11 BCHSuppl 51 - Demokritos. G IORDANI, M. O DDONE, and S. M ELONI..... 777-786 Instrumental Neutron...

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ASMOSIA VII


É C O L E F R A N Ç A I S E D ’ A T H È N E S

Directeur des publications : Dominique MulliezAdjointe aux publications : Catherine Aubert

Révision et mise au point des textes : Y. Maniatis

L’École française d’Athènes, qui a contribué à l’organisation de la rencontre ASMOSIA VII à Thasos, avec le centre Dimokritos, la18e éphorie des antiquités préhistoriques et classiques de Kavala et l’IGME, a pris en charge la totalité du coût de fabrication desactes dans sa collection, mais a autorisé à titre exceptionnel Yannis Maniatis à recourir aux normes éditoriales anglo-saxonnes.

Pré-presse et photogravure : EFA Velissarios Anagnostopoulos, Thymeli s.n.c.Coordination de la fabrication : EFA, Velissarios AnagnostopoulosImpression, reliure : Break In s.a.Conception graphique de la couverture : EFA, Velissarios Anagnostopoulos

Dépositaire : De Boccard Édition-Diffusion – 11, rue de Médicis, F – 75006 Paris, www.deboccard.com

© École française d’Athènes, 2009 – 6, rue Didotou, GR – 10680 Athènes, www.efa.gr

ISBN 978-2-86958-207-1

Reproduction et traduction, même partielles, interdites sans l’autorisation de l’éditeur pour tous pays, y compris les États-Unis.


BCHSupplément 51

B U L L E T I N D E C O R R E S P O N D A N C E H E L L É N I Q U E

ASMOSIA VIIActes du VIIe colloque international de l’ASMOSIA

Organisé par l'École française d'Athènes,

le National Center for Scientific Research “DIMOKRITOS”,

la 18e éphorie des antiquités préhistoriques et classiques (Kavala)

et l’Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration

Thasos, 15-20 septembre 2003

Proceedings of the 7th International Conference of

Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity

organized by the French School of Athens,

the National Center for Scientific Research “DIMOKRITOS”,

the 18th Ephoreia of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities (Kavala)

and the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration

Thassos, september 15-20, 2003

Études réunies par Yannis MANIATIS


BCH Suppl. 51

CONTENTS

Préface Yannis Maniatis .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. XIII-XVI

ABBREVIATIONS IN BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... XVII

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY TALK

Ch. KOUKOULI-CHRYSANTHAKI and S. PAPADOPOULOS .................................................................................................................................................................................................1-18The island of Thassos and the Aegean in the Prehistory

PART I: ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS – USE OF MARBLE

Th. STEFANIDOU-TIVERIOU ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19-29Thassian marble: A connection between Thassos and Thessaloniki

E.J. WALTERS .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31-41Thassian Julius Caesar

G.E BORROMEO, J.J. HERRMANN, Jr. and N. HERZ ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 43-51Macedonian workmanship on a Thassian marble Hadrian in Providence?

J. C. FANT .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 53-57White marbles in the summer triclinium of the casa del Bracciale d’Oro, Pompeii

J.J. HERRMANN, Jr. and R.H. TYKOT ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 59-75Some products from the Dokimeion quarries: craters, tables, capitals and statues

P.A. BUTZ ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 77-87The Naxian Colossus at Delos: “Same Stone”

A. BETORI, M. GOMEZ SERITO and P. PENSABENE ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 89-102Investigation of marbles and stones used in Augustean monuments of western alpine provinces (Italy)

F. BIANCHI and M. BRUNO .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 103-111Flavian amphitheatre: The Cavea and the Portico; Comments about the quality, quantity and the

working of its marbles

O. PALAGIA, Y. MANIATIS, E. DOTSIKA and D. KAVOUSSANAKI ........................................................................................................................................................... 113-132New investigations on the pedimental sculptures of the “Hieron” of Samothrace: A preliminary report

V. GAGGADIS-ROBIN, Y. MANIATIS, C. SINTÈS, D. KAVOUSSANAKI and E. DOTSIKA ...................................................................................... 133-146Provenance investigation of some marble sarcophagi from Arles with stable isotope and maximum

grain sizes analysis

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L. COOK and I. THOMAS ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 147-157Faustino Corsi and the coloured marbles of Derbyshire

F. VAN KEUREN, L.P. GROMET and N. HERZ .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 159-174Three mythological sarcophagi at the RISD Museum: Marble provenances and iconography

PART II: QUARRIES, QUARRYING TECHNIQUES, GEOLOGY AND STONE PROPERTIES

J.A. HARRELL ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 175-186The Bokari granodiorite quarry in Egypt’s eastern desert

E. BLOXAM, P. STOREMYR and T. HELDAL .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 187-201Hard stone quarrying in the Egyptian old Kingdom (3rd Millennium BC): rethinking the social or-

ganization

T. ENDO and S. NISHIMOTO ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 203-210The ancient Egyptian quarry at Dibabiya

D. KLEMM and R. KLEMM ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 211-225Pharaonic limestone quarries in Wadi Nakhla and Deir Abu Hennis, Egypt

T. HELDAL, P. STOREMYR, E. BLOXAM, I. SHAW, R. LEE and A. SALEM ....................................................................................................................................... 227-241GPS and GIS methodology in the mapping of Chephren’s quarry, Upper Egypt: a significant tool for

documentation and interpretation of the site

P. STOREMYR, T. HELDAL, E. BLOXAM and J.A. HARRELL ................................................................................................................................................................................. 243-256New evidence of small-scale Roman basalt quarrying in Egypt: Widan el Faras in the northern Faiyum

desert and Tilal Sawda by El-Minya

P. STOREMYR and T. HELDAL .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 257-271Ancient stone quarries: Vulnerable archaeological sites threatened by modern development

P. HADJIDAKIS, D. MATARANGAS and M. VARTI-MATARANGAS .............................................................................................................................................................. 273-288Ancient quarries in Delos, Greece

