ARTA - Anc. Ambracia - 2004

Arta (anc. Ambracia), Krystalli Street (property of Ch. Charitou). P. Gouni (ΙΒ' ΕΠΚΑ) reports the discovery of further Hellenistic (third-century) graves from the east cemetery of the city, on the lower eastern slopes of the Perranthi hill (Fig. 1: 281). Six burial containers and four pit or cist graves were found.

Container I: a amphora (of the end of the third century) used as an ash-urn was set in a simple structure of unworked limestone blocks (an inscribed stele was re-used in one side). The cover-slab is missing.

Container II: a pit contained a black-glaze handle-less skyphos and an ash urn (an amphora with floral decoration, of the end of the third century).

Container III: a pit held an ash urn (an amphora and lid of the third quarter of the third century).

Container IV: two limestone slabs set upon the cover slab of container V formed an angle framing an amphora and a fusiform unguentarium (of the early third century).

Container V: a very well-built structure of worked limestone slabs contained an early third-century black-glaze amphora (with ribbed belly and female figures in relief by the handles) with an inscribed lid, and an earring of fine bronze wire. A fragment of gilded bronze sheet adhered to the shoulder of the amphora.

Container VI: a very well-built structure of worked limestone slabs contained as an ash-urn an early third-century black-glaze amphora with a domed lid.

Tomb I: a pit lined on two sides with limestone slabs contained an inhumation with no grave goods.

Tomb II was not excavated due to risk of collapse.

Tomb III: an inhumation contained in a pit with no grave goods.

Tomb IV: a pit contained the re-interred bones (probably of a woman) with an alabastron and bronze mirror.

Finds recovered from the plot include pieces of eight grave stelai, three figurines and six small vases (a bowl, unguentarium, amphoriskos, kanthariskos, two-handled skyphos and an alabastron).