VOULA Halai Aixonidai - 2007

Voula, Varis Avenue, and Mystra and Athinaidos Streets (O.T. 164, property of Sklaveniti Bros.). L. Makradema, Y. Kouragios and M. Giamalidi (ΚΣΤ’ ΕΠΚΑ) report on the discovery of a large Classical complex in the deme of Halai Aixonidai. This consists of a large, central courtyard surrounded by 9 rooms of various sizes. The complex is enclosed by walls which delineate gardens and grazing land (Figs 1,2). The main entrance lies east, where a cistern was also found. All rooms had walls from local limestone and beaten earth floors.

A bipartite room from the complex’s west side is identified as a temple. It had an east-west orientation and was entered from the central courtyard. The cella had a terracotta tile floor. Only the base survived from the cella’s central column, which supported a saddle roof. The adyton had a mortar floor. A square, stone altar lies west of the temple. Finds from this room include 3 terracotta figurines of female forms (a kourotrofos, a figure seated on a rock, and a standing figure).

Several plain ware vessels (cooking pots, jars, plates, amphorae) were found in the room west of the temple. The finds indicate that the room served as a kitchen. A tower-like building lies at the south side of the courtyard. This building resembles other towers excavated in the deme, which had been used for the safekeeping of harvested produce. 27 coins were excavated from a room at the east side of the courtyard. Two of these are silver (one Athenian and one from Kolophon). The remaining coins come from Athens, Aegina, Salamis, Korinth, Megara, Hermione and Phthiotida, and date in the 4^th c. B.C.

Additional small finds from the complex include a bronze plate with the inscription ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙ ΑΛΑΙΕΥΣ, a lead weight with an amphora and the inscription ΔΗΜΩ (Fig 3), plain ware sherds, storage vessels, black glazed tableware, sherds from beehives, lamps, lead strainers, iron tools, copper hooks and nails, piriform spindle whorls, and 43 conical lead weights.

The complex is adjacent to the deme’s habitation area and next to the deme’s main road that led to the sanctuary of Apollo Zoster. Based on its location and the excavated finds, the complex is identified as either the deme’s agora or a large agro-pastoral facility which traded with various city-states.