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New archaelogical evidence in the crypt of the church of Hagios Demetrios in Thessaloniki

• Λοβέρδου - Τσιγαρίδα, Κάτια

During conservation activités at the Crypt of the church of Hagios Demetrios, anexcavation was carried out revealing new evidence for the building phases of the church and its system of water supply:1) The modern staircase leading to the Crypt belonged to the Roman building activities of the 5th century covered the last step.2) A drainage pipe was located at the communication point between the chapel of the Crypt and the holy fountain; it was probably related to the use of the Crypt as a holy fountain in the Early Christian period.3) Pipes of the water supply and the drainage systems were discovered in the NE room; these were destroyed in the 12th century.4) The eastern wall of the NE room of the Crypt was built in the 7th century in order to block one of the original entrances to the building. Earlier architectural members, fragments of the base and the balcony of a Pulpit (Ambo) with two staircases were incorporated in the wall.5) The excavational data of the NW room of the Crypt revealed that a destroyed Hellenistic building occupied this room. One of the walls of this building, running from north to south and 0.54 m. wide was discovered 2.30 m. below the modern floor. A Roman wall, running from east to west, was built above; it served as the southern wall of the room with the mosaic of the 5th century on the floor, similar to that discovered at the same depth in the SW room of the Crypt. This wall was destroyed later and was covered by the terracotta slabs of a floor. An opening at the eastern wall of the room served for the communication with the NE room whose original entrance had already been blocked.

• History and Archaeology

• Ανασκαφές (Αρχαιολογία)

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