ATHENS - 2005

Junction of 10 Thalou, Pittakou and Goura Streets. O. Zachariadou and K. Papagiannakis (Γ ΕΠΚΑ) report on excavation of this 960 m² plot in 2 sectors divided by a north-south Byzantine wall (9) (preserved length 14m).

The oldest finds are Mycenaean (LH IIIC), with perhaps a few Submycenaean sherds from a well. Above the bedrock were Geometric (ninth- to seventh-century) sherds, and there was a series of cuttings in the bedrock for a Geometric cemetery (including two child graves).

Traces of Late Roman and Byzantine habitation included remains of walls of stones, tiles and architectural members. Fifteen Byzantine storage silos and three pithoi gave a picture of the use of this area.

At the southeast of plot, a wall (14) of boulders was preserved to two courses: the lower was probably from a large Late Classical building, while the upper formed a corridor with wall 16 and had three successive layers of painted wall plaster. The structure was probably a workshop, with traces of much burning inside.

Small finds include Geometric and Classical figurines, marble sculpture fragments and architectural members (mostly Roman), bronze coins, loom weights, bone tools and Late Roman terracotta lamps.