General Information

Site Name:

Lakonis Cave

Synonym Name(s):

Site Type:

cave

More info to Site Type: 

Discovery Year: 

First Description: 

Chronological Abstract: 

Location

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Country:

Europe::Southern Europe::Greece

General Location Description:

South Peloponnese, Mani Peninsula, three kilometres northeast of Gytheion.

Coordinates:

  • Latitude (WGS84):
36,772
  • Longitude (WGS84):
22,569
  • Altitude:
0

 

  • GIS Precision:
Map nearest City Coordinates
  • Other Coordinates:

Linked Files + Pages

Collection Item(s):

Bibliography:

[PublicBibliographySpace:Panagopoulou et al 2004], [mainbiblio:Harvati, Panagopoulou, Karkanas 2003]

Multimedia Files:

[PublicMultimediaSpace:PDF Panagopoulou et al 2004] [PublicMultimediaSpace:PDF Harvati et al. 2003]

Linked Pages:

Greece - Neanderthal

Index:

Additional Content
On the coastal site of Lakonis in the south Peloponnese, three kilometres northeast of Gytheion, traces of habitation were discovered which date back to the Middle Palaeolithic Period. Lakonis consists of a cave and several collapsed karstic formations, desgnates I to V (Harvati 2003). The roof of the four caves was ruined and as a result the anthropogenic layers have been partly sealed. Parts of the stratigraphic sequence are currently below sea level, due to the seasonal rise and fall of the sea, which occurred in the area during the Upper Pleistocene. However, the layers examined have provided material that has enabled researchers to date the use of the caves and determine the lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic sequence. Site 1 has preserved the stratigraphic sequence, reaching 10 metres, and is characterized by a high density of finds. The sites 2c and 4a are also rich in cultural remains. The finds give clear evidence that the five caves at the Lakonis site were used simultaneously during the Middle Palaeolithic, while no evidence excludes the possibility of their use during other Palaeolithic phases.

Pix
View of Lakonis I from the sea, 1997 (© Harvati).