Rafina - 2012

Rafina, Roman Bath. Stylianos Katakis (University of Athens) and Vaggelis Nikolopoulos (B’ ΕΠΚΑ) report on continuing excavations at the Roman bath - balaneion (Figs 1,2). This bath complex was discovered in 1974 and excavated further in 1976. Nevertheless, the first to excavate and publish on the complex was M. Platonos (ADelt 42, 1987). The walls of the excavated remains are preserved to a considerable height and the remains include cisterns, paved floors (Fig. 2), cryptoportica and a caldarium with several phases of repairs/construction (Fig. 3). Agricultural facilities and workshops have been also discovered in the wider area of the balaneion including a kiln and an olive press (Fig. 4).

Recent work focused on the protection of the paved terracotta floors as well as the mosaic floors (Fig. 5). Excavation recommenced in 2013 and focused on the NE building, Choros I, which lies SW of the aforementioned building, and the central building (Figs 4,6,7,8). A destruction layer was identified in the interior of the NE building, which appears to have more than one construction phase. Large quantities of murex shells were found at its SW corner. The south wall of Choros I was built with opus caementicium, and this space too contained large quantities of shells and murex shells.

Discoveries from the central building of the bath include a niche, a pebble floor, hypocausts and water pipes (Figs 9,10). One of these pipes was covered with rectangular terracotta tiles which preserve the fingerprints of the potters (Fig. 9). This area was covered by a destruction layer dated in the first half of the 3^rd c. AD. Numerous intact and broken lamps were excavated from this layer (Fig. 11). Moreover 2 bronze Athenian coins dating to the 2^nd c. AD were found in the building. Additional small finds include 18 metal artefacts (pins, nails, a lead clamp and fragments from tools).

[Entry created by C. Papadopoulou]