The islands of Karpathos, Saros and Kasos in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages

Abstract

The theoretical objective of this thesis is of a synthetic nature, for it makes an effort to build up a picture of human activity on the islands concerned, that is their social, economic and cultural evolution in Prehistoric times. However, the method followed is largely analytical, since archaeological data are combined with results from other disciplines in order to reconstruct the Prehistory of these islands, no matter how incomplete and unambitious this may be.

A total of 71 Prehistoric sites have been identified so far. Most of them are on elevated locations near the coast and date from Middle Minoan III to Late Minoan I. Late and Final Neolithic occupation is also represented by numerous sites, whereas the scantiness of Early Bronze Age sites may be attributed to the deficiency of surface investigation and lack of stratigraphy. During Late Minoan/Late Helladic III the number of sites decreases and this implies new factors then operating.

In the Neolithic and Early Bronze periods the primitive inhabitants, who probably came from Anatolia, were pursuing a peaceful life based on a self-sufficient economy, which involved both food-appropriation and food-production (mixed farming). External relations are documented by Melian and Yali obsidian, and by parallel pottery forms. During the following Middle Minoan and Late Minoan I periods the Minoan colonization brought about different settlement patterns, social changes and wealth. After the Thera eruption, c. 1500, which probably had a disastrous effect, there is a radical change in the occupation patterns and new developments are reflected in the archaeological record: choice of defensible sites, decrease in the number of settlements, signs of emerging urbanization and settlement hierarchy. The arrival of Mycenaeans seems likely and is corroborated by Mycenaean imports. Yet the culture of the islands remains essentially Minoan to the end of the Bronze Age.

Chapter One discusses the natural environment of the islands. In Chapters Two and Three the Prehistoric sites and associated finds are described. There follows an analysis and relative chronology of the objects (Chapter Four). In the concluding Chapter Five, a historical reconstruction is attempted with an emphasis on Prehistoric economy, religion and foreign contacts, as well as in the historical significance of the successive transformations of settlement patterns.