Sylvia Benton
Biographic Data
| ID | 257268 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Sylvia Benton |
| GIVEN NAMES | Sylvia |
| FAMILY NAME | Benton |
| SIGNATURE | BENTON S |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 20 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1928 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1973 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Excavations in Ithaca
The site was discovered by Andreas Lekatsas, then proprietor of the Stavros Hotel, in his vineyard, and excavated for the British School, at his generous invitation, in two campaigns in 1937 and 1938. It lies on a steeply sloping hillside just above the path leading up from the cave side of Polis Bay, and commands a splendid view down the Ithaca channel towards Same in Kephallenia (plate 1 a ). Its main area (christened TL), presumably a sizeable…
Echelos' Hippodrome
Because Echelos carries off a bride Iasile in a four-horse chariot, on a relief found at a shrine near Phaleron, most writers have thought that this relief fixes the site of the Panathenaic Hippodrome. In fact it does the exact opposite. This bride is not coming home, she is going away: Echelos lives somewhere else, Phaleron is not his territory. It belongs to the family of an otherwise unknown nymph Iasile, and a host of gods and goddesses engag…
The Gorgon Plaque at Syracuse
Dr. Bernabò-brea has kindly given me a new photograph of this monument. It shows the red paint at the outer corner of the gorgon's eye, which makes her eye look bigger and more sinister. It is not, however, a leer such as many early gorgons wear: the pupil is still in the middle of the eye. A lesion in this region of the eye may be due to strain. Our artist is depicting a gorgon under pressure. We must think away two round, dark shadows behind th…
The Pelynt Sword-Hilt
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Further Excavations at Aetos
After the close of Mr. Heurtley's excavations, an attack on the site by illicit diggers showed that the deposit had not been exhausted and that there were still fine vases ( e.g. 1023, Plate 22) to be found there. Moreover, some of the conclusions drawn from the facts observed at Aetos merited further investigation. Date of Building 9 : Bench mark for both excavations was the threshold of St. George's Church. Heurtley kindly allowed me to use som…
Second Thoughts on ‘Mycenaean’ Pottery in Ithaca
When I wrote my report on the excavation of Polis, Ithaca, the leader of the expedition had suggested that in Ithaca, Early Bronze Age pottery had persisted till the closing phases of the Late Bronze Age, which meant that Ithaca was a backward little place well away from the broad stream of contemporary culture. I thought it possible that there was another lag after the Late Bronze Age, and I called certain vases ‘Mycenaean,’ taking fabric to be …
Hagios Nikolaos near Astakos in Akarnania
Sailing into Astakos Bay, which the Navy calls Dragomesti Bay, along the S.E. coast of the Krithote Peninsula, one passes the little Church of H. Nikolaos, and then a yawning black cave-mouth in the precipice of limestone 500 ft. above (Pl. 23 a ), about one hour's walk from Astakos. The lowest entrance is visible above a carob tree, and nothing was discovered in the lowest cave, tested at M (see section, Fig. 1 a ). We climbed up a ladder to a p…
Notes on Crete
THERE are several members of my School, the British School of Archaeology at Athens, who are better qualified to speak about Crete than I am, and I am only here to-night because they are serving their country elsewhere. I have travelled and lived in Crete and can tell about the ordinary life of the people. But of Crete I can claim no exhaustive knowledge, and have no store of original research to set before this society. A word first about Greek …
Bronzes from Palaikastro and Praisos
There are fragments of eight to ten tripods from Palaikastro now in the Candia Museum. Some of these were found outside and in front of the temple precincts. The excavator mentions fourteen, but he may not have noticed that certain fragments belong to the same tripod. Part of a tripod-leg in the British Museum catalogued (1907, 1–19–233) as being from Palaikastro and published BSA XXXV, 96, 97, fig. 10, pl. 23, 5, is illustrated in Bosanquet's no…
The Dating of Helmets and Corselets in Early Greece
Kukahn, Der Griechische Helm , has traced the development of the Corinthian helmet—(1) a ‘stove-pipe’ shape, longer than it was broad; (2) ( a ) back adapted to the human head; ( b ) necessary modifications of the side; (3) plastic adjustment of the cap. His catalogue follows this scheme, but he makes nonsense of it by dating nos. 44–69 about 600 B.C. (p. 32, see pl. 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6), and a more developed helmet no. 76 (pl. 32) about 640 B.C.…
The Date of the Cretan Shields
