DOMIROS - 2006

Domiros. K. Peristeri, E. Zografou and Th. Salonikios (ΚΗ' ΕΠΚΑ) report on rescue excavation of a LAr−Hel cemetery and a LNeo clay extraction area. 39 tombs (18 cists, 18 pits, 2 tile graves and one exposed burial) were found in 3 groups. Group 1 (at Ydatodexameni): 4 cists of limestone slabs, 2 of which contained grave goods, the other 2 having been disturbed. A L6th−E5th Ct date is proposed on the basis of a Cor exaleiptron and 3 bronze bow fibulae. Group 2 (at Ydatopyrgos): a dense concentration of 20 tombs (2 almost entirely destroyed, 16 pits, of which 6 have tile covers, and 6 cists), of which 7 contained goods. These date from the L6th−E5th (based on a Cor exaleiptron) to the L4th−3th Ct BC (11 bronze coins in tomb 10): other grave goods noted are a hoard of 19 bronze coins of Philip II, a silver obol of the Alexander III type issued by Amphipolis, a bronze bow fibula, 2 alabastra and a necklace of glass beads. Group 3 (Melagia site): 16 tombs (10 cists, 5 pits and one open burial) constructed in the same way as the previous groups. Two were disturbed, but only 3 had no goods. The richest tomb, 23, was the burial of a young woman containing a squat lekythos, 5 pairs of silver and bronze earrings, 6 bronze fibulae, a silver ring with gold leaf decoration on the bezel, a necklace of bone beads, a bronze ear-pick and tweezers, and a terracotta female protome, all dating to the M4th Ct. One cist tomb contained the burial of a youth and a child; 3 silver Thasian coins were mingled with the bones of the youth, dating this burial to the L5th Ct, ca. 50 years before that of the child, which was accompanied by a squat lekythos, bronze bracelets and a ring, and silver earrings. One disturbed cist tomb (M4th Ct) contained gold earrings with lion head terminals, parts of a gilded wreath, a bronze ring, a coin of Philip II and a squat lekythos. Other goods from this area (all M4th Ct) include: plainware vessels (amphoriskos, lamp, oinochoe), squat lekythoi, a bg kantharos and a tear-bottle. The 2 LAr graves contained bronze bow fibulae. Thereafter there seems to be a gap in use of the area through the 5th Ct, although only a fraction of the cemetery has been excavated. The location of the related settlement is unknown. One isolated child burial without goods was found located between groups 1 and 2.
At Melagia, 5 pits from clay extraction were investigated: LNeo pottery collected included incised and black-on-red ware. The chance find of a funerary stele of the 3rd quarter of the 1st Ct AD indicates later activity in the area.