The third excavation campaign was recently completed at the Neolithic site known as the Botanical Garden, located on the western shore of Lake Plastira in Thessaly, Greece. This Neolithic settlement, discovered at an altitude of 800 meters, has revealed valuable findings that provide a deeper insight into the life and culture of Neolithic communities in this mountainous region.
At approximately one meter below the surface, the site’s main occupation layer was identified, which, according to radiocarbon dating, corresponds to the transition from the end of the Early Neolithic to the beginning of the Middle Neolithic, around 5999-5845 B.C.
The findings indicate that this community had remarkable autonomy in obtaining raw materials, such as clay for pottery production and various types of flint. Additionally, abundant stone tools and numerous hand mills made of sandstone, found in the site’s natural surroundings, were discovered.
The pottery unearthed at the site is predominantly monochromatic and appears to have been produced locally. So far, two ceramic kiln complexes have been discovered, in which spherical containers were found, seemingly in the place where they were fired.
The stratigraphy suggests that more kilns could be found in future excavations. The presence of ceramic kilns at such an early period is a significant finding, as three other locations in Thessaly have recently reported similar information.
The presence of these kilns at the Botanical Garden site indicates the autonomy of this mountainous settlement and suggests that it may have had a more permanent character.
In addition to ceramic kilns, other structures such as domestic constructions for various uses have been discovered. A large area of the site is covered by layers of burned material, delineated by an adobe wall, inside which hearths, post holes, and other movable findings have been found.
Among the movable findings are several anthropomorphic figurines, one of which has a preserved height of 10.5 cm, and it is estimated that it originally reached between 16 and 17 cm in height.
Also noteworthy is a complete model of an oven or hearth, a very rare finding in this context. The pottery features some decorative elements (buttons) that could suggest closer relationships with specific sites of the same era in the Thessalian plain.
So far, this site is considered a rare high-altitude Neolithic installation, significantly different from other known Neolithic settlements in the plains.
Its uniqueness lies in the “originality” and non-repetition of similar movable or fixed findings, suggesting that it should be treated as a special case that opens new fields in Neolithic research.
The Botanical Garden site at Lake Plastira offers a unique insight into Neolithic life in a mountainous region and presents exciting opportunities for future archaeological research, which will surely reveal more about the history and culture of the early human communities in this region of Greece.
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