Dr. Kunze's splendid presentation alone makes possible the study of Cretan shields, many of which he put together with his own hands. Even where I differ from his conclusions I have to start from the premises he laid down from his careful and scholarly analysis, and his magnificent illustrations. Dr. Kunze dated the beginning of the Cretan shields by the date of certain gold bands ( op. cit . pp. 247, 266) found with Attic vases, from the end of …
Excavations in Ithaca, III; The Cave at Polis, II
In the sites excavated by me in West Greece at Polis, at Graves near Astakos, at Halikais in Zakynthos, I cannot differentiate the rough pithoi of the Early and Late Bronze-Age. Lug forms which occur in Macedonia and Thessaly in the Early Bronze-Age appear to be still in use in the Late Bronze-Age. At Graves and at Halikais the specific forms of the Early Bronze-Age, levigated pottery, such as sauce-boats and handles with triangular section are n…
A votive offering to Odysseus
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
A Minoan Vase from Macedonia
Excavations in Ithaca, III
The site lies on the north-west side of the Bay of Pólis (Fig. 1), in a gash on the hillside where rock has fallen away, leaving a sheer face on the south of the site and the débris of undercliff on the north. The sea lies to the east and the entrance to the site on the north is blocked by fallen rocks (Fig. 3). Its position with regard to the other excavations round Stavrós in North Ithaca can be seen on the general plan of the area (Fig. 2 of t…
The Evolution of the Tripod-Lebes
The tripod-lebes is characterized by two round vertical handles cast with a plate behind and a strap in front, both of which are riveted to the cauldron, and by three legs, each cast with a plate, also riveted to the cauldron and supported by struts. Schwendemann asserts that it is properly a cooking-pot, for in Homer a mixing-bowl is a krater, but a big tripod is put on the fire to provide bath-water, and a hog could be seethed in a lebes. The m…
The Ionian Islands
My first literary pilgrimage to the Ionian islands took place six years ago. I still find them an attractive field for research, and the present paper records observations made among them during two very pleasant summers. In this connection I would recall the fact that both Professor Chadwick and Professor Childe have indicated the importance of a study of North-West Greece for the better understanding of the coming of the Greeks
The Excavation of the Sculptor's Cave, Covesea, Morayshire
An account of the excavation of Sculptor’s Cave made famous by its Pictish carvings, which was led by Sylvia Benton. The earliest Bronze Age phase of occupation is represented by a range of objects including gold and bronze rings, bracelets, worked bone objects including needles and pottery. Material from the Roman phase include bronze rings, bracelets, wire and glass beads, pins, toilet instruments, needles, samian and native pottery and coins. …
An Unlucky Sword
Antiquities from Thiaki
In view of the proposed excavations it may be useful to consider some early finds from the island. Charles Philippe de Bosset, Swiss by birth but a Colonel in the British army, was the governor of Cephallenia 1810–13 and became the first collector of Mycenaean pottery. There is a large case in the Musée d'Histoire at Neuchâtel containing his finds, each object labelled with its provenience. Cephallenia provided the bulk of the spoil, among it the…
The Excavation of the Sculptor's Cave, Covesea, Morayshire
An account of the excavation of Sculptor’s Cave made famous by its Pictish carvings, which was led by Sylvia Benton. The earliest Bronze Age phase of occupation is represented by a range of objects including gold and bronze rings, bracelets, worked bone objects including needles and pottery. Material from the Roman phase include bronze rings, bracelets, wire and glass beads, pins, toilet instruments, needles, samian and native pottery and coins. …
The Evolution of the Tripod-Lebes
The tripod-lebes is characterized by two round vertical handles cast with a plate behind and a strap in front, both of which are riveted to the cauldron, and by three legs, each cast with a plate, also riveted to the cauldron and supported by struts. Schwendemann asserts that it is properly a cooking-pot, for in Homer a mixing-bowl is a krater, but a big tripod is put on the fire to provide bath-water, and a hog could be seethed in a lebes. The m…
Further Excavations at Aetos
After the close of Mr. Heurtley's excavations, an attack on the site by illicit diggers showed that the deposit had not been exhausted and that there were still fine vases ( e.g. 1023, Plate 22) to be found there. Moreover, some of the conclusions drawn from the facts observed at Aetos merited further investigation. Date of Building 9 : Bench mark for both excavations was the threshold of St. George's Church. Heurtley kindly allowed me to use som…
The Date of the Cretan Shields
