ANCIENT CORINTH - 2004

Ancient Corinth, Anapnoa (property of A. Papathanasopoulos). V. Tassinos (ΛΖ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports the discovery of a cemetery, with one Early Christian tile grave (10) and 10 graves spanning the transition between the Classical and Hellenistic periods (second half fourth- to first half third- century). Tombs 1-3 were contained in a tripartite funerary monument built in fine isodomic masonry. Tomb 1 was exceptionally rich, with a large collection of high-quality Corinthian terracotta figurines of the second half of the fourth century (some set over the cover slab), mostly female figures in various poses preserving traces of paint and gilding. Also, two alabaster pyxides with polychrome decoration (one of which contained traces of cosmetic), bronze pins and a needle, a silver coin, sea shells, a small terracotta hydria etc. The other tombs in the monument, 2 and 3, had an iron pin and an iron strigil respectively.

The remaining tombs outside the monument comprise pit graves (5, 6, 8, 9 and 11), one cist (4) and one sarcophagus (7). Grave goods usually consisted of a high-footed skyphos, a miniature lamp, a miniature oinochoe or unguentarium, and occasionally a strigil and eggshell. A long shallow east-west channel may have been the original passage into the cemetery: close to its west end was a burnt layer containing carbonised material.