407-420

Excavation in the ancient city of Abdera

• Κουκούλη - Χρυσανθάκη, Χάιδω

This report concerns the excavational research in the northwestern corner of the Archaic city-wall; walls of two building phases A and B were revealed in the excavation of 1982-4.Certain problems which arose during the earlier excavations were solved during this recent excavation: The continuation of the research in the area of the gate yielded a rectangular building, probably an inner jetty or a guard-house of the wall. Another part of the wall, 20 m. long, running south was also discovered although the turn of the wall southwards, necessary in order to follow the ancient seashore, has not been discovered. The order of the two building phases became clear this year: phase A antedates phase B. The outer face of phase B wall is built with big regular local stones following the isodomic system. This wall covers part of the thicker phase A wall of small stones as it was also documented by the excavation in the area of the gate. The excavation of 1987 yielded new evidence for the destruction of phase B wall: the research in the sanctuary of the female deity —discovered in earlier excavation outside the northwestern corner of the perimeter wall— documented that the phase B wall was covered by the Hellenistic cemetery and the sacrificial pit of the sanctuary whose latest contents date to the end of the 4th or early 3rd century B.C. The number of the clay unglazed miniature hydriae is significant; these were found together with other vases and figurines in a thick layer of ash and burnt bones. Although the excavation of the sacrificial pit has not yet been completed, the miniature hydriae are more than 2000.There was also evidence for the date of the Hellenistic cemetery by the northwestern corner of the perimeter wall II. Unlootred tombs containing rich offerings were found for the first time; their contents pottery and figurines date to the 2nd century B.C.

• History and Archaeology

• Ανασκαφές (Αρχαιολογία)

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