Homerverse auf einem Tonziegel aus der Umgebung von Olympia

Ein im Jahre 2018 in der römischen Nekropole von Frangonissi östlich von Olympia gefundener Tonziegel enthält die ersten 13 Verse aus dem 14. Gesang der Odyssee mit der Begegnung von Odysseus und dem treuen Hirten Eumaios. Der Ziegel stammt aus der Zeit zwischen Mitte 2./Anfang 3. Jh. n. Chr. Im Beitrag werden Fundkontext und Ergebnisse der Nachgrabung 2019/2020 beschrieben. Im Hauptteil wird die Inschrift kritisch ediert, der Beitrag ihrer lexikalischen und orthographischen Varianten zur Überlieferung des Homertextes bestimmt und die bisher bekannten epigraphischen Homerzeugnisse untersucht. Schließlich werden Vermutungen angestellt über den Auftraggeber (war er ein Lehrer oder Schüler, ein Rhapsode oder Homeristes?) und über seine Intentionen bei der Auswahl gerade dieser Verse.A clay brick found in the Roman necropolis of Frangonissi east of Olympia in 2018 contains the first 13 verses from Book 14 of the Odyssey, with the meeting of Odysseus and the faithful swineherd Eumaios. The brick dates from between the mid 2nd and the beginning of the 3rd cent. A.D. The article describes the find context and the results of the follow-up excavation in 2019/2020. In the main section the inscription is critically edited, the contribution of its lexical and orthographic variants to the tradition of the Homer text is appraised, and the Homeric epigraphic record known to date is examined. Finally the authors speculate about who commissioned it (a teacher or pupil, a rhapsode or Homeristes?) and what that person’s intentions were in selecting these verses

The "Lake of Olympia": geoarchaeological evidence of a lake environment in the vicinity of ancient Olympia (western Peloponnese, Greece)

Our results yield evidence of a large lake environment that existed near the ancient site of Olympia which was so far unknown. The limnic sequence reveals considerable changes in the ecological conditions over time, based on Direct Push sensing, sedimentary and micropalaeontological analyses. Radiocarbon data show that the “Lake of Olympia“ existed from the 8th/7th millennium BC until, at least, the 1st century AD. The existence of the “Lake of Olympia” next to the cult site of Olympia has considerable historical, archaeological and geographical implications (e.g., as waterway or water supplier)

A Previously Unknown Building Structure in Ancient Olympia (Western Peloponnese, Greece) Revealed by Geoarchaeological Investigations and Its Interpretation as a Possible Harbor

The ancient site of Olympia is located on the northern fringe of the Basin of Makrisia at the confluence of the Kladeos and Alpheios rivers (western Peloponnese, Greece) and was used as a venue for the Panhellenic Games from Archaic times until the 4th century AD. Geophysical prospection (frequency domain electromagnetic induction and electrical resistivity tomography) was carried out as a basis for detailed geoarchaeological investigations. In doing so, we identified a previously unknown building structure adjacent to the Altis, the inner part of the sanctuary at Olympia. Situated south of the Southwest Thermae, this structure measures at least 100 m (WSW-ENE) by 80 m (NNW-SSE). Its external orientation is in line with the orientation of the Southwest Thermae and the Leonidaion. We retrieved sediment cores from 17 different locations in combination with high-resolution direct push sensing from inside the newly found structure. All cores revealed distinct units of organic-rich limnic sediments dominated by clay and fine silt. Geochemical and micropaleontological analyses of selected sediment samples indicate highly eutrophic conditions, as evidenced by elevated phosphorous concentrations and the dominance of the ostracod species Cyprideis torosa, which is able to live under low-oxygen conditions. Moreover, molecular biomarker analyses show a significant input of lipid fecal markers, implying strong anthropogenic pollution. Further, the limnic sediments include numerous charcoal remains and abundant diagnostic artifacts such as ceramic fragments and building material. Radiocarbon dating documents that these limnic conditions persisted within the building structure from at least the 5th century BC to the 6th century AD. The identified building structure lies in the immediate proximity to the Lake of Olympia, which was recently found to have existed from the mid-Holocene to the Medieval period. Its characteristic filling with fine-grained sediments and multiple indications for a strongly polluted and heavily used standing water environment let us hypothesize that it was possibly used as a harbor installation. A harbor at ancient Olympia could have been used to reach the sanctuary by boat and to transport goods of all kinds

Ένας πολυδιάστατος χώρος: Η Ολυμπία και τα περίχωρά της: Αποτελέσματα των ερευνών πεδίου κατά τα έτη 2015 έως 2017 και πρώτα ιστορικά συμπεράσματα