M. WURCH-KOZELJ et T. KOZELJ ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 289-307Quelques sarcophages rectangulaires d’époque impériale, des carrières thasiennes aux nécropoles de

Thasos

K. LASKARIDIS and V. PERDIKATSIS ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 309-317Characterisation of the timeless white marble and quarrying activity in Thassos

PART III: PROVENANCE IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERISATION (MARBLE)

F. GABELLONE, M.T. GIANNOTTA and A. ALESSIO ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 319-331The Torre Sgarrata wreck (South Italy): Marble artefacts in the cargo

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A. CALIA, M.T. GIANNOTTA, L. LAZZARINI and G. QUARTA ...................................................................................................................................................................... 333-342The Torre Sgarrata wreck: Characterization and provenance of white marble artefacts in the cargo

D. ATTANASIO, S. KANE and N. HERZ ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 343-356New isotopic and EPR data for 22 sculptures from the extramural sanctuary of Demeter and

Persephone at Cyrene

D. ATTANASIO, G. MESOLELLA, P. PENSABENE, R. PLATANIA and P. ROCCHI .................................................................................................................. 357-369EPR and Petrographic provenance of the architectural white marbles of three buildings at Villa Adriana

T. CRAMER, K. GERMANN and W.–D. HEILMEYER ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 371-383Marble objects from Asia Minor in the Berlin collection of classical antiquities: stone characteristics

and provenance

M. BRUNO, C. GORGONI and P. PALLANTE ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 385-398On the provenance of white marbles used in the baths of Caracalla in Rome

M. FISCHER ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 399-412Marble from Pentelicon, Paros, Thasos and Proconnesus in ancient Israel: an attempt at a chronolog-

ical distinction

Y. MANIATIS, P. SOTIRAKOPOULOU, K. POLIKRETI, E. DOTSIKA and E. TZAVIDOPOULOS ........................................................................ 413-437The “Keros Hoard”: Provenance of the figurines and possible sources of marble in the Cyclades

Y. MANIATIS, S. PAPADOPOULOS, E. DOTSIKA, D. KAVOUSSANAKI and E. TZAVIDOPOULOS .............................................................. 439-449Provenance investigation of Neolithic marble vases from Limeraria, Thassos: Imported marble to

Thassos?

M. UNTERWURZACHER, H. STADLER and P. MIRWALD ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 451-458Provenance study of Roman marble artefacts of an excavation near Oberdrauburg (Carinthia, Austria)

L. LAZZARINI ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 459-484The distribution and re-use of the most important coloured marbles in the provinces of the Roman

Empire

M. MARIOTTINI, E. CURTI and E. MOSCETTI ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 485-493The taste of the marbles in Roman villae (Tiburtina-Nomentana)

L. LAZZARINI and S. CANCELLIERE .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 495-508Marmor Thessalicum (verde antico): Source, distribution and characterization

P. LAPUENTE, B. TURI and Ph. BLANC ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 509-522Marbles and coloured stones from the theatre of Caesaraugusta (Hispania): Preliminary study

R.H. TYKOT, G.E. BORROMEO, C. CORRADO-GOULET and K. SEVERSON ....................................................................................................................... 523-532Marble sculptures from the Rhode Island School of Design: Provenance studies using stable isotope

and other analysis

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J. J. HERRMANN, Jr., R. NEWMAN and A. VAN DEN HOEK ............................................................................................................................................................................... 533-545Identifying Dolomitic Marble 2000-2003: The Capitoline Museums, New York, and Somnus-

Hypnos in Urbisaglia

PART IV: PROVENANCE IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERISATION (OTHER STONES)

R. BUGINI and L. FOLLI ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 547-557On tesserae of Roman mosaics in Lombardy (Italy)

E. Roffia, R. Bugini and L. Folli .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 559-570Stone materials of the Roman villas around lake Garda (Italy)

P. DEGRYSE, P. MUCHEZ, E. TROGH and M. WAELKENS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 571-580The natural building stones of Helenistic to Byzantine Sagalassos: Provenance determination through

stable isotope geochemistry

Ø.J. JANSEN, T. HELDAL, R.B. PEDERSEN, Y. RONEN and S.H.H. KALAND ...................................................................................................................... 581-595Provenance of soapstone used in medieval buildings in the Bergen region, Western Norway

B. MORONI, I. BORGIA, M. PETRELLI and P. LAPUENTE ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 597-613Archaeometry of chert tools: For a non-destructive geochemical approach

J. CASSAR .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 615-626Classifying Maltese prehistoric limestone megaliths by means of geochemical data

F. ANTONELLI, L. LAZZARINI, S. CANCELLIERE and A. SOLANO .............................................................................................................................................................. 627-643“Granito del Foro” and “Granito di Nicotera”: Archaeometric problems

O. ÖZBEK ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 645-656The prehistoric ground stone implements from Yartarla: The preliminary results of a geoarchaeolog-

ical study in Tekirdag region (Eastern Thrace)

S. CHLOUVERAKI and S. LUGLI ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 657-668Gypsum: A jewel in Minoan palatial architecture; Identification and characterization of its varieties

L. LAZZARINI and F. ATHANASIOU ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 669-676The discovery of the Greek origin of the “Breccia policroma della Vittoria”

PART V: TECHNIQUES AND DEVELOPMENTS

J. ZÖLDFÖLDI and Zs. KASZTOVSZKY .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 677-691Provenance study of Lapis Lazuli by non-destructive prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA)

F. BIRICOTTI and M. SEVERI ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 693-698A new non-destructive methodology for studying the internal structure of white marble of artistic and

archaeological interest

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PART VI: DATABASES

S. PIKE ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 699-708A stable isotope database for the ancient white marble quarries of Mount Pentelikon, Greece

G. KOKKOROU-ALEVRAS, E. POUPAKI, A. CHATZICONSTANTINOU and A. EFSTATHOPOULOS ......................................................... 709-718Corpus of ancient Greek quarries

