Του Γιώργου Λεκάκη
Κατά το Πλειστόκαινο η Ζάκυνθος ήταν, πιθανότατα, συνδεδεμένη με την Κεφαλονιά και την Ιθάκη…
Πριν 27.000 έως 6.000 χρόνια, η στάθμη της θάλασσας γύρω από την Ζάκυνθο, κυμάνθηκε μεταξύ 120 - 20 μ. χαμηλότερα από την σημερινή στάθμη. Κατά συνέπειαν, η στεριά της Ζακύνθου ήταν μεγαλύτερη από ό,τι είναι σήμερα. Ουσιαστικά, αυτό σημαίνει ότι οιαδήποτε πρώιμη Μεσολιθική (8300 - 6000 π.Χ.) ή νεολιθική (6000 - 3200 π.Χ.) κατοίκηση σε παραθαλάσσιους οικισμούς είναι πλέον υποβρύχια (κάτω από την επιφάνεια της θάλασσας[1].
Έρευνες στο νησί (1965 και 1966) ανακάλυψαν αρκετές παλαιολιθικές τοποθεσίες, που υποδεικνύονται από διάσπαρτα λίθινα εργαλεία και αγγεία.[2]
Η κεραμική και η λίθινη τέχνη της Εποχής του Χαλκού υποδηλώνουν ότι το νησί είχε συνεχή ανθρώπινη παρουσία, από την Μέση Παλαιολιθική και μετά.[3]
Στην περιοχή Κατασταρίου, υπάρχουν κάποια κοιτάσματα γης που είναι αρκετά βαθειά ώστε να ελεγχθούν ως στρωματογραφικά στρώματα. Εκεί Ζακυνθηνοί αγρότες καλλιέργησαν την γη, καλλιεργώντας ελιές (Olea europaea) και σταφύλια (Vitis vinifer) - τις μεγαλύτερες εξαγωγές του νησιού ακόμη και έως σήμερα!
Η Ζάκυνθος ήταν νησιωτική γη, ξέχωρη από την ηπειρωτική Ελλάδα και τα άλλα Ιώνιο νησιά, για πολλές χιλιάδες χρόνια πριν από την Παλαιολιθική. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι είχε και κάποιο είδος ναυτιλίας και ότι οι αρχαίοι Ζακύνθιοι ήταν (και αυτοί, όπως σχεδόν όλοι οι αρχαίες Έλληνες) ναυτικοί…[4]
ΠΗΓΗ: Richard Takkou, Sonja Dobroski «A Discourse on the Archaeological History of Zakynthos: Alternative Approaches», στο International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology (IJSRA), Μάρτιος 2016, vol. 1, αρ. 1, 89–102. Γ. Λεκάκης «Σύγχρονης Ελλάδος περιήγησις». ΑΡΧΕΙΟΝ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΥ, 5.12.2016.
Sordinas, (1970) surveyed the island between 1965 and 1966 and discovered several Paleolithic sites indicated by scattered lithics and pottery. Interestingly the only full-scale excavation of a pre-historic site was conducted by Agallopoulou, (1973), who excavated 14 Mycenaean tombs in an ancient cemetery in the village of Kambi located 30 km north of the town of Zakynthos.
