151-161

Toumba of Archontiko : trial excavation in 1992, section II

• Παπαευθυμίου-Παπανθίμου, Αικατερίνη
• Πιλάλη-Παπαστερίου, Αγγελική

In September 1992 the 17th Ephorate of Prehistoric and classical Antiquities and the Archaeological Faculty of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki carried out a new systematic excavation at the mound (toumba) of Archontiko at Giannitsa; the mound is located south from Archontiko, in themid-distance between ancient Pella and Giannitsa. In the antiquity this site should have been privileged, being by the sea, since it has been suggested that the Thermaic Gulf penetrated in the area until ancient Pella. The excavation of section B focused on the southern slope of the mound, where six terraced trenches (3x2 m.) were carried out to define the stratigraphic and chronological successive phases of the settlement. The stratigraphic research revealed thick Neolithic fill, restricted early Bronze Age fill, and a significant late Bronze and Geometric habitation. The first results of the excavational data were the following:1) The late Neolithic habitation is important, and probably contemporary with Mandalo phase II in the same area.2) If this phase has been evident in trenches B, Γ and Δ, then the Neolithic settlement would have been built in terraces.3) The discovery of a few sherds suggests the existence of an earlier phase, which should be confirmed by trenches at the foot of the mound.4) The early Bronze Age phase seems limited. The evidence though suggests that it is not contemporary with Mandalo phase III.5) The late Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and the Geometric phases cannot be separated, since the fill was mixed. A serious problem is passed by the excavation at a site like Archontiko, which has been constantly excavated as it is suggested by the mixed fill. This problem will be solved once the excavation will be horizontally extended to the interior of the mound; then clear archaeological layers might be discovered. The size of the mound of Archontiko gives chances to such an expectation

• History and Archaeology

• Ανασκαφές (Αρχαιολογία)

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