Patras - Platonos Street - 2011

Platonos Side Str. (Block 284, private property of M. Kourousia), Patras. Vasiliki Tsaknaki reports on the continuation of the excavation in the plot, which have gradually revealed the core of the ceramic production workshops of Dymi. The workshops were dated between the Hellenistic times and the early Roman times.

Kiln no.3’s inside walls were lined with clay, and it was oriented E-W. The grid was circular, it was positioned in the center of the kiln and it was supported with small arches and sockets in the wall. During the usage of kiln, the combustion chamber was reduced in size (with a small wall on the E) creating essentially a new kiln (kiln no. 3a) (fig. 1).

Kilns no. 4 and no.5 were similarly constructed, but their grids were supported by a central construction made of circular bricks.

Kiln no. 7 was located in the N side of Platonos Side-Str., and its chimney was built on top of kiln no.5’s chimney, thus putting it out of use.

Kiln no. 8’s chimney was sealed, indicating that it was put out of use during the period of use of the workshop (fig. 2).

The area outside kilns no. 2,3,3a was defined by an arched wall, in the opus mixtum style, which puts a rectangular kiln (no. 6) out of use. Some architectural remnants and a well were also located in the area, along with some pottery disposal areas.

[Entry created by E. Kourti]