The seismic activity and eustasy suffered by Zakynthos has been constant and consistent since the Middle Pleistocene (Zelilidis et al.,1998:400). In the period from 25,000 to 4,000 BC the sea level has fluctuated between 120–20 m below present level and, consequently, the landmass of Zakynthos was greater than it is today. Effectively, this means any early Mesolithic (8300–6000 BC) or Neolithic (6000–3200 BC) coastal settlements are now underwater (Ferentinos et al., 2012:2172). Even though Zakynthos probably was attached to Kefalonia and Ithaki during parts of the Pleistocene, the group of islands remained insular and detached from the Greek mainland. Moreover, geological research indicates that the peninsula of Vasilikos was detached from the rest of Zakynthos and constituted a separate island until the end of the Bronze Age (Lambeck and Purcell, 2005). The evidence of Paleolithic stone tools and Bronze Age pottery and lithics indicates that the island had a constant human presence from the Middle Paleolithic onwards (Kourtessi-Philippakis, 1999:286). Nevertheless, the lack of stratigraphic deposits on the island make it difficult to assess these finds in a secure chronological framework. In all cases, the lithics and pottery have been found at open-air (surficial) sites or in off-site (back dirt) material. Further, in the region of Katastari, where there are some deposits of earth that are deep enough to be quantified in stratigraphic layers, farmers have worked this land for hundreds of years cultivating olives (Olea europaea) and grapes (Vitis vinifer) – the island’s largest exports.
Landscapes are not static nor do they exist in a temporal vacuum. A post-colonial approach to archaeology in this region would value local understandings of landscape and ancient material heritage. For example, during our preliminary fieldwork in August 2015 we ascertained from several local people the belief that prehistoric occupation on the island was heavily connected to the other Ionian islands via seafaring. Current island commerce and activities have most likely been projected onto the ancient past. However, it is notable that archaeologists have not adequately studied the ancient seascapes in the region. This is peculiar considering the fact that Zakynthos has remained insular from the Greek mainland and the other Ionian islands for many thousands of years before the Paleolithic, which means the presence of early humans at Zakynthos during Palaeolithic times must have involved some type of seafaring (Ferentinos et al., 2012). Local folklore and contemporary identity construction in relation to ancient heritage provides inspiration to these complex archaeological landscapes. This is no doubt due to the keen observations of local people who live and work those same landscapes and seascapes of earlier ancient inhabitants. This intimate, intuitive acquaintance with Zakynthos is unique to local people and should not be taken for granted.
Πριν 27.000 έως 6.000 χρόνια, η στάθμη της θάλασσας γύρω από την Ζάκυνθο, κυμάνθηκε μεταξύ 120 - 20 μ. χαμηλότερα από την σημερινή στάθμη. Κατά συνέπειαν, η στεριά της Ζακύνθου ήταν μεγαλύτερη από ό,τι είναι σήμερα. Ουσιαστικά, αυτό σημαίνει ότι οιαδήποτε πρώιμη Μεσολιθική (8300 - 6000 π.Χ.) ή νεολιθική (6000 - 3200 π.Χ.) κατοίκηση σε παραθαλάσσιους οικισμούς είναι πλέον υποβρύχια (κάτω από την επιφάνεια της θάλασσας[1].
Έρευνες στο νησί (1965 και 1966) ανακάλυψαν αρκετές παλαιολιθικές τοποθεσίες, που υποδεικνύονται από διάσπαρτα λίθινα εργαλεία και αγγεία.[2]
Η κεραμική και η λίθινη τέχνη της Εποχής του Χαλκού υποδηλώνουν ότι το νησί είχε συνεχή ανθρώπινη παρουσία, από την Μέση Παλαιολιθική και μετά.[3]
Στην περιοχή Κατασταρίου, υπάρχουν κάποια κοιτάσματα γης που είναι αρκετά βαθειά ώστε να ελεγχθούν ως στρωματογραφικά στρώματα. Εκεί Ζακυνθηνοί αγρότες καλλιέργησαν την γη, καλλιεργώντας ελιές (Olea europaea) και σταφύλια (Vitis vinifer) - τις μεγαλύτερες εξαγωγές του νησιού ακόμη και έως σήμερα!
