Nafplion, Evangelistria District - 2008

Nafplion, Evangelistria District. Christos Piteros (Δ' ΕΠΚΑ) reports on the excavation of a Mycenaean cemetery, including two cist graves and six chamber tombs (Fig. 1).

Grave 1 is a cist burial lined with limestone and aligned on a NE-SW axis. The covering tiles were not preserved (Fig 2). The interment was of an adult in a contracted position, with grave goods including a bronze lance and a Vapheio cup decorated with lines and spirals and dated to Late Helladic I (Fig. 3).

Grave 2 is a chamber tomb aligned on a NE-SW axis, in which part of the dromos was preserved along with an entrance sealed by a rubble wall (Fig. 4). The upper part of the chamber had collapsed. While the shape of the chamber was initially roundish, with continuous use its sides had been enlarged. Within the chamber was a destruction layer and the remains of a hearth as well as roof tiles, domestic pottery (Figs. 5, 7) and large numbers of metal objects (Fig. 6). Later modifications to the interior were also noted. According to the excavator, the finds were of a simple domestic nature. Based on the pottery, these have been attributed to the end of the 18^th to the beginning of the 19^th centuries AD. Part of the original content of the chamber included three disturbed pits containing a few skeletal remains as well as pottery of Late Helladic IIIA.

Chamber tomb 3 is located a few meters from grave 1 (Fig. 8). Aligned on a NE-SW axis, it has two dromoi. The main one (3.60x1.10-1.45x1.30 m.) is located in the south-west of the monument. The entrance was sealed with rubble and the main chamber is irregular in shape. The upper part of the chamber has collapsed. Pottery of Late Helladic IIIA was collected outside of the main chamber. The second dromos (3.50x0.70-0.90 m.) is located on the western side of the chamber and was again sealed with rubble. Inside the chamber was pottery dated to the Late Helladic IIIA1-A2 (Fig. 9). There were also three pits containing dispersed human bones, along with a few finds including two phi-type figurines and Late Helladic pottery.

Chamber tomb 4 was small (1.30×1.05×1m), elliptical in shape and probably contained an infant burial.

Chamber tomb 5 was small and irregular and only partially preserved, in which there was a female burial furnished with pottery of Late Helladic IIIA1 (Fig. 10).

Chamber tomb 6 was irregular and only partially preserved, containing at least two burials and pottery of Late Helladic IIIA1-A2 (Fig. 11).

Chamber tomb 7 was irregular and only partially preserved, containing at least three burials dated to Late Helladic IIIA. It was richly furnished with pottery including an amphora with a high neck, rounded and cylindrical alabastra, a jug with a cutaway neck, a kylix with a high neck, a feeding bottle and others types (Figs. 12, 13, 14). Additional finds included a phi-type figurine, stone beads and bronze objects.

Cist grave 8 was built with limestone and covering slabs (Fig. 15). It contained the remains of a possible adult female and a child, lying face to face. Small bronze tongs were found next to the adult and the grave was dated to the Early Mycenaean.