ATHENS - 21 Lembessi Street - 2006

Athens, 21 Lembessi Street (TEAM 4 EE property). Tonia Kokkoliou (Γ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports the discovery of bases of choregic monuments, plus Geometric-Hellenistic structures and portable finds.

Two conglomerate blocks excavated in the north of the plot are either pedestals for choregic statues, or connected to the Classical fortification wall.

Two walls were found in the west and southeast of the plot. The latter is built of medium size stones and preserves hydraulic cement on its northern face. Parts of a water supply system in the immediate area include: a horseshoe-shaped terracotta pipe (contemporary with the wall) which runs north-south to a well, and to the west of this a Π-shaped channel covered with stones and roof-tiles leading to a second well. A 1.4m-wide trench cut into the soft limestone bedrock to the north of the second wall (and through the water table) contained Geometric pottery. The excavator interprets the space between the two walls as a Hellenistic water storage area. Finds include Hellenistic pottery, numerous third- to first-century BC unguentaria, numerous coins, loom weights, an intact second-century BC multiple-nozzle lamp, and two fluted and two unfluted columns.

Two marble bases for choregic monuments found in this area may be connected to the Thargelia games. One base preserves the following inscription, likely added carelessly at a later period:

 

Finally, a fragment of a fourth-century BC inscribed white marble funerary stele was found in the area of the first wall. The stele, which is crowned and decorated with rosettes, is 1.135m hight, 0.655m wide, and 0.305 m thick. The inscription reads:

A second inscription of a later date son the same stele reads:

The same names were inscribed on the base of the choregic monument. The excavator dates this inscription to the first century BC, and provides further analysis of it.