Evolution of a social dynamic in a changing landscape: the case of Argos (Argolis, Greece) in the Mycenaean period

Argos in the Mycenaean period consists of a real enigma. Compared to its neighbours, amongst others Mycenae, Tiryns and Midea, Argos, after being a flourishing center in the Middle Helladic period, lost of it’s importance until the End of the Mycenaean palatial period, while maintaining a continuous occupation. During the transitional phase (MH III/LH I), and despite the fact that some parts of the argiv settlement continues to grow, as shown in particular by the work undertaken on the fortified acropolis of the Aspis, Argos, will experience a gradual decline as shown in particular through the abandonment of certain residential areas and the relocation of some population groups within and probably beyond its borders. According to one possible scenario, a group of people moved, at the very beginning of MH III, from Argos to Mycenae participating in the spectacular rise of Mycenae from the late MH period and onwards.Through this communication, we will first try to demonstrate, based on the archaeological reality, the status of Argos from the transitional phase (MH III/LH I) and during the LH period within the organization of the Argolis. In a second step, we will try to define the causes that influenced the evolution of this status. We will demonstrate how a series of natural disasters and in particular the eruption of Thera may have influenced the political, economic and social geography of the Argolis to the detriment of Argos. Based on the archaeological discoveries and the Adaptive Cycle (AC) model, we will show how some sites or parts of the Argolis functioned according to a positive/negative system throughout the protohistoric periods

Organised Genome Dynamics in the Escherichia coli Species Results in Highly Diverse Adaptive Paths

The Escherichia coli species represents one of the best-studied model organisms, but also encompasses a variety of commensal and pathogenic strains that diversify by high rates of genetic change. We uniformly (re-) annotated the genomes of 20 commensal and pathogenic E. coli strains and one strain of E. fergusonii (the closest E. coli related species), including seven that we sequenced to completion. Within the ∼18,000 families of orthologous genes, we found ∼2,000 common to all strains. Although recombination rates are much higher than mutation rates, we show, both theoretically and using phylogenetic inference, that this does not obscure the phylogenetic signal, which places the B2 phylogenetic group and one group D strain at the basal position. Based on this phylogeny, we inferred past evolutionary events of gain and loss of genes, identifying functional classes under opposite selection pressures. We found an important adaptive role for metabolism diversification within group B2 and Shigella strains, but identified few or no extraintestinal virulence-specific genes, which could render difficult the development of a vaccine against extraintestinal infections. Genome flux in E. coli is confined to a small number of conserved positions in the chromosome, which most often are not associated with integrases or tRNA genes. Core genes flanking some of these regions show higher rates of recombination, suggesting that a gene, once acquired by a strain, spreads within the species by homologous recombination at the flanking genes. Finally, the genome's long-scale structure of recombination indicates lower recombination rates, but not higher mutation rates, at the terminus of replication. The ensuing effect of background selection and biased gene conversion may thus explain why this region is A+T-rich and shows high sequence divergence but low sequence polymorphism. Overall, despite a very high gene flow, genes co-exist in an organised genome

Argos à l'époque mycénienne. Recherches sur l'évolution du site de l'Helladique Récent I au Submycénien (1600-1000 av. J.-C.)

Afin de présenter les évolutions spatiale et sociale d' Argos à l'époque mycénienne, l'intégralité des données des fouilles françaises et grecques mentionnant la présence de vestiges construits et/ou de mobilier datant de l'Helladique Récent (HR) et des périodes qui l'encadrent (Helladique Moyen III [HM III] et Submycénien), ont été rassemblées. Cela nous a permis d'établir un phasage précis et de mettre en lumière notamment des habitations jusqu'ici inconnues. Entre phases de contraction, restructuration, stabilisation, développement restreint, stagnation et à nouveau restructuration des espaces occupés, Argos ne semble pas pouvoir se développer de manière optimale durant l'époque mycénienne. Elle paie probablement le prix fort des troubles internes et d'un événement naturel qui survinrent à la fin de l'HM et bouleversèrent l'ordre établi. À l'inverse, Mycènes, en plein essor, profite de cette restructuration pour s'affirmer et asseoir son pouvoir. Pendant l'époque palatiale, il est probable qu' Argos, bien que« mycénisée », soit sous le joug de Mycènes, et que cette dernière l'empêche de se développer et de retrouver une situation semblable à celle qu'elle avait à l'HM, celle d'un (du) site majeur de la plaine. Durant cette époque, Argos est un site secondaire bénéficiant des systèmes économiques et d'échanges en place, mais ne semble avoir aucune influence sur leur fonctionnement. Après l'effondrement du système palatial, Argos, qui n'a pas subi les mêmes dégâts que la plupart des sites majeurs d' Argolide, se réorganise. Dès lors, elle se restructure et pose peut-être déjà les bases qui en feront le site le plus important de la plaine dès l'époque géométrique. -- In order to present the spatial and social evolutions of Argos during the Mycenaean period, all the data from the French and Greek excavations mentioning the presence of built remains and/or artefacts dating from the Late Helladic (LH) and the surrounding periods (Middle Helladic III [MH III] and Submycenaean) have been collected. This allowed us to establish a precise phasing and to highlight in particular some houses that were unknown. Between phases of contraction, restructuring, stabilization, restricted development, stagnation and further restructuring of the occupied spaces, Argos does not seem to be able to develop optimally during the Mycenaean period. It is probably paying a high price for the internai tensions and a natural event that occun-ed at the end of the MH and disrupted the established order. Conversely, Mycenae, which was already in expansion, took advantage of this restructuring to assert itself and establish its power. During the palatial period, it is probable that Argos, although 'mycenized', was under the control of Mycenae, and that the latter prevented it from developing and returning to a situation similar to that which it had at the MH, that of a major site of the plain. During this period, Argos was a secondary site benefiting from the economic and trading systems in place, but did not seem to have any influence on their functioning. After the collapse of the palatial system, Argos, which did not suffer the same damage as most of the major sites in Argolida, is being reorganised. From then on, it restructures itself and perhaps already lays the foundations that will make it the most important site on the plain from the geometric period