B. SZÉKELY and J. ZÖLDFÖLDI ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 719-734Fractal analysis and quantitative fabric analysis database of West Anatolian white marbles

PART VII: STONE PROPERTIES – WEATHERING – RESTORATION

A.TSIKOURAS, K. MIHOPOULOS, K. HATZIPANAGIOTOU and N. NINIS .................................................................................................................................. 735-743Correlations of mineralogy and physical properties for stones used in the building and the restoration

of the Asklepieion at Epidauros

I. PAPAYIANNI and M. STEFANIDOU ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 745-752Study of the behaviour of Serpentinite stones used for the construction of ancient Dioklitianoupoli in

Northern Greece

M. GREENHALGH .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 753-764Where have all the columns gone? The loss and reuse of antiquities in the Eastern Mediterranean

K. KOUZELI, and E. ZGOULETA ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 765-776Gypsum at the Minoan site of Knossos: Types and deterioration

L. GIORDANI, M. ODDONE, and S. MELONI .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 777-786Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis of the marble façade of the Certosa di Pavia: Materials

provenancing and problematics related to decay

K. POLIKRETI, and Y. MANIATIS .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 787-798Ionic and charge mobility on weathered marble surfaces, studied by EPR spectroscopy

PART VIII: PIGMENTS AND PAINTINGS ON MARBLE

B. BOURGEOIS and Ph. JOCKEY ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 799-809Polychrome Hellenistic sculpture in Delos: Research on surface treatments of ancient marble sculp-

ture - Part II

A. G. KARYDAS, H. BRECOULAKI, B. BOURGEOIS and Ph. JOCKEY .................................................................................................................................................... 811-829In-situ X-Ray Fluorescence analysis of raw pigments and traces of polychromy on Hellenistic sculpture

at the archaeological museum of Delos

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PRÉFACE

L’acronyme ASMOSIA désigne l’Association pour l’étude du marbre et autres pierres dans l’Antiquité(Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity), fondée lors d’un atelier de recherche

avancée de l’OTAN qui s’est tenu à l’hôtel Il Ciocco, à Lucca, en Italie, du 9 au 13 mai 1988. L’atelier

était intitulé : Le marbre en Grèce ancienne et à Rome : Géologie, carrières, commerce et artefacts. Il fut

suivi par une cinquantaine de participants qui représentaient de nombreuses professions : des physi-

ciens, travaillant dans le domaine de l’archéométrie, des archéologues, des historiens de l’art et des

conservateurs. Il fut organisé par Marc Waelkens et Norman Herz avec le but affiché d’encourager les

projets associant scientifiques, historiens de l’art et autres pour une meilleure compréhension des ques-

tions relevant de l’usage de la pierre par les Anciens. À la suite de cet atelier, une série de rencontres

fut programmée tous les deux ans et demi environ : la seconde rencontre eut lieu du 16 au 20 octobre

1990 à Louvain, en Belgique ; la troisième du 17 au 19 mai 1993 à Athènes, en Grèce ; la quatrième

du 9 au 13 octobre 1995 à Bordeaux, en France ; la cinquième du 11 au 15 juin 1998 à Boston, aux

États-Unis ; la sixième du 15 au 18 juin 2000 à Venise, en Italie ; la septième du 15 au 20 septembre

2003 à Liménas, sur l’île de Thasos, en Grèce. Cette série de colloques fait partie intégrante de l’asso-

ciation ASMOSIA : ils ont pour objectif de promouvoir la collaboration entre les sciences, l’archéologie

et l’histoire de l’art pour une meilleure compréhension de l’exploitation, du transport, du traitement

et de l’emploi de la pierre brute dans l’Antiquité.

La publication des actes a été bien accueillie à la fois par les historiens de l’art, les archéologues et la

communauté scientifique, comme par les corps de conservateurs; elle a contribué à susciter une coopé-

ration interdisciplinaire sans cesse élargie. Dans la mesure où, avant la création de l’association, cette

coopération était minimale, ce fut là, en fait, un progrès décisif. Pour la bonne organisation et la publi-

cation de ces rencontres, on a également eu la chance de bénéficier du soutien financier d’agences nationales

et internationales, comme la fondation Samuel H. Kress Foundation, l’OTAN, etc.

Le nombre de membres de l’association a plus que quadruplé, passant de 50 en 1988 à environ 250

aujourd’hui, représentant 25 pays. En dehors des actes de colloques, ASMOSIA publie également àraison de deux fois par an l’ASMOSIA Newsletter.

À ce jour, ce domaine de la recherche a fait preuve d’importantes avancées dans la mesure où les sources

matérielles dont on dispose pour l’usage du marbre et des autres pierres dans l’Antiquité ont été lar-gement étudiées et où les matériaux eux-mêmes ont fait l’objet de caractérisations géologiques et

physico-chimiques. Les bases de données avec leurs paramètres analytiques se sont développées et les

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caractéristiques de différents types de pierres brutes se sont accumulées. Bien des problèmes archéolo-giques ou relevant de l’histoire de l’art trouvent désormais une meilleure réponse et une meilleure explicationpar le recours aux analyses scientifiques et aux bases de données, qu’il s’agisse de la provenance, de l’iden-tification, de la diffusion, du traitement, des assemblages et de la préservation d’importants artefacts.

Le 7e colloque international de l’association ASMOSIA s’est tenu à Liménas, la ville principale et leport de l’île de Thasos, en Grèce. Il a été organisé par le laboratoire d’archéométrie-NCSR « Demokritos »,l’École française d’Athènes, la 18e éphorie des antiquités préhistoriques et classiques, l’IGME (Instituteof Geology and Mineral Exploration). Le comité d’organisation, composé de Y. Maniatis, K. Polikreti,Z. Bonias, S. Papadopoulos, T. Kozelj, M. Wurch-Kozelj et M. Varti-Mataranga, tient à adresser ses

remerciements à la Municipalité de Thasos qui a mis à disposition la salle de conférences du « Kalogeriko »

et a tout mis en œuvre pour faciliter le bon déroulement du colloque, le ministère grec de la culture

et le ministère grec de l’Égée ainsi que l’Association des entreprises du marbre de Thrace et de Macédoine

pour leur soutien financier.

