| Abstract |
The doctoral thesis under the title "The metal objects from the excavation of the settlement and the sanctuary in Thermos, Aetolia.The diachronic importance of the Aetolian Sanctuary through its votive offerings." presents, and examines 412 metal objects that has been found during the excavations of the prehistoric settlement and the deeper stratas of the temple of Apollo in Thermos, Aetolia.The artefacts are made of bronze or iron and they belong to the categories of weapons, tools, vessels and jewelry. The thesis is comprised of eight chapters that can be summarized as follows.
The first chapter refers to the excavations carried out at the site by G. Sotiriadis, K. Romaios and I. A. Papapostolou and to the previous studies of the metal objects from the site.
In the second chapter, entitled "History of the Research of Weapons, Tools, and Jewelry", all the major studies of the categories of the examined material are presented in chronological order .
The metal artefacts are presented, classified into types and dated in the third chapter. They belong to the categories of weapons, jewelry, tools and vessels. The most numerous groups are those of spearheads, spiral rings, rings, and iron cauldron handles. Based on the data we draw from the typological study of the material, it seems that the older objects had utilitarian character, element that is consistent with the existence of the Bronze Age settlement. During the Late Mycenaean - Early Protogeometric period the situation must have changed as metal objects, that consist mainly of pins, knives and trunnion axes could be considered prestige objects or objects related to worship of a deity or deities. During the heyday of the sanctuary, which coincided with the Late Geometric - Early Archaic period, weapons, tools and jewelry increased in number. Some of these items appear to be locally produced while others appear to have been influenced from Italy, the East, the Caucasus region, Central and Eastern Europe. Relations are also detected with Olympia, Vitsa, Kalapodi, Pheres, Philia and Macedonia.
The fourth chapter, entitled "The Aetolian metalworking workshop" deals with the presence of foundries in the sanctuary, at least during the Late Geometric - Early Archaic Period.
Since the metal objects we examine come from a sanctuary, in the chapter entitled "Evolution of the sanctuary of Thermos in relation to the metal finds", we try to draw information from the metal objects regarding rituals and other events that took place in the sanctuary. So far we don't have any cultic items that can be dated in the Bronze age, but there are numerous indications that gatherings for the consumption of food and drink (feasting) took place in the paved area in front of Megaron A and probably inside of it. Knives, chisels, and spearheads dating to this period, along with high quality pottery, indicate contacts with major Mycenaean centers. After the destruction of Megaron A in the 11th century B.C. Megaron B was built. It is the first time that we have clear indications for the performance of worship. In the period following the destruction of Megaron B (Late Geometric - Early Archaic period) two cultic nuclei were created: the hearth of burnt sacrifices, that was founded on the ruins of Megaron B and the altar that produced the thick layer of black, from the sacrifices, soil to the south. The metal objects of the period are related to both of them but mostly with the altar that produced the black soil. Most of them could have been deposited in pits, similar to those found south of the hearth of the burnt sacrifices. These two nuclei of worship were in use during the 7th century B.C. The metal objects that can be dated in this period are few and they are spearheads, a knife and biconical beads. Around 620 B.C. a cella was built above the hearth of burnt sacrifices.The metal finds of the period consist of cast rings and few pins. Only few metal objects can be assigned to the 6th / early 5th centuries B.C. and only one sealing ring can be dated to the 5th / 4th century B.C.
In the sixth chapter of the thesis an attempt is made to identify the worshiped deities. The analysis mainly concerns the Late Geometric - Early Archaic period when the two nuclei of worship were formed, from which the hearth of the burnt sacrifices was probably related to Apollo and Apelles and the altar to the south to Artemis.
The seventh chapter entitled "The sanctuary of Thermos through other testimonies" examines the evolution of the prosperous settlement of the Bronze Age to the important sanctuary of supra-local character.
The eighth and last chapter deals with the conclusions that emerge from the study and analysis of the material. It seems possible that the feasts that took place during the Bronze Age, may have gradually led to the cultic use of the place during Late Mycenaean - Early Protogeometric period. During Late Geometric - Early Archaic period, the hearth of the burnt sacrifices may have been related to the Apelles, which in turn may have evolved into the later Thermika, a development that probably explains the choice of Thermos as center of the Aetolian League from the 4th century B.C. onwards. In the 7th century B.C. there are indication for changes in the ritual, changes that were completed with the erection of the cella around 620 BC. After that the offering of metal objects to the deity/deities declined and seems to have stopped from the 5th/4th century B.C. onwards. We do not know the circumstances that led to this change in ritual and maybe future research will provide answer this question.
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