The present paper raises the question of a possible exploitation of Samos emery deposits during the antiquity, taking into account the attested emery mining on the island, during the 19th and 20th c. A.D. Is it possible that Samos emery, diasporitic or transitional in its composition, had been used in a similar way with the emery from Naxos, the main and most known emery source in the Aegean archipelago? As a first step for the investigation of this question, existing geological and historical data concerning the Samian emery are put together and are examined with references to the Naxian mineral. Especially as far as the mineralogical structure of the Samos emery is concerned, besides the existing data, SEM-EDS micro-analysis was conducted, in order to enable the recognition of the mineral in possible future analysis of archaeological findings. Finally, the few known archaeological findings that may indicate a probable ancient exploitation of the Samos mineral are presented, underlining the need of further examination and enrichment in order to draw conclusions on the topic.

1. The exploitation of
emery on the island of
Samos: Existing data and
research perspectives
Stamatakis M., Malegiannaki I.
Coastal Landscapes, Mining Activities &
Preservation of Cultural Heritage
17-20 September 2014, Milos Island

2. Aims of the study
 Presentation of existing geological and
historical data concerning the Samian emery
 Presentation of SEM-EDS, XRF and ICP
analysis of Samian emery
 An initial investigation of a possible
exploitation of Samos emery deposits during
the antiquity
 Presentation of the few known archaeological
findings that may indicate a probable ancient
exploitation of the Samos mineral

3. Emery: definition and terminology
issues
Emery is a
metamorphic
rock which
developed
through the
process of
metamorphism
of bauxites
Photo from the Geological Museum of
Apeiranthos, Naxos

4. Emery: definition and terminology
issues
 Metabauxites are classified into two general
categories:
 metabauxites rich in diaspore (AlO(OH))
(diasporites)
 metabauxites rich in corundum (Αl2Ο3)
(corundites)
 The term “emery”, in its more strict definition,
is used for the description of corundites, but
in a wider sense, it includes also diasporites.
This wider use of the term will be followed in
this presentation

5. Uses of emery
 Certified use of emery in the Eastern Mediterranean
at least since the 5th
millennium B.C. in lapidary and
metalworking:
 cutting, piercing and polishing of stones, metals and
other materials
 Forms of use:
 Raw material
 Polished tools
 Powder (Boleti 2006)
 Emery is used until today mainly as an abrasive, for
the smoothing of surfaces, in sand blast and as an
anti-slipping material for the construction of roads

6. Metabauxitic deposits in the Aegean
archipelago
Feenstra 1985

7. Metabauxitic deposits on the island of Samos
Mposkos 1986
Mikri
Lakka
Kallithea

8. Metabauxitic
deposits on the
island of Naxos
(Feenstra 1985)

9. Western Samos emery deposits
 They contain corundum together with primary
diaspore and chloritoid
 While in the eastern Samos diasporites, rutile is the
main titanium carrier, in western Samos emery it is
ilmenite
 While the eastern Samos diasporites are
characterized by their schistosity, the western Samos
emery presents schistosity only rarely (Mposkos
1978, 1986; Mposkos & Perdikatzis 1981)
 Mineralogically, the western Samos emery can be
compared with the metabauxites in the diaspore-
corundum transition zone of Naxos (Zone II & III)

10. Eastern Samos emery deposits
 Metabauxites of Mikri Lakka form lenses
enclosed in calcareous rocks

11. Mineralogy of eastern Samos emery
(Lapparent 1937, Mposkos 1986)
 Mikri Lakka:
 chloritoid-bearing diasporites
 characteristic pisolitic microstructure
 they can be compared with the metabauxites
of Southeastern Naxos (zone I)
 Characteristics:
 bluish gray to brownish gray or variegated
color
 fine grained composition with smooth fracture.
It produces prismatic blade-like fragments

12. Mikri Lakka diasporites

13. Mikri Lakka diasporites

14. Mineralogy of eastern Samos emery
 Chip samples examined with SEM_EDS techniques
in UoA, Department of Geology & Geoenvironment.
 Major mineral is diaspore, followed by hematite and
muscovite. Corundum is present in a few samples, in
traces
 additional specific features:
 presence of titanium-rich hematite
 disseminated crystals of monazite
 relatively high Th and REE content [La, Ce, Nd]

15. SEM microphotograph of Mikri Lakka
diasporites
Titanium-rich
hematite
subhedral crystals
[light gray]
disseminated in
platy diaspore
subhedral crystal
aggregates [dark
gray]

16. SEM microphotograph of Mikri Lakka
diasporites
Ce-Monazite
[bright white]
isolated micro
crystal hosted in
a titanium-rich
hematite [light
gray] and
diaspore [dark
gray]
groundmass