Ce volume réunit les contributions présentées au 7e colloque international de l’association ASMOSIA.

Les thèmes abordés dans ces communications sont à la pointe du domaine interdisciplinaire où se rejoi-

gnent les sciences, l’archéologie et l’histoire de l’art ; ils reflètent un large spectre de la recherche poursuivie

sur les pierres grâce à la coopération des sciences et des humanités. En particulier, les thèmes abordés

recouvrent presque tous les aspects qui concernent la pierre depuis la carrière jusqu’au produit décoré

dans son état final, sans exclure les questions du vieillissement et de la restauration.

Tous les textes soumis pour publication dans ces actes ont fait l’objet d’une révision attentive par un

ou plusieurs réviseurs, ce qui en garantit le haut niveau, le caractère innovant et la portée scientifique.

En la matière, nous exprimons nos sincères remerciements aux membres du comité exécutif de l’asso-

ciation ASMOSIA, N. Herz, L. Lazzarini, P. Storemyr, J.J. Herrmann Jr., Ph. Jockey, S. Kane, J. Harrell,

ainsi qu’aux members du comité scientifique du colloque qui ont apporté leur concours à la difficile

révision des textes présentés dans ce volume.

En outre, nous voulons remercier V. Zatta, secrétaire de l’Institute of Materials Science-NCSR

« Demokritos » pour son aide dans le traitement des actes et les étudiants-chercheurs du laboratoire

d’archéométrie-NCSR « Demokritos » D. Tambakopoulos et M. Maniati pour leur aide dans l’orga-

nisation et la relecture des épreuves.

Nous tenons aussi à exprimer notre plus profonde gratitude à l’École française d’Athènes et, en parti-culier, à son directeur, le professeur D. Mulliez : l’École française d’Athènes, en effet, a supporté la

totalité du coût de fabrication et du travail de publication des actes dans le Supplément 51 du Bulletinde Correspondance Hellénique. Nos remerciements vont également à Sandrine Huber, ancienne adjointeaux publications de l’École française d’Athènes, et à Catherine Aubert, qui lui a succédé à ce poste,pour la part qu’elles ont prise dans l’élaboration de la publication.

Yannis Maniatis

Président de l’association ASMOSIA

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PREFACE

ASMOSIA stands for the Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity and was

founded at a NATO sponsored Advanced Research Workshop held at Il Ciocco, Lucca, Italy, 9-13 May,

1988. The Workshop was entitled, “Marble in Ancient Greece and Rome: Geology, Quarries, Commerce,

Artifacts” and was attended by fifty persons representing many varied professions: physical scientists

working in Archaeometry, archaeologists, art historians, and conservators. It was organized by Marc

Waelkens and Norman Herz with the avowed goal of encouraging collaborative projects among sci-

entists, art historians and others in order to better understand the problems associated with ancient

man’s use of stone. Following that a series of meetings were held scheduled approximately every two

and a half year: the second meeting was held October 16-20, 1990 in Leuven, Belgium; the third May

17-19, 1993, in Athens, Greece; the fourth October 9-13, 1995 in Bordeaux, France; the fifth June

11-15, 1998, in Boston, USA; the sixth June 15-18, 2000 in Venice, Italy; and the seventh in September

15-20, 2003 at Limenas on the Island of Thassos, Greece. These series of conferences form an integral

part of the Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones Used in Antiquity (ASMOSIA) and

their aim is to promote the combined scientific, archaeological and art-historical research for a better

understanding of the exploration, transportation, treatment and use of stone raw materials in Antiquity.

The publications of the proceedings have been well received by both the art historical, archaeological,

and scientific, as well as museum communities and have helped to inspire an ever increasing interdis-

ciplinary cooperation. Since previous to ASMOSIA, such cooperation was minimal, this has indeed

been a great accomplishment. We have also been fortunate in receiving financial support for our meetings

and publications from national and international agencies, such as the Samuel H. Kress Foundation,

NATO etc.

Membership in ASMOSIA has grown over four-fold, from under 50 in 1988 to about 250 now and

representing 25 countries. Publications apart from the conference proceedings include the currentlytwice-yearly ASMOSIA Newsletter.

Today, the field has witnessed important advances as the raw material sources for marble and otherstones used in Antiquity have been studied to a great extend and the materials have been characterisedgeologically and physicochemically. The databases with analytical parameters have been expanding and

experience with the characteristics of different types of raw stone materials has been accumulating. Many

archaeological and art-historical problems can now be better resolved and explained using the advancedscientific methods and databases. Such problems may be related to provenance, identification, movement,treatment, assemblages and preservation of important artifacts.

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The 7th International ASMOSIA Conference was held at Limenas, the main town and harbour of theisland of Thassos, Greece. It was organized by the Laboratory of Archaeometry-NCSR “Demokritos”,the French School at Athens, the 18th Ephoreia of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and the Instituteof Geology and Mineral Exploration. The Organizing Committee, Y. Maniatis, K. Polikreti, Z. Bonias,S. Papadopoulos, T. Kozelj, M. Wurch-Kozelj and M. Varti-Mataranga would like to thank and

acknowledge the Municipal Authorities of Thassos for providing the Conference building “Kalogeriko”

and all the necessary facilities in order to make this Conference possible, the financial support of the

Greek Ministry of Culture, the financial support of the Greek Ministry of the Aegean and the financial

support of the Association of Marble Enterprises of Macedonia and Thrace.

This book contains the papers submitted to the 7th International ASMOSIA Conference. The sub-

jects of the papers represent the state-of-the art in the field and reflect a very broad range of research

and applications carried out in cooperation between the sciences and the humanities. In particular, the

subjects cover almost everything on stone from the quarry to the final decorated object, including even

aspects of weathering and restoration.

All the papers submitted for publication in these proceedings went under a peer reviewing process by

one or more reviewers. This guarantees that the papers published in this volume are of high standards,

innovative and scientifically sound.