This contribution presents the first results of a project that has been running since 2015, the core of which is the so-called Olympia Area Survey. Within this framework the site of Olympia was for the first time systematically set in context with its (geo)archaeological environment and its historical relevance for the development of the region’s cultural landscape has been highlighted accordingly. The work has provided a clear overall impression of the settlement structures: intensive use and dense human occupation combined with extreme fragmentation. Within this environment, the sanctuary of Olympia formed a highly specific centre. This centrality is also reflected by the ancient perception of space and by the ›espace vécu‹. The sanctuary was in many ways intertwined with its environment through ritual practices and mythical narratives. A special, sacred landscape charged with ›lieux de mémoire‹ evolved around the sanctuary. At the same time, these interconnections significantly contributed to the social and political integration of the region and hence also of the political union of Elis into the fabric of the Panhellenic world.Originaltitel: A multi-dimensional space: Olympia and its environs. Results of the campaigns 2015 to 2017 and first historical conclusions Der Beitrag liefert die ersten Ergebnisse eines seit 2015 laufenden Projekts, dessen Kern der sogenannte Olympia Area Survey darstellt. In diesem Rahmen wurde der Fundplatz Olympia erstmalig systematisch in seinem regionalen Umfeld (geo)archäologisch kontextualisiert und in seiner historischen Relevanz für die Entwicklung der regionalen Kulturlandschaft beleuchtet. Die Arbeiten haben einen deutlichen Gesamteindruck der Siedlungsstruktur vermittelt: Intensive Nutzung und dichte Besiedlung verbanden sich mit extremer Kleinteiligkeit. In dieser Umgebung bildete das Heiligtum von Olympia ein ganz spezifisches Zentrum. Diese Zentralität spiegelt sich auch in der antiken Raumwahrnehmung und im ›espace vécu‹ wider. In vielfältiger Weise war das Heiligtum in rituellen Praktiken und mythischen Erzählungen mit seiner Umwelt verflochten. Um dieses herum hatte sich eine besondere sakrale Landschaft voller ›lieux de mémoire‹ gebildet. Zugleich trugen die Verflechtungen wesentlich zur sozialen und politischen Integration der Region und damit auch des Verbandes von Elis im Gefüge der panhellenischen Welt bei.Πρωτότυπος τίτλος: A multi-dimensional space: Olympia and its environs. Results of the campaigns 2015 to 2017 and first historical conclusions Το άρθρο παρουσιάζει τα πρώτα αποτελέσματα ενός εν εξελίξει προγράμματος που ξεκίνησε το 2015 και εστιάζει στη λεγόμενη Olympia Area Survey, την «Έρευνα του χώρου της Ολυμπίας». Στο πλαίσιο του προγράμματος αυτού, η αρχαιολογική θέση της Ολυμπίας τοποθετήθηκε για πρώτη φορά συστηματικά στα (γεω-)αρχαιολογικά συμφραζόμενα του τοπικού της περιβάλλοντος, ενώ παράλληλα αναδείχθηκε η ιστορική της σημασία για την εξέλιξη του πολιτισµικού τοπίου της περιοχής. Χάρη στις εργασίες του προγράμματος, προέκυψε μια σαφής συνολική εικόνα της δομής των οικισμών: η εντατική χρήση και η πυκνή κατοίκηση συνδυάζονταν με έναν ακραίο κατακερματισμό. Σε αυτό το περιβάλλον, το ιερό της Ολυμπίας αποτέλεσε ένα εντελώς ειδικό κέντρο. Ο κεντρικός του ρόλος αντικατοπτρίζεται στην αντίληψη του χώρου κατά την αρχαιότητα αλλά και στο ›espace vécu‹ [τον «βιωμένο χώρο»]. Το ιερό συνδέθηκε ποικιλοτρόπως με το περιβάλλον χώρο του τόσο σε τελετουργικές πρακτικές όσο και σε μυθικά αφηγήματα. Γύρω από αυτό είχε δημιουργηθεί ένα ξεχωριστό ιερό τοπίο γεμάτο από ›lieux de mémoire‹ [τόπους μνήμης]. Ταυτόχρονα, οι συσχετισμοί αυτοί συνέβαλαν σημαντικά στην κοινωνική και πολιτική ενσωμάτωση της περιοχής, άρα και της ένωσης της Ήλιδος, στον ιστό του πανελλήνιου κόσμου

The "Lake of Olympia": geoarchaeological evidence of a lake environment in the vicinity of ancient Olympia (western Peloponnese, Greece)

Our results yield evidence of a large lake environment that existed near the ancient site of Olympia which was so far unknown. The limnic sequence reveals considerable changes in the ecological conditions over time, based on Direct Push sensing, sedimentary and micropalaeontological analyses. Radiocarbon data show that the “Lake of Olympia“ existed from the 8th/7th millennium BC until, at least, the 1st century AD. The existence of the “Lake of Olympia” next to the cult site of Olympia has considerable historical, archaeological and geographical implications (e.g., as waterway or water supplier).</jats:p