadly the same groundplan. This first dipteros, named the ›Kroisos Temple‹ after its patron, was built over the remains of the earliest sanctuary, whose structures, levels, and deposits were in this way protected from later intrusions. In this manner, the first Temple of Artemis, erected in the second quarter of the 7th century B.C. and therefore amongst the earliest peripteral temples in Greek architecture, is remarkably well preserved. The favourable conservation situation of the Geometric and early archaic strata in the Artemision has made it possible, via evaluation of the find contexts, to gain insights into cult practices at a highly important early Greek sanctuary.

The finds from strata and the architectural finds brought to light during the course of excavations by the OeAI under the guidance of A. Bammer between 1965 and 1994 are the focus of a current programme of processing and publication. The overwhelming majority of the finds originate from the second half of the 8th century B.C. and from the 7th century B.C., when the Artemision experienced its first heyday. The oldest levels with finds, however, belong to the early phase of the sanctuary in the Protogeometric epoch (late 11th/10th century B.C.).

A central focus of the processing work is formed by the contextual patterns of stratigraphy and ceramic finds at key points of the sanctuary, which are of primary importance for the understanding of the temenos and its structures, and/or which, in the case of intentional deposits, allow conclusions regarding cult practices.

1. The protogeometric complex of finds in the central Sekos: Michael Kerschner
2. The excavations in the central and eastern Sekos: Michael Kerschner, Stefan Karl, Michael Weißl
3. The excavations in the western Sekos, with particular reference to the stratigraphic relationship between the excavations carried out by D. G. Hogarth (1904/1905) and A. Bammer (1987/1990): Dyfri Williams
4. Classical find contexts from the area of the Altar: Ireen Kowalleck

 

Parallel to the contextual processing work, a series of studies is being carried out of particular find-types, where the specific areas of questions can best be treated in the form of a monographic investigation:

 

1. Mycenean pottery finds: Birgitta Eder – Michael Kerschner
2. Corinthian imported pottery (with the exception of the central and eastern excavation areas): Hülya Bulut
3. Attic imported pottery and eastern Aegean productions of Atticising pottery: Ireen Kowalleck
4. Western Anatolian Black-on-Red-pottery: Michael Kerschner
5. Equipment and weapons out of iron: Holger Baitinger
6. Amber objects: Alessandro Naso

Beginning Date of Project

October 2002

Financing

OeAI

Cooperation

• Archaeometric pottery analysis: Hans Momms, Helmholtz-Institut für Strahlen- und Kernphysik, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
• Amber objects: Alessandro Naso, University of Innsbruck, Institut für Archäologien, Fachbereich für Ur- und Frühgeschichte sowie Mittelalter- und Neuzeitarchäologie
• Equipment and weapons of iron: Holger Baitinger, Roman-Germanic Commission of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI), Frankfurt am Main
• Corinthian imported pottery (with the exception of the central and eastern excavation areas): Hülya Bulut, Archaeological Institute of the University of Muğla
• Mycenean pottery finds (in collaboration with M. Kerschner): Birgitta Eder, Freiburg University, Department of Classical Archaeology, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
• Stratigraphy and pottery of the western area of the sekos: Dyfri William, Greek and Roman Antiquities, The British Museum, London

Bibliography on the Artemision (selected)

