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The Department of Antiquities of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announces that, in March 2023, the archaeological mission of the Department of History and Archaeology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (A.The mission of the Department of History and Archaeology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, under the direction of Professor Emeritus of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Mr. N. Efstratiou and Assistant Professor of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ms. M. Dinou, carried out investigations at the site of Agios Ioannis/Vretia-Roudias with the financial support of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.] Lydia Amvrosiadi, Vasiliki Argyrou, Nina Kovbas, Eleni Selengidi, and the Cypriot archaeology students Panagiotis Ioannou and Giorgos Harilaou of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki participated in the research, as every year, along with the following students of the Department of History and Archaeology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki: Lydia Amvrosiadi, Vasiliki Argyrou, Nina Kovbas, Eleni Selengidi, and the Cypriot archaeology students Panagiotis Ioannou and Giorgos Harilaou.
The excavation was conducted between 11 and 26 March 2023, during an extremely rainy period that made access to the site very difficult. The 2023 excavations were carried out at the Epipaleolithic site (Agios Ioannis/Vretia-Roudias), in the southern part of the Roudias terrace and at the site of the Aceramic Neolithic period (Upper Agios Ioannis/Vretia-Roudias), which is located in the northern part of the site.
At the Epipaleolithic site it was decided to continue the excavation of the sections that had started to be excavated in 2021 i.e. I11, J12, F7 and G8. The aim was to study the stratigraphic sequence, particularly the deeper strata, the careful dry sieving of all deposits removed, but above all the systematic flotation in order to collect archaeobotanical remains that until recently had not been identified. The investigations confirmed the picture of the succession of strata up to the natural bedrock in sections G8 and F7. Sections I12 and J12 revealed the upper layers with the presence of stones and stone artefacts. New, interesting excavation and stratigraphic evidence suggests the existence of a trench/pit probably with anthropogenic fill. The next excavation period will further investigate these indications, particularly for the identification of artifacts and especially bioarchaeological material, which is currently scarce.
The excavation in the area of the Aceramic site of Ano Roudia focused on the cleaning and study of the monumental circular building that had been uncovered in previous years. This was done both by opening some new sections near the building and at a distance from it, south of the terrace, in order to document its relationship with architectural elements from neighbouring sites. This was done successfully while at the same time the archaeological backfill was sifted to identify small finds.
The 2023 excavations at the Akeramic site of Ano Agios Ioannis/Vretsias-Roudias at Troodos reinforced the picture that the team had documented in previous years of the human presence in mountainous Cyprus during this period. All indications are that the northern part of the Roudia terrace hosts more than one stone building of the Choirokoitia Phase (mid 7th millennium BC), although this will be documented by the research which should continue more systematically in the coming years with test cuts to be opened over the whole area of the terrace.
(MB/SX)
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