Peloponnese Peninsula

       The Acropolis of Pellana once was an important city-state because of its location with Mountain Taygetos to west and south and fertile fields watered by springs. Modern archeologist Theodoros G. Spyropoulos argues Pellana is a “strategic position.. [since it controlled] the passage from Laconia to the Megalopolitis and Messenia, was recognized by the Spartans, who built there a tower, called Charakoma”(Spyropoulos, "Pellana," 29). Pellana’s location played an important part by controlling where people moved, especially in the battle of Mantinea in 362 BC(Spyropoulos, "Pellana," 29).

 

     Acropolis refers to a fortified city built on top of a hill, but only ruins are scattered along the hills.  In 1926, tombs were found by Th. Karachalios and in 1970, Ephorate G. Steinchauer excavated more of the site ("Archaeological", Greek Travel Pages).  Spyropoulos researched in an area called Cemetery of the Tholos Tombs, with early artifacts from 1500 BC and later artifacts dating around 1100 BC.  Like most tombs throughout history, they are visited by grave robbers, so there were no valuables left in the tombs. The tombs were complex series of tunnels and round chambers filled with pottery, male and female bones, glass beads, stone buttons, and sealstones made of amber. “Pellana is very probably the Homeric Lakedaimon, royal residence of Tyndareos and Menelaos.What has still to be found is the Mycenaean palace, which lies most probably near the Pellanis Spring to the south of the acropolis of historic Pellana” ("Abstracts," 9).

 

Bibliography

1. "Archaeological Site of Pellana." Greek Travel

     Pages. July 2012. Accessed January 2017.

     http://www.gtp.gr/TDirectoryDetails                   

    .asp?ID=14905.

2. Spyropoulos, Theodoros. “Pellana: the

    Administrative Centre of Prehistoric Laconia.”

    British School at Athens Studies. 4 (1998): 28-38.

3. "Abstracts / Πεϱιλήψεις." British School at

    Athens Studies 4 (1998): 9-16.

    http://www.jstor.org.proxylib.csueastbay.edu

   /stable/40960252.