The Neolithic settlement at Makriyalos, northern Greece: Preliminary report on the 1993-1995 excavations

The discovery and excavation of an extensive Neolithic site near the modern village of Makriyalos, in Pieria, northern Greece, have greatly enriched o ur knowledge of this distinctive, flat-lying, "non-tell" type of settlement . Such sites, spread over a sizeable expanse of land, and not restricted to a single, cumulative locus, have been recently recognized as dominant in N eolithic Macedonia. The site at Makriyalos is located on the gently slopes of a natural hill an d covers some 50 ha. During two discrete phases, both securely dated to the Late Neolithic Period, the habitation area was encircled by large earthwor ks. The 6-ha area of excavation allowed the first detailed examination of t he internal organization and evolution of this type of settlement. This pre liminary report presents the first results of continuing analysis of the se ttlement and its organization, and places Makriyalos within the wider Balka n context.