ALMOUTSES - Sellada - 2004

Almoutses, Sellada (K. Mitsiou property). P. Gouni, I. Katsadima and Y. Phaklari (ΙΒ' ΕΠΚΑ) report on rescue excavation of a farmhouse with successive building phases from the second half of the fourth century BC to the fourth century AD. The site (on a plain ca.15km southeast of Arta) extends over 794m². The east-west slope of the land led to the complex being planned on different levels, reaching its final form in the second century AD. It is preserved largely to foundation level, and built of local sandstone.

To the first construction phase (second half of the fourth century BC) belong rooms XIδ-ζ in the southwest part of the complex, and cistern I. The large late fourth- or early third-century retaining wall which runs north-south through the middle of the complex defines the upper terrace (along with one cross wall). At this time rooms XIα-γ were refashioned and a potter’s kiln constructed (only the firing chamber survives, containing kiln props). Repairs and additions were made over a large area during the second half of the second and early first century BC. The southwest part of the site was levelled up and a wine production facility created in the northwest. The main room of this installation contained a rectangular press lined with hydraulic cement and with the mouth defined by fired bricks. A pottery vessel was found inside it. Surrounding the press were areas for wine production and storage with flooring of different kinds (a floor of tile, pebbles and lime plaster in a room to the north is noted).

East of the workshop area, over the terrace created by the Hellenistic retaining wall, new rooms were built at the end of the first century BC-mid first century AD to accommodate the tenants of the farm. Part of a rectangular building was found containing two rows of rooms, and a courtyard in the northeast corner with a kitchen immediately to the south of it (containing a storage pithos in situ and a large quantity of cooking vessels). At the same period, a bath complex was built to the northwest of the workshop, comprising four rooms laid out in a Π-shape. In the reception room two steps and a terracotta tiled floor were preserved, and the remains of a hypocaust were located in rooms XIVα and XIV.

The latest phase of the complex, from the mid second to the fourth century AD, saw extensive modifications to the workshop areas (XIIIα-ε). New rooms were laid out south of the wine press (XIIIα, γ, δ) and cistern I filled. A channel was built to the west of the press plus a further room (XIIIβ) containing a hearth. These rooms rested on a dense destruction level as well as the foundations of older walls. The bath continued in use until the farmhouse was abandoned at the end of the fourth century AD.

Finds include large quantities of domestic pottery spanning the period from the fourth century BC to the fourth century AD, glass vessels, figurines, 80 bronze coins (chiefly Roman, 222-235 AD and 337-350 AD), and bronze, iron and lead tools, nails, sheet etc. The complex operated as an organised centre of agricultural production from the end of the first century BC until the fourth century AD. Attention is drawn to other Roman facilities at Strongyli in the region of Arta and at Riza, Agia Pelagia and Kerason in the region of Preveza.