Site details

Mila: Lakkathela

PK	C145
TITLE	Mila: Lakkathela
WGS84	37.24592° N, 21.883345° E
Accuracy	100 m.

LAT/LON	37.24592, 21.883345
LON/LAT	21.883345, 37.24592

DMS

37° 14' 45.312" N

21° 53' 0.042" E

W3W	dimly, hurdled, restaurants
UTM	34 S, 578413, 4123046
EGSA87	312202, 4124490

Elevation m	317
Elevation feet	1040
Region	Messenia

GENERAL SITE TYPE Settlement

TYPE

1.    hab.   Simpson [1981], 139    'The find includes remains of a building.'
2.    Settlement.   Simpson and Dickinson [1979], 174    '...remains of a prehistoric settlement and later sanctuary have been found.'

PERIOD (High Chronology)

1. EH: (3100 BC - 2000 BC)
    a.    Simpson [1981]: 139, 'Some hand-made dark polished wares, described as EH, ...'
    b.    Simpson and Dickinson [1979]: 174, 'EH and MH pottery is reported, ...'

2. Middle Helladic: (2000 BC - 1600 BC)
    a.    Simpson and Dickinson [1979]: 174, 'EH and MH pottery is reported, ...'

3. LH IIIA: (1410 BC - 1315 BC)
    a.    Simpson [1981]: 139, 'Some LH IIIA-B pottery and figurines were also found, ... '
    b.    Simpson and Dickinson [1979]: 174, '...also LH IIIA-B figurines and pottery.'

4. LH IIIB: (1320 BC - 1190 BC)
    a.    Simpson [1981]: 139, 'Some LH IIIA-B pottery and figurines were also found, ... '
    b.    Simpson and Dickinson [1979]: 174, '...also LH IIIA-B figurines and pottery.'

5. LH IIIC: (1190 BC - 1060 BC)
    a.    Simpson [1981]: 139, 'Part of a Mycenaean building was associated with a floor on which was a deposit of LH IIIC pottery.'
    b.    Simpson and Dickinson [1979]: 174, 'Two walls, ... on which there was a deposit of LH IIIC vases.'

NOTES

1. Simpson and Dickinson [1979] 174: 'A destruction by fire may have brought this settlement to an end.'

2. The criteria for positioning Lakkathela are as follows:

2 km. NW of Mila (misreported in AD as 3 km.)
2 km. south of Malthi-Dorion (misreported in AD as 3-4 km.)
A hollow area shaped like an amphitheater
Faces E
Ridges of Liarameika and Kriki to N and S.
E flank of the Ramavouni ridge.

The location which best satisfies these criteria is the little valley to the south of that in which the Kolokotronis monument sits. Local people informed my colleague who questioned them in 8/2018 that 'Lakkothela' is the area 'up and over' the ridge which forms the southern bound of the Kolokotronis monument area. This area is positioned equidistantly from Malthi-Dorion and modern Mila. It is amphitheater shaped and does face east towards the Kastro tou Mila. I have designated this area F4581.

With regard to the site itself we are told that antiquities were uncovered during plowing. For that reason I think that the most likely position is the flatter areas in this region.

rhc

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. AD[1971]: Archaiologikon Deltion, Athens, Greece, v. 26, 'Mila', pg. 258. Greek language

2. Simpson [1981]: Simpson, Richard Hope. Mycenaean Greece. Park Ridge, New Jersey: Noyes Press, 1981., 'F 220 Mila: Lakkathela on Ramovouni', pg. 139. Online here.

3. 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., 'D 221 Mila: Lakkathela on Ramovouni', pg. 173. Online here.