Execution by Styrax in ancient Thasos / Anagnostis P. Agelarakis.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Agelarakis, Anagnostis P., 1956- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Capital punishment--Greece--Thasos Island--Antiquities.

Capital punishment.

Funeral rites and ceremonies--Greece--Thasos Island--Antiquities.

Funeral rites and ceremonies.

Excavations (Archaeology)--Greece--Thasos Island.

Excavations (Archaeology).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (50 pages)

Place of Publication:

Oxford, England : Archaeopress Publishing Limited, [2019]

Summary:

This essay presents a unique forensic / bioarchaeological investigation of the traumatised remains of an older male from Thasos, exploring the nature of the executing weapon reconstructed in bronze, the archaeometry on the trajectory and factors of speed and force at the deliverance of the deadly strike.

Contents:

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Information

Contents

List of Figures

List of Graphs

Introduction

Figure 1. Map of the geographic region, Paros and Thasos Islands in the Aegean Sea, within the Eastern Mediterranean basin and the adjoining context of the Black Sea.

Figure 2. Silver tetradrachm of Thasos. Obverse: Ivy crowned Head of Dionysus, facing left

Obverse: ΘΑΣΙΟΝ (THASION) [plural genitive form of Thasios], right kneeling Herakles, facing right, right-handed shooting arrow through recurve bow, with rose in

Figure 3. Amphora handle stamped ΘΑΣΙΩΝ (THASION) [plural genitive form of Thasios], right kneeling Herakles, facing right, right-handed shooting arrow through recurve bow (courtesy of late Dr. Marina Sgourou, Hellenic Archaeological Service, Chief Archa

Archaeo-anthropological research in Thasos island

Figure 4. In Thasos Agora region with collaborator, late Dr. Marina Sgourou, Hellenic Archaeological Service, Chief Archaeologist for the Ancient City of Thasos

offering a guided tour to the Adelphi student field team through the archaeological landmarks

Figure 5. Myroni site field map with plotted burial features

arrows point to the topographic locus of burial feature No. 138, the cyst grave of the Thasian male, and the cluster of its adjoining graves.

Figure 6. View of the ancient commercial harbor of Thasos, still in use by fishermen and seafarers in Limenas the modern capital city of Thasos Island.

Figure 7. Wooden boat repair activities taking place in the Limenas harbor of Thasos.

Aspects of the human condition decoded through analysis of the osteological record.

Figure 8. Image of burial feature No. 138, the cyst grave with uncovered thick stone slab, showing the Thasian male individual in situ, laying in an extended supine position and facing SW (courtesy of excavator, Dr. Eustratios Papadopoulos, Ephor of Hell

Figure 10. Public symphysis, right side component, showing surface changes relative to aging process

delineated by the redlined shape.

Figure 9. Mandibular ramus right side fragment with retained condyle (component of the temporomandibular diarthrosis) showing most advanced manifestations of osteoarthropathic changes

delineated by the redlined oblique shape.

Figure 11. Forearm bones (radius, and distally incompletely preserved ulna) of left side.

Figure 12. Superior view of lumbar vertebrae: small arrows identify advanced spondyloarthropathic in nature osteophytic growths, marginal to the vertebral bodies

dotted arrows indicate spondyloarthropathic lipping at superior articular processes

ovoid s

Figure 13. Left femoral proximal third component focusing on anterior neck changes

delineated by the ovoid shape.

Figure 14. Left femoral distal third component focusing on intercondylar osteoarthropathic lipping (arrows), and subchondral condylar bone osteoarthropathic changes compounded by sclerotic, eburnated, loci.

Palaeopathological differential diagnosis: Not a sternal foramen

Figure 15. Illustration of sternal anatomic components.

Figure 16. Illustration of demi-macerated thoracic cavity to illustrate a rendering of an approximate position and size of a sternal foramen.

Figure 17. Sternal manubrium, corpus, and xiphoid process of Thasian male, ventral view.

Figure 18. X-ray image of sternal manubrium, corpus, and xiphoid process of Thasian male, ventral view.

Figure 19. Sternal corpus and xiphoid process of Thasian male, ventral view.

Figure 20. X-ray image of sternal corpus and xiphoid process of Thasian male, ventral view.

Figure 21. Focus on the ventral surface of manubrium sterni and the heptagonal styrax' base of sharp tip hedra imprint and its metrics.

Figure 22. Focus on the ventral surface of manubrium sterni and the styrax' heptagonal sharp tip penetration impact and its metrics.

Figure 23. Focus on the dorsal surface of manubrium sterni and the styrax' heptagonal sharp tip penetration 'exit' impact.

Identification and reproduction of the weapon type and component which was used to pierce through the corpus sterni

Figure 24. Technical drawing, rendering of styrax' base and sharp tip component based on retrieved and reconstructed metrics.

Figure 25. Illustration, rendering of the stryrax component cast in bronze.

Figure 26. Projections of the mesial line and of a transversal directional on the 'entry' and 'exit' wound imprints caused by the 'through and through' corpus sterni stabbing.

The anatomic consequences of the trauma impact by the thrusting of the styrax into the mediastinum, and assessment on the cause of death

Figure 27. Illustration of a generic sternocostal component with emphasis on the delineated mesial traces of the right pleural and lung domains, as well as of the cardiac position.

Experimental archaeometry through Physics, testing for data relevant to a styrax thrusting into the thorax

Figure 28. Dr. Bentley in area of the Physics Department laboratories with student assistants in preparations for the archaeometric tests (courtesy of Dr. Sean Bentley).

Figure 29. Ballistic model penetrated by the sharp tip of the styrax in the rib case (broken rib)

jabbed through an 'overhand' striking, by the author.

Figure 30. Two replicated styrax component models, with an elongated based component so that hafting to a wooden spear shaft would be possible (one with the sharp styrax tip broken off due to heavy handling) used in the Physics lab for the archaeometric t

Figure 31. The 4th sternebra of the ballistic model penetrated by the sharp styrax tip

jabbing by contact thrusting, by Dr. Bentley (courtesy of Dr. Sean Bentley).

Figure 32. Close up of the 'through and through' jabbing of the 4th sternebra by contact thrusting (courtesy of Dr. Sean Bentley).

Trauma interpretation and discussion of causes for the execution of the Thasian

Epilogue

Figure 33. Mute stones of ancient Thasos, witnesses to Lysander's atrocities.

Acknowledgements.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-78969-213-X