CORFU - City cemetery (Sotiros Hill) - 2000

Corfu, City cemetery: New Lawcourt Building (Kolokotroni Street, Sotiros Hill). G. Riginos (then Η' ΕΠΚΑ, now Director, ΛΓ' ΕΠΚΑ) reports that excavation of 3,000m² uncovered a significant part of the ancient city cemetery, including 131 tombs of different types, three pyres and pottery concentrations.
Graves were arranged in clusters of varying density and at different depths, mostly oriented north-south. They included enchytrismoi in pithoi (19) or smaller funerary vessels mainly for children (13), which were mostly Archaic in date and contained mostly pottery (Figs 1-3). The female burial in grave 28 was exceptional for its rich grave goods, including a bronze mirror, clay figurines, a small glass jug and pottery. Four cremation urns were uncovered (in two cases the cremated remains were put first in bronze vessels and then in pots). Fifty one pots contain no evidence of cremation or bones and consequently cannot be associated with a specific burial practice. Seven structures (usually oval or elliptical) contain the remains of primary cremations − charcoal, burnt bones and grave goods, mainly pottery. Seventeen tile-covered cists and tile graves were excavated, varying from 0.8m to 1.7m in length, mostly with no goods or just one pot. Twenty pit burials mostly lacked grave goods. One sarcophagus, of soft gray limestone and covered with a limestone slab, contained a single main burial accompanied by a jug and juglet, two bronze rings and astragaloi, and a secondary burial including human and animal bones and sherds of at least five pots. Two crania were also uncovered in the same plot. Three pyres were located between the graves, as well as a structure of solid unfired clay. Concentrations of tile and sherds (seventh- to fourth-century BC) were located mostly in stratigraphically disturbed areas. Other finds include a number of metal objects (coins, jewellery, etc.) and parts of a limestone sphinx, capitals and a millstone.