For this, we expresses his sincere thanks to the Executive Committee of ASMOSIA, N. Herz, L. Lazzarini,

P. Storemyr, J.J. Herrmann Jr., Ph. Jockey, S. Kane, J. Harrell, and the Scientific Committee of the

Conference and also to other professional colleagues who helped with the difficult task of reviewing

the papers presented in this volume.

In addition, we want to thank Mrs V. Zatta, the Secretary of the Institute of Materials Science of NCSR

“Demokritos” for her help in processing the proceedings and the research students of the Laboratory

of Archaeometry-NCSR “Demokritos” Mr. D. Tambakopoulos and Mrs. M. Maniati for their help in

organising and proof readings of the papers.

We also expresses his deepest gratitude to the French School at Athens and particularly to its Director

prof. D. Mulliez for undertaking the full cost and effort of publication of the proceedings as Supplement 51of the Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique. Thanks are also due to Mrs. S. Huber, former publication

officer of the French School, and Mrs. C. Aubert, present publication officer, for organizing the pub-

lication.

Yannis Maniatis

Current President of ASMOSIA

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PROVENANCE INVESTIGATION OF SOME MARBLE

SARCOPHAGI FROM ARLES WITH STABLE ISOTOPE

AND MAXIMUM GRAIN SIZE ANALYSIS

V. GAGGADIS-ROBIN1, Y. MANIATIS2, C. SINTÈS3, D. KAVOUSSANAKI2 and E. DOTSIKA2

1. Centre Camille Jullian - CNRS - MMSH, Aix-en-Provence2. Laboratory of Archaeometry, NCSR Demokritos, Greece3. Musée de l'Arles Antique, Arles

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the results of a scientific provenance investigation of four marble coffins and two lids ofsarcophagi from the Museum of Arles in south France, dated from the 2nd to the 4th century A.D. The inves-tigation determined that Attic and Asia Minor origin marble was used for some imported sarcophagi. Inaddition, the provenance results in combination with art historical study showed that the coffin of Eros andPsyche was carved in local workshops using imported marble blocs.

KEYWORDS: STABLE ISOTOPES, MAXIMUM GRAIN SIZE, ANALYSIS, MARBLE, SARCOPHAGI,ARLES, SOUTH FRANCE, ATTIC, ASIA MINOR, LOCAL WORKSHOPS.

INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY

The Museum of Arles in Southern France, named ‘Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence An-tiques’, is well known because of its collection of pagan and early Christian sarcophagi. Thestudy of about a hundred marble and limestone pagan sarcophagi has just been published(GAGGADIS-ROBIN 2005). The provenance of some of them cannot be determined only by anart historical study but must depend on a scientific investigation.

The investigation methods used are the well-known and established method of Stable Isotope(13C and 18O) analysis, in combination with Maximum Grain Size (MGS) analysis. The

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134 V. GAGGADIS-ROBIN, Y. MANIATIS, C. SINTÈS, D. KAVOUSSANAKI and E. DOTSIKA

methods and databases used here are published in literature (HERZ 1985; HERZ 1987; HERZ

1988; MOENS et al. 1992a; MOENS et al. 1992b; MANIATIS and POLIKRETI 2000; POLIKRETI

and MANIATIS 2002).

The samples were taken in the form of a small chip using a fine chisel, and were obtained ei-ther from the interior or the outer bottom part of the sarcophagi where the marble surface wasonly roughly carved or polished. Thus, the sampling process was completely harmless to theobjects.

SAMPLES AND RESULTS

Table 1 lists the samples and the objects from which they were received as well as the results ofanalyses and examination.

Table 1: Samples, description and analytical results of the Sarcophagi from Arles Museum.

No Sample code Colour δδ13C PDB δδ18O PDB MSG (mm) General description

1 FAN 92.00.540 Greyish 2,78 -1,71 1.6 Weathered, blackCornelia Lacaena’s stains (iron oxides?)coffin

2 FAN 92.00.464 Greyish 3,19 -1,56 2,3-2,4 Very well crystallizedChrysogone’s coffin

3 FAN 92.00.107 Greyish 3,63 -0,58 1,8 Very well crystallized,Attia Esyche’s coffin weathered

4 FAN 92.00.2680 Whitish 2,80 -0,59 ≥1,5 Very weathered, Attia Esyche’s lid well crystallized

5 FAN 92.00.543 Greyish 3,69 -0,07 1,6 Well crystallizedCoffin with Erotesand Psyche

6 FAN 92.00.2681 White, 2,55 -8,07 0,7-0,8 Homogenous, well Lid with the legend graphite crystallized withof Phaidra particles argillaceous veins

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PROVENANCE INVESTIGATION OF SOME MARBLE SARCOPHAGI FROM ARLES 135

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THE ATTIC MARBLE

The first object under consideration is the lid of the famous Attic Phaidra sarcophagus (fig. 1,Inventory nr: FAN 92.00.2681) (ESPÉRANDIEU 1907, pp. 109-112 n°133; GAGGADIS-ROBIN

2005, n°14), discovered in Trinquetaille in June 1891, during the construction of the rail-way station of the Camargue, near the Rhone. The lid was discovered not on the coffin, butsome meters away from it. This fact and the small differences between the lengths of the twopieces, as well as the difference in the carving of the lid convinced F. Benoit (BENOIT 1954,p. 8) that the marble of the coffin was pentelic while that of the lid from Carrara. This opin-ion was adopted also by other experts (FÉVRIER 1979). Differences in length between coffinand lid are not so rare. The differences in finishing can be explained from the fact that thefigures on the lid have been reworked (WARD-PERKINS 1956, pp. 10-16). It is also clear onthe front of the piece: the low relief of the sea-monsters has been cut in order to let free thespace for an inscription, which has been never engraved. The male figure, which was oncerepresented on the right side, has been cut away. The remaining female figure was changedinto a male by reducing with a chisel the volume of the breast. However, Ward-Perkins did-n’t pay attention to the fact that the male figure doesn’t wear a Greek mantle, as always onthis type of attic lids, but a roman toga contabulata. This type of toga, with a large pleat onthe breast was fashionable in the provinces of the Empire, as can be seen on many statuesand reliefs. Some isolated examples have been found in Rome (GOETTE 1990, p. 58, Cb 1.2,pl. 36, 3-4) as well as on the lid of the Louvre found in Florence (Inventory no: Ma 1466:

Fig. 1. — Lid of the attic Phaidra sarcophagus. (Copyright: Foliot and Réveillac, C.N.R.S., CentreCamille Jullian, MMSH, Aix-en-Provence.)

