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Radiocarbon Dating of the Neolithic Settlement at Makriyalos, Pieria, North Greece

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 March 2020

Yannis Maniatis*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Archaeometry, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR “Demokritos”, 153 10 Aghia Paraskevi, Attiki, Greece
Maria Pappa
Affiliation:
Ephorate of Antiquities of the Thessaloniki Region, 21A Marias Kallas str., 54645Thessaloniki, Greece
*
*Corresponding author. Email: y.maniatis@inn.demokritos.gr

Abstract

Radiocarbon (14C) dating was performed on samples from the prehistoric settlement at Makriyalos, northern Greece, a “flat extended” (rather than tell) site. Two separate occupation phases, Makriyalos I and II, were clearly distinguished on different sides of a low hill and belonged to the Late Neolithic I and II periods, respectively. Individual phases related to the use of circuit ditches and borrow pits were also recognized and dated. Phase modeling was applied in order to establish the sequence and duration of use of different features. The earliest activity seems to be around 5450 BC, among the earliest dates in northern Greece for the beginning of the LN and perhaps reflecting some earlier activity. The transition from LNI to LNII occurred at around 4950 BC without discontinuity earlier than other sites in Macedonia but perhaps same time as Thessaly. Intermediate ditch cutting phases occurred at 5300 and 5050 BC. A cemetery in the area of the settlement, initially thought to relate to the LNII phase of the settlement, was shown to date in the EBA period (beginning of 3rd millennium BC).

Type
Case Study
Copyright
© 2020 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona

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