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Survey Results

The vast majority of the artefacts found on the 2013 survey were in the form of chipped stone.

A small number of emery flakes and cobbles/hammerstones.

Traces of the Past: Rare Finds at Stélida

A small number of emery flakes and cobbles/hammerstones were identified, a raw material native to Naxos, though not from its western region.

Additionally, even smaller quantities of marble, another stone indigenous to the island, were found. Pottery was exceptionally rare, with most fragments appearing to date post-Bronze Age.

Unraveling Stélida’s Prehistoric Past

The study of these artefacts is ongoing, beginning with a rapid assessment of all finds from the 2013 season, conducted during that period. This was followed by a dedicated two-week study session in February 2014 (Carter and Mihailovic). Our research follows a multi-stage analytical process, typically involving two to three phases of examination.

Stage 1

In the first stage, all cultural material is counted and weighed collectively within each collection unit, whether from transect surveys or grid sampling.

This process offers a quick assessment of artefact density across the site.

Stage 2

The second phase of analysis examines each collection assemblage at the artifact level, categorizing materials into period-specific diagnostic groups. These classifications are then recorded based on their technological attributes and modification types (e.g., denticulate on Levallois flake).

In some cases, a third stage of analysis is conducted, where individual artifacts are assessed using a broader range of metrical and techno-typological parameters. However, given the inherent limitations of surface material, careful consideration is required to determine the appropriate level of analysis for such finds.

There are two main phases of prehistoric activity at Stélida, Mesolithic and Middle Palaeolithic.

These artefacts differ significantly from the blade-based assemblages typically associated with Cycladic Neolithic and Bronze Age sites, with no evidence linking Stélida to these later prehistoric periods.

The absence of Bronze Age (3rd–2nd millennium BC) activity at the site was unsurprising, as previous studies (Carter) have found no chert of similar type to Stélida’s among the extensive domestic and funerary stone tool assemblages examined from Naxos, Epano Kouphonisi, and Keros.

Echoes of the Ancients: Stélida’s Stone Tool Legacy

Unravel the story of prehistoric craftsmanship – from Mesolithic assemblages to Middle Palaeolithic artifacts – each piece offering a glimpse into early human activity at the site.

Mesolithic Assemblage Learn more

Explore the Mesolithic assemblage documented throughout the site.

Middle Palaeolithic Artefacts Learn more

Discover more about the Middle Palaeolithic artifacts found at Stélida.