Polyforos, Grammenochoria - 2014

Polyforos, Grammenochoria. Nikos Choinas (IB’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports on the continuation of work at this site, where excavation took place of two buildings identified as the church of Agios Nikolaos.

Inside building A, a circular collection of stones was found, 1.20m in diameter, probably a damaged well. 2m to the S of the buildings was a wall running EW (parallel to the buildings), 0.8–1m thick and 7.5m in length. The E boundary of the wall was cut off, while the west continued to the S for 4–4.5m towards adjacent fields. It probably came from an enclosure that surrounded the building complex. Finds date this construction to the Late Byzantine period.

In the space between the buildings and the precinct wall, six cist graves were excavated. To the N of the building, another six graves were found. Thirteen further graves were found S of the enclosure, three to the E, and one inside the building. A total of 29 graves were excavated, all with EW orientation and made of rough limestone. Some had cover slabs, and tiles placed underneath the skulls.

There were few grave goods, except: bronze jewellery in T9, a bronze cross in T20, a bronze rings in T24, T28 and T30, a bronze coin in T34. Most skeletons were extended with outstretched arms. A few fragments of glass vessels were located, and a few unpainted and glazed ceramics, dating the use of the space to the Byzantine and Late Byzantine period.