Zerelia Excavation 1908
British School at Athens excavations at the site of Zerelia were conducted in June 1908 by A.J.B. Wace, M.S. Thompson and J.P. Droop. The major focus was the need to refine the chonology of the earliest civilisation in northern Greece and its relationship with other cultures. Excavations discovered remains dating to the 3rd century BC on top, disproving the long-held idea that the site was similar to the temple site of Itanos. Immediately below these late and badly built walls was a rich prehistoric deposit from 6 to 8 metres thick, comprising no fewer than 8 successive settlements separated by layers of burnt and decomposed mud brick. In the topmost stratum were found cist-tombs containing wheel-made vases and a few bronze objects, and from the same stratum come fragments of late 'Mycenaean' vases of the Ialysos type (Late Minoan III). On the basis of this, the excavators attributed the date of this settlement to be ca. 1200-1100 B.C. Earlier layers yeiled Neolithic pottery, stone tools, etc. At the conclusion of this excavation, it was determined that further excavation in the same are would add to the results.
Active in Jun 1908.
Wace, Mr Alan John Bayard
Droop, Professor John Percival
Thompson, Mr Maurice S. O.B.E.
Evans, Sir Arthur John
Wace, Alan J., et al. 1908. Excavations at Zerelia, Thessaly. BSA 14: 197-225. Direct link
Wace, Alan J. & Thompson, Maurice S. 1912. Prehistoric Thessaly, being some account of recent excavations and explorations in north-eastern Greece from Lake Kopais to the borders of Macedonia. 272.