Archaeologists report the discovery of a Bronze Age burial alongside a large circular pit on the banks of a stream in eastern Attica. Researchers from Greece’s Ephorate of Antiquities of Eastern Attica uncovered a nearly six-foot-long pithos in the tomb. The jar, placed horizontally on its belly, features corded relief decorations around its neck and handles. Its mouth was sealed with a simulated door made from two large stones and smaller slabs, then covered with a semicircular wall of river pebbles.
Inside the jar, resting on sand and pebbles, were the bones of two individuals, covered with large stones. The burial also contained a copper awl, an ovoid stone thought to have served as a plaque, obsidian points, and ceramic vessels.
Approximately six feet away, excavators discovered a large circular pit showing traces of fire and long-term ritual use. The upper layers contained a bull’s skull, ceramics, and copper coins, while the lower layers held ash, burned materials, the bones of an equid, and smaller animals—likely cremated or sacrificed. Researchers hope that dating the burial and the pit’s contents will clarify whether the two sites are connected. For more on Attica’s archaeological discoveries, see Regime Change in Athens, one of ARCHAEOLOGY’s Top 10 Discoveries of 2016.
Source: archaeology.org Edited by Bernie