Tralleis batı Nekropolis ve konut alanı Hellenistik Dönem Seramiği: 2006-2007 buluntuları

Abstract

The material discussed in this article includes the findings of the housing and necropolis areas throughout the excavation campaigns carried out under the supervisor Prof. Dr. Abdullah Yaylalı in 2006 and 2007 at Tralleis. The ancient city of Tralleis (modern Aydın) is situated on a plateau at the southern slope of Mount Messogis. Thanks to the strategic position and geographical location of the city, it had been the stage for many important events throughout its history. During its long history, Tralleis has frequently been regarded as the artistic capital of Asia Minor. Especially, the city is widely recognized as one of the major centers with regard to its arts in the Hellenistic Period. It is known that Tralleis was an important sculpture center in the Hellenistic and Early Roman Periods. In the Hellenistic period, the city maintained its traditional Greek cult practices, and from the appearance of its sculpture, it also preserved its traditional artistic view. It is also known that Tralleis sculptors worked in various centers. For example, Tralleis sculptors who worked at Pergamon and the names of some sculptors of Tralleis were attested on the Pergamon Altar. Recent works have shown that Tralleis was an important place in ceramics production as well as in sculpture. In addition, Tralleis was one of the centers of production in the Eastern Sigillata B. The view that Tralleis was the production center of Eastern Sigillata B has also been supported by recent studies. Materials came from housing and necropolis areas in the 2006 and 2007 excavation campaigns have made a valuable contribution to our knowledge with regard to the use of ceramics in Tralleis in the Hellenistic Period. The objects were a homogeneous group of the Hellenistic Period. The greater part of this material can be considered to have dated back to the second and first centuries B.C. The clay of the Tralleis fragments always contains some amount of mica. The most common findings are lagynoi, mould made bowls (Megarian bowls), lamps, west slope wares, and unguentaria. Three bowls with incurved lip have been found at housing area in Tralleis. Sharply incurved lip, shallow body, ring base and semi-glaze obtain the characteristic features of the late 2nd century B.C. bowls. The white ground wares were the most popular and common form at Tralleis in the Hellenistic period. Lagynos ware is the most widespread of the Hellenistic light-ground ceramics. However, all the fragments found at Tralleis are broken. The decoration usually consists of naturalistic decoration on the shoulder and of encircling horizontal band on the neck and mouth. West slope ware at Tralleis is very rare, and it can be dated to the 2nd century B.C. The mould made bowls which have structural varieties in terms of clay types, slip and ornamentation constitute the important group of Tralleis findings. The largest group of material came from Housing Area in the 2006 campaign. One of the important forms in categorization is the mold made bowls and they are similar to the west Asia Minor examples in terms of their characteristic features. Their forms and decorations can also be compared to their contemporaries found in other centers and contexts. The majority of the material is fragmentary, and they do not have any signs of atelier stamp. Fragments of mould made bowls are dated back from mid and second half of the 2nd century B.C. The characteristics features of Tralleis samples is that they are decorated with the acanthus leaves and Ionic kyma frieze. Also, figural scenes in Tralleis findings are rare. The figural scene are located on the upper frieze. Concentric semicircle bowls or “Macedonian type is not very common in Tralleis and the fragments should be dated to the 2nd century B.C. Fusiform unguenteria was found during the excavation of the western necropolis in 2007 at Tralleis. As has been seen in the other centers of Asia Minor, the majority of Tralleis samples are grave gifts. Various hypotheses exist to account for the existence of the unguentaria in the burial sites in the Mediterranean area from Palestine to Spain. It is known that unguentaria are frequently found in the Hellenistic and Roman sites, especially in the cemeteries. Most of the unguentaria Tralleis which are long and thin form with solid stems are similar to examples of the 2nd century contexts. Clay and slip colors vary between 2,5 YR 5/8, 2,5 YR 7/4 , 5 YR 6/6 or 5 YR 7/3-4 as per the Munsell Catalogue. Form and fabric reflects an Asia Minor custom. The majority are non-decorated and not carefully made. It appears that the unguentarium shape was not introduced into the Tralleis repertoire before the Early Hellenistic period. Although the Ephesos lamps from Tralleis have been found, only a few samples have been considered. The material is particularly useful because it includes well preserved examples of such characteristic and sensitive shapes as form. Samples of Tralleis, appear to be more or less close imitations of the Ephesos types. The sharply angular profile, vertical handle, gray clay and redblack glaze are characteristic features of this type. Ephesos lamps and local imitations must be dated from the last quarter of the 2nd century B.C. to the 1th century B.C. As a consequence of all these findings and their evaluations, we can conclude that Tralleis was an important ceramics production center in 2nd century B.C. The fact that Tralleis had a close relationship with Pergamon one of the important ceramics c enters in 2nd century B.C. let the various types of ceramics.