Amyklai - 2020

Amyklai. S. Vlizos (ASA) reports on excavation from the entrance to the temple of the archaic enclosure on the south part of the hill of Agia Kyriaki.

In the west part of the hill, a layer of pottery was found, in a context that had previously been disturbed and which contained pottery of the prehistoric through Byzantine periods. Here, Ernst Buschor had found the foundations of a Byzantine wall 93 years ago. The whole assemblage of material recovered included sherds of the Early Helladic period, Mycenaean psi figurines and animal figurines, geometric period sherds with concentric circles and rectangular designs, and geometric sherds with images of people and birds. Archaic period aryballoi were found, including miniatures, inscribed seals and metal pieces, jewellery and a lead crown.

In the west part of the hill, pottery was found located in two successive layers on top of a layer of stones. This covered a paved area 0.64m wide and 7.70m long. Ceramics found here numbered in their thousands, mainly Laconian wares and tiles (dating from the sixth century to the ninth century AD) and hand-made rings. Pointed-toe amphoras were found, as were combs, animal bones, plaster, bronze nails and architectural fragments. The whole area dates to the Byzantine period.