Le savoir-faire métallurgique : témoin d’une dynamique sociale ?

Des techniques de décoration à l’objet fini, on ne connaît, la plupart du temps, la métallurgie et l’orfèvrerie qu’au travers des artefacts découverts lors des fouilles archéologiques. Ainsi, les découvertes « métalliques » datant de l’époque mycénienne à Argos montrent un haut degré de technicité artisanale et témoignent d’une demande, émanant d’une élite sociale, « en objets de luxe », dont la provenance demeure néanmoins incertaine en l’absence d’atelier métallurgique mis au jour. La découverte, à Argos, d’un four à coupellation pour le raffinage de l’argent datant de la période submycénienne (SM) ou du début de la période protogéométrique (PG) présente de ce fait d’autant plus d’intérêt. En effet, elle montre que le raffinage de l’argent était effectué en Argolide au xie-xe siècle av. J.-C. – durant la période succédant à l’époque mycénienne et nommée à tort « Dark Ages » – et que le procédé de coupellation, qui est techniquement avancé, y était pratiquée. Ainsi, à l’inverse de l’époque mycénienne, il y a, à Argos au Submycénien, un atelier métallurgique, mais aucun de ses produits. Ce four témoigne dès lors de la pérennité d’un savoir-faire métallurgique sans toutefois pouvoir prouver une continuité dans la production artisanale du site. Ainsi, en sus des considérations techniques liées au four et au procédé de coupellation, nous nous pencherons sur le fait qu’un savoir-faire artisanal peut témoigner de la dynamique sociale et de l’évolution de l’établissement argien, à la transition entre l’âge du Bronze et celui du Fer, tant d’un point de vue local que régional.From the decoration’s techniques to the finished object, metallurgy and goldsmith’s art are usually only known through the artefacts discovered during archaeological excavations. The “metallic” discoveries dating from the Mycenaean period made in Argos show a high degree of craft technicity and testify to a strong demand, emanating from a social elite, for “luxury objects”, whose provenance nevertheless remains uncertain due to the lack of a metallurgical workshop. The discovery, in Argos, of a cupellation furnace for refining silver from the Submycenaean (SM) or Early Protogeometric (PG) period is therefore all the more interesting. Indeed, it shows that silver refining was carried out in Argolida in the 11th-10th centuries BC. - during the period following the Mycenaean period and wrongly named “Dark Ages” - and that the technically advanced cupellation process was practiced there. Thus, unlike what is known for the Mycenaean period, a metallurgical submycenaean workshop was found in Argos, but none of its products. This furnace therefore testifies to the durability of a metallurgical know-how without however being able to prove a continuity in the craft production of the site. This way, in addition to the technical considerations related to the furnace and the cupellation process, we will focus, in this article, on the fact that artisanal know-how can testify to the social dynamics and the evolution of the Argian settlement at the transition from the Bronze to the Iron Age, both locally and regionally

Argos in the Mycenaean period : research on the evolution of the site from the Late Helladic I to the Submycenaean (1000-1600 B. C.)