Η Ζάκυνθος ήταν νησιωτική γη, ξέχωρη από την ηπειρωτική Ελλάδα και τα άλλα Ιώνιο νησιά, για πολλές χιλιάδες χρόνια πριν από την Παλαιολιθική. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι είχε και κάποιο είδος ναυτιλίας και ότι οι αρχαίοι Ζακύνθιοι ήταν (και αυτοί, όπως σχεδόν όλοι οι αρχαίες Έλληνες) ναυτικοί…[4]
ΠΗΓΗ: Richard Takkou, Sonja Dobroski «A Discourse on the Archaeological History of Zakynthos: Alternative Approaches», στο International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology (IJSRA), Μάρτιος 2016, vol. 1, αρ. 1, 89–102. Γ. Λεκάκης «Σύγχρονης Ελλάδος περιήγησις». ΑΡΧΕΙΟΝ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΥ, 5.12.2016.
Sordinas, (1970) surveyed the island between 1965 and 1966 and discovered several Paleolithic sites indicated by scattered lithics and pottery. Interestingly the only full-scale excavation of a pre-historic site was conducted by Agallopoulou, (1973), who excavated 14 Mycenaean tombs in an ancient cemetery in the village of Kambi located 30 km north of the town of Zakynthos.
The seismic activity and eustasy suffered by Zakynthos has been constant and consistent since the Middle Pleistocene (Zelilidis et al.,1998:400). In the period from 25,000 to 4,000 BC the sea level has fluctuated between 120–20 m below present level and, consequently, the landmass of Zakynthos was greater than it is today. Effectively, this means any early Mesolithic (8300–6000 BC) or Neolithic (6000–3200 BC) coastal settlements are now underwater (Ferentinos et al., 2012:2172). Even though Zakynthos probably was attached to Kefalonia and Ithaki during parts of the Pleistocene, the group of islands remained insular and detached from the Greek mainland. Moreover, geological research indicates that the peninsula of Vasilikos was detached from the rest of Zakynthos and constituted a separate island until the end of the Bronze Age (Lambeck and Purcell, 2005). The evidence of Paleolithic stone tools and Bronze Age pottery and lithics indicates that the island had a constant human presence from the Middle Paleolithic onwards (Kourtessi-Philippakis, 1999:286). Nevertheless, the lack of stratigraphic deposits on the island make it difficult to assess these finds in a secure chronological framework. In all cases, the lithics and pottery have been found at open-air (surficial) sites or in off-site (back dirt) material. Further, in the region of Katastari, where there are some deposits of earth that are deep enough to be quantified in stratigraphic layers, farmers have worked this land for hundreds of years cultivating olives (Olea europaea) and grapes (Vitis vinifer) – the island’s largest exports.
Landscapes are not static nor do they exist in a temporal vacuum. A post-colonial approach to archaeology in this region would value local understandings of landscape and ancient material heritage. For example, during our preliminary fieldwork in August 2015 we ascertained from several local people the belief that prehistoric occupation on the island was heavily connected to the other Ionian islands via seafaring. Current island commerce and activities have most likely been projected onto the ancient past. However, it is notable that archaeologists have not adequately studied the ancient seascapes in the region. This is peculiar considering the fact that Zakynthos has remained insular from the Greek mainland and the other Ionian islands for many thousands of years before the Paleolithic, which means the presence of early humans at Zakynthos during Palaeolithic times must have involved some type of seafaring (Ferentinos et al., 2012). Local folklore and contemporary identity construction in relation to ancient heritage provides inspiration to these complex archaeological landscapes. This is no doubt due to the keen observations of local people who live and work those same landscapes and seascapes of earlier ancient inhabitants. This intimate, intuitive acquaintance with Zakynthos is unique to local people and should not be taken for granted.
ΣΗΜΕΙΩΣΕΙΣ:
[1] Βλ. Ferentinos et al., 2012:2172.
[2] Βλ. Sordinas, 1970.
[3] Βλ. Κουρτέση-Φιλιππάκης, 1999:286.
[4] Βλ. Ferentinos et al., 2012.
[1] Βλ. Ferentinos et al., 2012:2172.
[2] Βλ. Sordinas, 1970.
[3] Βλ. Κουρτέση-Φιλιππάκης, 1999:286.
[4] Βλ. Ferentinos et al., 2012.
