A Quantitative Comparison of the Early Iron Age Imports in Athens and Knossos

Abstract

Best Undergraduate Paper in ClassicsThis thesis presents a comparative quantitative analysis of the Early Iron Age (EIA) Near Eastern imports found in Athens and Knossos. By analyzing the significant differences in material proportions in EIA imports in Athens and Knossos, it can be concluded that because of the preference for pottery in Knossos and the preference in Athens for bronze, the original import record may be closer than only looking at the total import counts of these cities would suggest. This also ties to the conclusion that the distribution of materials in the remaining import record can be extrapolated to consider the original material composition of the import record, if provided the necessary survival and discovery rates. Additionally, the distribution of imports across time and different sites corroborates with previous research on how the preferences for Near Eastern imports in general changes across the period. By analyzing both the material and temporal composition of the import record of EIA Athens and Knossos, the comparative preferences of Near Eastern imports in these cities can be examined.Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Scholarship AwardNo embargoAcademic Major: MathematicsAcademic Major: Classic