17. Microprobe analysis of Samos emery
Ti-richhematite Diaspore Muscovite Ce-monazite
Fe2O3
81.86 - 84.57
Al2O3
61.45- 70.54
Al2O3
33.12 - 34.56
Al2O3 4.67
TiO2
5.33 - 5.50
SiO2
1.91 – 2.21
SiO2
44.52 - 46.24
P2O5 19.84
Al2O3
0.74 - 0.77
Fe2O3
1.48 - 3.36
Na2O
0.41 – 0.91
CaO 0.47
TiO2
0.33 - 0.68
K2O
8.68 – 9.27
LaLa22OO33 12.5012.50
CeOCeO22 26.1126.11
NdNd22OO33 7.237.23

18. XRF and ICP analysis
 Major elements were analysed in TITAN SA
cement, in Kamari Viotia Plant. XRF major
element analysis was performed in 4
samples, whereas ICP analysis was
performed in the same samples for trace
element analysis
 The main characteristic of the samples is the
predominance of alumina, in percentages
ranging between 50-70%. Iron was ranging in
percentages of 10-26% and Titanium of 2.5-
2.7%

19. The exploitation of Samian emery: historical
data (Belavilas & Papastefanaki 2009)
 Although Samian emery is a common reference in
travellers of the 18th
, 19th
century (Fenning, Tournefort
e.g.), efforts to exploit the mineral, are historically
confirmed (so far) only during the period of the
Samian hegemony (1834-1912)
 Ep. Stamatiadis informs us about emery mining on
the mountain Kerkis, during the years 1847-49 and
1860-1. (Stamatiadis, 1965)
 Mikri Lakka: 5.000 tons of mineral were extracted and
exported abroad, during the years 1906-1914

20. Mikri Lakka mines

21. Mikri Lakka mines
Mikri Lakka
emery was
characterised
as emery of
inferior quality
and was sold
for 25
drachmas/ton
(Naxian emery
price: 80-115
drachmas/ton)

22. The exploitation of emery through the
ages, based on the Naxian case
 The exploitation of Naxian emery (mostly
diasporitic at the beginning) and its export
trade can be traced back to the Neolithic time
(5th
m. B.C.)
 3rd
m. B.C.: emery tools used for the
production of the protocycladic statuettes
 Certified exploitation by the Geometric
oligarchy of the island
 Emery used as an abrasive seems to have
contributed to new trends in archaic sculpture

23. The exploitation of emery through the
ages, based on the Naxian case
 Exploitation during the classic and Hellenistic
time is confirmed by ancient authors («ναξία
ακόνη»)
 Pliny the Elder (1st
c. AD) mentions the use of
emery (“naxium”) powder in combination with
a saw, and the long standing use of naxium
for polishing marble statues, cutting and
polishing precious stones
 The medical uses of emery mentioned by
authors of the roman era are impressive

24. The exploitation of emery through the
ages, based on the Naxian case
 During the Frankish domination, the mineral
and its mining right belonged to the feudal
lord of the area
 During the Turkish domination, the mining
right, became a privilege of the poor orthodox
peasants
 In the 19th
c., emery became property of the
Greek State, and emery mining is still an
exclusive privilege of the villagers of the
Municipality of Apeiranthos and Koronos

25. Is an ancient exploitation of Samian
emery possible?
 Naxos is the main emery source in the Archipelago
because of:
 The large quantities of emery
 the high corundum content (makes the mineral a
precious product during the industrial era)
 Samos emery was characterized as of second quality
because of the lack of corundum
 But the evaluation criteria change through the ages
 metabauxites rich in diaspore were the first to be
exploited and seem to have played a significant role
during the prehistory
 Is it possible that Samos diasporites were also
exploited during ancient times, for local or more
extensive use?

26. Uses of metabauxites during the Neolithic and
Bronze Age (Boleti 2006, 2009)
 In order to cope with the above problem, one needs
to take into account the uses of metabauxites during
the antiquity and the properties that served each
need
 Metabauxites rich in corundum: due to their great
hardness, were used for the construction of
millstones and percussive tools used for working with
hard materials. In the form of powder/sand they were
used for cutting, drilling and polishing
 Diasporites: can easier break into smooth blade like
surfaces. They were used for the construction of
sharp tools that worked with less hard materials
(axes, adzes and chisels)

27. Uses of metabauxites during the
antiquity (Boleti 2006, 2009)
 Diasporitic polished tools: utilitarian but probably also
precious objects, constituting a common cultural
element between prehistoric Cyclades and Anatolia
 Consequently, it is reasonable to think that the
Samians had also taken advantage of the precious
deposits existing on their island, a geographical
bridge between Cyclades and Anatolia
 The above can be examined in correlation with the
expansion model for colonization of the Cyclades
from the south-east Aegean, during the LN & FN
(Broodbank 1999,2000)

