KAMARA - 2007
General Information
Record ID
1861
Activity Date
2007
Chronology
Key-words
Tomb - Hearth/Kiln/Oven - Numismatics - Tools/weapons - Dress and personal ornament - Metal - Bone - Stone - Glass - Cemetery
Type of Operation
Institution
ΚΕ' Εφορεία Προϊστορικών και Κλασικών Αρχαιοτήτων (ΚΕ' ΕΠΚΑ)
28η Εφορεία Βυζαντινών Αρχαιοτήτων (28th Ephoreia of Byzantine Antiquities/28th EBA)
Localisation
Toponym
Kamara
Kamara
Linked Record
2007
Report
Kamara. G. Fandakis (ΚΕ' ΕΠΚΑ) reports on excavations in 2007 within the late Christian cemetery east of Kissamos (Fig. 1). Six broadly fifth- to seventh-century AD cist graves were recovered at the east (Figs 2-3), of which two were undisturbed (tombs 1 [Fig. 4] and 4). These are built of large slabs (three per side) held in place with smaller stones, and with three to four limestone cover slabs covered with thick layers of strong plaster: the floors are mostly earthen, though tomb 6 (Fig. 5) contained two large tiles. The undisturbed graves contain supine inhumations and a few grave goods which may be more closely dated to the fourth to early fifth century AD - a hoop ring (Fig. 6) with a little gilding, a whorl (Fig. 7) and a distaff hook (Fig. 8), and a lightly decorated bone pin (Fig. 9).
Traces of a structure with at least two building phases (Figs 10-11) were found 7m to the southwest. The first phase consists of two walls, with five Late Roman coins dating the construction: a thick destruction layer contained tiles and nails from the roof. Against the north wall was a pithos base (Fig 12) and, close by, one coin of Arcadius (Figs 13-14) and a second (Figs 15-16) of a member of the dynasty of Constantine the Great (third- to fourth-century AD). A Venetian tornesello (Figs 17-18) was introduced in later disturbance. A bronze surgical probe (Fig. 19) with cast linear decoration is of fourth- to seventh-century AD date. Later in the Early Byzantine phase, further walls extended the building to the east: to this phase belong coins (Figs 20-21) of the second year of Heraclius’ reign and of Constans IV (Figs 22-23). A sixth- to seventh-century bronze hemispherical, legged censer (Fig. 24) with simple decoration was also retrieved.
A small semicircular kiln (Fig. 25) was recovered southwest of tomb 6, built from re-used stone blocks. A small hearth built from a pot base and many large tiles was also found: metal sheet and plentiful slag suggest a connection with metalworking. Mostly domestic pottery was recovered, dating first to the third to fourth century AD, and then with plentiful sixth- to seventh-century AD material with simple linear decoration (Fig. 26). Other finds include fragments of glass vessels (Figs 27-28), especially stemmed cups, of the fourth to sixth century AD, and 27 bronze coins which date mostly to the fourth to fifth century AD.
Author
Don EVELY
Bibliographic reference(s)
AEK 1 (2010), 732-44
Legend :
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Date of creation
2011-02-21 00:00:00
Last modification
2023-12-11 09:06:12
Picture(s)
Fig. 1/ Aerial view of Kissamos town.
Fig. 2/ General view of the room - traces of walls shown.
Fig. 3/ General view of tombs from the east.
Fig. 4/ Tomb 1 after its opening.
Fig. 5/ Tomb 6 after its opening.
Fig. 6/ Hoop ring.
Fig. 7/ Whorl.
Fig. 8/ Distaff hook.
Fig. 9/ Bone pin.
Fig. 10/ Ground plan of the first phase of the excavation.
Fig. 11/ Ground plan of the second phase of the excavation.
Fig. 12/ Pithos base.
Fig. 13/ Coin of Arcadius Emperor (one side).
Fig. 14/ Coin of Arcadius Emperor (other side).
Fig. 15/ Undiagnostic coin of Constantine the Great's dynasty (one side).
Fig. 16/ Undiagnostic coin of Constantine the Great's dynasty (other side).
Fig. 17/ Venetian tornesello (one side).
Fig. 18/ Venetian tornesello (other side).
Fig. 19/ Bronze surgical probe.
Fig. 20/ Undiagnostic coin (one side).
Fig. 21/ Undiagnostic coin (other side).
Fig. 22/ Coin of the first reign of Constants IV (one side).
Fig. 23/ Coin of the first reign of Constants IV (other side).
Fig. 24/ Bronze censer.
Fig. 25/ Kiln.
Fig. 26/ Incised pottery sample.
Fig. 27/ Sample of glass vessels.
Fig. 28/ Fragments of glass vessel.