VOUZANI, KLINDIA - 2005

Vouzani, Klindia. X. Arapogianni (Ζ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports the discovery of five looted chamber tombs, arranged in three parallel rows, from a Mycenaean cemetery northeast of the modern village by the Pineios river. The presence of the cemetery was revealed in 2001 by the chance find of a Mycenaean bronze sword by a local landowner.

Tomb 1 was oriented north-south with the entrance on the north. The oval chamber (2.44 x 2.1m, maximum height 1.1m) contained evidence of modern looting, plus mingled bones, glass paste, faience and sard beads, a steatite spool and part of a vase handle. The dromos (3.95m long x 1.68m wide) was filled with earth and limestone chips.

Tomb 2, to the east, was on the same orientation. Large limestone blocks from the collapsed tholos covered the oval (2.36 x 2.1m) chamber: the floor had been damaged by looters. The dromos (3.55 long, 1.1-2.24m wide), had in places surfaces packed with river sand; the area of the chamber entrance was surfaced with clay soil. Only a few sherds were found in the chamber and the dromos.

Tomb 3, which lay between 1 and 2, was almost entirely destroyed. Only a little mingled bone was recovered.

Tomb 4 is a modified cave behind tombs 1 and 2 and on the same orientation. The entrance was sealed with a large rough limestone slab; the chamber was approximately round (2.28 x 2.22m, preserved to a height of 1.15m); and the dromos 3.7 x 1.5m. A thick layer of clay soil covered the floor. Approximately in the middle of the dromos was a contracted inhumation without goods, and at its northeast edge, a stone structure (0.87 x 0.85, height 0.1-0.7m) with no associated objects.

Tomb 5 lay to the west of tomb 1, on the same orientation. The chamber was oval (1.91 x 1.52m, maximum preserved height 2.6m), the tholos had collapsed, and the entrance was sealed with a dry stone wall. Probably due to unsuitable ground conditions, the dromos was opened to the west and was small (1.54m long and 1.18-1.54m wide).