Listed 21 sub titles with search on: Archaeological sites for wider area of: "MESSINIA Prefecture PELOPONNISOS" .
PYLOS (Ancient city) MESSINIA
The palace of Nestoras, son of Neleas, was discovered and searched in 1939 by Konstantinos Kourouniotis and excavated by the American Karl Blegen and is found in the region «Eglianos» 4 km south of the borough of Chora. It is a piece of work dating back to the 13th century B.C. and was built by the Dynasty of Neliedon. It consists of five main buildings which take up such a large area that it can only be compared, in terms of size and arrangement of indoor space, to the palaces of Mycaenae and Tiryntha. In two small rooms of the central building there have been found 1250 signs with writing in Grammiki B, one of the oldest kinds of Greek writing, which has been decoded by the architect Michael Ventris, while in the rooms of Kylikeio and the storage rooms there have been found cups and pots and pans.
n an 80 m distance in the north of the palace, there has been found a magnificent domed tomb ascribed to Nestoras and his successor Thrasymides. The palace was destroyed by fire at the end of the ceramic of style IIIB (1200 B.C approximately), when the palaces of Mycaenae and Tiryntha were burnt down too, for unknown reasons. At the same time, in about 1120 B.C. the Dories descended in Messinia due to the weakening of the powerful Kingdoms of the area. The extended area around the hill of Eglianos which was taken up by the palace of Nestoras as well as the royal domed tomb has been formed and welcomes the visits of many tourists.
This text is cited Feb 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
MYRO (Village) KYPARISSIA
There is an imposing sight at the village Myro, 8 km northeast of Kyparissia, and on the hill of Peristeria where the archaeological spade of Spyros Marinatos brought to light, in 1960, an ancient settlement which belongs to the Protomycaenic Period (17th-16th century B.C). There, they found houses belonging to the Mesohellenic Era (2200-1580 B.C), three domed gold-bearing tombs, a wall surrounding tombs and remnants('perivolos') of a wall which surrounded the hill of Peristeria in the south. In 1976, the archaeological spade of professor Korre discovered monuments such as a domed tomb belonging to the first Mycaenic Era, a surface, a four-wall tomb and structures of 1500 B.C.
The findings from the excavations, like golden jewellery, three golden cups, quite a few ostraka, golden horseshoes, spear points, a bronze sword, golden rodakes, a two-edged tool made of keratolithos, a golden owl etc are kept in the Museum of Chora. The wealth of findings and the size of buildings render the area of Peristeria as the centre of the extended area in the mycaenean era, while they are referred to as the «Mycaenae of Western Peloponesse» by Spyros Marinatos.
This text is cited Jan 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
ANTHIA (Village) THOURIA
On the hill of Hellenikon at Anthea 25 domed myceanean tombs, known as shelters, have come to light, four of which were excavated in 1995-1996,
KATO MALTHI (Settlement) TRIFYLIA
In Malthi (the homeric Dorio), the biggest acropolis of the 2nd century, there is the best-preserved domed tomb of Greece. The construction of its upper part is still saved today as well as the stone of the ceiling which is called Kleidi (Key) and sealed the top of its beehive-like construction.
This extract is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
KORYFASSIO (Cape) NESTOR
The domed tomb of Koryfasio (excavated by Kourouniotis in 1925) contained ostraka(fragments of vases) which belonged to the Mesohellenic Period (2200-1580 B.C)which is a sign that Messinia had domed tombs when in Mycaenae pit tombs were used.
This extract is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
MESSINIA (Prefecture) PELOPONNISOS
The domed Tombs, a tomb monument of the 2nd millenium B.C., was first created in Messinia, as a continuation of another kind of tomb, the Tymvos, and spread over Greece reaching its peak at Mycaenae with the Τreasure of Atreas. It consists of a circular chamber which supports a dome and of a mouth, the entrance, to which a passage leads. Most of the tombs were constructed in about the 15th century B.C. close to settlements which are all over Messinia, from Eglianos and Voedokelia to Kambos Avias, Anthea (Ancient Thouria - 'Hellenika'), Malthi and Peristeria. In Nestora's kingdom, the nekropolis of Eglianos, three tombs were found on the hill of Eglianos, two at Tragana, two at Myrsinochori, one at Koryfasio and one at Voedokelia.
