PELLA - 2006

Pella. M. Lilibaki-Akamati (Director, ΙΖ' ΕΠΚΑ) reports on site conservation and rescue excavation prior to the construction of a bypass around the site. The exact positions of the E and W city walls were determined, thus estimating the E−W w. of the city at 1,280m along the road near the Sanctuary of Darron and 1,320m S of the agora. Parts of 3 insulae and the roads separating them were investigated in the W sector: these include 2 of the westernmost insulae on the limits of the urban plan (noting that in the one fully preserved case, the w. E−W is narrowed from the usual 49m to 29m). A 7m w. road separates the outer insulae from the W city wall. At least 3 construction phases are identified: in the final phase of the SW insula, pottery kilns were installed. The walls of the N insula were robbed for the construction of tombs and periboloi in the Rom E cemetery, which extends into this area. Twelve Rom tombs (2nd half of the 2nd−1st half of the 3rd Ct AD) were investigated here − 9 tile graves, 2 cists with cover slabs and a pit. These all contained 1−2 pottery vessels, glass vessel fragments and 1−3 bronze coins, and, in 2 cases, gold, silver and bronze jewellery. Further graves from this cemetery, as well as Hel graves (including 6 looted chamber tombs, all beginning ca. 75m from the known limit of the urban area), were excavated in the N part of this area.

In the S city, remains of 3 ECh (1st−4th Ct AD) buildings were located in an area ca. 520m l. on the city’s E−W axis. These demonstrate that the lines of the urban plan continued to be followed even after the widespread abandonment of the settlement following the earthquake of 90 BC. They include a Rom bath preserving the praefurnium, a caldarium complex of 3 rooms with hypocausts and a one-room tepidarium leading into a small pool. An outdoor swimming pool, with a water supply and drainage system and a small exedra, lay to the S and there was a cistern to the W. The bath buildings had mosaic floors and opus sectile decoration with coloured mortars: portable finds include clay, glass and marble vessels and many coins. Tests beneath the bath complex revealed many phases of occupation extending back into the Cl period. Cl and Hel remains were levelled, likely in the 2nd half of the 1st or the 1st half of the 2nd Ct AD, for the new buildings, which followed the former urban plan. These were subsequently destroyed by fire, and new buildings, including the bath complex, erected in the 2nd−3rd Ct: these were in turn destroyed in the 1st half of the 4th Ct AD, and the building materials used for the construction of roads in this area. To date, no remains of the Ch period have been located elsewhere and it is likely that activity was confined to the S part o the city, close to the water-front.

I. Akamatis reports on a further season of excavation in the agora. Excavation in the S part of the E stoa was undertaken to assist in wall conservation, verify the floor levels and install a drainage system. In the lowest floor level, a series of storage pits relates to the initial use of the rooms: one produced pottery and sherds of pseudo-Cypriot amphorae, giving a tpq of the L4th Ct BC for the construction and first use of the stoa. Pits in several rooms produced large quantities of figurines and figurine moulds. Lifting of part of the fabric of the road E of the agora, N and S of the central avenue, revealed part of the E wall of the agora, and the foundation trench and part of the wall of the insula to the E. The NE corner of the E stoa was located in situ, along with the corner of the neighbouring insula to the E. N of the avenue, previously located insula remains were cleaned and the angle of the next insula to the N revealed. Investigation of the road bordering the S edge of the agora continued. The road fabric included many metal items (keys, lead weights, etc., plus many craft tools) and a wide range of stamped amphora handles, including a large number of the Parmeniskos group. Pottery included much rf and sherds bearing graffiti, and there were also many moulds for figurines and relief altars, as well as elements of a roof, coins and a marble head of Herakles. The stratigraphy of a section of road between insula I/4 and the S stoa was investigated: this was shown to lie over part of a cemetery of the 1st half of the 4th Ct BC previously located in the area. 23 additional tombs and a pyre were found in the W part of the road (2 enchytrismoi, 5 tile-covered graves and 16 rock-cut pits), likely covered by tumuli. Grave goods were generally few: squat lekythoi, bolsals, skyphoi, oinochoai, olpai and thilastra, rf vessels (especially lekythoi and pelikai), figurines, bronze, iron and silver fibulae, and jewellery placed at the relevant part of the body. By the hands of many men were farming tools, weapons and athletic equipment. In the S part of the previously excavated cemetery, within the road, was a well filled in the L3rd or E2nd Ct BC; this likely served the buildings in the area rather than the earlier cemetery. In the area of the road S of the agora, N of insulae I/2 and I/7, lay a metalworking establishment, with tools, moulds, hearths and other related equipment. Finally, 2 stretches of road, through the S stoa and the SW approach to the agora, were investigated.

