You are invited to an IIHSA Hybrid Lecture on Thursday 26th January at 5.30 pm (Irish time)/ 7.30 pm (Greek time) by Dr Céline Murphy.

Situated in the hinterland of the Ierapetra plain near the village of Anatoli, the peak sanctuary of Stavromenos was principally occupied during the early Neopalatial period. The site, excavated between 2014 and 2017 under the auspices of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the Lasithi Archaeological Eforia, yielded hundreds of ceramic anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurine fragments. This lecture presents the preliminary results of an ongoing analysis of the figurines, as well as offering an overview of the fabrics and the manufacture techniques employed in the construction of the pieces. It also reports on the different types of figurines found, which range from pieces designed to be contained in vessels or models to articulated bodies. Most of the figurines are clearly gendered and often represent specific age-groups or animal species. Many of the figurines from Stavromenos also bear strong iconographic similarities with figures represented in other contemporaneous media, such as glyptic and frescoes. Drawing upon this data, this report proposes some thoughts on the ritualistic implications of the figurine assemblage, while it explores the religious and socio-political significance that Stavromenos might have held during the neopalatial period and how it compares to other contemporaneous Cretan peak sanctuaries and neighbouring mountain sites.

The lecture is co-hosted by the Department of Classics, Trinity College Dublin.

The event will be held in person at the IIHSA. To reserve a seat please send an email to irishinstitutegr@gmail.com

In order to attend the event online please register via Eventbrite