Dana Island Archaeological Survey: Processed Ceramics, 2016 through 2019

<p>The Boğsak Archaeological Survey/BOGA (Silifke district, Mersin Province, modern Turkey) is directed by Dr. Günder Varinlioğlu, Associate Professor at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul, Turkey. The project is investigating an ancient maritime island landscape extending from modern-day Silifke to Yeşilovacık, in what was eastern Rough Cilicia during Antiquity (<a href="http://www.bogsakarkeoloji.com">www.bogsakarkeoloji.com</a>). The project has been carried out in 2010-2021 and focuses on a number of ancient island settlements and harbors along this shore, including Boğsak Island (ancient Asteria), Dana Island (ancient Pityoussa), Tahta Limanı, and the Ovacık Peninsula (ancient Aphrodisias). Prof. Nicholas Rauh of Purdue University joined the project in 2015 and has conducted pedestrian survey to collect ceramic data for the project. During the 2016-2017 Seasons he was joined by Prof. Noah Kaye (then at Indiana U., now at Michigan State U.) who assumed direction of the pedestrian survey team to enable Rauh to focus on the ceramics processing.  During these seasons the BOGA pedestrian survey team conducted intensive survey of the settlement remains on Dana Island. During the 2016 Dana Survey, pedestrian team members included Rauh, Kaye, Prof. Matthew Dillon (Loyola Marymount U.), and students, Peter Kotiuga (Indiana U.), Lucy Greene (Purdue U.), Nur Erdemci, Gamze Gürgenç and Cem Ardıl, all from Mimar Sinan U. in Istanbul. The bulk of the work consisted of systematic, extensive survey, with walkers traversing units of ca. 50 x 100 m. Visibility was low in the overwhelming majority of the units covered. Walkers encountered heavy vegetation and significant obstacles, including uncovered cisterns, branches, thorns, and vines, as well as copious standing architecture. During the 2016 season, 6 to 8 walkers investigated 9 transects comprising 41 survey units on Dana Island. They processed 640 ceramic, stone, and glass fragments. Pottery was thoroughly sorted in the field according to form, fabric, and “chronotype.” Each sherd was photographed in the field (frequently as identifiable groups), while a representative sample of diagnostic pieces were collected and transported to the laboratory for further analysis. Each of the 41 survey units received a survey unit number (i.e., dana2016_###_###_###). These codes indicate year of the survey, the transect number, the unit number within the transect, and an assigned item number (e.g., 2016 Season, Transect 1, Survey Unit 2, Item 1 = dana2016_001_002_001). In a few instances, such as the fortress at the top of the mountain (the “Kale”), the transect was assigned a toponym (e.g., dana2016_kale_002_009). To cover the widest possible extent of the terrain represented by the ancient settlement on the island’s western shore, we employed in some instances continuous bands of coverage and in others a “checker-board” pattern of transects. In this manner, we were able to define the site limits of the main settlement as well as to identify its core. The ancient settlement of Pityoussa is significantly larger than previously believed. In fact, the field research of the architectural survey team in subsequent seasons revealed that the remains of the settlement on the island’s western shore extend approximately 1200 m northeast-southwest and 200 m from the shore to the interior. Our Transect 5, the so-called “Necropolis Line,” defined the limits of the settlement along the hillside, while only the steep coastal bluffs at the north and south ends of the western shore closed it off from below. However, even this conclusion need to be amended by the discovery in 2019 of a cluster of tombs and structural remains near the Iron Age fortresses at the island’s southern peak, just below the crest.</p>

<p>The pedestrian survey continued during August 2017. This season Kaye and Rauh were assisted by students Nathan McBurnett (Purdue U.) and Emily Getz (Indiana U.). The pedestrian team continued our investigation both amid the remains of the ancient settlement on the island’s western shore and at the Iron Age fortress identified on the island’s southern peak (Kale 1). Our goals were to define more effectively the limits of the ancient settlement and to establish its chronological phasing. Along the island’s western shore, we added 14 units of approximately 50 x 100 m to our existing pedestrian surface survey of 2016 (Dana 2017, Transect 1). In essence, we attempted to walk units in areas omitted by our “checkerboard” method of survey during the 2016 season. In this manner we walked 14 units all described as components of 2017 Dana Survey, Transect 1. We then attempted to investigate the limits of the settlement at the top of the island’s southern peak, both in and around the large Iron Age fortress (Kale 1) and descending the precipitous terrain below the fortress’ eastern flank. Transect 2 was investigated in and around the Iron Age fortress (Kale 1), including the stone stairway that ascends to it from the settlement below, the road-like path leading to the fortress gate, and the terraces immediately below the fortress on its eastern flank. Transect 3 represented a grab collection conducted at the large rectangular stone enclosure situated on a ledge directly below the eastern flank of fortress (the so-called “Tetrapyrgos”). Transect 4 was walked by Kaye and Burnett further down the southeastern slope of the island where they encountered tombs and extensive quarry cuts and faces. Returning to the crest of the island’s southern peak, Transects 5 & 6 incorporated eastward sloping terraced terrain slightly north of the fortress. Transect 9 was conducted as a grab collection inside the ruins of the sprawling Ashlar Complex on the settlement’s western shore. The architectural survey team, directed by Varinlioğlu, cleared the building of vegetation to prepare for Terrestrial Laser Scanning, carried out by Dr. Alex Turner (Newcastle U., UK) in 2017, and architectural investigations directed by Dr. Mine Esmer (Fatih Sultan Mehmet Wakf U., Istanbul). Using a sketch map provided by Director Varinlioğlu, the team investigated the building room by room (e.g., dana2017_009_014_001 = 2017 Dana Survey, Transect 9 (the Ashlar Complex), Room 14, Item 1). In all, the team investigated some 24 survey units on Dana Island in 2017 and processed some 338 additional surface artifacts.</p>

<p>During the 2018 Season Rauh, Getz, and students from Mimar Sinan University climbed again to the summit of Dana Island to conduct a coarse interval survey of the entire ridge overlooking the ancient settlement on the island’s western shore. Four walkers spaced some 30m apart walked the entire crest of the summit from Kale 1 at its southern end to the promontories overlooking the northern shore of the island. During this survey the team identified a second, smaller ring fortress, identified as Kale 2, approximately 200m north of Kale 1. The two fortresses clearly flanked the stone stairway that leads to the summit from the settlement below. We also encountered a few dispersed structures near Kale 2, but nothing substantial at the northern end of the ridge. Since the objective was to investigate the entire ridge of the island, no ceramics were processed at this time. In August 2019, Rauh returned briefly to Kale 2 on the summit to conduct an intensive grab collection in and around the ring wall of the fortress with Purdue students, Kenneth Klimek and Zoey Osterloh. The team processed some 38 ceramic fragments including the Classical / Hellenistic amphora handle stamped “ΣO”. The team also walked at the furthest northern and southern limits of the western shore of the island to identify any structural or surface remains (mostly encountering quarry cuts).</p>

<p>This dataset presents 1019 ceramic, glass, stone, and metal artifacts processed by the BOGA pedestrian team during four survey seasons. The artifacts are identified according to classification (ceramic, glass, etc.), chronotype (fineware, cooking ware, etc.), diagnostics, descriptions, measurements, and images, including selected profile drawings. Each column incorporates drop-down menus that enable the user to filter the material for refined searches</p>