NIKOPOLIS - North Cemetery - 2002

Nikopolis, North Cemetery. K. Zachos (ΙΒ' ΕΠΚΑ) reports on the third season of excavation focused in the north part of plot 67, along the east side of the funerary street. Five mausolea were explored, plus one grave group and burials outside the mausolea most of which were grouped in funerary periboloi.

Excavation of Mausoleum 3, begun in 2001 was completed. The rectangular, temple-like structure was built on a brick-built podium, oriented east-west and entered from the west via an ante-chamber. Niches in the exterior face of the north wall held cinerary urns. Inside, the walls and floor were clad in marble. A raised podium around three walls supported sarcophagi. The antechamber, accessed via four steps (the upper clad in limestone), occupied the full width of the chamber: as the chamber, the lower part of the walls was built in stone and the upper in brick, with a band of cyma reversa in brick around the junction. The antechamber was probably prostyle, noting Corinthian capitals fallen slightly to the south east. Inside the tomb, many fragments of marble architecture with relief ornament indicate rich decoration. Marble sarcophagi with relief depictions were also found.

Excavation of Mausoleum 22 was also completed. The rectangular chamber was entered from the south. Inside, niches for cinerary urns were preserved just above floor level in the north and west walls (the east and the south walls being badly damaged). Tombs were arranged around three walls, with one cist grave and one limestone sarcophagus along the east wall, and an Assos-type sarcophagus on a raised base by the north wall (the base extended onto the west wall also). In the northwest part of the destruction level across the chamber was an enchytrismos in an amphora of Asia Minor production.

Mausoleum 25 was cleaned, revealing a Γ-shaped structure set between mausoleum 4 and its associated peribolos and mausolea 20 and 21. The east-west wing of the structure was subdivided into three chambers each containing a group of tombs. Chamber 1, entered via a doorway on the west side, contained three brick-built cist tombs and a tile grave arranged around three walls, on the cement floor, the visible tomb faces being coated in white plaster. Outside the chamber, against the threshold, was a square structure of stone slabs. Chamber 2 contained an enchytrismos and a stone sarcophagus, both in built receptacles. A low stone podium around three walls (open towards the south) may relate to an earlier arrangement of the complex. Chamber 3, entered via a doorway in the southeast corner (onto the passage between mausolea 25 and 4), contained (as noted in 2001), a Γ-shaped podium on which lay two sarcophagi, with a third sarcophagus set in a receptacle, on an east-west alignment. Removal of the fill of this sarcophagus revealed a few sherds, a little bone, and a bronze coin. The chamber floor was paved.

Excavation further north in plot 67, north of mausolea 3 and 22 revealed five new mausolea (26, 27, 29, 30 and 32, of which only 27 was fully excavated).

The rectangular Mausoleum 27 contained a marble sarcophagus with relief decoration of cymas, garlands and palmettes, in situ (but badly damaged) in the northeast corner. This was empty of skeletal remains or offerings. The narrow, west side of the sarcophagus had a relief depiction of a reclining winged creature; the north (set against the north wall) was invisible and likely undecorated; the south preserved just a fragment of spiral, from which grew an acanthus leaf, framing a panther; and the lid likely had scale ornament. The destruction layer contained many fragments of marble sarcophagi with decoration including Lesbian cyma, Ionic cyma, astragaloi, relief bands, and human figures.

Mausoleum 29 contained two intercommunicating burial chambers, probably with a pitched roof noting the quantity of Corinthian-type pan and cover tiles and antefixes, plus iron nails. The east chamber produced many fragments of limestone architectural members with ornament, likely from the podium of the mausoleum. Inside the chamber, in contact with the south wall, a slab cist was found uncovered: this contained an unknown number of comingled burials and a few offerings (a few sherds, glass vessels, a bronze coin and a terracotta relief lamp), and the floor was formed of a marble slab. The west chamber, which was entered from the west, was a semi-basement with steps up to the doorway, the southwest corner of which had undergone alteration. Three slab cists lay alone the north wall, with two more along the south.

Mausoleum 30, a temple-form building set on a podium, lay to the north of, and in contact with, mausoleum 29. The substrate of the floor and part of the south wall are preserved.

The northeast and northwest corners of Mausoleum 32 were located; the entrance was on the west side, and in the northwest corner, a marble sarcophagus lid, with scale and floral decoration, was found in situ. The north wall contained a brick niche inserted at a later date.

Between mausolea 3 and 29, a rectangular peribolos, accessed from the street, contained 11 tombs (10 built cists and an Assos-type sarcophagus) arranged around three sides in a Π-shape, with a central row also. Further cleaning in the very north of the plot revealed further walls, likely from mausolea.

Excavation in Mausoleum 15 revealed parts of the collapsed superstructure, indicating a vaulted roof over the entrance, and the substructure of the floor, which seems to have had a stepped form as that of mausoleum 19.