Late-Archaic Temple Architecture in Olbia Pontica: An Evidence of Roof Tiles and Architectural Terracotta

A group of late-Archaic terracotta roof tiles with architectural design from Olbia Pontica is being analysed in the following. It is now possible to discuss the six variants of painted façade decorations, which include meander patterns with various alternating filling elements such as quadrats, checkerboards and rosettes. These decorative systems combined three-colour palettes, being successors of the Corinthian system of decorative tiles. The comparison of the Olbian pan tiles and antefix cover tiles with the actual collections from Histria, Borysthenes, Levke island and Apollonia Pontica shows the common direction of sacred architectural design spread widely among the Milesian daughter-colonies in the Western and North-Western parts of the Pontus. The single centre of fabrication of the terracotta details, Miletus, seems to be preferable, but the involvement of Samos in this process must also be taken into account. A stylistic analysis of the late-Archaic architectural terracotta from the Pontic centres demonstrates the variety of forms and details that allows for the discussion about a specially produced cargo of terracotta building materials for every colony in South Ionia.