Preparatory research towards the public presentation of the archaeological site of Pella is discussed by I. Akamatis. Significant progress is reported in documenting the road network and water system, and locating further insulae. Nine further graves excavated along the main routes had been badly damaged by road construction: many were in slim pithoi and were likely marked with tumuli. The only offerings were a local EBA open vessel and an ECyc marble bowl. A fountain house was discovered by the road from the museum to the storerooms.

P. Chrysostomou (ΙΖ' ΕΠΚΑ) reports on Hel and Rom graves discovered in rescue excavation in the W cemetery. A section of the new bypass road 250m l. and 22.5m w. produced: part of the Hel W city wall and the road dividing it from the outermost insulae; part of the proteichisma; further W, the SW edge of a LBA settlement (fills, deposits and a well containing pottery, stone tools and animal bone); part of a water channel with clay pipes (post-dating 168 BC) along the line of the new road. Part of an extensive cemetery, with 429 graves (39 Hel and 390 Rom), was traced along the length of the new road, inside and outside the wall and proteichisma, and for some distance further W. This remained in use from the L4th Ct BC to the 1st quarter of the 4th Ct AD. One tile grave contained a horse burial. The 39 Hel burials were scattered in front of the proteichisma growing denser further W. They were intact, although with modest goods, and consist of enchytrismoi (3), pits (10), tile graves (19) and rock-cut chamber tombs (7). Illustrative of the enchytrismoi is grave 243A (pre-M3rd Ct), a male cremation in a kalpis covered with a plate, outside which were 2 pottery tear-bottles and 3 iron strigils on a ring (2 bear a particular producer’s stamp on the handle which appears elsewhere in the cemetery). Ten pit graves, mainly with child cremations, were found in the W part of the excavation. Among those described, grave 8 is a typical example. This contained a large number of astragaloi and terracotta figurines (notably Attis types and Macedonian youths), plus a tear-bottle. Pit grave 20 (a child cremation with a lead weight) had as a cover slab the reused 3rd Ct BC grave stele of Aristokleia, wife of Chairephanis. The 19 tile graves contained both cremations and inhumations, with metal and ceramic offerings. For example, tile grave 106 (cremation of a young girl) contained a silver ring with gold bezel, silver hoop earrings and a bg pyxis (1st half of the 2nd Ct BC). Grave 266 (a female cremation, with iron nails preserved from the bier) had a bronze needle, 2 small iron hooks, a bg skyphos, a loomweight and 2 coins. Immediately W and outside the proteichisma was a rock-cut chamber tomb, with a simple chamber to the W and the stomion blocked with small stones. It contained a male inhumation on a bier, with 5 pottery vessels dating just before the M3rd Ct BC. Chamber tomb 1 is roughly similar; here a lead pyxis and 7 pottery vessels escaped the looters. Chamber tomb 5 is more elaborate: it had a long dromos and an entrance way which was originally blocked. The chamber held one inhumation damaged by the intrusion of a 3rd Ct AD tomb: a cutting in the E wall of the dromos held a cremation with 3 vessels of the M2nd Ct BC. The 4 remaining rock-cut tombs were low, underground chambers (2 with single chambers, 2 with double), all with individual internal arrangements. The single-chambered tomb 4 had a stepped dromos: an inhumation in a rectangular niche on the E side of the dromos was originally protected by a wall. Pottery, lamps and figurines were scattered through the dromos fill. The chamber had couches on the W and N sides, a low wall demarcating a cist grave and 2 rectangular containers on the E side. Two niches in the S wall held lamps. Between 4 and 6 members of the same family were buried in this tomb, laid on wooden biersand with metal objects (bronze chest fittings, a gilded bronze mirror) along with ceramic vessels and figurines of the 2nd Ct BC. The rock-cut chamber tombs and their contents, all 2nd Ct BC, are described in detail. Tomb 6 is the most elaborate structure, preserving in its first chamber painted plaster with architectural decoration and, in its 2nd, an Ionic doorway with painted plaster ornament.

