ARGOS - 2003

Argos, National Stadium. A. Banaka-Dimaki (Δ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports the discovery of burials in rescue excavation for the redevelopment of parts of the stadium.

On the line of the central, north-south drainage channel, 80m from the perimeter fence, two vases were found: one contained a cremation and was closed by a skyphos, while the other was broken and contained a clay spindle whorl. To the west, 103m from the north perimeter, was a stone mound beneath which lay a wall (perhaps a peribolos) on either side of which were iron slags, burnt masses of iron, bones, Archaic Argive figurines and part of a bronze pin, as well as tiles. These are identified as the remains of one or more destroyed tombs. To the south, a small pit contained sherds of a skyphos.

Excavation for the development of the surgery building revealed a cist tomb, lined and covered with stone slabs containing a single inhumation with no grave goods.

Parts of three walls of a room or simple building were found in excavation for the extension of the field-athletic area. To the west of them were 24 cremation urns – round-bodied Submycenaean amphorae of varying sizes, closed with smaller vessels (mostly cups) or stones, and containing in addition to bone remains grave goods such as figurines, glass-paste beads and spindle whorls. Outside and below this group of vessels was an ash layer containing bone and offerings. Mycenaean and Submycenaean sherds plus smaller vessels, figurines, spindle whorls and a piece of bronze were collected from the soil between the amphorae. Close to the southeast corner of the building an area of later incursion produced Geometric-late Classical pottery, a miniature vessel, figurines, two shells, a spool, terracotta rings and a piece of bronze sheet.

Work to shape the exterior athletic track revealed four limestone cist graves. Tomb 2 contained a single inhumation and rich grave goods (pyxides, a kotyle, phialae, lekythoi, female figurines, egg shells, astragaloi, bronze and iron objects, two bronze pins, and the sole of a shoe). Tomb 3 shared a common west wall with tomb 2: it contained a single inhumation with a pyxis, skyphoi, a lekythos, astragaloi, and an iron ring with a bezel. Tombs 4 and 5 had previously been opened and contained mixed fill, limestone fragments and sherds of various periods.