Hesperia
Excavation of a 13th-Century Church near Vasilitsi, Southern Messenia
by Nikos D. Kontogiannis, with an appendix by Lilian Karali
Hesperia, Volume 77, Issue 3
Page(s): 497-537
Stable URL:
Year: 2008
ABSTRACT:
A small-scale excavation in the area of Vasilitsi, southern Messenia, revealed the remnants of a previously unrecorded 13th-century triple-aisled cross-vaulted church with a series of burials along its north wall. In addition to ceramics and a marble basin, a small hoard of Venetian torneselli was found. The author discusses the church's period of use and details of its architecture and construction, as well as the identity of its builders and the settlement pattern of this largely unknown area. Parallels from published histories, surface surveys, and excavations from other regions of medieval Messenia and Greece are discussed. An osteological report on the burials is presented as an appendix.