Rhitsona: G Cem
| PK | C7074 |
| TITLE | Rhitsona: G Cem |
| WGS84 | 38.409888° N, 23.524587° E |
| Accuracy | Exact |
| LAT/LON | 38.409888, 23.524587 |
| LON/LAT | 23.524587, 38.409888 |
| DMS | 38° 24' 35.5968" N | , | 23° 31' 28.5132" E |
| W3W | opportunist, bets, resize |
| UTM | 34 S, 720429.04, 4254312.78 |
| EGSA87 | 458344, 4251114 |
| Elevation m | 171 |
| Elevation feet | 561 |
| Region | Boeotia |
GENERAL SITE TYPE Cem
TYPE
1. Cem. Simpson and Dickinson [1979], 253 'The excavation in the nearby G and later cemetery ... '2. Cem. Burrows and Ure [1907], 228 § 2.-The Necropolis of Rhitsóna.
3. Pottery. Burrows and Ure [1907], 228 'The great mass of our material, including as it does over 1,500 complete, or almost complete, painted vases of a date earlier than the fifth century, ... '
PERIOD (High Chronology)
1. Geometric: (900 BC - 700 BC)
a. Simpson and Dickinson [1979]: 253, 'The excavation in the nearby G and later cemetery ... '
b. Burrows and Ure [1907]: 317,
NOTE
1. It is not easy to reconstruct where this excavation was carried out because the geography of the Rhitsona area has changed considerably since Burrows et al. excavated here in 1907-08.
The Khan of Rhitsona is at F921. The bridge over the brook to which Burrows refers is at F6093. Burrows' 'large fir tree' (p. 229) is more difficult. There is some chance that, after one hundred twenty five years, it no longer survives but here is what Burrows says:
" ... on the left of the road as one goes from the Khan towards Thebes, there stands a large fir tree (Fig. 5), a conspicuous landmark in a district which for thirty years has been almost denuded of trees."
If we drop into Google Street View at the Rhitsona intersection we immediately notice that there is a large conifer (F6094) just to the S of the junction at Khani Rhitsona and it is on the left as one travels towards Thebes which is consistent with Burrows' claims. I believe that we are justified in accepting this as Burrows' tree. Burrows then mentions an old cart track that goes from about 35 m S of the tree and on to Vathy on the coast. Whatever track there may have been is now superseded by a good asphalt road that begins N of the large tree and S of the Khan (F921, F6095).
In his fig. 1 Burrows presents a map (more of a diagram) that shows the apex of his area of exploration just S of the 'Big Tree' and stretching towards the NE. It is bordered by the now non-existent cart track and the (much modified) road to Vathy. I place the apex of this area at 38.408453° N, 23.523223° E. The actual area in the diagram appears to stretch for about 250 m. to the NE and this is where I have placed the marker.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Burrows and Ure [1907]: Burrows, R.M. and P.N. Ure. ‘Excavations at Rhitsóna in Boeotia’, The Annual of the British School at Athens (14) 226-318. 1907-08., '§ I. - Scope of Excavation and Method of Publication.', pg. 226.
Online here.
2. Simpson and Dickinson [1979]: Simpson, Richard Hope and O.T.P.K. Dickinson. A Gazetteer of Aegean Civilization in the Bronze Age, Vol. I: The Mainland and the Islands. Paul Åströms Förlag, Goteborg. 1979., 'G 45 Rhitsona: Ancient Mykalessos', pg. 253.
Online here.