PATRAS, Community of Agios Georgios Laggoura - 2006

Patras. Community of Agios Georgios Laggoura. Echinadon Street (O.T. 1621, property of D. and A. Tsoukala). L. Papacosta (Στ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports the discovery of a Roman farmstead. Remains comprise a collection of cisterns with channels around them, small parts of walls, and a destruction deposit. A large quantity of Roman and Late Roman pottery collected from the plot includes many storage vessels (transport and pithoi) suitable for agricultural produce.

The principal, rectangular cistern (internally 3.8 x 2.8m, with a greatest depth of 1.41m) was sunk into the ground and lined with large limestone slabs sealed with plaster and coated (along with the floor) in hydraulic cement. Behind the lining was a packing of unworked stone. The portion of the cistern wall above ground was built of tile and cement. At the southeast corner, five steps led down into the basin. A semi-circular channel ran into the cistern from the northwest, cutting the top of the wall at the northwest corner. In a later phase, the cistern was divided by a cross-wall in opus quasi reticulatum.

To the south, the main cistern was linked by a channel to a second, smaller round cistern (0.95m in diameter and 2.28m deep). This too was lined with hydraulic cement and was largely sunk into the ground. The connecting, cement lined channel was covered with pithos sherds and a cover tile. Part of a third channel, a terracotta water pipe ran between this channel and the main cistern, with a fourth found at the west edge of the excavation.

Three of the walls found in the excavation, to the northeast and northwest of the cisterns, were built in emplekton, of rough stones and mud, while a fourth in the south was of rough stones, tile and a form of cement. A destruction layer just to the northwest of the cisterns contained small unworked stones, tile, and sherds of fine and domestic pottery as well as storage vessels. Three worn bronze coins were collected.

A number of Roman farmsteads have previously been located in this wider area (e.g. on Samou Street: ADelt 56-59 [2001-2004] Chr. B4, 508).