28. More data that can support an ancient
exploitation of Samos diasporites
 The big number of ancient quarries on the
island. A use of diasporite for smoothing soft
rocks (limestone, marbles, schists) is possible
 The school of sculpture that made its
appearance in the 7th
c. B.C. Same as on
Naxos here appears a special technique for
the creation of drapery striations, connected
by St. Casson with the use of emery tools
 Gemology exercised in Samos of the
Polycrates era and traditionally connected
with the famous architect Theodorus

29. Findings possibly connected to an
ancient Samian emery exploitation
Diasporitic
tools exhibited
at the new
Archaeological
Museum of
Pythagoreion.

30. Findings possibly connected to an
ancient Samian emery exploitation
 A round-faced object
from the protopalatial
palace of Malia in Crete.
The pegrographic
analysis of IGME,
proposed Samos as a
possible provenance
(Pelon 1983).

31. Findings possibly connected to an
ancient Samian emery exploitation
 Numerous splinters (probably used for the
production of burnished pottery) from the
Neolithic Tigani. Robert Heidenreich
characterizes them as made of hematite

32. Questioning about a possible
byzantine Samian emery exploitation
 1983: a Byzantine hoard containing 300 Byzantine
coins (Maurice to Heraclius era) was incidentally
found in Megali Lakka
 Megali Lakka exploration (Caramessini-Oeconomides
& Drossoyianni 1989) revealed byzantine graves, a
building complex with semi submerged foundations,
metallic objects and sherds dating from the Roman to
the Byzantine era
 Many scraps of emery are also mentioned. Were they
extracted recently or are in some way connected to
the Byzantine findings?
 A detailed study of the submerged building complex
in Megali Lakka is needed so that its character and a
possible connection to the nearby emery deposits is
clarified

33. Conclusion
 Despite the characterization of the Samian diasporite
as emery of “second quality”, historical and
archaeological data indicate an extensive use of
diasporite since the 5th
m. B.C.
 The known archaeological findings are completely
insufficient to draw conclusions about an ancient
exploitation of Samian emery
 Further investigation of the unpublished material is
needed in order to certify whether the scant
archaeological material is due to limited occurences
and/or misidentification of this prime material
 Further field research in the area of Mikri Lakka could
possibly shed light on ancient emery mining in
Samos in correlation with data coming from other
areas of the Aegean area and Anatolia

34. References
 Belavilas, Ν. & Papastefanaki, L. (Eds.) (2009). Ορυχεία στο Αιγαίο. Βιομηχανική
Αρχαιολογία στην Ελλάδα. Μέλισσα, Αθήνα.
 Boleti, A. (2006). The use of emery in the Bronze Age Aegean and eastern Mediterranean:
methodological approaches and preliminary results. In: 2nd International Conference on
Ancient Greek Technology Athens, 17-21 Οctobre 2005, p. 276-283.
 Boleti, A. (2009). L' exploitation de l'émeri en Égée et en Méditerranée Orientale à l'Âge du
bronze. Phd Thesis, Université de Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris.
 Caramessini-Oeconomides, M. and Drossoyianni, Ph. (1989). A hoard of Byzantine gold
coins from Samos. Revue numismatique, 6e série, Tome 31, p. 145-182.
 Feenstra, A. (1985). Metamorphism of bauxites on Naxos, Greece. Geologica Ulraiectina,
39.
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 Heidenreich, R. (1935–36). Vorgeschichtliches in der Stadt Samos. Die Funde. AM, 60-61,
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 Lapparent, J. de (1937). L'emeri de Samos. Miner. Petrogr. Mitteil. (Tschermaks), 49, p. 1
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 Mposkos, E. & Perdikatzis, V. (1981). Die Paragonit-Chloritoid fuhrenden schiefer des
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 Mposkos, E. (1986). Το μεταμορφωμένο υπόβαθρο της Σάμου. Στοιχεία που καθορίζουν
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223-236.
 Pelon, O. (1983). L'épée à l'acrobate et la chronologie maliote (II). BCH, 107, livraison 2, p.
679-703.

35. Acknowledgements
 The present research has been partly funded
by the Special Research Account of the UoA
 We would like to thank:
 Dr. Athina Boleti (Universite Paris I)
 Mrs Johanna Fuchs (German Archaeological
Institute at Athens)
 Mrs Ilektra Kotopoulou (UOA)
 Dr. Eleni Tzilingaki

36. Thank you for your attention!!!