Toumba Serron - 2025

Toumba, Serres. Dimitra Malamidou (Ephorate of Antiquities of Serres), Nicolas Zorzin (National Cheng Kung University-Taiwan) and James Taylor (York) report on the last excavation season conducted at the Neolithic village of Toumba Serron on the eastern side of the Strymon valley of Northern Greece; a collaborative research programme between the Ephorate of Antiquities of Serres and the British School at Athens. 

Excavation focused on Trench I6.21 (c. 6.2 × 6.3 m) at the settlement core. The trench was cleaned, and the wall faces gently re-verticalised as the protective backfill from 2024 was removed. The pyrotechnic structure or potential oven adjacent to the house was fully exposed and dismantled. The superstructure comprised raw bricks with burning and organic impressions, whilst the interior core was a dark brown soil with calcareous inclusions and black-on-red LN II sherds. The remaining clay floor measured c. 0.70 × 0.70 m at 70.93m a.s.l. although rodent disturbance was extensive. Beneath the floor, a compact substratum overlay a looser sandy-clayey with few finds. Black-on-red pottery dates the installation to LN II, contemporary with the associated house; other finds included ground stone tools, flint blades and bone tools. Interior cleaning and selective removal of disturbed deposits clarified the ellipsoidal plan of the house structure and wall lines (e.g., context 945). Traces suggest the northern wall continued further than previously mapped; the house is securely dated to LN II on pottery and association with the oven.

Exterior to the east of the house
Two exterior deposits were explored across roughly half of the eastern yard. Both were soft sandy-clayey soils with small calcareous/clay inclusions and heavy bioturbation. The assemblages found in these deposits were rich and mixed but predominantly LN II (abundant black-on-red and graphite wares) with some LN I/transition material. Other finds included faunal remains (limb elements, horns), shell and flint blades were frequent. The standout find was the upper torso of a clay female figurine (c. 5 cm × 3.7 cm, ~7 mm thick) with mastoid breasts, incised decoration (with traces of orange-red pigment), schematic facial features, and lateral suspension holes - a typical LN II type. Circular clay traces noted in 2024 held comparable refuse with more collapsed CBM, consistent with dump deposits beside a superstructure. Finds in this deposit included a possible clay animal figurine fragment (lower limb), an animal horn, as well as CBM with organic impressions. Immediately below, context 947 was a concentration of large storage-vessel sherds (with black-on-red) over c. 1.20 × 1.15m, plus ground stone and chipped blades; again, consistent with a yard-edge discard zone.

NE test pit (outside the house): superposition from LN II into LN I
A 1.5 × 1 m test pit parallel to the northern façade was cut just outside the NE corner to examine vertical stratigraphy, revealing abundant LN II and some LN I sherds; finds included a Spondylus gaederopus bracelet fragment and three ground stone tools. An ellipsoidal burnt clay mass (possibly wall/structural) was recorded and left in situ; below was found mixed LN I/LN II pottery, clay masses (some burnt), faunal remains, flint blades, a probable clay animal figurine fragment, three ground stones, and a marble fragment. Also, a sandy-clayey layer with charcoal flecks produced an in-situ large storage pot with horizontal lug handles; its fill contained a shell bead.