Oropos 1999 Overview

ABSTRACT

The aim of the Oropos Project is to publish the old rescue excavations of the Greek Archaeological Service at Skala Oropou and Nea Palatia (northern Attica, Greece) which yielded evidence for human occupation of the period between the 10"' and the 6"' centuries BC (Protogeometric, Geometric, Earlv Archaic, Archaic). These excavations were conducted in the years between 1985 and 1987 by the late Aliki Dragona and the publication rights were ceded to me in 1993 by the Ephor at that time of Attica, Dr. Basil Petrakos, currently Secretarv General of the Greek Archaeological Society. The study concerns two main excavations, that of the plot of the Telephone Company (OTE) at Nea Palatia, and that of the School (OSK property) at Skala Oropou. The material for publication is vast and cannot be treated in one single volume. Thus. the following publication planning has been made:

1. Oropos 1: The Protogeometric and Sub-Protogeometric periods (10'th – 9th c. BC.) (publication of the results of the excavation at the Telephone Company property, excavated between 1985 & 1986 by A. Dragona).

2. Oropos IT 1-Z: Oropos in the Late Geometric and F.'arly Archaic periods (8`" - 7rh c. BC'.) (two volumes, one dealing with History-Topography- Architecture, and another dealing with the movable finds) (i.e. the Main Quarter, excavated between 1985-87 by A. Dragona, and from 1996 onwards, under my direction).

3. Oropo.s III: Oropos in the Archaic Period (6`" c. BC.) (i.e. the Western Quarter - or Sector E, excavated in 1985 by A. Dragona).

Important note: The grant of the SHELBY WHITE-LEON LEVY PROGRAM FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS will be used exclusively for the study of the material of the old excavations, not for that of the new excavation at the School property, which is still in progress. The Greek Archaeological Society, the Ionian University, the Psycha Foundation and the J. Kostopoulos Foundation of the Credit Bank currently finance the latter, which will amount to ca. half of Oropos 11:1 & 2.