Stone carvings in the context of Ottoman-era Greece play an important role in folklore studies as well as vernacular architecture. They are associated with the history of itinerant stonemasons, their beliefs, as well as the cultural milieu of the building’s owners. However, research rarely contextualises them within the framework of the Ottoman era and the identities of local people who dwelled in these spaces. This contribution first provides an overview of interpretations put forward by scholars in diverse disciplines (folklore, architecture, heritage). It then offers a critical evaluation of these interpretations according to contemporary trends in Ottoman studies, combining methodologies from multiple disciplines, ranging from innovative theoretical concepts to interpretive drawings and photogrammetry. To do so we focus on case studies from the Ottoman-era Bektashi heritage of Konitsa (north-west Greece), including the house of Hussein Sisko, Hamko’s mansion, as well as the gate of Hagios Nikolaos, which incorporates stone carvings from an Ottoman-era mansion in secondary use. We advance an interpretation of stone carvings as narratives reflecting the multiconfessional identities of the liminal Ottoman provinces of the south-west Balkans. Taking as an example the two series of stone carvings from the gates of Hamko’s mansion, we propose that they are best viewed as forms of storytelling, reflecting the identity of the Bektashi owners, as warriors of the faith, while also vaguely expressing the values of the in-house rituals of the same dervish network (tarikat). Furthermore, on the basis of a proposed rearrangement of the stone carvings at the church of Hagios Nikolaos to reflect their original meaning when they were adorning the mansion of Elmaz Bey, we argue for potential multiple and multiconfessional understandings of such carvings, as well as temporal connotations that are easily forgotten, arguments that open new research avenues when placed in the context of the body of literature that argues for the long-lasting survival of meanings.

This paper contributes to the understanding of Early Bronze Age sealing practices in the Cyclades, focusing on recent findings from the settlement site of Koimisis on Therasia. It discusses two seal impressions stamped on a jar handle from an Early Cycladic II context. One aligns with the broader Aegean glyptic tradition, while the second could represent the earliest evidence associated with developments tied to the broader context of script formation in the Aegean. The study analyses the context of the find, the iconography and the style of the seal impressions, and explores the associations and meaning of the signs. Additionally, the petrographic analysis of the pottery fragment provides insights into the vase’s origin and the broader interpretative context of the impressions.

This paper investigates samples of local cooking and utilitarian vessels from Roman contexts at Corinth. Based on macroscopic investigation, the vessels had been assigned to a single ware, but a recent instrumental neutron activation analysis showed that more than one fabric was present. To examine possible variations in shape and function as well as changes of shape over time, selected samples were subjected to thin section petrography, combined with refiring tests and elemental analysis (WD-XRF). The results reveal two main fabrics and one minor one with mineralogical compositions consistent with the geology of the north-eastern Peloponnese; one of them is tentatively linked to Sikyon and another has been identified as a regional product in earlier petrographic studies in the area.

Crete has long been celebrated as the cradle of Greek sculpture. This acknowledgement relies partly on the literary ‘phantom’ of Daidalos and partly on the copious finds of early, especially seventh-century BC, sculpture from the island. Although Knossos and its region are prominent in the literary tradition on the works of Daidalos and have produced numerous early sculptures, this has largely been ignored. My paper addresses the problem and argues for the significance of the evidence from Knossos for the study of early Greek sculpture. The argument is grounded on the publication of three sculptures from the site: two mid to late seventh-century BC fragments of architectural sculpture and a head of a probably free-standing work of the mid sixth century BC, the last piece falling within the alleged Archaic Gap. By integrating art-historical, archaeological and archival perspectives, I study the character, style, dating and findspot of these works, and situate them within their spatial context and their Knossian and broader Cretan and Greek artistic context. The analysis establishes that Knossos and its region boast the fullest sequence of Early Iron Age to Archaic sculpture from Crete, hence they deserve a prominent place in discussions of early Greek sculpture for reasons extending beyond the textual tradition for Daidalos.

The Parthenon’s structure suggests a thought-out design particularly attentive to light. This includes the orientation of the building towards the rising sun, the placement of windows, the use of barriers and grilles, the translucent marble ceilings, the skylights, and even ‘reflective’ pools of various liquid. These are all devices that, alongside bright materials, may have been used to enhance the experience of visitors to the temple and their encounter with the colossal gold and ivory statue of the goddess Athena. To test the validity and the effect that each of these purported design strategies produced, this article proposes an experiment using advanced 3D digital technologies, along with physically based lighting simulations, to recreate the ambient and architectural conditions that existed in the original temple design. The results suggest that this temple, contrary to long-standing beliefs that imagined the interior as a ‘bright marble space’, was generally quite dark and dim. The subsequent discussion and concluding remarks suggest that the illumination of the chryselephantine statue’s materials through the glow of a lamp, and on rare occasions from the sun, probably represented the pinnacle of the viewing encounters.