New iron finds from the 2016 campaign in Kalapodi – Contexts and compositions

Abstract Besides clay, glass, and bronze objects, a considerable number of iron objects were documented during the excavations in the sanctuary of Kalapodi. The wide range of finds from the previous campaigns under the direction of Wolf-Dietrich Niemeier will soon be published by Hans-Otto Schmidt, whilst work on the finds from current excavations, which started in 2015, was begun by the author in 2017. Due to the short time frame and the fact that restoration has so far focussed on the more promising finds from the 2016 campaign, these will be highlighted in this paper. During this campaign, numerous nails as well as cooking devices, weapons, fittings, sheets, and tools were identified. The composition of this group of new finds is presented in detail, with special emphasis on the find contexts and chronological classification of the iron tools. The existence of tools in a Greek sanctuary is hardly surprising, as similar finds are known for example from the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia. However, the find contexts and the amount of tools found in the Kalapodi excavation seem to indicate that they were dedicated frequently and in prominent locations. This could point to a particularity concerning the dedication of tools in Kalapodi, which will be examined in relation to finds
from other Greek sanctuaries, especially the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia.

Keywords iron finds, tools, implements, weapons, dedications