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Hoard of bronze axes from Katamachi, district of Jannina

Σκινδαλαμοί

• Βοκοτοπούλου, Ιουλία Π.

In November 1970 a young goatherd found a hoard of five bronze double axes and two tools on the mountain Alysos, at an altitude of ± 1200 m. above his native village Katamachi, district of Jannina. On the vertiginous slope not a single sherd or wall is visible (fig. 1, 5 ).1. Double axe, no. 4979 of the Museum of Yannina (fig. 2a; plan 1 ). L.: 0,258 m., H.: 0,051 - 0,096 m. Diam, of the ellipsoid bore: 0,021 - 0,045 m. The patina has been recently removed.It is decorated with pairs of engravedparallel lines. The blades are so sharp, that this axe, as well as the following four, must never have been used.2. Double axe no. 4980 (fig. 2β; plan 2). L. : 0,253 m., H. : 0,048- 0,097 m. Diam. of the ellipsoid bore: 0,022 - 0,049 m. Light to dark green patina. Gracked at the waist.3. Double axe no. 4982 (fig· 2 γ ). L.: 0,211, m. H.: 0,035 - 0,078 m. Diam. of the bore: 0,019 - 0,037 m. Dark green patina.4. Double axe, no. 4983 (fig. 2 δ; plan 3). L.: 0,198m., H.: 0,056- 0,08 m. Diam. of the ellipsoid bore: 0,019 - 0,32 m. Perfect shape with shining dark green patina.5. Double axe, no. 4981. L.: 0,193 m., H. : 0,028 - 0,062 m. Diam. of the bore: 0,018-0,037 m. (fig. 2, ε).6. Pyramidal anvil, no. 4984 (fig. 2 ζ, fig. 3). H.: 0,114 m. Diam. of base : 0,04 X 0,05 m. It had been used for a long period. It has a bore and a round protrusion.7. Chisel, no. 4985 (fig. 2η fig. 4). L. : 0,13 m. Diam. of socket: 0,021 m. The patina has also been removed after the discovery of the hoard. It is decorated with triangles in relief. Akin to the chisels found in Cyprus ( H. Catling : Cypriot bronze work in the Mycenaean World, 1969, fig. 10, nos. 8-10).Typologically the five double axes belong to an entity and are probably made by the same smith, wandering from place to place with his merchandise. They bear ellipsoid sockets — atypical Helladic feature ( K. Davaras, AAA III (1970), p. 312 ), strongly curved blades sharpened twice at the edges and slightly curved long sides. The axe no. 1 is the only one to bear a decoration, similar to that on other LH III B-C weapons in Epirus ( AE 1956, p. 115 f. 1. AE 1969, p. 192, f. 4 ). The closer parallels are a LH axe from Epirus in Trieste ( H. Buch- holz : Zur Herkunft der Kretischen Doppelaxt, 1959, pi. IX f. ), another unpublished in the Arta Museum, a third in the Agrinion Museum ( AAA III, (1970), p. 312 ), six in the Yannina Museum from Dodona, Riziani, Ter- rovon and two from the Mathiati hoard near Nicosia ( Catling, pi. 52 b, nos. 45, 47 ).The hoard of Katamachi belongs probably to the LH III B-C period, to which has been ascribed the majority of the bronze Mycenaean weapons found at various sites of Epirus.

• History and Archaeology

• Αρχαιολογία
• Bronzes
• Antiquities

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