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BARATTE and METZGER 1985, pp. 28-29 n°2). Nevertheless most of these representationscome from the provinces of the Empire: North Africa, Noricum or the regions of the Danube(GOETTE 1990, p. 58, pl. 36, 3-5; 38, 2; 39) dating from the Severian period and duringall the 3rd century AD (GOETTE 1990, pp. 58-59).

The results of the scientific analysis of the marble of the lid (sample: no 2681) are shown firston the isotopic field diagram (fig. 2), which indicates that the sample falls in the Penteli-Naxos overlap and second, on the MGS versus δ18O (fig. 3), which discriminates between thetwo fields and identifies clearly that the marble is from Penteli. This result confirms the asso-ciation of the lid with the coffin and supports the evidence of reworking. The reworking of thelid was performed by a local sculptor who could have been most probably a middle-qualitytechnician, with no experience on pentelic marble, as he didn’t carve deeply the stone aroundthe veins. The date of the toga shows that these transformations have been made in the middleof the 3rd century AD, probably in Arles and not in Greece.

Fig. 2. — Isotopic signature of the marble sarcophagi samples from Arles plotted on the isotopic fieldsof most known ancient quarries (kindly provided by prof. L. Moens). PE = Penteli, NA = the whole ofNaxos, EP1 = Ephesos-1 quarry region, EP2 = Ephesos-2 quarry region, DO = Dokimeion, AP = Aphro-disias, US = Usak, CA = Carrara, PR = Proconessus, PA1 = Paros-1, PA2 = Paros-2, TH1 = Thassos-1(calcitic), TH2 = Thassos-2 (calcitic), TH3 = Thassos-3 (dolomitic).

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THE ASIAN MINOR MARBLE

Sample no 540 from a coffin made in white marble with grey striations belonging to CorneliaLacaena (Fig. 4: C.I.L., XII, n°790; ESPÉRANDIEU 1907, pp. 150-151 n°186; GAGGADIS-ROBIN 2005, n°1) falls in the Proconessus, Paros-2, Carrara and Usak fields. Usak is excludedas it is a local quarry of only regional influence. Carrara is also excluded because of MaximumGrain Size (fig. 5). Therefore the provenance is confined to either Proconnessus or Paros. Thephysicochemical characteristics of the marble in these two regions, excluding the very finegrained Lychnites marble, are so close to each other that they do not permit a secureassignment of origin in one of the two. The shape of the coffin and of its mouldings, as well asits iconography refers to the Proconnesian workshops. Many of the elements of thecomposition are characteristic of the sarcophagi from Proconnesus: the alternation of theanimal heads perfectly adapted to the angles, the careful work of the ribbons and of theHerakles knots, the leaves in low-relief around the garland are similar to an example in

Fig. 3. — Delta 18O values plotted against the logarithm of Maximum Grain Size for the most probablemarble sources. The ellipses represent the 95% of the samples in each location. PROCON = Procon-nessus, NX-APOL = Apollonas-Naxos, PENTELI = Penteli, THASSOS 2 =Calcitic marbles of Thassos,NX-MEL = Melanes-Naxos, PAROS = All the marble quarry regions of Paros.

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Fig. 5. — Maximum Grain Size ranges for Paros, Thassos, Proconnessus, Carrara, Naxos and Penteli an-cient marble quarry regions. Thassos 1, 2 represents all the calcitic marbles of Thassos.

Fig. 4. — The sarcophagus of Cornelia Lacaena. (Copyright: Foliot and Réveillac, C.N.R.S., CentreCamille Jullian, MMSH, Aix-en-Provence.)

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Ephesus (KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, n°508). The Proconnesian workshops produced agreat number of garland sarcophagi, which were exported all over the Roman Empire in anunfinished or perfectly finished condition, from the end of the 1st century to the 3rd centuryAD. Their distribution is well known (ASGARI 1977, fig. 53; PENSABENE 1981; KOCH andSICHTERMANN 1982, pp. 486-492). According to G. Koch the coffin of Cornelia Lacaena is alocal work (KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, p. 298, n. 31, fig. 318). However the marblecharacteristics, which are a determinant factor, show that it must belong to the Proconnesiangroup, as Paros can be excluded stylistically. For the same author the tabula in the middle of thecoffin, and not in the space of a garland, as well as the two and not three garlands seem to be thefact of a local imitation of a oriental pattern. This kind of composition exists also inAphrodisias, where the garlands are hold by Nikai, or by Erotes (PENSABENE 1981, fig. 22;KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, p. 528 n°518). We find the same composition in Apamée(KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, p. 568 n°573), and on some unfinished pieces (PENSABENE

1981, figs 23-24). The quality of the work suggests that it must have been imported to Arlesfrom the Proconnesian workshop completely finished. Another hypothesis could be that avery skilled local sculptor finished the imported pieces in Arles. The quality of carving of thedecoration dates the coffin of Cornelia Lacaena to somewhere between 100 and 150 AD.

Another example is the sarcophagus discovered in Arles in 1618 (Fig. 6: Inventory nr: FAN92.00.464) (ESPÉRANDIEU, 1907, pp. 148-149 n°183; GAGGADIS-ROBIN 2005, n°9) belongsto the little girl Chrysogone Siricium (CIL, XII, n°782). The isotopic analysis, shown inFigure 2, indicates that the marble of this sarcophagus (sample no 464) falls clearly in the

Fig. 6. — The coffin of Chrysogone Siricium. (Copyright: Foliot, C.N.R.S., Centre Camille Jullian,MMSH, Aix-en-Provence.)


