Fragmentation of votive offerings in Olympia and other Greek santuaries – Research into the background of a ritual(?) practice

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Holger Baitinger; Dr. Azzurra Scarci
• Subject Area: Classical, Roman, Christian and Islamic Archaeology ; Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 466820328

Archaeological research into bronze votive offerings from the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia began in 2022, thanks to funding from the German Research Foundation. The objective of this study has been to conduct a systematic analysis of this phenomenon for the first time and gain a better understanding of the ritual and social practices that underlie it. Specifically, it aims to investigate the function and significance of fragmented votive offerings in Olympia, as well as the timing and methods of their destruction and the reasons for their large numbers in the ground. Specific fragmentation and breakage patterns were investigated and will be investigated using a wide range of methods from prehistoric archaeology and cultural anthropology. Statistical analyses were carried out using measurements and weights, and the spatial distribution of fragmented objects was examined to determine their possible relationship to functional areas such as foundry workshops, altars, and temples. The material from Olympia provided valuable insights, including recurring fragmentation patterns that suggest a systematic process used by experienced metalworkers when dismantling tripods and griffinhead-cauldrons. These patterns also enable the reconstruction of a chaîne opératoire. The upcoming project phase, which has been applied for, will extend research activities to other Greek sanctuaries. The project will record, document, and analyse the same types of material already studied in Olympia, such as geometric tripods, votive animals, griffin heads, and Sicilian-southern Italian objects. The analysis will follow the same methodological scheme developed in Olympia, now supplemented by archaeometallurgical analysis. This analysis should provide insights into the fracture behaviour and patterns of the objects. The purpose of these material-based analyses is to identify similarities or differences compared with the fragmentation patterns found at Olympia. This will help us understand and evaluate the practice of fragmentation in Greek sanctuaries in a broader context. To achieve this, we have selected the sanctuaries of Delphi, Samos, Kalapodi, and Athens (Acropolis), as they have yielded numerous finds and have been well-published. Based on this, it will be possible to evaluate the fragmentation phenomenon in important Greek sanctuaries at a supra-regional level. Finally, metrological-statistical comparisons will be made using big data with hoards of the late Bronze Age / early Iron Age in ancient Europe to make the results from the Greek sanctuaries relevant to prehistoric research too.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Italy
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Roland Schwab
• Cooperation Partner: Dr. Nevio Dubbini