Methana Survey 1982-1987: Season 1986
Survey: Systematic fieldwalking survey
The University of Liverpool team led by Drs C. B. Mee and H. Forbes completed a third season in August and September, making close studies of the three main Classical sites of Palaiokastro (Ancient Methana), Oga and Magoula. While Palaiokastro had expanded in the Archaic period, Oga and Magoula (with good Early Iron Age and Archaic material) were smaller, and had declined in Classical times. Study of the coastal terrace system has been completed, and all accessible terrain in the mountainous interior covered. Most of the 21 new sites are small and should be farmsteads exploiting the fertile volcanic soils. An impressive succession of fortifications was recorded at the Isthmus, the earliest of the Sth century BC, the latest of the War of Independence. These were surveyed and drawn by Mr D. Smyth, as well as the acropolis of Palaiokastro, and the Classical towers of Ljakotera, Oga and Throni. A study of Byzantine churches and Mediaeval sites was begun by Mr Th. Koukoulis. A complex of earth science studies is aimed at assessing relative and absolute land surface age, the history of instability since late Pleistocene, the varying character of rocks and soils, and the degree of artefact movement in the landscape
Active in 1986.