2025/12/27 by Rebecca A. Salem · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History #Archaeology and Historical Studies #Classical Antiquity Studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.5617/acta.12901
openalex created_date 2025/12/27 · openalex publication_date 2025/12/27 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
Constructed around 300 BCE, the South Stoa of Corinth, a multi-functional public building, possessed a roof outfitted with of thousands of roof tiles. Over the course of 150 years, some original tiles were damaged and new ones laid in their place. These substitute tiles are similar to but not quite the same as the originals and often possess manufacturer stamps indicative of their “non-authentic” nature. In 146 BCE Corinth was sacked by the Romans and largely abandoned, with the roof likely suffering damage during the initial attack, and decay over the subsequent period of abandonment. At some point during the first century BCE, the entire roofing system of the stoa was replaced by Roman citizen colonial Corinthians. As with the earlier replacements, the Roman roof tiles have functional and decorative elements similar to the ca. 300 BCE originals; however, the manufacturing process differed with ornamentation coming only from molded forms. This paper examines the production and decoration of the South Stoa roof tiles as material evidence for the curation of an architectural and cultural heritage. I will argue that the design of the replacement tiles was a deliberate choice used to evoke the original appearance of the South Stoa rather than employing more contemporary or simpler designs. More broadly, this discussion situates itself within the discourse of cultural heritage concerning the identification of “maintenance”, “repair”,”replacement”, and “reconstruction” in an ancient context. While these are modern terminologies and practices implemented in the conservation and management of cultural heritage in the present, they also can be witnessed in the past.