SPARTA - 2000

Sparta. Alcman and Lysander Street (O.T. 127, E. Philippopoulou property). A. Bakourou and E. Katsara (5th EBA) report further investigation of a Byzantine olive press in an area where a basilica and Middle Byzantine bath have previously been found (see ADelt 53 [1998] Chr, 221). The proximity of the press to these buildings reflects its public character and place in local town planning. The conglomerate press-stone was located, plus two further stones which form part of the press.

The extension of excavation to the north revealed the northern walls of the complex (in places under destruction deposits), water channels and tile floors. The trapetum itself was founded in a layer of unworked stones, clay and cement: to the east and west was a stone platform, to the south a wall and the area to the north was landscaped perhaps also with a platform. A roughly worked and rounded stone (3.2m in circumference), with a central socket (0.12m in diameter) and a rectangular cutting on the underside, must belong to the press used to extract olive oil from the pulp left after the whole olive had passed through the trapetum. A second similar stone was found nearby, as was the monolithic olive-crushing basin.