This extract is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
MYRO (Village) KYPARISSIA
At Peristeria, the Mycaenae of Western Peloponnese, four domed tombs have been found, one of which is the biggest in Messinia. In the tombs of Peristeria there have been found written characters in Hieroglyphics and Grammiki A', engraved elements of Knossos, golden cups, jewellery and magnificent vases which are exhibited today in the museum of Chora.
This extract is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
MYRSINOCHORI (Village) NESTOR
The two tombs found in Myrsinochori can be characterised as princely because Cretan vases, amber necklaces, manuals with golden covering, a gold ring etc. were found there.
THOURIA (Ancient city) MESSINIA
The presence of a myceanean civilization in the area of ancient Thouria is also proved by the chamber tomb found there. It was built in 1500 B.C. and was 1,80 m. wide. It was covered by 2 flat stones 2,75 m. long each while the partitions were symmetrical with hewn stone of 2 m.
This extract is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
TRAGANA (Settlement) GARGALIANI
The archaeologists Skias and Marinatos have excavated the two tombs of Tragana. In one of them they found hollows containing remnants of burnt corpses (coal and bones).
VOIDOKILIA (Beach) PYLOS
The tomb of Voedokelia is attributed to Nestora's son, Thrasymidis, according to the archaeologist Marinatos, and under the passageway stone and bronze arrows were found.
MESSINI (Ancient city) ITHOMI
It had been built by the feet of the mountain of Ithomi in 369 B.C., where the prehistoric Ithomi was, by the Theban general Epaminondas with the help of Epitelis from Argos. It was erected as a shelter for the settlement of refugees from Messinia and Arkadia and in order to create a powerful city to counterbalance the sovereignty of Sparta. The city was protected by a circular symmetrical wall built with huge stones which were 2-2,5 m. wide and 4,5 m. high. Its perimeter extended for 9,024 m. and followed the two slopes of Mount Ithomi which was a place of worship for Ithomata Dia (Zeus). In terms of structure the wall is considered to be one of the best examples of architecture and fortification of the fourth century B.C. with two gates; the eastern, the Lakoniki and the northwestern, the Arkadiki. The Arkadiki Gate had two doors and a big circular yard was included inside while the wall had ramparts and overlooking turrets at intervals as well as embrasures on two different levels.
The centre of the town was in the place of the contemporary village Mavromati while in the Agora, according to what has been Knhwn until 1986 and what comes to light with the excavations on the area of ancient Messini by the professor in the University of Crete, Petros Themelis, was the source of Arsinoe or Kallirroi Krini. In the archaeological site there is the Asklaepeio, holy sanctuaries of Poseidon, Aphrodite and Demeter, statues of the Mother of gods (attributed to the Messinian artist Damofondas), Lafias Artemidos, Elitheias, the Dioskouri, a monument to honor Aristomenis, the Gymnasium and the Sevasteio or Kesharion, a building dedicated( from 14 A.D) to the worship of Roman emperors.
Skeletons of Synedrio, Alexandrianis era and Ierothisiou have been found close to the Agora as well as statues of all the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and of the founder of the city, general Epaminondas, and ruins of the theatre, the Vouleftirio and the stadium. It was the capital of the federation of messinian cities (338-191 B.C) and reached its heyday during the Achaic and Aetolic confederacy.
This text is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
From 1987, that professor Petros Themelis began the excavations, till now, there have been found:
Two sanctuaries on the SW slope of mount Ithome.
The N side of the market-place.
The sanctuaries of Demeter and the Dioscouri.
The sanctuary of Artemis Orthia (standing).
The N wing of the Asclepion.
A public bath.
Two rooms of Roman buildings.
Part of the Hierothesion.
The stadium and the gymnasium.
