In the course of the construction works on the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, at the Faliron Delta, excavations were carried out by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Piraeus and Islands (former XXVI Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities), which uncovered the necropolis of ancient Phaleron. This is the largest ancient cemetery in Attica and one of the largest in Greece. It was revealed over a plot of at least 1 hectare and occupies a major part of the littoral zone of the ancient Bay of Phaleron. The necropolis was in use for a long period, spanning the eighth century BC into the fourth century BC. Some 2,000 graves have been found, of all the known types, such as pit graves, pot burials (enchytrismoi), funerary pyres, cist graves, clay larnakes, secondary cremations, tile-roof graves, as well as one inhumation in a wooden coffin. There were also several burials of animals, mainly horses.
Of particular interest are the burials of individuals with direct or indirect traces of violence (violent deaths) and of individuals with metal or other shackles. Even more interesting are the mass burials of captives or prisoners, notable among them the mass burial of 79 prisoners, laid out in three rows. The find is dated to the second half of the seventh century BC and is unique in Greece. Research on the Phaleron cemetery is valuable in many ways, as it brings to light new evidence relating to Athenian society in a period when, as is known from the textual sources, major social and political changes were effected, which set their seal on its future development. The research project had also an educational side, as in collaboration with Greek universities many students gained practical experience and training in the Faliron excavation.
Image source: Faliron Delta Excavation Archive.