The Rom cemetery in the area of the Hel W cemetery served the Rom−ECh settlement in the S part of the earlier city and at Fakos, rather than the Rom colonial settlement 1.5km W. 390 Rom graves (including 7 cists, 31 pits and 346 tile graves) lay within the Hel city and further W beyond the walls. 246 contained goods. Graves were arranged in family groups with no consistent orientation: around one third (128) were child burials, and all infant and most child burials lacked goods, although some contained objects such as figurines, glass and ceramic vessels. There were 222 cremations and 168 inhumations. Most (but not all) cremations were primary. Cremation was the dominant rite from the Augustan era until the end of the 1st Ct AD, the 2 rites then co-existed during the 1st half of the 2nd Ct and finally inhumation dominated during the 2nd half of the 2nd−M3rd Ct. Almost all graves were intact, but only a very few contained valuable goods. A wide variety of ceramic shapes is represented, with oinochoai, amphorae, chytrae, cups, skyphoi, plates, trays, lekanides, tear-bottles and lamps most common. Many are plainwares: Latin and Gr workshop stamps are rare. Relief lamps are relatively common, including Ephesian types. Glass vessels are also common, but metal offerings are rare. Terracotta figurines are mostly found in child graves. Gold funerary coins were very rare; most were bronze, or occasionally silver, denarii. Coin hoards are also rare, excepting certain examples of the 1st half of the 3rd Ct AD when the custom was widespread in Macedonia. A number of tombs are distinguished by the presence of jewellery in gold, silver, bronze, iron, glass, jet and bone. Three prophylactic amulets are of particular interest. Common finds in female burials are iron and bronze fittings from wooden chests, pyxides in bronze and bone, cosmetic palettes and tools, mirrors, needles, bronze bells, bone buttons, and terracotta and bone spindle-whorls. Less common finds are bronze and iron strigils, bronze medical implements, pendants and toys. Bronze handles from biers or couches, and nails from biers on which bodies rested for cremation, are also noted. Only 2 marble grave markers were recovered: one had a seated man at left and a rider at right, the other, in secondary use as a cist tomb cover, depicted a mounted hero hunting a boar to right, toward an altar with a standing male and a tree round which was a snake. There is one unique case of an in situ limestone base for a marble funerary altar, the upper part of which (a marble pinecone) was found nearby. Part of an ERom honorific marble base bears a fragmentary inscription. Among the enchytrismoi, grave 206A is described: this is an infant cremation in a kalpis, with a bronze coin, a ceramic tearbottle and 2 figurines. The 7 cist tombs show great variety in construction. Tomb 21, a male inhumation in a large cist lined with marble slabs, may be the grave of a city official. It contained a relief lamp, a iron prochous, a bronze strigil with engraved decoration, a denarius of Caracalla (198 AD), a necklace of 2 silver coin and a gold ring on a chain, and rolled gold sheet inscribed with the owner’s name, Pontios Lykos, on all 4 sides. The pit graves showed great variety: 18 were simple pits and 21 had cover slabs or tiles, 26 held inhumations and 5 cremations. Among the 4 typical examples described, grave 22 (dated to the 2nd half of the 2nd Ct AD by 2 coins) held gold earrings, a silver bracelet, a bronze button, a glass vessel, a ceramic chytra and a terracotta horse and rider. One of its cover slabs, reused from a funerary monument, bore an inscription recording that Zosimos built for his fellow slave (synkellarios) the monument of Ingenua, slave of Veratius Camerinus.

Tile graves were the most common category: those inside the walls were deep and tightly arranged in family groups. W of the proteichisma many tombs were set inside a wide cutting in the rock. Pit and cist graves were often bordered on 2 or more sides with stones and/or tile and many had periboloi built from rocks and (mainly Hel) spolia. Some tile graves had sections of terracotta pipe set upright to receive libations. Grave goods (mostly terracotta figurines, lamps and vessels placed upside down) were often outside the tomb, indicating feasts and offerings for the dead. 33 examples are discussed in detail. Among these, we note tile grave 18 (a male inhumation) which contained one glass and 5 ceramic vessels, bronze fishhooks, a medical implement, a bronze sealing ring depicting a sphinx and an amulet in a gold setting. The oval semi-precious stone in this amulet was engraved on one face with an Egyptian mystical formula in Gr and a magic symbol in the centre, and on the other face with a coiled lion-headed snake identified by the inscription as Cnouphis (amulets with this image protect against stomach conditions). Goods in grave 47 included a hoard of 17 bronze coins and a gold ring worn by the young male deceased inscribed ΕΙΣ ΖΕΥΣ ΣΕΡΑΠΙΣ, further evidence of this cult at Pella.