Milet, Türkei. Marmorprovenienz und bauwirtschaftliche Paradoxe (nach Vorarbeiten 2018 und 2019)

Résumé

The field activity at Miletus focused on the identification and photographic documentation of the architectural decoration of Late Roman Imperial buildings (Serapeion, Heroon III, Stadion-East Gate, Theatre, Delphinion, and Faustina-Baths) and on investigating the provenance of its building material. Marble samples were subject of analysis including measurements of stable isotopes (δ18O; δ13C) and petrographical (thin sections) and geochemical characterisation (ICP-MS). The results of the statistical analysis of the archaeometrical data reveal the massive use of marmor heracleoticum in Roman Imperial time and lead to a new definition of the isotopic fields of the Miletus quarries. With regard to the dynamics of the building economy a paradoxical situation can be determined, as certain building sites like the Roman theatre make extensive use of the most expensive white-grey marble in Roman marble trade (Heracleotic marble) along with the massive employment of the fairly propitiously spoliated architecture.