South Hill

Archaeological evidence for human activity on the South Hill dates back to the Neolithic period and continues into the Byzantine period. The South Hill is where Robinson began his investigations, excavating long trenches crossing the hill from north to south and east to west and showing that the city covered the entire hilltop. The initial main goals of the Olynthos Project on the South Hill were to investigate the nature of the urban plan, clarify the stratigraphy and chronology of the hill, and select a housing unit for further excavation.

As on the North Hill, a geophysical survey was undertaken to get a clearer picture of the urban plan. The survey detected a regular grid plan. Although it lacks the neat right angles of the street grid on the North Hill, it has two main avenues running north-south, along with smaller side streets that run perpendicularly at regular intervals but are offset at the avenues. Toward the southern end of the hill, these east-west streets appear to curve slightly.

Trial trenches have been dug in order to confirm the results of the survey. While the analysis of the material is still preliminary, the excavations have reached deeper levels than those on the North Hill. Ceramic material from both excavation and surface collection confirms that the hill was occupied from at least the second half of the seventh century BCE.

Text by Max Huemer, edited by Elina Salminen