IERAPETRA - 2001

V. Apostolakou (ΚΔ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports on discoveries made in and around Ierapetra between 2001 and 2004.

Part of the cemetery of ancient Ierapetra was uncovered in the Almyros area, east of the city and west of the river of the same name. On the Dialektaki property, several graves and a well-preserved stretch of paved road were found, as well as a stone-walled room containing a grinding stone. Six tile graves, two cist graves, an enchytrismos in an amphora, and five vaulted tombs are reported. The tile graves contained a few offerings, including pots and glass unguentaria, and in most cases single supine inhumations (although tombs 15 and 19 also held the bones of a previous burial). The child grave 19 contained a terracotta theatrical mask, terracotta cart wheels, and a terracotta articulated doll. Vaulted tombs tended to contain multiple burials, although in one case the grave compartment was empty. The two richest were tombs 8 and 9. Tomb 9 (oriented north-south with a north entrance) had a beaten earth floor on which three inhumations were laid supine. Traces of burning were noted on one body, between the shins of which were signs of a wooden construction (a bier or coffin). This was the only skeleton with which grave goods were associated (placed on a strip of lead): these included a gold wreath, ring and earring, a bronze phiale, strigil, and disc, two prochoi and four lamps. Within the fill were bronze rings, bronze and iron fragments, six bronze coins and two handles from a silver vase. Glass unguentaria were found along the south side of the grave and in the north-east and north-west corners. Along the base of the east wall were lead leaf and bronze nails. Grave 8 was oriented east-west with an entrance in the east wall at a much higher level than the beaten-earth floor. The walls contained spolia, including funerary stelae. The chamber contained 12 burials (counting crania) of which five were in situ (supine inhumations, heads to the west). An adult and two smaller skeletons were found one on top of one another at the side of the chamber. Some grave goods were found in situ along the west and south walls, while others were next to the disturbed bones. They included parts of a gold wreath, four gold rings, pottery, lamps, glass vessels (e.g. unguentaria, phialae and cups), 12 bronze coins, bone objects such as needles, and bronze objects such as a scraper, cup and pin. Three buildings above the graves contained spolia within their walls including funerary stelae, a small marble statue of a man wearing a himation, and architectural members.

Immediately to the south on the Sakkandaki property were two buildings 10m apart. The few finds mostly consisted of Roman sherds.

At Paramythas, in the area of the new Lyceum where 63 Roman graves had previously been found (ADelt 53 [1997] Chr, 1047-8; ADelt 54 [1998] Chr, 879-80) a new, Hellenistic part of the cemetery was discovered together with later settlement remains. Two graves were stone-built: one contained two pithoid vases, but the other was empty. Several other graves were disturbed, but amongst the better preserved was a tile grave containing a pair of gold earrings, a round bronze mirror and an unguentarium. The grave of a small girl contained many small and medium sized pots placed by her feet, a female figurine, a protome and a stamnoid pyxis at her left, and a small glass oinochoe to her right. A large number of astragaloi were left by her legs and in a line that ran alongside her left arm and reached to her neck. A silver coin of Itanos was placed in her mouth. To the east of the graves, a building contained a Byzantine bronze coin.

Badly disturbed architectural remains were uncovered on the P. Fioraki property, opposite the church of the Archangel Michael on Paulos Kouper Street. Fallen brick walls were found in the southwest and central parts of the plot. At a greater depth in the southeast corner was a room with walls of worked and unworked stone and a beaten earth floor, on which lay a large quantity of Late Hellenistic pottery and many bones. In the north part of the area were glass and stone tesserae from a destroyed mosaic, together with parts of a second mosaic. At a lower level, large pieces of unworked glass, burnt wood and burnt tile with melted metal adhering were found with a quantity of metal objects and pieces of bronze and iron. The lowest layers produced wall foundations and a construction made of tiles. Pottery from the area included high quality Late Hellenistic to Early Roman vases, and a quantity of marble fragments from a wall or floor was also found, together with large elements of marble sculpture. Other finds included pieces of decorated plaster, glass vases, olive pits, and three bronze coins (two of which, from the lowest layers, are Late Hellenistic in date). The remains are identified as a large public building.

Elsewhere on Paulos Kouper Street, stretches of walls and floors were uncovered, including the foundations of a wall of large rectangular stones and a floor of thin marble plaques on plaster. The large quantity of Late Hellenistic and Roman pottery was accompanied by many architectural and sculptural fragments. Small metal objects, a bone pin, and bronze coin were also found, together with a little animal bone. The excavators identify a public building or temple.

To the north, on Kyprou Street, at the 2nd Ierapetra Nursery, sections of wall and floor were found with Late Roman pottery.

On the Giomelaki property in the Viglia area, west of Ierapetra, building remains date from the Late Hellenistic period onwards (this property stretches down to the sea from the old road to Gra Lygia). Finds include two Late Hellenistic silver kantharoi and Ierapytnian coins of the first century BC.