Manika I: An Early Helladic Town in Chalkis, Euboea (3000-2400 BC)

Author: Adamantios A Sampson (1944- ) Inscribed

Year: 1985

Publisher: Hetaireia Euboïkon Spudōn, Tmēma Chalkidos

Place: Athens

Description:

460 pages with maps, plates, figures, photographs, illustrations, drawings, tables, appendix and bibliography. Royal octavo (9 1/2" x 6 1/4") bound in original publisher's pictorial wrappers. Inscribed by the author. First edition.

In Greek with extensive English section.

Manika was an ancient town in Euboea Greece, dating to the Early Helladic period II (2800–2200 BC). The settlement covered an area of 50–80 hectares, and was inhabited by 6,000–13,500-15,000 people according to estimates. It was one of the largest settlements of the Bronze Age in Greece. The prehistoric site of Manika, 5 km. north of Chalkis, has been known since the beginning of the century when the then director of the Chalkis Museum, G. Papavasileiou, excavated 50 EH tombs. In 1955 in the course of surface reconnaissance in Euboea, D. Theocharis confirmed the existence of a small important prehistoric settlement on the peninsula (sector III). This settlement continued below sea-level to a considerable depth and presented thick deposits dating from EH to the Geometric period. The enormous extent of the EH settlement, which stretches beyond the peninsula over an area of at least 50 hectares, remained unknown, however, and the site continued to suffer destruction from cultivation.

This town dates to the middle and late part of the Early Bronze Age, a flourishing period in Euboea, while towards the end of EH and during MH and LH most of the site was abandoned and the settlement was restricted to a small area on the peninsula. The additional discovery of the cemetery of this town completes the picture. The extent of the cemetery, which covers several hectares and is located very near the settlement, has now been defined. The systematic excavation of the cemetery and the excavation of large parts of the town, planned for the immediate future, will contribute greatly to the study of the EH period in Euboea and in Greece generally and will necessitate revision of many current views.

Condition:

Inscribed on the front end paper to S Hurd. Light edge wear, spine sunned else very good.