Sparta - Kyprou Street - 2014

Sparta - Kyprou Street, Urban Blocks 143 and 144. M. Tsouli, L. Souchleris, A. Kiakou, and G. Tsiaggouris (E’ EPKA) report on the excavation held in these two urban blocks, due to the digging of construction trenches, in the junction of Kyprou and Pantanassis Street. The trenches of Urban Block 143 revealed a box-shaped grave (fig. 1,2), oriented (E/SE-W/NW) covered by marble architectural spolia, probably dated in the Roman times. The trenches of Urban Block 144 revealed architectural remains of urban nature, dated in the Roman times, as well as a mosaic floor of the late Roman times (fig. 3,4).

In urban block 143, an examination of the burial revealed that it contained well-preserved remains of an adult individual, with the hands intertwined, placed over the stomach area. The removal of the box-shaped grave led to the examination of the layer into which it was dug. The layer contained architectural remains and destruction layers, consisting mostly of Roman unpainted tiles. The excavation continued below that layer to reveal a marble threshold (fig. 5), oriented NE-SW. A continuation of the excavation towards the S revealed a clay-slab floor, partially covered with fine lime mortar. A marble column head was found turned over about one meter S of the threshold (fig. 6).

In urban block 144, the architectural remains revealed were adjunct with the mosaic floor. The mosaic was decorated with vegetal and geometrical patterns, and it was preserved in non-continuous pieces. The largest area preserved was 1,50 m. long, and the main decorative design was preserved partly, depicting a lioness killing an animal (fig. 4). The colors identified were blue, white, and light blue, and the mosaic was constructed with limestone cubes, using the opus tessellatum technique.

The archaeologists were not able to identify any connections between the different findings mentioned above.

[Entry created by E. Kourti]