As the excavations at the proto-urbanistic settlement of Poliochni have proven, the island of Lemnos has in many ways played an extremely important role in the framework of the so-called Trojan Civilization during the Early Bronze Age. According to the mythical tradition and the archaeological evidence the contribution of the island to the adoption and the Aegean transmission of the new revolutionary know-how, Metallurgy, was, as it seems, decisive. Primarily, the privileged geographic position of Lemnos -at the entrance to the Dardanelles, across the Troad- in combination with its suitable land morphology -fertile, broad plains and safe ancorages- must be considered as the basic factors for the cultural thriving of the island during this period. Thus, an impressive network of littoral, in their majority, settlements was developed, which still await for the archaeologist’s pickaxe. One of these settlements, among the most important at it seems, is the Koukonissi isle, south of Lemnos, at the inner part of the Moudros Bay. The first surveys, besides a number of sherds from the historic period, produced abundant evidence of prehistoric inhabitation, especially at the northern part of the isle. Scattered building remnants, ceramics and clay spindles -perfectly corresponding to those from Poliochni and Troy-, sea-shells, scraps of consumed food, as well as a plethora of stone tools ascertain the great importance of Koukonissi during the Early Bronze Age. The finds surveyed so far, mainly ceramics, reliabiy witness to many superposed building phases. The inhabitation of the isle also went on during Middle and Late Bronze Age, as it is proven by the presence of Mycenaean sherds as well. Now is the turn for the systematic excavational research that has been scheduled to commence this year.
Koukonissi
09 Aug 2012
by Archaeology Newsroom
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