Settlement
of the Late Neolithic Period (5300-4500 B.C.) spread out over
a flat area. It has two separate phases which together occupy
around 500 stremmas. During its first phase, the settlement
was surrounded by a double ditch. Within this were scattered
groups of houses. The houses are round, half-basement huts
of a type which first appears in Greece in the late Neolithic
period. In phase II of the settlement, the houses are densely
clustered. The same type of building persists.
The
excavation of the Neolithic settlement at Makriyialo
is one of the most extensive of the rescue excavations
that have been carried out in Greece. It has been
undertaken with the support of the National Railroad
Company and the National Road Service during the
course of public works. The excavation lasted
around two years and involved 150 people. A great
many small finds were collected that are unique
for this period.
It was impossible to preserve
the constructions, which were all of clay, but surveys were
made and the constructions were photographed so far as possible
down to the last detail.
