Pateli Necroplis is an archaeological burial site located in the four lake area that is part of the Amyntaio district of Greece. The necropolis is part of an ancient civilization that existed in the area 7,300 years ago, from 6000 BC up to 60 BC.[1][2][3] The necropolis itself is located between the lakes of Vegoritis and Petres, on a low hill.[4]
Excavation history
editThe first excavation at the site took place in 1898. The excavations were conducted by the Russian Archaeological Institute of Constantinople with the permission of the Ottoman authorities, due to infrastructure works conducted in the area.[4][1] In 1936 another excavation was conducted. The necropolis was declared an archaeological site in 1961. From the year 2001 rescue excavations are conducted on a regular bases by the 17th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and the 29th Ephorate of Classical and Prehistoric Antiquities. In later years also the Ephorate of Antiquities of Florina took part.[4] The excavations at Pateli Necroplis are part of a larger excavation in the area, which is a joint venture conducted by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Florina, the Greek Ministry of Culture, the Zurich underwater archaeology and a partly fund by the Swiss Federal office of Culture.[3]
Archaeology
editThe civilization that populated the four lake district dates back as far as 6,000 BC[3] The most evidance found in the area of the Pateli Necroplis dates mainly to the Iron Age, 1100-500 BC. It seems there was an increase in population during that time period. the excavation uncovered a larhe area with a totall of 376 cist graves. In the grave most of the bodies were laid in a supine position.[4]
Findings
editin total the necropolis covers an area of 25 acres. Apart from the hundreds of stone cist graves found on the site, many skeletons were uncovered, most of them were laid in a supine position. Furthermore, within many graves offerings were found, a fact that indicates the wealth of the deceased and their high position in the community, some of them being rulers.[4] The offerings included bronze jewelries, iron weapons, golden ornaments alongside clay, amber. stone and bone objects. There is little known about pottery found at the site during the Russian excavation, as the only 1/6 of the artifacts are in the museum. Among the many graves, there was a discovery section of 28 children graves.[4][1]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Forgotten necropolis | eKathimerini.com". www.ekathimerini.com. 2007-03-02. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
- ^ "Neolithic: Four Lakes Region". Sklithro-Zelenich-Sebalći. 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
- ^ a b c P., T. Jagoulis, Chrysostomou; Mäder, A. (2015). ""Culture of Four Lakes". Prehistoric lakeside settlements (6th - 2nd mill. BC) in the Amindeon Basin, Western Macedonia, Greece". ResearchGate.
- ^ a b c d e f Mavrodakou, Pinelopi (2020). ""Early Iron Age grave finds from the tumuli cemetery of Agios Panteleimon (Pateli) at Amyntaio in western Macedonia"".