Listed 2 sub titles with search on: Archaeological sites for wider area of: "ESSONIA Municipal unit VOLOS" .
DIMINI (Small town) VOLOS
Region: Magnesia
Periods: Neolithic
Type: Settlement
Summary: Defining site for Thessalian Late Neolithic cultural phase.
Physical Description:
Ca. 4 km W of Volos on a low mound, Dimini was discovered
when archaeologists were excavating a Mycenaean tholos tomb built into the mound.
One megaron-type building in an oval courtyard and sheds or shelters built inside
against the yard's wall are enclosed by a series of 6 or 7 fortification ring-walls.
Traces of smaller buildings or houses have been found outside the fortifications
at the base of the mound.
Description:
The site of Dimini covers an area of ca. 5000 sq. m and
flourished during the Thessalian Late Neolithic period (ca. 4000 - 3000 B.C.).
The earlier Neolithic period is represented at Dimini by only a handful of sherds
and the post Neolithic remains consists of a few cist graves of Middle Bronze
Age date and the Late Bronze Age tholos tomb. The architecture of the 2nd phase
at Dimini shows the same construction methods and same use of materials as seen
at earlier Sesklo. Dimini, however, has a definite fortification system in the
form of 6 or 7 concentric circuit walls. Some of these walls were as close together
as 1 m and may have been rubble filled double-faced fortress walls. The original
number of walls is unknown. They vary in thickness from 0.6 to 1.4 m, were possibly
2 to 3 m in height, and were made of rough stone set in mud. The walls follow
the natural contours of the hill and have no corners or towers. At the center
and highest part of the oval shaped hill there was an oval courtyard in which
a megaron type building and a few smaller buildings stood. Possibly one additional
megaron and several additional structures were scattered within the walls.
Exploration:
Excavations: 1901, V. Stais; 1903, C. Tsountas.
Donald R. Keller, ed.
This text is cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains 33 image(s), bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
SESKLO (Village) VOLOS
Region: Magnesia
Periods: Neolithic, Early Bronze Age, Middle Bronze Age, Late Bronze
Age
Type: Settlement
Summary: Defining site for Thessalian Middle Neolithic cultural
phase.
Physical Description:
Ca. 15 km SW of Volos on a low mound. The Middle Neolithic
settlement was a village of closely grouped houses around a central larger megaron
type building with a paved courtyard. A village fortification wall has been suggested,
but is not certain. Larger and less cramped houses occupied the area below the
mound.
Description:
The low mound of Sesklo, which sits in the fork of 2 small
gullies is ca 100 by 45 m in area. The prehistoric deposits which vary from 3
to 6 m in depth indicate occupation through all of the prehistoric periods, from
the earliest phase of the Neolithic to the end of the Bronze Age. The earliest
settlement at Sesklo may have had a fortification wall, but the evidence is indefinite
(some traces of an unusually thick wall are found at the E end of the site). The
houses of the 1st settlement were built of wattle and daub on wooden frame in
rectangular plan. Houses with and without stone foundations are known. In the
2nd period, the main phase of the Thessalian Middle Neolithic, the same construction
methods are used and evidence for fortification of the settlement is stronger,
but still inconclusive. One large building of megaron type appears. The Middle
Neolithic is the major period of the site and is characterized by the distinctive
Sesklo pottery. The Middle Neolithic settlement was destroyed by fire and a 500
year hiatus in occupation followed before the site was reoccupied in the Late
Neolithic. After the Middle Neolithic the remains from Sesklo are meager and unimportant.
Exploration:
Excavations: 1901-02, C. Tsountas; 1956-7, 1962-8, 1971-6,
D. Theocharis.
Donald R. Keller, ed.
This text is cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains 19 image(s), bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
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