Archaeological Site of Lefkandi
The settlement, which flourished during the Geometric period in Lefkandi, allegedly located in Butte Xeropolis level, which have seen successive building phases, of which the oldest dates to the Early Bronze Age. On the hill called Tuba revealed a vaulted building, which is about 47 meters long and 10 meters wide. This is the famous memorial bleach, which was built probably in the first half of the 10th century. BC this is the most monumental structure of the Early Iron Age, which has been discovered in the Greek world. The building had wooden outer colonnade. Inside the main room, two burials were hegemonic in nature, one man and one woman, accompanied by rich grave goods, some of which were imported from the East and horse burials. This structure is interpreted as a house-ruler local ruler, who after his death turned into a memorial and was covered by plaque. In the adjacent hills have discovered the cemeteries of the settlement, the investigation of which yielded a significant number of burials (179 graves and 93 cremation). The cemeteries of the Early Iron Age yielded rich finds, gold jewelry and luxury goods from the East. The archaeological investigation revealed that the graves belonged to a community with high living standards. The richest burials belonging to soldiers who were buried with their weapons and valuables from the East. The weapons were usually of iron, as this new technology had reached the Aegean probably from Cyprus around 1000 BC Gold jewelry was placed in female burials, of which there were missing earrings and rings. Of the imported objects held a special place vases of faience and copper.
History
Lefkandi lies between Chalcis and Eretria, on the west coast of Evia, in the City Xeropolis Lilantion. The well-protected location on the Evian gulf between two small ports favored the development of the city, which played an important role in the history of the region and appears to have been an important site of trade from the eastern Mediterranean and Phoenicia to the Black Sea. After all, here is placed Lelantine field, the rich plain between Chalcis and Eretria, which clashed in the early sixth century. BC the two most important cities of Euboea. The oldest inhabited place in Lefkandi the Early Bronze Age, when Hill developed a significant settlement, known for its business contacts with other parts of the Aegean, especially the Northeast. Life continued uninterruptedly in the Middle and Late Bronze Age, as seen from the cemeteries and graves of the offerings. A small gap in the occupation of the region observed in the Early Iron Age. According to the findings, mostly from the cemeteries, the peak period of settlement dating back to the Geometric period, between 900 and 700 BC During the Mycenaean period Evia controlled by the palace of Thebes after the destruction of the settlement appears to bleach gained greater independence and the ability to control its fate. The inhabitants developed commercial relations with the rest of the Aegean and the Orient, as evidenced by the new iconographic themes, decorating their vessels. The settlement and the cemeteries have yielded important data on the Geometric period (1050-700 BC), there was a period of failure and isolation after the destruction of the Mycenaean world. The rich finds were uncovered, and especially gold jewelry and luxury goods from the East, show that Lefkandi was an important settlement with a variety of commercial contacts with rich upper class. The cemeteries of the bleach region ceased to be used around 800 BC, while the settlement was abandoned in Xeropolis around 700 BC probably as a consequence of Lelantine war. Excavations began in Lefkandi the 1960 under the auspices of the British School in Athens. The excavations in the cemeteries were conducted in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and British archaeologists.
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