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  1. « Pre » and « Para » Colonial Activities


  2. Pottery Styles of the 7th
    century B.C. Greek Pottery


  3. Pottery Styles of the 7th
    Century B.C. Local and
    Regional Pottery


  4. 6th – 5th Centuries B.C.
    Urbanism and Economy


  5. House « A » Domestic
    Architecture at Argilos


  6. 6th Century B.C.
    Pottery Styles


  7. 5th – 4th Centuries B.C.
    Urbanism and Economy


  8. Building « B » A Communal Structure


  9. Building « E » An Example of
    Public Architecture


  10. 5th – 4th Century B.C.
    Pottery, Figurines and Small Objects


  11. The Hellenistic Settlement
    of the Acropolis and the
    End of the City


  12. The olive pressing installation
    on the Acropolis


  13. The Necropolis of Argilos


  14. The Coinage of Argilos


  15. Argilos
    Epigraphical Evidence


  
   
Building « E »- An Example of Public Architecture

Plan of the southeast sector showing building E

Plan of the southeast sector showing building “E”


   Along the main road leading to the acropolis, excavations brought to light a very large building, measuring about 10 square meters. It consists of a large rectangular space that gives access to large rooms at the back. This type of room division is typical of greek houses of the archaic period. But compared with the surrounding dwellings, building « E » is very well constructed, the architects using finely cut rectangular stones for the walls. The main room contained a large rectangular stone hearth in the center, on which excavators found a clay cooking support. In one of the corners, they also discovered a complete bathtub.


View of room E2 with hearth and bathtub

View of room E2 with hearth and bathtub


   A very nice attic red-figured skyphos and a bead necklace were found on the floor. Along one of the side walls, an opening seems to have served to bring water; three hydriai, a type of vase used to transport water, were also unearthed. Moreover, archaeologists discovered six silver coins placed as an offering in the foundation of one the walls. Finally, on the street in front of the building, they found two clay ram heads, one of which still attached to its roof tile, which shows that they were placed at the extremity of the roof.


General view of building E

General view of building “E”


   The excellent quality of the building material used in the construction and the particular nature of the findings indicate that this was not an ordinary house but must have been a public building. We still do not know what its exact founction was, but there is a clear relation with the use of water.


Attic red-figured skyphos Attic red-figured skyphos
Ram head which was placed at the extremity of the roof Ram head which was placed at the extremity of the roof