Ancient Sikyon - 2010

Ancient Sikyon , Elefsina - Korinthos - Patra - Pyrgos - Tsakona (Olympia Odos) motorway. Vasileios Papathanasiou (LZ EΠΚΑ) reports on the excavation of a section of an organised cemetery probably lining a street at the location Syriona (KM 16+894 -16+913), N of the river Asopos, which contained 92 graves (Fig. 1). The graves date from the early Geometric to the Roman period, with most belonging to the 5th c. BC. Type of graves: a) tile grave (7); b) pit grave with single covering slab (21); c) pit grave with covering slabs that are simple stones or rectangular grave stele in second use (12); d) pit grave with soil covering (31); e) “built” pit grave with clay-rich soil covering (2); f) cist grave without cover (2); g) cist grave with covering slab (5); h) larnax sarcophagus with covering slab (7); i) larnax sarcophagus with covering of simple stones or rectangular grave stele in second use (4); j) graves defined by unworked or coarsely worked stones covered by soil (1); k) pithos burial (1). The graves have various orientations. Most belong to adults and at least 6 are child burials. Most were individual burials with only a few double burials; in six graves there are secondary inhumations.

Most graves included various grave goods; the most common are: lekythoi, small lekythoi, lekanides with lid, lebetes gamikoi, iron and bronze pins and pegs, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines, and miniature vessels. Worth mentioning are various types of figurines dated to around the mid-fifth century BC. Grave 45 differentiates itself from other pit graves by having holes in the corners to support posts for the wooden (?) cover.

Wall 1 defines the cemetery on the S and was probably constructed at the end of the 6th c. BC. W of this wall, a rubble wall extends. Nine grave stelae dating to the same period as those used as grave coverings were discovered in its masonry. Finally, at the E and W extremes of Wall 1, a rectangular grave stele was placed.

S of Wall 1, 7 walls were discovered in fragmentary condition. They were mainly constructed of unworked stones and also with a few ashlar blocks and spolia (e.g. grave stele). It is believed the walls were founded at the end of the 6th c. BC. The area S of Wall 1 and N of Wall 3 was used for the graves (11, 33) of 2 adults as well as a pit during the Classical period.

[Entry created by E. Strazdins]