KERAMEIKOS - 2009

Kerameikos. J. Stroszeck (DAI) reports on further excavation in the Tomb of the Lakedaimonians (403 BC). Investigation focused on the southern extension of the grave complex. Here an earlier mud-brick building was levelled for the construction of the stone tomb. Prior to the expansion of the tomb for the burial of warriors 10−13, there had been an open trench (0.9−1.2m wide) along the southeast wall of the structure. This trench was filled in the summer of 403 BC and the area levelled to create the graves of warriors 10−13. The filling layer contained a large amount of stones, coarseware and fineware sherds, and tile. The body of warrior 14 was buried in the same manner as his comrades, but at a significantly higher elevation in a narrow section of the stone grave. The most likely explanation is that he died later than warriors 10−13 at a time when the stone tomb was under construction, and he therefore occupied a single grave within the same construction.