The shrine of Heracles and Hermes with their statues of worship.
The Heroon, a Doric temple in the stadium.
The ancient theatre.
The water-basin Arsinoe, where the village Mavromati takes water from. Behind the water-basin there was found a sanctuary of Acheloous. (source: Publication of the Prefectural government of Messenia).
It was intended only for the meetings of the 76 members of the congress of the town, for whom there was a stone bench along the three sides, while in the middle of the fourth there was supposed to be the podium of the speaker (Ekdot. Athinon, Pausaniou Periegissis, vol.3, p.124, note 3).
DORION (Prehistoric settlement) TRIFYLIA
Malthi/The Swedish Messenia expedition
Malthi is the name of the northern spur of the mountain range of Ramovouni
in northern Messenia. The village of Vasiliko is situated some kms northeast of
Malthi. In 1926 Natan Valmin came to the region and was shown two tholos tombs
which he excavated the same year. Later on a third tholos was identified, but
it was destroyed before there was time to excavate it. The tholos tombs are situated
just west of the Malthi acropolis, by the small village of Malthi (former Bodia).
Tholos I was robbed and contained a mixture of Mycenaean pottery sherds and later
material. The diametre of the circular chamber was 6.85 m and the height was 5.80
m. Tholos II was partly collapsed at the time of excavation and this tomb had
also been robbed. Both tombs were obviously cut out from the cliff (according
to Hope Simpson & Dickinson, A gazetteer of Aegean civilization in the Bronze
Age, Vol I: The mainland and islands, 1979, 174) and were not built directly on
flat ground as Valmin states. The next year Valmin excavated two more tholoi:
one west of Kopanaki and another between Vasiliko and Bouga-Kallirrhoi. The results
are published in Bulletin de la Societe Royale des Lettres de Lund 1926-1927,
190 ff.
The same year, 1927, the excavation of the settlement on top of the
acropolis started. Excavations continued in 1929, 1933 and 1934. During these
years the entire settlement, which is encircled by a wall, was uncovered. The
area within the wall measures 140 x 80 m. Valmin stated that the earliest habitation
was Neolithic. This he called Dorion I. Dorion II was larger och would, according
to Valmin, belong to the Early Bronze Age. The wall around the settlement was
erected during Dorion IV in the Middle Bronze Age. This habitation continued down
into Mycenaean times.
Valmin describes how Dorion IV was divided into three separate parts:
the central area where the architecture seemed to be more of a monumental character
and where there were workshops in the northern part, the area which runs along
the interior of the wall, and the empty areas where there was no habitation.
A number of 47 graves were excavated in the settlement within the walls. They were situated beneath and between the buildings. They are either simple pitgraves or cist graves, the sides of which consisted of stone slabs or were built by smaller stones. Single burials were most common, although some of the graves held two individuals and some held several. Two of the graves held no human bones. Nine of the burials were adults and the rest were children. Valmin searched in vain for chamber tombs in the region during all the excavation campaigns.
It is now believed that the earliest habitation at Malthi cannot be
dated earlier than the Middle Bronze Age. The pottery which Valmin called coarse
'Adriatic Ware' and which he found throughout the layers in the habitation beginning
in the so-called Neolithic settlement, has proved to be typical for the local
Middle Bronze Age in Messenia ((R.J. Howell i W.A. McDonald, 'Excavations at Nichoria:
1972-1973', Hesperia 44, 1975, 111). The encircling wall is now dated to the Late
Helladic period (P. Darque, L?architecture domestique mycenienne. These du III°
cycle, Paris 1980, 32f.).
A building or part of a settlement dating to the Late Bronze Age was
excavated in 1936 in the same area, where the two tholoi were excavated in 1926.
