Maroulas (Kythnos)

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The archaeological site of Maroulas ( Greek Μαρουλάς ( m. Sg. )) Near Loutra on the Cycladic island of Kythnos dates back to the late Mesolithic in the 9th to 8th millennium BC. It is the oldest known settlement in the Cyclades today . Archaeological excavations between 1996 and 2005 revealed several circular structures that were likely used as housing, as well as several graves with intact human skeletons in a crouched position .

location

The Mesolithic settlement area of ​​Maroulas is located on a flat headland northeast of the modern village of Loutra . At the time of its existence, Maroulas was around 50 to 60 m above today's sea level. The advancement of the coastline destroyed a large part of the settlement area, the remaining area extends to about 1500 m².

Archaeological excavation

In the course of an archaeological survey of the ground , the American anthropologist Kenneth Honea discovered the settlement site in July 1972 and collected a large number of artifacts, mainly obsidian. The excavations began in 1996 and, after a break of several years, were continued from 2001 to 2006 by the Department of Mediterranean Studies of the University of the Aegean in collaboration with the 21st Ephoria for Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and the Jagiellonian University in Krakow . The finds were published in 2010.

The inhabitants of Maroulas mainly fed on pottery snails ( Helix figulina ), but also on mussels and fish. The discovery of the bones of a domesticated pig is remarkable . Since this animal is not part of the natural fauna of the Cyclades, it must have been domesticated in another area. Millstones and some bowl-like grating stones suggest the processing of plant-based foods.

Although Milos obsidian was often found in all processing stages from untreated blanks to flakes, the residents of Maroulas mainly used the abundant quartz found on the island for tool making. The obsidian finds as well as the similarity of the stone work of Kerame on Ikaria seem to prove that as early as the 9th millennium BC The exchange of goods and contacts in the Aegean existed.

Chronologically, the settlement of Maroulas is between 8600 and 7800 BC. Dated a little earlier, at least at the same time as the Franchthi Cave on the Peloponnese and earlier as the Cyclops Cave on Gioura .

literature

  • Adamantios Sampson: The Mesolithic Settlement and Cemetery of Maroulas on Kythnos . In: NJ Brodie, J. Doole, G. Gavalas, C. Renfrew (Eds.): Horizon - a colloquium on the prehistory of the Cyclades . Cambridge, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, 2008, ISBN 978-1-902937-36-6 , pp. 13-17 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Samson 2008, p. 13
  2. ↑ Kenneth Honea: Prehistoric Remains on the Island of Kythnos . In: Archaeological Institute of America (Ed.): American Journal of Archeology . Vol. 79, No. 3 , 1975, p. 277-279 .

Coordinates: 37 ° 26 ′ 50.1 ″  N , 24 ° 25 ′ 52.4 ″  E