Nemea - 2022

Kim S. Shelton (University of California at Berkeley) reports on work undertaken at Nemea in 2022.

The cleaning and conservation project of the Early Christian Basilica aimed to preserve the basilica's walls, which had been deteriorated by exposure to the elements, and to prevent the collapse of the upper walls made from large ashlar blocks from the Temple of Zeus. The west end of the 5th-century building, including the narthex and additional rooms, was cleaned and cleared to reveal the foundation walls, floor surfaces, and architectural features. The previously unrecorded interior walls of the 4th-century BCE Xenon building were also discovered (fig. 1). Digital recording and planning were conducted for the foundations, and covered drains and road surfaces were uncovered and recorded. Small finds such as coins and painted terracottas were recovered. Future seasons will focus on reinvestigating the building and conserving the masonry. As part of the project, an Early Christian burial display was removed due to damage to the bones, impact on the ancient architecture, and ethical considerations.