In 1929 Valmin travelled around Messenia and some of his observations
are recorded in Etudes topographiques sur la Messenie ancienne, 1930. After his
travels Valmin saw reason to return and conduct excavations at two archaeological
sites which he had found being of special interest. One of the sites was a temple
to the rivergod Pamisos in Hagios Floros, ca 5 km east of Messene. The finds from
this excavation indicate that this cult place had been in use from Archic down
to Roman times. The other site was Koroni in southeastern Messenia (the colony
of the inhabitants from Asine in the Argolid). Just north of the town Valmin excavated
a Roman mosaic in a room supposed to have been a larger complex: a villa or a
gymnasium. Dionysos is the central motif of the mosaic.
Many of the finds from the various excavations conducted by Valmin
and his colleagues were restored and put on display in the local museum of Vasiliki.
This museum is now closed. The finds from his excavation are now in the Kalamata
Museum.
The following excavations under the direction of Valmin are published
in The Swedish Messenia Expedition, 1938:
The two tholos tombs of Malthi (Bodia).
The settlement of Malthi including the tombs.
The temple of Pamisos at Hagios Floros.
The Roman mosaic at Hagia Triada close to Koroni.
Ann-Louise Schallin, ed.
This text is cited Jun 2005 from The Swedish Institute at Athens URL below
Region: Messenia
Periods: Classical, Hellenistic, Roman
Type: Fortified city
Summary: One of the best fortified of ancient Greek cities.
Physical Description:
Located in the highlands of Messenia on the SW slopes of Mt.
Ithome, Messene was among the best fortified of ancient Greek cities. Mt. Ithome
was mentioned by Homer and its summit served as a religious center and refuge
for the Messenians at least since the Archaic period. From the acropolis almost
all of the state of Messenia is visible. The 4th century B.C. fortification walls
of Messene (still well preserved) totaled a length of ca. 9 km and enclosed the
acropolis as well as large tracts of agricultural land that could serve as a place
of refuge for inhabitants from the countryside. A Sanctuary of Asklepios, theater,
stadium and other public buildings were also enclosed within the fortifications.
The circuit walls (ca. 2.5 m thick and 4.5 m high) included at least 4 well-designed
city gates and over 30 towers.
Description:
The city of Messene was founded as the new capital in 369 B.C.
after the liberation of Messenia from Spartan rule, and the city walls are reported
to have been completed in just 85 days. Messene joined and abandoned a number
of leagues and alliances during the Hellenistic period and was besieged in 220,
214, 202, and 182 B.C. The city was never politically powerful, but remained prosperous
and continued to be inhabited at least into the 5th century A.D.
Exploration:
Minor excavations by T. Sophoulis in 1895; G. Oikonomos in
1909 and 1925. A. Orlandos has excavated from 1957-1964 and since 1969.
Donald R. Keller, ed.
This text is cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains 26 image(s), bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
PYLOS (Ancient city) MESSINIA
Region: Messenia
Periods: Middle Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age
Type: Settlement
Summary: Mycenaean palace complex and traditional home of Nestor.
Physical Description:
Located near Navarino Bay and modern Pylos (close to village
of Khora) on the hill of Epano Englianos. The site compares in size and richness
with the palace of Mycenae and is believed to be the home of Nestor, the second
most powerful Mycenaean king. The palace consisted of two-storeyed buildings arranged
in three main blocks: the main building with a megaron hall (containing the throne),
propylon, archives (with hundreds of clay tablets preserved), magazines and private
chambers. The SW and NE blocks contained workshops, storerooms and private chambers.
The palace was apparently unfortified. Tholos tombs and a lower town are associated
with the palace.
Description:
The site was occupied at least as early as the Middle Bronze
Age. The Mycenaean palace (which seems to have replaced an earlier fortified palace)
was built near the end of the Late Bronze Age (LH IIIB, ca. 1300 B.C.) and shortly
thereafter the site was destroyed and abandoned. Pylos is the best preserved of
all the Mycenaean palaces and is especially important for the hundreds of Linear
B clay tablets found (accidentally preserved through baking in the fire that destroyed
the palace) at the site.
Exploration:
Site was explored in 1939. Excavations: 1952- C. Blegen
and Kourouniotis.
Donald R. Keller, ed.
This text is cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains 26 image(s), bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
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