ASTAKOS - 2001

Astakos, Bay of Agios Panteleimon. P. Dimitrakopoulou (8th EBA) reports the discovery of a dense and extensive array of building remains probably of Late Roman and Early Christian date ca.200m west of the hill on which the remains of an unidentified ancient settlement have previously been identified. Part of the apse, probably of a basilica, is preserved, with part of its walls visible both on land and in the sea. Ca. 20m southeast of the apse lay part of a floor mosaic.
Subsequently (in 2006), M. Gatsi described work to stabilise and conserve the mosaic, which was fully exposed (being 4.4 x 2.1m). Tesserae were of local black, white and red stone: the scheme was a net pattern of diamonds with a smaller diamond in the centre of each (a motif current from the second century AD onwards), framed by a red and a white band and a row of triangles.