Kerameikos

Athens, Greece

Kerameikos was the potters' quarter of the city, from which the English word 'ceramic' is derived, and was also the site of an important cemetery and numerous funerary sculptures erected along the road out of the city towards Eleusis.

The earliest tombs at the Kerameikos date from the Early Bronze Age (2700-2000 BC), and the cemetery appears to have continuously expanded from the sub-Mycenaean period (1100-1000 BC). In the Geometric (1000-700 BC) and Archaic periods (700-480 BC) the number of tombs increased; they were arranged inside tumuli or marked by funerary monuments. The cemetery was used incessantly from the Hellenistic period until the Early Christian period (338 BC until approximately the sixth century AD).

The most important Athenian vases come from the tombs of the Kerameikos. Among them is the famous “Dipylon Oinochoe”, which bears the earliest inscription written in the Greek alphabet (second half of the eighth century BC). The site's small museum houses the finds from the Kerameikos excavations.

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Address

Melidoni 15, Athens, Greece
See all sites in Athens

Details

Founded: 2700 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Greece

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

KT (5 months ago)
There's no need to enter the site as you can have a great overview from the outside. But if you do or tend to do, think about getting a bundle ticket including the Akropolis. First of all, it's way cheaper. And second, the ticket is valid for 5 days. Thus, you don't have to rush through all sites, but can take your time. It was nice wandering through Keramikos and soak in the ancient atmosphere and to learn a bit about its history. The attached museum is quiet small, but shows some interesting pieces that had been excavated. On top of that, you can find a lot of small turtles within that area. For some people even more interesting than the site itself ?
J D (7 months ago)
The entrance was a bit hard to find as it didn't seem marked well at first. I climbed up a nearby stairway and saw we were right next to it! I think its because of the direction we came from. Interesting site, the statuary is in good shape.
Robert Chomicz (8 months ago)
This is a ruin of an ancient cemetery site as well as the remains of ruined city walls. Most of it is in a state of complete ruin, so unless you're a huge fan of ruins or ancient Greece you wont see much that's interesting. There is also a very small museum displaying finds from the area.
Tegan Ducker (9 months ago)
Nice place to have a walk around. There is a museum and lots of ruins. Lots of animals like tortoises, cats and parrots live here too. Worth a visit, especially if you have the Athens pass
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