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Proconessus field, which agrees with the evident macroscopic characteristics of theProconnessian marble bearing fine light-grey striations. Furthermore, its form and decoration(inscription, twisted columns and Medusa’s heads) also suggest that it has been produced by anAsia Minor workshop. The architectural style of the principal side, which is divided into threeparts with two niches with twisted columns, spoon-leaf capitals, and a Medusa head in thecentre, suggest that it was produced in Asia Minor, as the example in Konya Museum (KOCH

and SICHTERMANN 1982, p. 548 n. 4, n°536). In the centre is the large tabula ansata with theinscription, as is also seen in a coffin in Aphrodisias (PENSABENE 1981, fig. 23, KOCH andSICHTERMANN 1982, p. 528, fig. 518). The harmony and the severity of the composition, thecarving, the form of and the details in the heads, as well as the origin of the marble fromProconnesus, in our opinion relates it to the works from the Asia Minor workshops. On onehand the form of the coffin is like many funerary chests or sarcophagi of the 3rd century ADfrom Asia Minor, especially from Ephesus, (KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, p. 519, figs 503-504). On the back side of the sarcophagus of the Muses of the Palazzo Massimo in Rome(SAPELLI 1998, pp. 34-37 n°14), certainly carved by a sculptor from Asia Minor, two little feethave been carved, in the same way as on the coffin of Chrysogone. In addition, many of thesarcophagi produced in Asia Minor exhibit the old funeral motif, -a Medusa head inside thegarlands-, used also for stele and funeral altars of the imperial period (PAOLETTI 1998). Wefind the same decoration on sarcophagi in Izmir (KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, fig. 516),Adana (KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, fig. 542), in the Beirut museum from Sidon (KOCH

and SICHTERMANN 1982, fig. 560), or in Washington from Beirut (KOCH and SICHTERMANN

1982, fig. 562). The form of the garlands with the rose bouquets goes back to the anatolianmodels and reminds those on the funerary reliefs of Dokimeion (WAELKENS 1986, p. 195n°482, p. 203 n°504, pl. 74). The capitals of the columns are useful to date Chrysogone’ssarcophagus to the second half of the 4th century A.D. As a matter of fact the type of capitalfrom Rome that inspired the sculptor dates between the middle of the 4th century and thebeginning of the 5th century (MARTINI 1982, pp. 20, 24-25, 27, 32-33, n.I).

LOCAL WORKSHOPS AND THE IMPORTED MARBLE

Until now it was considered that the local workshops in Arles carved only on local limestone.Nevertheless the scientific analyses show that they also used imported marbles.

An example is the sarcophagus of Attia Esyche (Figs 7-8: ESPÉRANDIEU 1910, 372 n°2539;ESPÉRANDIEU 1929, n°118; GAGGADIS-ROBIN 2003, pp. 83-86, fig. 11; GAGGADIS-ROBIN

2005, n°4 and n°71) that has its lid preserved was discovered very near the Rhone in 1909 andcan be dated to the second half of the 2nd century A.D.

The analysis of the coffin: The grey marble of the coffin of the Attia Esyche sarcophagus(sample no 107) falls in the Thassos-2 field and close to Procenessus field (fig. 2). However,from Figures 3 and 5 it appears that the Thassos option is not possible due to small grain sizeand the origin is again focused in the Procennessus-Paros overlap. The low reliefs carved on

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the sarcophagus: eagles carrying garlands with Medusa heads in the centre and the unskilfullycarved flying Erotes holding the inscription, show that the coffin was made by a local sculptor,who used an imported marble. The motif of flying Erotes comes from the Roman workshops(KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, pp. 238-241, fig. 282-285). But the Roman Erotes oftenhold a tondo, (SCHAUENBURG 1972, figs 4, 7), or a portrait (SICHTERMANN 1979, pl. 94, 2;pp. 95-96, 98), more rarely they hold an inscription, (KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982,pp. 238, 240 n.21, fig. 282). The figures of the Rome workshops are more natural, dressedwith a little mantle flying behind them; their legs are parallel and not crossed. They are carvedin a higher relief by a skilful sculptor who knew how to use the drill. At last the panel is filledby many other figures. In Arles on the other hand it is obvious that the sculptor was only in-fluenced by the iconography. The simplified motif is made with poor esthetical means. Thelocal sculptor has some difficulties in following the metropolitan pattern, which he knew per-fectly well. He didn’t dare to carve the imported marble further than the geometrical frame ofthe inscription and the preliminary drawing, which is not followed up to the final phase andis still visible around the bodies. The decoration of the sides (fig. 8) presents visible influencesfrom Asia Minor, but the association of eagles carrying garlands and the Medusa heads, speakfor a local work. The sarcophagus of Attia Esyche is very important because it seems to havebeen copied in limestone. Five sarcophagi, in local limestone, as the one of Marcus IuniusMessianus (Fig. 9: Inventory nr FAN 92.00.457, or P. 457) (CIL, XII, n°733; GAGGADIS-ROBIN 2005, n°73) with flying Erotes holding an inscription indeed follow the samecomposition.


Fig. 7-8. — Front view and side view of the sarcophagus of Attia Esyche with its lid. (Copyright:Foliot, Chéné and Réveillac, C.N.R.S., Centre Camille Jullian, MMSH, Aix-en-Provence.)

