Geometric pottery, Blackglazed- and kitchenware from Aegina

Since the beginning of the 20th century excavations conducted on the hill of Cap Colonna/Aegina have brought to light great amounts of pottery from different historical contexts. To the most important sorts belong the geometric pottery from the 10th to 8th century B.C. as well as the blackglazed pottery and the kitchenware of the archaic to hellenistic periods. Except a few items the pottery remained unpublished up to this day. The material forms an important indicator for the early settlement on the hill in the post-Mycenaean period, the installation of an early Greek cult center and its exploitation and continuance during the cultural prosperity of the island in archaic- classical times. The pottery material consists of non-stratified finds from the former excavations, nevertheless the outstanding quality demands a treatment and announcement. The chronological and typological basis for studying the pottery from the former excavations are the well-stratified find-complexes from the recent investigations on Colonna hill; primarily pottery from wells, shafts, graves, stratified habitation levels and floor-fillings of greater building-complexes (Northern staircase, `Attaleion` etc.). Wells, graves and several deposits with an abundant amount of protogeometric pottery prove the intensive exploitation of the hill already for the 10th century B.C. So far it is unknown, when the sanctuary on Cap Colonna was established; an apsidial building with libation vessels transmitted from the former excavations could mark the beginning of the cult on the hill in this period of time. Basing on the comprehensive stock-taking of the geometric pottery from Cap Colonna, the inventory, the typological, chronological and stilistical analysis, several problems and questions should be clarified: the beginnings of the sanctuary, the sequence and relationship between settlement and cult center, the ceramic imports and therefore the relation between Aegina and other early Greek city-states. The blackglazed pottery and kitchenware, found on Colonna hill in likewise great amounts, belong the the most important ceramic sorts from the archaic to the hellenistic periods. Aims of the project are the stock-taking of the material, the typological and chronological incorporation, the comparison of the pottery with other published find-spots outside from Aegina (Athens, Corinth etc.), the clarification of the relationship between local and non-local pottery-production as well as the examination of the role of the island as an important economic and commercial power in the world of the Greek city-states during the archaic and classical periods. Nearby the stilistical investigation of the pottery scientific analysis is projected.

Kolonna is the ancient center of the island of Aegina which is situated off the coast of Athens in the Saronic Gulf. The project Geometric Pottery, Black Glaze and Cookingware from Aegina` examines the Geometric and Classical pottery from the University of Salzburg excavations at Kolonna. It focuses on the local pottery production and on external imports of pottery. Our analysis results in new and important insights into the function of Kolonna as a settlement respectively religious center, as well as its economic situation and external contacts. The very big quantities of protogeometric and geometric pottery indicate that the acropolis of Cape Kolonna which was abandoned during the late Mycenean times was resettled in the 10th century B.C. The inhabitants of Aegina had close relations to Athens from the beginning on, independent of their transmitted doric descent, for the decorated ceramic fine wares have been almost exclusively imported from there. The shapes are typical equipment of dining and drinking feasts, so as cups, drinking and mixing bowls, oinochoai and amphorae for the delivering and storing of wine. More than two hundred years the people of Aegina have been using Attic vessels when celebrating their common drinking rituals, which are very likely to be an early form of the later cult of Apollon at this place. From the middle of the 8th century B.C. onward the Athenian monopoly was broken first of all by the increasing importance of the Corinthian ceramic products, later also by Argive and Cycladic pottery, so that we can presume an enlarged network of traderelations and social contacts of Aegina to the Aegean already for the late 8th century B.C. Three centuries later, during the Classical period Aegina had close contacts with nearby and distant regions (Athens, Corinth, Lakonia and Ionia), showing that the island was now the center of an extended tradenet, at the same time the local pottery workshops flourished. The most important result of this study is the proof of an extended local production of cooking devices such as pots, jugs, pans and ovens, made of a characteristic heat- and water-resistant fabric. Archaeological and scientific analysis support the existence of a local pottery production. So ancient literary sources mentioning local Aeginetan pottery and nickname Aegina a `pot-seller` are confirmed. The identification of exported Aeginetan pottery is possible now by the knowledge of a local pottery production. We are able to prove archaeologically the presence of an Aegenetan merchant fleet in the Mediterranean, so far only known from ancient literature. At the same time pottery was imported to Aegina, especially fine wares that could not be produced on the island according to our analysis. Black glaze ware from Attic workshops is predominating during the entire 5th century B.C. which is quite surprising when regarding the tensed and even warelike relations between Aegina and Athens.