Searches

From 2004 to 2009, a survey program in Thouria was conducted jointly by the 38th Department of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Messenia -under the direction of the Director at the time, Dr. Xeni Arapogianni- and the Italian Archaeological School at Athens and its Director, Mr. Emanuele Greco.

During the survey topographical mapping of the ancient fortification walls and the visible ancient remains took place in the whole area of ancient Thouria, as well as geophysical research with the use of geo-radars. (FIG. 24)

For the more accurate dating of the walls, three test trenches were opened, in the frame of the research program, two of them on the top of the acropolis wall and one on its base. (FIG. 25)

In the two first trenches, 1,70m deep, a large number of fallen blocks were found inside the fortification walls, while in the third trench at a depth of only 0,15m the natural rock appeared on which the fortification wall was founded. The small number of fragmentary pottery that was collected is dated to the 4th century B.C., while the only coin that was found higher bears a representation of Pegasus on one side and the letter Θ, dating to the 2nd century A.D.