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A06  Metamorfosi Ayios Konstadtinos (2)
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Periods Represented
(G-A), C, HL, R, Byz, (Ott), Mod
Max Dimension
100 m. (NE-SW) x 70 m. (NW-SE)
Actual Area in Hectares
0.56 ha.
On-site Density (Sherds per Hecatare)
20.48
Ratio of On-site Density to Off-site Density
5207
Collection Strategy
Selection (S) => Micro-tract (M) => Vac. circle (VC)
Location and Description

The small church of Ayios Konstadtinos is located on the E side of the Metaxada valley, about 1.5 km. NNW of Metamorfosi and approximately 600 m. E of the hamlet of Stylianos on the other side of the valley. Visibility is poor. Fields adjacent to the church are for the most part overgrown. The church was entirely re-roofed in 1992; at that time tiles from the older roof were stacked near it and fragments were scattered in the churchyard, making it increasingly difficult to recognize ancient artifacts. W and SW of the church is a gentle slope, with a sharper drop after ca. 70 m.

N of the church is a terrace, separated from the churchyard by a stone retaining wall (ca. 1.5-2.0 m. high) that incorporates many pot sherds and tile fragments.[092.04] In 1992, a ditch was dug through the terrace, and a water pipeline laid to carry water to Stylianos from the spring E of Ayios Konstadtinos. Large quantities of pottery and tile were visible in the scarps of the ditch.

In 1995 weeds in the terraced field had been burnt and visibility was much improved. Two large, well-cut limestone blocks (0.6 m. L. x 0.33 H. x 0.3 m. max. pres. W.; 0.4 L. x 0.25 H. x 0.34 max pres. W.) were found NW of the church; there were other smaller, less carefully worked blocks in this same part of the site.[092.03]

Approximately 20 m. SW of the church are two ruined foundations that contain small worked blocks.[074.29] The W end of the larger structure (designated House A) directly abuts the other (House B). House A (10 m. x 5 m.) is clearly the older building; it has mortared well-built walls, with a door in the center of its eastern side.

House B (8 m. x 4 m.) was built against House A; its entrance (E) cut through the W wall of House A. The walls of House B are built for the most part of small stones of irregular shapes and fragments of tile; the house is still partly roofed. Its SW and NW corners are built of worked limestone blocks laid in a "header and stretcher" arrangement.[074.33]

In the SW corner of House A, there is a tumble of worked blocks (4-5) similar to those in the corners of House B ; near them is a column fragment[074.28] of very battered limestone. The column lies partly embedded in the ground, projecting ca. 0.65 m.; on top is a square dowel hole (8 x 8 cm.) approximately 2 cm. deep. The exterior of the column is now heavily worn; no trace of fluting is preserved, if it ever existed.

Intervisible Sites
Metaxada Kalopsana (1) (A2); Stylianos
Artifact Summary

The pottery collected has a chronological range of Archaic to Modern. Most of the diagnostic pottery is from the Hellenistic period, where the collected sherds can represent a single household assemblage. This assemblage is comparable to the pottery from site E1. Here, however, the vessels represent local fabric versions of fine ware forms. A second diagnostic cluster is from the Byzantine period. Ceramics from this period are table wares and coarse wares common to Messenia. Small quantities of Archaic, Classical, and Roman sherds are also present. Overall, the sherds are in reasonably good condition with a number of large fragments preserved.

References
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Questions about the PRAP online database can be addressed to John Wallrodt at john.wallrodt@uc.edu.