Dr. Kunze's splendid presentation alone makes possible the study of Cretan shields, many of which he put together with his own hands. Even where I differ from his conclusions I have to start from the premises he laid down from his careful and scholarly analysis, and his magnificent illustrations. Dr. Kunze dated the beginning of the Cretan shields by the date of certain gold bands ( op. cit . pp. 247, 266) found with Attic vases, from the end of …
The Ionian Islands
My first literary pilgrimage to the Ionian islands took place six years ago. I still find them an attractive field for research, and the present paper records observations made among them during two very pleasant summers. In this connection I would recall the fact that both Professor Chadwick and Professor Childe have indicated the importance of a study of North-West Greece for the better understanding of the coming of the Greeks
Excavations in Ithaca
The site was discovered by Andreas Lekatsas, then proprietor of the Stavros Hotel, in his vineyard, and excavated for the British School, at his generous invitation, in two campaigns in 1937 and 1938. It lies on a steeply sloping hillside just above the path leading up from the cave side of Polis Bay, and commands a splendid view down the Ithaca channel towards Same in Kephallenia (plate 1 a ). Its main area (christened TL), presumably a sizeable…
Excavations in Ithaca, III; The Cave at Polis, II
In the sites excavated by me in West Greece at Polis, at Graves near Astakos, at Halikais in Zakynthos, I cannot differentiate the rough pithoi of the Early and Late Bronze-Age. Lug forms which occur in Macedonia and Thessaly in the Early Bronze-Age appear to be still in use in the Late Bronze-Age. At Graves and at Halikais the specific forms of the Early Bronze-Age, levigated pottery, such as sauce-boats and handles with triangular section are n…
Antiquities from Thiaki
In view of the proposed excavations it may be useful to consider some early finds from the island. Charles Philippe de Bosset, Swiss by birth but a Colonel in the British army, was the governor of Cephallenia 1810–13 and became the first collector of Mycenaean pottery. There is a large case in the Musée d'Histoire at Neuchâtel containing his finds, each object labelled with its provenience. Cephallenia provided the bulk of the spoil, among it the…
The Excavation of the Sculptor's Cave, Covesea, Morayshire
An account of the excavation of Sculptor’s Cave made famous by its Pictish carvings, which was led by Sylvia Benton. The earliest Bronze Age phase of occupation is represented by a range of objects including gold and bronze rings, bracelets, worked bone objects including needles and pottery. Material from the Roman phase include bronze rings, bracelets, wire and glass beads, pins, toilet instruments, needles, samian and native pottery and coins. …
An Unlucky Sword
The Ionian Islands
My first literary pilgrimage to the Ionian islands took place six years ago. I still find them an attractive field for research, and the present paper records observations made among them during two very pleasant summers. In this connection I would recall the fact that both Professor Chadwick and Professor Childe have indicated the importance of a study of North-West Greece for the better understanding of the coming of the Greeks
Excavations in Ithaca, III
The site lies on the north-west side of the Bay of Pólis (Fig. 1), in a gash on the hillside where rock has fallen away, leaving a sheer face on the south of the site and the débris of undercliff on the north. The sea lies to the east and the entrance to the site on the north is blocked by fallen rocks (Fig. 3). Its position with regard to the other excavations round Stavrós in North Ithaca can be seen on the general plan of the area (Fig. 2 of t…
The Evolution of the Tripod-Lebes
The tripod-lebes is characterized by two round vertical handles cast with a plate behind and a strap in front, both of which are riveted to the cauldron, and by three legs, each cast with a plate, also riveted to the cauldron and supported by struts. Schwendemann asserts that it is properly a cooking-pot, for in Homer a mixing-bowl is a krater, but a big tripod is put on the fire to provide bath-water, and a hog could be seethed in a lebes. The m…
A votive offering to Odysseus
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
A Minoan Vase from Macedonia
The Date of the Cretan Shields
Dr. Kunze's splendid presentation alone makes possible the study of Cretan shields, many of which he put together with his own hands. Even where I differ from his conclusions I have to start from the premises he laid down from his careful and scholarly analysis, and his magnificent illustrations. Dr. Kunze dated the beginning of the Cretan shields by the date of certain gold bands ( op. cit . pp. 247, 266) found with Attic vases, from the end of …
Excavations in Ithaca, III; The Cave at Polis, II