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The analysis of the lid: The whitish marble of the lid of Attia Esyche sarcophagus (figs 7-8)(Inventory nr: FAN 92.00.2680, or P. 107-2: ESPÉRANDIEU 1910, p. 372 n°2539; GAGGADIS-ROBIN 2005, n°4) was analysed (sample no 2680) and found to fall in the overlap betweenthe Proconnessus, Paros-2 and Thassos-2 isotopic fields (fig. 2). However, from Figures 3and 5 it is clear that its MGS excludes the Thassos possibility and confines the origin betweenthe Proconessus and Paros-2 fields. The lid is dated in the second half of the 2nd centuryAD. Its decoration with palmette acroteria is similar to those of the Proconnessian work-shops in Ephesus (KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, 521, fig. 509), although its horizontalmouldings are simpler. Nevertheless lids with simple mouldings, as those of Arles, have beenproduced in Proconnessus itself too (KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, p. 521, fig. 512 andp. 552, fig. 542; ASGARI 1977, p. 340, fig. 25, pp. 342, 358). Some imported sarcophagifrom Proconnessus in the necropolis of Tyre in Lebanon (14 examples out of 29: WARD-PERKINS 1969, pp. 116-123, nos PR1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 14, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23-25, 27) have thesame decoration.

The last sarcophagus examined is one with the uncommon scene of Eros and Psyche on thefront (Fig. 10: Inventory nr FAN 92.00.543, or P. 543) (ESPÉRANDIEU 1907, p. 138 n°170;GAGGADIS-ROBIN 2005, n°67). It can be dated towards the end of the 2nd century and thebeginning of the 3rd century. The analysis of the marble of the coffin (sample no 543) showsthat in the classical isotope diagram it falls in the Thassos-2 field (fig. 2). Combining theisotopic data with the MGS (figs 3 and 5) excludes the Thassos option as origin and theprovenance is again focused in the Procennessus-Paros overlap. However, the fact that thissample has an isotopic signature that places it in a corner of the Thassos-2, far away fromany other known quarry, and in the same time Thassos is excluded as origin by the MGSmakes the origin of this sample problematic. It is possible that the origin of this marble isnot from any of the known quarries whose data is included in the known databases butcould come from some non Mediterranean quarries. In order to explore this possibility analiquot of the same sample was analysed by Philip and Annie Blanc (University of Pierre andMarie Curie, Paris VI) who use the Cathodoluminescence technique (CL) and whose data-base includes marbles from the Pyrenees. Their analysis showed that this marble can indeedbe of a Pyrenean origin (in: GAGGADIS-ROBIN 2005).

The stylistic features of this sarcophagus agree with a local origin. The heavy execution andthe dimensional ratios of the bodies as well as the geometric aspect of the garlands suggestthat they are a product of a local workshop. The relief has been worked merely with a chiseland a punch and does not show any use of the drill. The esthetical means of the sculptor arepoor, a fact that justifies the presence of the same face in all the figures of the principal panel.However, the work is interesting because of the detectable influences. From the iconographicalpoint of view the garlands on the three sides (fig. 11) exhibit obvious Attic and anatolianinfluences (KOCH and SICHTERMANN 1982, pp. 435-441, fig. 467-472, pp. 499-500, fig. 480-482). The upper moulding of the main side could be compared with Attic models (KOCH

and SICHTERMANN 1982, p. 99 n. 47). The principal panel is decorated with an original scenecreated by the local sculptor using elements of the Persephone legend rendered in a free com-position. This very inspired local sculptor worked on imported marble blocs of Pyreneanorigin.

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Fig. 11. — Side view of the so-called ‘Psyche sarcophagus’. (Copyright: Ch. Durand, C.N.R.S.,Centre Camille Jullian, MMSH, Aix-en-Provence.)


Fig. 10. — Front view of the so-called ‘Psyche sarcophagus’. (Copyright: Foliot and Réveillac,C.N.R.S., Centre Camille Jullian, MMSH, Aix-en-Provence.)

Fig. 9. — The sarcophagus of Marcus Iunius Messianus. (Copyright: Foliot and Réveillac, C.N.R.S.,Centre Camille Jullian, MMSH, Aix-en-Provence.)

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CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study allow us to express some hypotheses about the trade of oriental marblesarcophagi in Arles.

Several samples fall in the Proconnessus-Paros overlap. The separation between these twoquarries is very difficult with any scientific technique, unless the measured parameters fall inthe extreme values that do not overlap. However, from Figure 3 one can see that the samplesfall in the nucleus of the Proconnessus field, a fact that when taken together with the macro-scopic characteristics observed on the marble (WALKER and MATTHEWS 1988) make theprobability of their origin from Proconnessus almost certain.

The three Anatolian pieces (the coffins of Cornelia and Chrysogone and the lid of Attia) werecertainly either produced in an Anatolian, probably Proconnessian, workshop or they havebeen imported unfinished to Arles where they have been finished by sculptors from AsiaMinor who had set up workshops in Arles. The importance of the Proconnessian marble sar-cophagi is evident from their distribution all over the Roman Empire and from epigraphicevidence (WARD-PERKINS 1980). The negotiatores marmorarii who might have organised themarble trade between Proconnessos and Arles did not leave any trace. The only interestingdocument is a Latin inscription on a marble console, found in 1910 in a part of the Forum,with the signature of Philiscus Marmorarius facit (ESPÉRANDIEU 1929, n°115; CALABI LIMEN-TANI 1961, p. 875) probably a freedman. The name of Philiscus has been shown up twice inRome (SOLIN 1982, p. 886).

Thus the coffin of the young Chrysogone, the coffin of Cornelia and the lid of Attia haveprobably been made by a trained sculptor of Asia Minor, while the coffin of Attia has beencarved by local artists in Arles. That means that from the beginning of the 2nd century (Cor-nelia) until the second half of the 4th century A.D. (Chrysogone) the local craftsmen havekept close to Anatolian products and probably also to Anatolian sculptors.

The trade of sarcophagi seems to have been well organised. The fact that the sarcophagus ofAttia has been worked in two blocs of Proconnessian marble but by different workshops, alocal and an Asia Minor one, is proof of the proximity of the products and of the craftsmen.The investigation presented in this paper testifies that marble sarcophagi of Asia Minor wereexported to Arles and that local sculptors carved in Anatolian blocs. The question of themarble trade in Gaul as well as the oriental names in the epigraphy of the city of Arles can benow considered under a new light.

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