Afin de présenter les évolutions spatiale et sociale d’Argos à l’époque mycénienne, l’intégralité des données des fouilles françaises et grecques mentionnant la présence de vestiges construits et/ou de mobilier datant de l’Helladique Récent (HR) et des périodes qui l’encadrent (Helladique Moyen III [HM III] et Submycénien), ont été rassemblées. Cela nous a permis d’établir un phasage précis et de mettre en lumière notamment des habitations jusqu’ici inconnues. Entre phases de contraction, restructuration, stabilisation, développement restreint, stagnation et à nouveau restructuration des espaces occupés, Argos ne semble pas pouvoir se développer de manière optimale durant l’époque mycénienne. Elle paie probablement le prix fort des troubles internes et d’un événement naturel qui survinrent à la fin de l’HM et bouleversèrent l’ordre établi. À l’inverse, Mycènes, en plein essor, profite de cette restructuration pour s’affirmer et asseoir son pouvoir. Pendant l’époque palatiale, il est probable qu’Argos, bien que « mycénisée », soit sous le joug de Mycènes, et que cette dernière l’empêche de se développer et de retrouver une situation semblable à celle qu’elle avait à l’HM, celle d’un (du) site majeur de la plaine. Durant cette époque, Argos est un site secondaire bénéficiant des systèmes économiques et d’échanges en place, mais ne semble avoir aucune influence sur leur fonctionnement. Après l’effondrement du système palatial, Argos, qui n’a pas subi les mêmes dégâts que la plupart des sites majeurs d’Argolide, se réorganise. Dès lors, elle se restructure et pose peut-être déjà les bases qui en feront le site le plus important de la plaine dès l’époque géométrique.In order to present the spatial and social evolutions of Argos during the Mycenaean period, all the data from the French and Greek excavations mentioning the presence of built remains and/or artefacts dating from the Late Helladic (LH) and the surrounding periods (Middle Helladic III [MH III] and Submycenaean) have been collected. This allowed us to establish a precise phasing and to highlight in particular some houses that were unknown. Between phases of contraction, restructuring, stabilization, restricted development, stagnation and further restructuring of the occupied spaces, Argos does not seem to be able to develop optimally during the Mycenaean period. It is probably paying a high price for the internal tensions and a natural event that occurred at the end of the MH and disrupted the established order. Conversely, Mycenae, which was already in expansion, took advantage of this restructuring to assert itself and establish its power. During the palatial period, it is probable that Argos, although 'mycenized', was under the control of Mycenae, and that the latter prevented it from developing and returning to a situation similar to that which it had at the MH, that of a major site of the plain. During this period, Argos was a secondary site benefiting from the economic and trading systems in place, but did not seem to have any influence on their functioning. After the collapse of the palatial system, Argos, which did not suffer the same damage as most of the major sites in Argolida, is being reorganised. From then on, it restructures itself and perhaps already lays the foundations that will make it the most important site on the plain from the geometric period

Argos à l'époque mycénienne. Recherches sur l'évolution du site de l'Helladique Récent I au Submycénien (1600-1100 av. J.-C.)

In order to present the spatial and social evolutions of Argos during the Mycenaean period, all the data from French and Greek excavations mentioning the presence of constructed remains and/or artefacts dating from the Late Helladic (HR) and periods surrounding it (Middle Helladic III [HM III] and Submycenaean), have been collected. This allowed us to establish a precise phasing and to highlight in particular dwellings hitherto unknown. Between phases of contraction, restructuring, stabilization, restricted development, stagnation and again restructuring of the occupied spaces, Argos does not seem to be able to develop optimally during the Mycenaean period. Argos probably pays the high price for the internal troubles and a natural event that occurred at the end of the HM and upset the established order. Conversely, Mycenae, in full swing, took advantage of this restructuring to assert itself and establish its power. During the palatial period, it is probable that Argos, although "mycenaeanized", was under the yoke of Mycenae, and that the latter prevented it from developing and regaining a situation similar to that which it had at the time. 'HM, that of (a) major site of the plain. During this time, Argos is a secondary site benefiting from the economic and exchange systems in place, but does not seem to have any influence on their functioning. After the collapse of the palace system, Argos, which did not suffer the same damage as most of the major sites of Argolis, reorganized itself. From then on, it was restructured and perhaps already laid the foundations that would make it the most important site on the plain from the Geometric period.Afin de présenter les évolutions spatiale et sociale d’Argos à l’époque mycénienne, l’intégralité des données des fouilles françaises et grecques mentionnant la présence de vestiges construits et/ou de mobilier datant de l’Helladique Récent (HR) et des périodes qui l’encadrent (Helladique Moyen III [HM III] et Submycénien), ont été rassemblées. Cela nous a permis d’établir un phasage précis et de mettre en lumière notamment des habitations jusqu’ici inconnues. Entre phases de contraction, restructuration, stabilisation, développement restreint, stagnation et à nouveau restructuration des espaces occupés, Argos ne semble pas pouvoir se développer de manière optimale durant l’époque mycénienne. Elle paie probablement le prix fort des troubles internes et d’un événement naturel qui survinrent à la fin de l’HM et bouleversèrent l’ordre établi. À l’inverse, Mycènes, en plein essor, profite de cette restructuration pour s’affirmer et asseoir son pouvoir. Pendant l’époque palatiale, il est probable qu’Argos, bien que « mycénisée », soit sous le joug de Mycènes, et que cette dernière l’empêche de se développer et de retrouver une situation semblable à celle qu’elle avait à l’HM, celle d’un (du) site majeur de la plaine. Durant cette époque, Argos est un site secondaire bénéficiant des systèmes économiques et d’échanges en place, mais ne semble avoir aucune influence sur leur fonctionnement. Après l’effondrement du système palatial, Argos, qui n’a pas subi les mêmes dégâts que la plupart des sites majeurs d’Argolide, se réorganise. Dès lors, elle se restructure et pose peut-être déjà les bases qui en feront le site le plus important de la plaine dès l’époque géométrique