Palace of Nestor Excavations - 2023

Pylos - Palace of Nestor. Sharon R. Stocker and Jack L. Davis (University of Cincinnati / ASCSA) report on the 2023 excavation season at the Palace of Nestor near Pylos.

The aim was to define the limits of the buildings in Area H, and so 290 square meters of the Demopoulos Field were opened in 2023 - in addition to the 344 square meters opened in 2022. This allowed for some important observations about the use of the structures and spaces (Fig. 1).

Several architectural phases can be identified in the area, dated from the MH II to the LH IIIB periods, with some phases as late as LH IIIC. During this period, the focus of activities seems to have shifted from west to east over - 2023 work showed that structures in this area extend farther to the east than originally assumed. In addition, architectural finds indicate a ritual function for the structures found in this area, possibly associated with the mortuary sphere.