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Paros
island Greece
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Ancient
Cemetery at Paroikia
The
cemetery of the ancient city of Paros covered a large area and was continuously
used from the 8th century B.C. until the 2nd century A.D. The graves of
the Archaic period (cist-graves and pithos-burials) are organized in spaces
divided by vertical and horizontal walls. In the 5th century B.C. the burials
were placed in large, marble urns or in monumental structures with pedestals
and funerary stelae. In the Hellenistic and Roman periods, marble, pedestaled
sarcophagi were used. The excavation started in 1983, during the
construction of the Municipal Cultural Centre of Paros, near the
harbour. It was continued until 1985, when the finds prooved that this
was one of the most important cemeteries of the Cyclades. The excavation
was carried out under very difficult circumstances, since the area had
been converted into a marsh with dense plantation, due to underground water
and high sea level. The area was drained with the use of pipes and water-pumps
in 1989. The grave monuments with the funerary stelae and sarcophagi have
been restored.The excavation site has been organized as an archaeological
park, visible from all sides. Photographs of the excavation and representations
of the burials are displayed in an old, restored building outside the site.
Also
Visit: www.Exploreparos.com |
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