Unit 6 of terracehouse 2 in Ephesos. Finds in their context

Due to its excellent condition, its décor of high quality and its extensive inventory of finds, Terrace House 2 in Ephesos provides a unique testimony of Eastern Mediterranean lifestyle of Roman Imperial times. The abandonment of the insula, provoked by its destruction through an earthquake, produced a legacy that, due to the inventory of finds and the décor, is predestined for a contextual analysis. Not only because of its dimension (950 m floor space) and its valuable décor, but also because of the situation of the findings, housing unit 6, of which the owner, the alytarch, ship owner and priest of the Dionysos cult C. Flavius Furius Aptus, is known for the middle of the 2nd century AD, enables to ask new questions. They go beyond a verification and expansion of the known room inventories of the housing units 1 to 5: on the one hand, a Hellenistic pre-building phase with wall paintings was unearthed through excavations in 1988 and 2004; on the other hand, a late-antique post-usage is documented for the northern and eastern areas of the peristyle courtyard. While the work on the building features, décor, sculptures and a large part of the pottery has widely progressed, the categories terracotta, metal-, bone- and glass-findings have so far not been attended to. Furthermore, the documentation and analysis of the entire inventory of finds from the excavations of the years 2004 (northern hall of the peristyle courtyard 31a) and 2005 (bath in the eastern hall of the courtyard 31a), which also contains painting fragments and animal bones, is still outstanding. For the first time, the terracotta of housing unit 6 shall be presented together with the sculptures made of bronze and marble; the latter are already analyzed. Through this, the entire inventory of sculptures can be illuminated and also comprehensive problems concerning the dependency of material, function, situation and prevailing taste can be pursued. The objects made of bone and metal are of great importance for the analysis of the complete household effects. The latter shall also contribute to answering questions concerning the functions of the rooms. An analysis of these finds will also enrich our knowledge of the lost wooden furniture and the decoration made of organic material. In this regard, the glass objects as part of the household effects, among them luxurious tableware and drinking glasses, have a high information value as well. A contextual analysis of the inventory of finds, the décor, the building features and the epigraphic testimonies requires the complete examination of the stratigraphically classified finds. For the building features, the décor and large parts of the pottery analysis preliminary work has been done. For the concluding work on the finds funds for two years are necessary; with their help the preparations for the publication can be completed. With an approval the entire manuscript of housing unit 6 can be presented for publication in 2008.

Due to its excellent condition, its décor of high quality and its extensive inventory of finds, Terrace House 2 in Ephesos provides a unique testimony of Eastern Mediterranean lifestyle of Roman Imperial times. The abandonment of the insula, provoked by its destruction through an earthquake, produced a legacy that, due to the inventory of finds and the décor, is predestined for a contextual analysis. Not only because of its dimension (950 m floor space) and its valuable décor, but also because of the situation of the findings, housing unit 6, of which the owner, the alytarch, ship owner and priest of the Dionysos cult C. Flavius Furius Aptus, is known for the middle of the 2nd century AD, enables to ask new questions. They go beyond a verification and expansion of the known room inventories of the housing units 1 to 5: on the one hand, a Hellenistic pre-building phase with wall paintings was unearthed through excavations in 1988 and 2004; on the other hand, a late-antique post-usage is documented for the northern and eastern areas of the peristyle courtyard. While the work on the building features, décor, sculptures and a large part of the pottery has widely progressed, the categories terracotta, metal-, bone- and glass-findings have so far not been attended to. Furthermore, the documentation and analysis of the entire inventory of finds from the excavations of the years 2004 (northern hall of the peristyle courtyard 31a) and 2005 (bath in the eastern hall of the courtyard 31a), which also contains painting fragments and animal bones, is still outstanding. For the first time, the terracotta of housing unit 6 shall be presented together with the sculptures made of bronze and marble; the latter are already analyzed. Through this, the entire inventory of sculptures can be illuminated and also comprehensive problems concerning the dependency of material, function, situation and prevailing taste can be pursued. The objects made of bone and metal are of great importance for the analysis of the complete household effects. The latter shall also contribute to answering questions concerning the functions of the rooms. An analysis of these finds will also enrich our knowledge of the lost wooden furniture and the decoration made of organic material. In this regard, the glass objects as part of the household effects, among them luxurious tableware and drinking glasses, have a high information value as well. A contextual analysis of the inventory of finds, the décor, the building features and the epigraphic testimonies requires the complete examination of the stratigraphically classified finds. For the building features, the décor and large parts of the pottery analysis preliminary work has been done. For the concluding work on the finds funds for two years are necessary; with their help the preparations for the publication can be completed. With an approval the entire manuscript of housing unit 6 can be presented for publication in 2008.