EGNATIA ODOS, Neochori Junction - 2001

Egnatia Odos, Neochori junction. G. Riginos (Η’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports on rescue excavation for road construction in the area of Neochori and Grika.

Connecting road, cuttings S14-22: an extensive destruction deposit contained a large quantity of plain and black-glaze pottery, pithos sherds, iron masses and scattered traces of strong burning. Terracotta loomweights, a few small bronze and iron items (including nails), and a stone flake, core and point. Between S14 and 15 lay 11 bronze coins, mostly issues of the Epirote Koinon of 233-167 BC.

Connecting road, cuttings S4-5: beneath a dense layer of tile and plain and black-glaze pottery lay two walls of small unworked stones and two partially preserved tombs set on stereo. These tombs contained an oinochoe, a two-handled cup and a Hellenistic bronze coin.

Lower cross-road: beneath a destruction layer lay two walls defining a room, built of partially-worked stoned and earth. From the destruction layer in the wider area came a large quantity of tiles, plain coarse domestic pottery, black-glaze sherds, a terracotta loomweight, iron nails, two lead clamps and a bronze sheet.