BALAKIA - 2005

Balakia (land of F. Sioziou). G. Riginos (Η’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports the discovery of Late Roman-Early Christian settlement remains, a stone-built tomb and a tile-covered child burial in a field by the national road from Paramythia to Preveza. These remains form part of a larger site of this period which extends over the northern part of the plain of Zervochori.

The stone tomb - built of medium-sized blocks with lime mortar - was partially destroyed (the cover was lost). The floor was covered in stone slabs and rooftiles. The tomb likely held more than one interment, but the bones are now scattered within it. The tile grave was 3m to the south; disarticulated infant bones and a bronze coin lay beneath a cover tile.

To the west of the tombs was a layer of small and medium stones (covering ca. 8.5 x 7.5m), with traces of plaster, terracotta rooftiles, pots sherds, traces of burning, and small metal objects. The pottery was mostly plain domestic ware, with a few sherds of pithoid vessels. Other finds include pieces of a millstone, a few fragments of glass vessels, lead clamps, small iron and bronze items, and 15 bronze coins mostly of the Late Roman and Early Christian periods.