KISAMOS - 2001

Kastelli (Kisamos). M. Andreadaki-Vlazaki and S. Markoulaki (ΚΕ’ΕΠΚΑ) report.

On the K. and I. Marentaki property, the remains of four building phases were uncovered. The first phase (first-century BC/first-century AD) consisted of walls and an open air space with a tiled floor, to the north of which lay three rooms with earthen floors. The second phase (second- and third-centuries AD) consisted of a large building complex with an area devoted to food production, which contained multiple hearths and ovens. A third phase of walls and floors dated to the fourth century AD, while the fourth phase consisted principally of an outdoor space with a beaten-earth surface which dated to the early Christian era. Finds included pottery, architectural members, two parts of a marble statue, and a large number of coins and other metal objects.

Third- and fourth-century AD building remains were found on Violaki property, the Katsikandaraki and Babounaki property, the Georgiakaki property, the Tsouroudiakaki property, the Athanasaki property, the Xirouchaki property and the Vergeraki property. The last two also revealed graves of the Christian era.

Part of a building identified as a large city mansion, together with a stretch of the main east-west street of the Roman city were uncovered on the Stimadoraki property in the west part of the city. The south wing of the mansion consisted of simple rooms with earth floors and had direct access from the street. A large area is identified as a peristyle courtyard with a beaten earth floor: some of the square stone plinths of the columns are preserved. The west wing had no preserved communicating door with the courtyard but communicated with the south wing. It had four rooms, two of which had earth floors and two mosaic. Part of a third mosaic-floored room was revealed to the north. The two rooms with mosaic floors had low windows looking out onto the courtyard: the mosaics depicted geometric and floral motifs, and one contained small portrait panels with Dionysiac themes. At a later period the mosaic in one of the rooms was covered with terracotta tiles and an oven built on its east side.