This volume
This volume, in two parts, is the fifth and last preliminary report on the excavations conducted at the Bronze Age site of Kephali tou Agiou Antoniou at Sissi in the nomos of Lasithi, Crete. It covers the campaigns during the summers of 2017, 2018 and 2019 with quite detailed reports on the different areas excavated, including the cemetery, the residential structures and the Court-Centred Building. We also report on the tests conducted and the three survey campaigns in the east part of the Sissi basin, with additional attention to the ammouda quarry and WW II remains. The volume also includes a series of scientific analyses that have been made on some of the material (ceramics, seals, gold, plaster, coins) and a brief presentation of the consolidation efforts that have been done on the remains discovered thus far. Since the study of the architecture, stratigraphy and finds is still on-going, all results should be considered as provisional. The final excavation reports that are in progress may modify some of the opinions expressed in this volume or the previous ones.
The authors
The excavations are carried out under the direction of Prof. Jan Driessen of the UCLouvain (INCAL-CEMAAEGIS)
with which several of the collaborating authors are affiliated or associated (Dr. C. Langohr, Dr. Q. Letesson, Dr. M. Devolder, Dr. S. Déderix, Dr. F. Gaignerot-Driessen, Dr. O. Mouthuy, Dr. I. Mathioudaki, T. Claeys, N. Kress, L.M. Magno, D. Wolf, E. Tsafou, R. Dubois, T. Terrana). Dr. A. Schmitt is at the CNRS (U. of Marseille), with which also A. Delliste, C. Girardi and E. Sperandio are associated. Dr. M. Anastasiadou is at the University of Vienna and Dr. I. Caloi at the University of Ca'Foscari in Venice. Dr. Sarris was at Forth in Rethymnon (with M. Manataki) but is now at the University of Cyprus; Dr. B. Legarra Herrero, E. Hayter & colleagues are at University College London, Dr. P. Iossif is deputy-director of the EBSA, while T. Sager is at the University of Toronto.
1. Excavations at Sissi, 2017-2019 1
An Overview
Jan Driessen
2. Geophysical Investigations at Sissi 23
Phase III (2017)
Apostolos Sarris
Meropi Manataki
3.1. The Prepalatial and Protopalatial Cemetery 35
Zone 9
Aurore Schmitt
Sylviane Déderix
3.2. Excavation of a Pithos Burial in Compartment 1.23 55
Zone 1
Isabelle Crevecoeur
3.3. Paleogenetic Analyses of Human Remains at Sissi 58
Marie-France Deguilloux
Marie-Hélène Pemonge
Aurore Schmitt
Jan Driessen
Ilse Schoep
Frank Carpentier
Isabelle Crevecoeur
4. The Exploration of the Middle Terrace 63
Zone 18
Tia Sager
Chloé Girardi
Anaïs Delliste
5.1. The North Terrace on the Top of the Hill 109
Zone 8
Thérèse Claeys
5.2. The Excavation of the North Terrace on Top of the Hill 111
Zone 8
Thérèse Claeys
5.3. Late Bronze Age Perinatal and Infants' Burials at Sissi 188
Zone 8
Emeline Sperandio
Aurore Schmitt
Thérèse Claeys
Charlotte Langohr
Evgenia Tsafou
6.1. The Sissi Court-Centred Building 198
Introduction
Jan Driessen
6.2. The Excavation of the North-East Wing 209
Zone 6
Maud Devolder
Diana Wolf
6.3. The Excavation of the North-West Wing 234
Zone 11
Sylviane Déderix
6.4. The Excavation of the West Wing and Upper Western Terrace 265
Zone 10
Quentin Letesson
6.5. The Excavation of the South-West Wing 338
Zone 17
Théo Terrana
6.6. The Excavation of the Central Court of the Court-Centred Building at Sissi 366
Zone 16
Emilie Hayter
6.7. The Excavation of the South Wing 385
Zone 16
Thomas Mumelter
Jan Driessen
6.8. The Excavation of the East Wing of the CCB and the South-East part of the Court 390
Zone 15
Ophélie Mouthuy
7.1. Tests conducted during the 2017-2019 Campaigns 436
Zone 19
Sylviane Déderix
7.2. Tests conducted during the 2017-2019 Campaigns 442
Building CD - Test conducted in Space 3.4 of the Postpalatial Building
Florence Gaignerot-Driessen
Quentin Letesson
7.3. Tests conducted during the 2017-2019 Campaigns 445
Test in Avlaki, Zone 20
Théo Terrana