Preliminary observations on the deliberate deposition of bronze armour at Iron Age Phaistos

During the 2023 excavation campaign conducted at Phaistos pieces of bronze armour were found deposited within a huge pithos placed in the corner of a monumental space, Room OO, which is located on the western slope of the Minoan Palace hill. Since the excavation of the room is not finished yet, this paper can only present the context of the find and give preliminary observations on the armour retrieved. Among the latter there are some bronze pieces which have been identified with certainty, namely the two cheek-pieces of a helmet and a shield boss (phalaron), and other elements that are less clearly determined. The latter set comprise one inverted U-shaped band, which could be part of a helmet; some curved bands, which could belong to a belt; some peculiar elements that could have belonged to a cuirass, as well as other items whose interpretation is even less clear. The context of deposition is provisionally dated between the end of 8th and the early 7th cent. BC, namely Late Geometric-Early Orientalizing periods (LG-EO: 740-670 BC). However, the armour itself appears to date earlier in manufacture, namely to the 11 or 10th cent. BC. This hints at the possibility that what was deposited within the huge pithos could be a keimelion offered in perhaps a sacred place at a time between the LG and EO, which corresponds to a crucial moment for the foundation of the polis at Phaistos.