Radiocarbon Dating of the Neolithic Lakeside Settlement of Dispilio, Kastoria, Northern Greece

Abstract

Dispilio is the only excavated Neolithic lakeside settlement in Greece. Archaeological research provided evidence that the site was continuously used from the Early Neolithic (∼6000 BC) to the Late Chalcolithic period (∼1200 BC, Mycenaean period). During several archaeological campaigns, a portion of the settlement has been excavated that enabled a sufficient understanding of the architectural layout of homes, the building materials, and the organization of space, while the finds (fragments of pottery, stone and bone tools, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic clay figurines, miniature representations of objects also on clay, animal and fish bones, charred cereal grains, and other fruits) provided information on the everyday lives of the Neolithic inhabitants. A series of charcoal and wood samples, originating mostly from the Middle and Late Neolithic layers of the site, were radiocarbon dated and their dates range from ∼5470 to 4850 BC. The most unexpected of the finds, a wooden tablet from the lake bearing engraved symbols, was14C dated to 5260 ± 40 BC. In addition, clay tablets and pottery vessels engraved with similar symbols were also unearthed from layers dated to the same period. If this proves to be a primary source of written communication, the history of writing should be reconsidered and Neolithic societies should not be considered “societies without writing.”

Plant landscape and land use at the Neolithic lake settlement of Dispilió (Macedonia, northern Greece)

“…Dispilió is, so far, the only lake settlement systematically investigated in Greece. According to joint archaeological and radiocarbon data (Facorellis et al 2014), occupation of the settlement began at the end of the Middle Neolithic, (5400 BC) and the site was continuously inhabited until 3600 BC. Three cultural phases were recognized: a lacustrine, an "amphibian" seasonally flooded one and finally a terrestrial phase.…”

“…Dispilió lake settlement offers a unique opportunity to have a clear insight into the vegetation/society interactions during Greek prehistory as it shows a continuous inhabitation of more than 2000 years (Facorellis et al 2014). The special location of the settlement on the lake shore made it possible to compare palynomorph assemblages from the archaeological excavation to those from a lacustrine sediment core in terms of vegetation development and anthropogenic impact insights.…”

Radiocarbon Dating of the Neolithic Lakeside Settlement of Dispilio, Kastoria, Northern Greece

“…This article presents two subgroups consisting of unique archaeological finds belonging to the ideology category, presented here for the first time, and dated by association with the results of already published radiocarbon-dated samples (Facorellis and Maniatis 2002;Karkanas et al 2010). The data here are reinterpreted together with new unpublished information.…”

Early invaders: farmers, the granary weevil and other uninvited guests in the Neolithic

“…Perhaps one of the most significant finds, still to be published in detail, is a wooden tablet with linear script, dated to ca. 5300 BC (Hourmouziadis 1996;Facorellis et al 2014), which provides some of the earliest evidence for writing in Europe.…”