ANC. THOURIA - 2009

Ancient Thouria. X. Arapogianni (ASA) reports on continuing excavation (Fig. 1).
A large polygonal retaining wall (14m long, 3.1m high, oriented north-south: Fig. 2) forms a corner at its northern end, continues east-west for 4m and is continued for 30m to the south by a more recent isodomic retaining wall. (Fig. 3) A stone staircase (Fig. 4) leads up to the platform, on which the north, south and east sides of the large isodomic building A (oriented east-west) were exposed (Fig. 5). Inside were the remains of its Laconian tiled roof above an ash layer. Small cisterns of tile and lime mortar were later constructed around the building.
The fourth-century BC building B lay 5m south of building A. The stylobate of its Ionic colonnade is preserved for a length of ca. 10m with three column bases in situ (Fig. 6). At the eastern end was an in situ monolithic engaged column with, beside it, part of the epistyle and other architectural members (Fig. 7). This building also had a Laconian tiled roof: its public function is confirmed by a number of tiles stamped ΔΑΜΟΣΙΟΙ (Figs 8-9).
Building Γ (south of building B) had a monumental façade and a two-stepped stylobate supporting a wall of orthostates intersected by Doric half-columns (the northwest corner column is three-quarters fluted) (Fig. 10). The architectural members of this building were covered in light white plaster. The interior floor is of white pebbles, and, on the exterior, colours include black and red. Inside the building, a limestone base (0.6m x 0.82m x 0.14m) contains a void (0.41m in diameter, 0.25m deep) to hold an object now lost. Next to it is the base of an offering table with lion-paw feet (Fig. 11).
Finds from building A include Classical sherds and part of a terracotta relief plaque with an armed Athena. In the fill of building Γ is small relief metope of a satyr (Fig. 12). The presence of three monumental buildings on the platform indicates that this was a public area of as yet undetermined character.