Artemidos Aetolis Street, 3rd Primary School, Naupaktos - 2008

Artemidos Aetolis Street, 3rd Primary School, Naupaktos. Maria Gatsi (ΛΣΤ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports on the discovery of six graves at the NW part of the school plot.

All graves were large cists, except for one pit burial located in the natural rock. Most can be dated to the Hellenistic period.

Graves 2 and 3 joined to a retaining wall on the W side. Grave 2 contained the burial of a young female adult, adorned with vessels, a bronze mirror, a silver coin and bronze tool. Grave 3 contained element vessels, a bronze nail and a bronze ring. An older burial was found directly beneath, comprising the remains of a child, bronze mirror, four coins and a small bronze ring. Grave 4 had been rebuilt in the Roman period.

In the SW part of the plot, a single row of four limestone stones was discovered, with maximum length 4m and height 0.4m. It is thought that these stones were used to organise the space of the cemetery area.

Prehistoric building remains were found nearby, dating to the Middle Bronze Age. Specifically, in the W of the plot, retaining walls were found, partially defining three spaces.

To the E boundary of the plot, a circular structure was revealed, 0.94m and built from slabs of limestone. The stones defined a small cavity (depth 0.23m) used as a bothros. It contained burnt soil, small bone fragments, ceramic sherds and an obsidian blade. A large bronze bead of a  ‘Macedonian’ style was found, dating to the geometric period. It probably has nothing to do with the circular construction.