455-468

Archaeological investigation at Nea Rhoda of Chalkidice

• Βοκοτοπούλου, Ιουλία Π.
• Τσιγαρίδα, Ελισάβετ-Μπεττίνα

An ancient sanctuary was discovered southwest from Nea Roda, south from a site called «Palaeopyrgos»; part of an Archaic «oikos», a group of walls with the same orientation and part of another building north from the oikos were located. The excavation of the Archaic oikos yielded important evidence. A part of its destruction layer was investigated: it comprised two types of Corinthian tiles: separate and joined antefixes and eaves-tiles. All eaves-tiles are decorated with guilloche pattern painted with three colours, red, whitish and dark brown. The antefixes are palmette shaped with volutes springing above the joint and an upside-down palmette below. This type is common in Corinthia in the last quarter of the 6th century B.C. Fragments of terracotta statues were also found in the destruction layer: part of a statue of a Nike(Victory), fragment of a female statue with chiton and peplos, fragments of animal figurines. They are all dated to the late Archaic period and recall similar finds from Olympia. They were probably the akroteria (statues decorating the lower angles and the apex of the pediments) or maybe they decorated the pediments of the «oikos».Furthermore, a marble head of a bearded man of the late 4th century B.C. was found also on the destruction layer of the building. Under the destruction layer, pyrai with burnt bones, and a pit with shells were discovered, suggesting the act of worship. The pottery found in that area dates to the late 4th or early 3rd century B.C. Also the archaeological data imply that the Archaic «oikos» was used in that period. Consequently, according to the archaeological evidence, this sanctuary has been used for at least two centuries. However, it is premature to associate it with a specific deity.

• History and Archaeology

• Ανασκαφές (Αρχαιολογία)

Χαλκιδική, συνέδρια

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