Avtantzes Karyoton plot, property of Z. Soldatou, S cemetery, Lefkada - 2007

Avtantzes Karyoton plot, property of Z. Soldatou, S cemetery, Lefkada. Maria Gatsi (ΛΣΤ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports on excavations at ancient cemetery of Lefkada, previously excavated in 2002 and 2005.

80sqm were excavated, bringing to light a burial enclosure, building, and fourteen graves (Fig. 1,2). In the S corner,  part of the burial enclosure wall was exposed (Fig. 3). Its visible length was 4.85m and 0.70m wide, and it was made of large limestone pieces. The size of the stones presupposes a rather elaborate monumental form. It enclosed the cluster of graves which are discussed further below.

To the N, a building was found, stepped and rectangular in plan (Fig. 4,5). It was made of limestone and poros, with dimensions 3 x 2.40m. The height of each step is 0.22m. Clamps are preserved in some of the stones of the second step. Unfortunately, the overall shape of the monument is unknown, but in the centre there was loose fill under which were laid rough poros slabs — this suggests there was no evidence of burials in this space, at least up to the preserved height of the building. A date of the fourth century BC is possible.

Inside the enclosure, various types of graves were found: a sarcophagus (T6), cists (T9, T7), and tiled roof graves (T5, T10). Three cists (T2, T4, T12) were located in a row together at the N part of the enclosure. T1 and T14, both cists, and the sarcophagus T13 were found to the N, while to the W were pits T3 and T11. 

Stone burial structure T9 (Fig. 6 and 7) had dimensions 0.72 x 0.62 x 0.37m. It is made of poros, and had recesses on each side for ease of transport. The upper surface had a deep carving, diameter of 0.30m, for placing a burial vessel inside. The carving was covered with another poros slab, diameter 0.48 x 0.40m, which also had a recess in its inner surface. Inside there was a bronze cauldron containing a cremation burial and various grave goods: two cups (Fig. 8), a krater and an alabaster. The finds date the burial to the beginning of the fifth century BC.

The poros sarcophagus (T6) contained two more cups, also dating to the fifth century BC. The cost T7 contained a silver coin, iron piece, sherds of lekythoi and skyphoi, and a lamp of the fourth century BC (Fig. 9). Of the three graves in a row, T4 contained two burials and grave goods (Fig. 10), dating to the end of the fourth / start of the third century BC. T2 contained four burials, one of which was a child, with use from the fourth to second century BC. Fourth century lamps were also found in cists T1 and T14.

Classical periods figurines (Fig. 11) were also found throughout the excavation, which might have come from a child burial pit. Thirteen stelae were found, five of which had inscriptions; three column bases were found and a poros Doric capital in secondary use. One of the columns has written ‘ΑΡΙΣΤΟΛ[ΗΣ]’ in the archaic Corinthian alphabet (Fig. 12), while the column with the Hellenistic inscription says ‘ΕΥΚΛΙΝΟΣ’ (Fig. 13), and another ‘Π’ for ΠΑΙΣ (Fig. 14).