AGHIOS DIMITRIOS, Nauarchou Notara - 2009

Aghios Dimitrios, Nauarchou Notara 75 (property of K. Riga). Anthi Ntova (B’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports on the discovery of a 6^th-5^th c. B.C. cemetery (Fig. 1). 7 pyres, 1 stone sarcophagus, 2 terracotta larnakes and 4 spaces for burial offerings were excavated.

The pyres were rectangular pits measuring 2x1 m., and 5 of these had been placed parallel to each other (Fig. 1). They all contained ashes, burnt bones and burnt votive offerings (Fig. 2). Specifically, Pyre 1 contained 2 black-figure lekythoi dating to the end of the 6^th c. B.C. Pyre 2 contained 4 terracotta figurines of seated women, 3 black-figure lekythoi, 1 black-glazed lekythos, a lidless pyxis, a terracotta alabastron and three miniature vessels. All aforementioned finds are dated to the end of the 6^th c. B.C. Pyre 3 contained a black-figure white-ground lekythos and 4 black-figure lekythoi dated to 480-470 B.C. Pyre 4 contained 2 phialai, a lidless pyxis and a black-figure lekythos dating to the early 5^th c. B.C. (Fig. 3). Pyre 5 continued in the adjacent property and was not fully excavated. Pyre 6 contained few pottery sherds. Pyre 7 contained an early 5^th c. B.C., black-glazed lekythos.

The sarcophagus postdated the pyres and contained a skeleton in supine position – most likely a woman – a bronze mirror, 2 white ground lekythoi, a squat lekythos and a pyxis with its lid (Figs. 4, 5). This burial is dated to 450-425 B.C. The terracotta larnakes measured 0.60x0.28 and had been used for child burials. Only one of the two contained burial offerings, namely a lekanis with its lid, a skyphos and an olpe dated to the second half of the 5^th c. B.C.

Numerous broken vessels, some of which were burnt, were excavated from the four spaces for the burial offerings (Figs. 6, 7). Space 1 measured 4.55x0.70 m. and contained dishes, skyphoi and black-figure white-ground lekythoi dated to the middle of the 5^th c. B.C. Space 2 measured 1.04x0.40 m. and contained a black-figure lekythos and a red-figure lekythos dated to the early 5^th c. B.C. Space 3 measured 2.82x0.40 m. and contained fragments from a burnt, wooden eschara. Space 4 had been disturbed by a wall that was constructed on top of it. Pottery found in the foundations of this wall includes a small eschara and black-figure white-ground lekythoi dated to 480-470 B.C.

The aforementioned wall was made of rubble and could have served as the peribolos wall of the cemetery. Finally, another wall was excavated and identified as the retaining wall of an ancient road. The road appears to have been constructed of beaten earth and pebbles.

The excavation was conducted by E. Konstantinidou. The finds were conserved by D. Tiligada.