Ψηφιδωτά της Άμφισσας
Part of : Αρχαιολογικά ανάλεκτα εξ Αθηνών ; Vol.X, No.2, 1977, pages 242-258
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Pages:
242-258
Parallel Title:
Mosaics at Amphissa
Section Title:
Σύμμεικτα
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Abstract:
In January of 1977 traces of ancient remains were brought to light in the property of E. Kephalas - L. Tsounis at Am- phissa during work for the foundations of a new house. Soon afterwards an excavation was canied out by the Ephorate of Delphi with the following results :A large circular hall ( diam. 7.60 m. ) forming part of an unknown "huge building was uncovered. The wall of the hall is built with bricks and stone set in hard reddish mortar ; it is more than 1 metre thick and it is preserved to a height of more than 50 cm. The east part of the circular hall has been destroyed by mediaeval constructions. It has two entrances, one on the south and one on the west side, the latter closed with a later wall. In the middle of the hall are two semicircular basins ( 90 cm. deep ) separated by a narrow corridor ; the floor and the wall of the basins are lined with marble and schist slabs. Water could flow from the south basin to the north basin through a lead pipe and from the north basin outside to the east through terracotta pipes.The floor of the circular hall around the basins as well as the narrow corridor between them is covered with mosaics of excellent quality and preservation (fig. 1 ) : on the border of the circle, bead andreel with white tesserae on a grey background framed by two white bands. The main field of the mosaic floor is decorated with a complicated design of geometric motifs : rhomboi, triangles and rectangles, forming intersecting polygons with sixteen angles (fig. 2). Small rectangles filled with chequers or circles form the center of the polygons. The tesserae, cubes lxlxl cm., have the following basic colours : white, black, red, grey, yellow, green. The narrow corridor between the two semicircular basins has the following decoration : two vines issue from vases and meet in the center of the corridor (fig. 4 ).Two small semicircular niches are preserved on the west sides of the basins. They are paved with mosaics : two facing birds drink water from a vase (fig. 5).The walls of the circular hall were like the basins, veneered with marble slabs. Part of a wall painting is preserved on the outside wall to the left of the south entrance (fig. 6 ).The circular hall can be interpreted as a baptistery dated in the late 4th century. Similar motifs are to be found on the mosaic floor of the narthex of Basilica A' at Dion, on the narthex of Basilica A'at Amphipolis and on the narthex of a basilica in Rhodes. The same decorative motifs as in our circular hall are found on the mosaic floor of a building first uncovered in 1939 - 40 in the property of S. Bouryiannakis (fig. 7 ).In his valuable book about Amphissa ( 1923 ) Th. K. Melissaris mentions about ten different mosaic floors which were preserved in his day in Amphissa, mainly in the cellars of houses. One of these mosaics, in the Gerolymatos house,was recently cleaned and photographed (fig. 8 ) ; it carries the representation of a frightened pygmy pursued by a crane ( drawing 2 ). Above the scene is the inscription :ΣΧΟΛΗ ΜΗ TO ΔΡΕΙΛΟΝThe second inscription above the first one belonged to a second representation facing in the opposite direction, probably another pygmy and crane : ΒΟΙΘΕΙ ΠΑΠΑIt is dated in the 3rd century after Christ.Another mosaic, probably of an early Christian basilica ( 5th - 6th c. ) was found in 1969 in the property of Ergatiki Hestia and transported to Delphi where it is kept today (fig. 9). It might be part of a mosaic floor mentioned by Melissaris ( p. 76, no. 4). The composition of this mosaic and the decorative elements are closely related to another mosaic floor of an early Christian basilica found in 1961 in the village of Delphi ( restored and exhibited in the open on the right of the entrance to the Delphi Museum).The study of all the mosaics at Amphissa will surely prove that we have to do with local workshops that carry on a long tradition.
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