The Archaic sanctuary on Despotiko Island (Cyclades): Geological outline and lithological characterization of the building stones, with their possible provenance

Autor(en)

Erich Draganits

Abstrakt

Lithological comparisons between building stones of an archaic sanctuary on Despotiko (Cyclades) and geological units mapped

on this island enabled a distinction to be made between locally derived and possibly imported material. The most common lithologies

used in the main sanctuary building (Building A) were medium-grained white calcite marble with thin, rose-coloured dolomite

marble layers (Marble 1), coarse grained, white calcite marble (Marble 2), white mylonitic gneiss and grey granitic gneiss; dark grey

banded calcite marble and yellowish calcarenite were rarely used. Excepting Marble 2, all building stones in Building A occur on

Despotiko and could originate from the island. The occurrence of nine quarries (presently undated) in the surroundings of the sanctuary,

seven in white mylonitic gneiss, one in dark grey calcite marble and one in a white calcite marble resembling Marble 1, support

a local provenance. Submerged archaeological structures within Despotiko Bay, a classical marble inscription from the sanctuary

and partly submerged agriculture trenches at the east coast of Despotiko all suggest that the relative sea-level there was > 3 m

lower in the Early Bronze Age and > 1 m lower during Hellenistic times. If vertical tectonic movements are neglected, the present

sea-floor bathymetry indicates that an isthmus linked Despotiko, Kimitiri and Antiparos until at least Hellenistic times.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Geologie

Journal

Austrian Journal of Earth Sciences

Band

102

Seiten

91-101

Anzahl der Seiten

11

ISSN

0251-7493

Publikationsdatum

2009

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

601003 Archäologie, 105205 Klimawandel, 105101 Allgemeine Geologie

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 13 – Maßnahmen zum Klimaschutz

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