In the sites excavated by me in West Greece at Polis, at Graves near Astakos, at Halikais in Zakynthos, I cannot differentiate the rough pithoi of the Early and Late Bronze-Age. Lug forms which occur in Macedonia and Thessaly in the Early Bronze-Age appear to be still in use in the Late Bronze-Age. At Graves and at Halikais the specific forms of the Early Bronze-Age, levigated pottery, such as sauce-boats and handles with triangular section are n…
Bronzes from Palaikastro and Praisos
There are fragments of eight to ten tripods from Palaikastro now in the Candia Museum. Some of these were found outside and in front of the temple precincts. The excavator mentions fourteen, but he may not have noticed that certain fragments belong to the same tripod. Part of a tripod-leg in the British Museum catalogued (1907, 1–19–233) as being from Palaikastro and published BSA XXXV, 96, 97, fig. 10, pl. 23, 5, is illustrated in Bosanquet's no…
The Dating of Helmets and Corselets in Early Greece
Kukahn, Der Griechische Helm , has traced the development of the Corinthian helmet—(1) a ‘stove-pipe’ shape, longer than it was broad; (2) ( a ) back adapted to the human head; ( b ) necessary modifications of the side; (3) plastic adjustment of the cap. His catalogue follows this scheme, but he makes nonsense of it by dating nos. 44–69 about 600 B.C. (p. 32, see pl. 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6), and a more developed helmet no. 76 (pl. 32) about 640 B.C.…
Notes on Crete
THERE are several members of my School, the British School of Archaeology at Athens, who are better qualified to speak about Crete than I am, and I am only here to-night because they are serving their country elsewhere. I have travelled and lived in Crete and can tell about the ordinary life of the people. But of Crete I can claim no exhaustive knowledge, and have no store of original research to set before this society. A word first about Greek …
Hagios Nikolaos near Astakos in Akarnania
Sailing into Astakos Bay, which the Navy calls Dragomesti Bay, along the S.E. coast of the Krithote Peninsula, one passes the little Church of H. Nikolaos, and then a yawning black cave-mouth in the precipice of limestone 500 ft. above (Pl. 23 a ), about one hour's walk from Astakos. The lowest entrance is visible above a carob tree, and nothing was discovered in the lowest cave, tested at M (see section, Fig. 1 a ). We climbed up a ladder to a p…
Second Thoughts on ‘Mycenaean’ Pottery in Ithaca
When I wrote my report on the excavation of Polis, Ithaca, the leader of the expedition had suggested that in Ithaca, Early Bronze Age pottery had persisted till the closing phases of the Late Bronze Age, which meant that Ithaca was a backward little place well away from the broad stream of contemporary culture. I thought it possible that there was another lag after the Late Bronze Age, and I called certain vases ‘Mycenaean,’ taking fabric to be …
The Pelynt Sword-Hilt
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Further Excavations at Aetos
After the close of Mr. Heurtley's excavations, an attack on the site by illicit diggers showed that the deposit had not been exhausted and that there were still fine vases ( e.g. 1023, Plate 22) to be found there. Moreover, some of the conclusions drawn from the facts observed at Aetos merited further investigation. Date of Building 9 : Bench mark for both excavations was the threshold of St. George's Church. Heurtley kindly allowed me to use som…
The Gorgon Plaque at Syracuse
Dr. Bernabò-brea has kindly given me a new photograph of this monument. It shows the red paint at the outer corner of the gorgon's eye, which makes her eye look bigger and more sinister. It is not, however, a leer such as many early gorgons wear: the pupil is still in the middle of the eye. A lesion in this region of the eye may be due to strain. Our artist is depicting a gorgon under pressure. We must think away two round, dark shadows behind th…
Echelos' Hippodrome
Because Echelos carries off a bride Iasile in a four-horse chariot, on a relief found at a shrine near Phaleron, most writers have thought that this relief fixes the site of the Panathenaic Hippodrome. In fact it does the exact opposite. This bride is not coming home, she is going away: Echelos lives somewhere else, Phaleron is not his territory. It belongs to the family of an otherwise unknown nymph Iasile, and a host of gods and goddesses engag…
Excavations in Ithaca
The site was discovered by Andreas Lekatsas, then proprietor of the Stavros Hotel, in his vineyard, and excavated for the British School, at his generous invitation, in two campaigns in 1937 and 1938. It lies on a steeply sloping hillside just above the path leading up from the cave side of Polis Bay, and commands a splendid view down the Ithaca channel towards Same in Kephallenia (plate 1 a ). Its main area (christened TL), presumably a sizeable…
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