• J. T. Wood, Discoveries at Ephesus (London 1877).
• D. G. Hogarth, Excavations at Ephesus. The Archaic Artemisia (London 1908).
• A. Bammer, Das Heiligtum der Artemis von Ephesos (Graz 1984).
• A. Gasser, Die korinthische und attische Importkeramik vom Artemision in Ephesos, FiE 12, 1 (Wien 1989).
• D. Williams, The ›pot hoard‹ pot from the Archaic Artemision at Ephesus, BICS 38, 1991/1993, 98–103.
• U. Muss, Die Bauplastik des archaischen Artemisions von Ephesos, SoSchrÖAI 25 (Wien 1994).
• A. Bammer – U. Muss, Das Artemision von Ephesos. Das Weltwunder Ioniens in archaischer und klassischer Zeit, Zabern Bildbände zur Archäologie 20 (Mainz 1996).
• M. Kerschner, Ein stratifizierter Opferkomplex des 7. Jh.s v.Chr. aus dem Artemision von Ephesos, ÖJh 66, 1997, Beibl. 85–226.
• U. Muss (Hrsg.), Der Kosmos der Artemis von Ephesos, SoSchrÖAI 37 (Wien 2001).
• U. Muss – A. Bammer – M. Büyükkolancı, Der Altar des Artemisions von Ephesos, FiE 12, 2 (Wien 2001).
• M. Weißl, Grundzüge der Bau- und Schichtenfolge im Artemision von Ephesos, ÖJh 71, 2002, 313–346.
• M. Kerschner, Stratifizierte Fundkomplexe der geometrischen und subgeometrischen Epoche aus Ephesos, in: B. Rückert – F. Kolb (Hrsg.), Probleme der Keramikchronologie des südlichen und westlichen Kleinasiens in geometrischer und archaischer Zeit. Internationales Colloquium Tübingen 24. 3.-26. 3. 1998, Antiquitas Reihe 3 Bd. 44 (Bonn 2003) 43-59.
• M. Kerschner, Zum Kult im früheisenzeitlichen Ephesos. Interpretation eines protogeometrischen Fundkomplexes aus dem Artemisheiligtum, in: B. Schmaltz – M. Söldner (Hrsg.), Griechische Keramik im kulturellen Kontext, Akten des Internationalen Vasen-Symposions in Kiel 24.-28. 9. 2001 (Münster 2003) 246-250.
• G. Klebinder-Gauß, Zwei bronzene Doppeläxte aus dem Artemision von Ephesos, ÖJh 72, 2003, 133–140.
• G. Kuhn, Rezension zu: U. Muss – A. Bammer – M. Büyükkolancı, Der Altar des Artemisions von Ephesos, FiE 12, 2 (Wien 2001), GGA 255, 2003, 197–226.
• M. Kerschner, Phrygische Keramik in griechischem Kontext. Eine Omphalosschale der Schwarz glänzenden Ware aus der sog. Zentralbasis im Artemision von Ephesos und weitere phrygische Keramikfunde in der Ostägäis, ÖJh 74, 2005, 125–149.
• G. Forstenpointner – G. E. Weißengruber – A. Galik, Tierreste aus früheisenzeitlichen Schichten des Artemisions von Ephesos. Analyse und funktionelle Interpretation, in: B. Brandt – V. Gassner – S. Ladstätter (Hrsg.), Synergia. Festschrift Friedrich Krinzinger I (Wien 2005) 85–91.
• M. Weißl, Zur Datierung des ›Foundation-Deposit‹ aus dem Artemision von Ephesos, in: B. Brandt – V. Gassner – S. Ladstätter (Hrsg)., Synergia. Festschrift Friedrich Krinzinger I (Wien 2005) 363–370.
• M. Kerschner, Lydische Weihungen in griechischen Heiligtümern, in: A. Naso (Hrsg.), Stranieri e non cittadini nei santuari greci, Atti del convegno internazionale, Studi Udinesi sul Mondo Antico 2 (Grassina 2006) 253-291.
• A. M. Pülz- B. Bühler, Die Goldappliken aus dem Artemision von Ephesos. Studien zur Typologie und Technik, ÖJh 75, 2006, 219–235.
• M. Kerschner, Das Keramikbild von Ephesos im 7. und 6. Jh. v. Chr., mit einem Beitrag von H. Mommsen und A. Schwedt, in: J. Cobet – V. v. Graeve – W.-D. Niemeier – K. Zimmermann (Hrsg.), Frühes Ionien. Eine Bestandsaufnahme, Panionion-Symposion Güzelçamlı 26. September – 1. Oktober 1999, MilForsch 5 (Mainz 2007) 221–242.
• G. Klebinder-Gauß, Die Bronzefunde aus dem Artemision von Ephesos, FiE 12, 3 (Wien 2007).
• A. Naso, Klinai lignee intarsiate dalla Ionia all’Europa centrale, RM 113, 2007, 9–34.
• Ae. Ohnesorg, Der Kroisos-Tempel. Neue Forschungen zum archaischen Dipteros der Artemis von Ephesos, FiE 12, 4 (Wien 2007).
• U. Muss (Hrsg.), Die Archäologie der ephesischen Artemis. Gestalt und Ritual eines Heiligtums (Wien 2008).
• W. Seipel (Hrsg.), Efes Artemisionu. Bir Tanrıçanın kutsal mekânı, Ausstellungskatalog İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzeleri 22. Mayıs – 22. Eylül 2008 (Wien 2008).
• I. Kowalleck, La ceramica attica dal santuario di Artemide ad Efeso. Nuove ricerche sullo spettro delle forme, sulla produzione attica e sulla produzione est-egea di tradizione attica, in: S. Fortunelli – C. Masseria (Hrsg.), Ceramica attica da santuari della Grecia, della Ionia e dell’Italia. Atti Convegno Internazionale Perugia 14–17 marzo 2007 (Venosa 2009) 131–142.
• A. M. Pülz, Goldfunde aus dem Artemision von Ephesos, FiE 12, 5 (Wien 2009).

Contact

Michael Kerschner