Sofia's Kaleidoscope - Favicon
Sofia Ps.
3 mins read

Kerameikos

Kerameikos was a demos (subdivision) of ancient Athens, which was probably named after the potters’ quarter located there (Kerameikos in Greek means Ceramic). The area, known as one of the most beautiful in Athens, was really important in antiquity. Apart from the potters’ workshops, it incorporated the official cemetery of the city as well as the main gate.

Two men and two women are seated around a table with bread and sweets. Charon, the ferryman of the Underworld, comes with his boat to take them to the land of the dead. (Relief from a grave at the Street of the Tombs, 340-320 BC) Kerameikos museum in Athens
Two men and two women are seated around a table with bread and sweets. Charon, the ferryman of the Underworld, comes with his boat to take them to the land of the dead. (Relief from a grave at the Street of the Tombs, 340-320 BC)

The archaeological site

View of Kerameikos archaeological site in Athens.
View of Kerameikos archaeological site in Athens.

The archaeological site of Kerameikos includes only a small part of the ancient demos. However, there are so many different things in these small places! First of all, there’s part of the fortifications of the ancient city. So, you have a chance to see the ancient wall, as well as two gates. Moreover, there are houses and public buildings, such as Pompeion. Last but not least, there is part of the most significant burial grounds of Athens.

The wall

Greek tortoise walking in Kerameikos archaeological site in Athens.
Greek tortoise, permanent resident of Kerameikos, inspecting the walls.

After the Persian Wars, Athens was fortified with a new wall which enlarged the city. The so-called “Themistocleanwall was built in 478 BC and it separated Kerameikos demos in two, the inner and the outer Kerameikos. The lower foundation of the wall you see today on the site belongs to this time period.

Dipylon Gate

Artist’s reconstruction of Dipylon Gate. (Drawing by K. Raftopoulos. Source: Banou and Bournias, 2014, Kerameikos, Latsis Foundation, p.27)
Artist’s reconstruction of Dipylon Gate. (Drawing by K. Raftopoulos. Source: Banou and Bournias, 2014, Kerameikos, Latsis Foundation, p.27)

Dipylon was the largest and most formal entrance to ancient Athens and it connected the city to Plato’s Academy. It was a huge construction, the largest gate in the ancient world. The courtyard formed between the four towers was a brilliant way to strengthen the defence of the gate, but in peacetime, it also served as a gathering place for citizens and travellers.

Sacred Gate

Right next to Dipylon there was another entrance, called Sacred Gate. The name relates to the Sacred Way, the highway which connected the city to Eleusis, the site of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Interestingly, the gate also incorporated the bed of Eridanos river in its construction.

Pompeion

Information sign about Pompeion at the Kerameikos archaeological site in Athens.
The information given at the site is really useful; It helps you understand what every structure is and how it used to look like.

Within the walls, between the two gates, there was the Pompeion, a public building of the 4th century BC. It served as a place for the preparations of the most important festival of ancient Athens, the Panathenaic Games, which were held every four years.

Cemetery

View of the Street of the Tombs at Kerameikos archaeological site in Athens.
Walking down the Street of the Tombs.

For centuries the Athenians were burying their dead here, as the area of Kerameikos was used as burial grounds since prehistoric times. The societal changes are reflected in the different burial customs, offerings, monuments, ornament and decoration styles etc. The graves of the richer and more prominent people of the community were marked with statues, grave stelae or even large funerary vases. These were above the ground, so ancient people could see them, read the inscriptions and walk among the monuments. And today we can do almost the same thing at the Street of the Tombs, where you can get an idea of what the place used to look like. This was my personal favourite experience of the visit.

The museum

The museum of the site is definitely worth a visit! It’s small and fun to explore, full of many interesting objects from the excavations of the site and the cemetery.

Conclusion

Kerameikos is one of my favourite archaeological sites in Athens. What I love about archaeology is the everyday stories of people, the actual people that lived and walked and ate food and sang songs and fell in love and died all those years ago. Their graves tell us these stories. We get to know them; Know their names, their favourite things and their last resting place.

Kerameikos as a site, might not be as impressive as many monuments, but in some ways, it’s more authentic than most.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You might also like

Things to do near Ancient Corinth
Sofia's Kaleidoscope - Favicon
Sofia Ps.
2 mins read
Are you visiting Ancient Corinth and want to check out more sites on the way? You’re in luck! There are many things to do near ancient Corinth, guarantying you’ll have an amazing day!
When to visit Meteora Monasteries
Sofia's Kaleidoscope - Favicon
Sofia Ps.
3 mins read
When to visit Meteora Monasteries? Read more about what to expect each season when visiting Meteora in Greece, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with amazing natural beauty and important medieval history.
Dream on
Sofia's Kaleidoscope - Favicon
Sofia Ps.
6 mins read
Dream On, a contemporary art exhibition at the Former Public Tobacco Factory, is permeated by a sense of plenitude brought about by the realization of a great dream: an artist’s ambitious yet elusive goal attained through the unbridled creativity of large-scale installations.
Night Photography
Sofia's Kaleidoscope - Favicon
Sofia Ps.
2 mins read
Night Photography exhibition takes place at Blank Wall Gallery in Athens, a cool gallery located in the heart of vibrant neighborhood Kypseli.
Reality Check Chapter II: Inner Sanctum
Sofia's Kaleidoscope - Favicon
Sofia Ps.
7 mins read
Reality Check Chapter II: Inner Sanctum is a very interesting and unique temporary art exhibition taking place at an abandoned building in the Psychiatric Hospital of Attica near Athens. Discover the work of 36 different artists form all over the world, through art installations, photographs, sculptures, videos and live performances.
Why you should visit Santorini in autumn
Sofia's Kaleidoscope - Favicon
Sofia Ps.
3 mins read
Santorini is truly a wonderful island! But in the summer, it can get too hot and too crowded. Most Greeks visit Santorini in September or even October. Are you wondering why? Read this post to find out three reasons why you should visit Santorini in autumn.