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Souroti, Prefecture of Thessaloniki : excavations in the ancient cemetery

• Σουέρεφ, Κώστας

Excavations since 1999 in Souroti by the 16th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities have revealed an ancient cemetery in the western extension of the settlement of Souroti and lying between the old settlement, the soccer field, a bottling plant and hills that close it off on the western and southern sides. Combining old and new archaeological date, it would appear that the cemetery was in use from the 6th until the early 2nd century B.C. It thus encompasses the archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods.The commonest type of grave during all periods in the ancient cemetery of Souroti was the pit-grave. Elliptical or rectangular pit-graves were cut into the yellowish-green, plastic soil. In some of the 4th century B.C. pit-graves, wooden funerary couches had been placed. The graves were covered by one, two or three slabs of yellow sedimentary rock or, more rarely, schist.Another type of grave found in Souroti, particularly in the 6th century B.C., was the cist-grave, made of the well-known local yellow sedimentary stone. Excavation sometimes reveals monolithic sarcophagi (a stone “chest” for the deceased) dating to the early 5th century B.C. Tile-covered graves (built of large roof-tiles), dated to the late 4th century B.C., are rare.

• History and Archaeology

• Ανασκαφές (Αρχαιολογία)

νεκροταφεία, Θεσσαλονίκη

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