Ancient town of Mendi

The ancient Mendi, which enjoyed great economic prosperity due to the exports of the famous Mendaiou wine was one of the colonies, which were founded by Eretria on the peninsula of Pallini in the 8th century. B.C. The main archaeological site, an area of ​​1200 x 600 m., Located at the level of the plateau and the slopes of a pine-covered hill which leads smoothly to the sea .. In the citadel or Vigla, which extends to the highest, southeast of the hill, discovered underground storage spaces with ceramics (clusters of pits-pits) from the 12th to the 7th century. B.C. The plateau known as Glade, test pit revealed wall portion classical city. In the "Suburb", which is mentioned by Thucydides and occupying the coastal area outside the walls of the ancient city, successive phases of occupation were investigated from the 9th to the 4th century. B.C. In the coastal cemetery, which was located on the Mendi Hotel beach, surveyed 241 total burials, mainly infants and young children, in large vessels, which chronologounta from the late 8th to the early 6th century. B.C. The vessels were mainly written, with floral and geometric decoration or incised and are characteristic examples of ceramic style of Halkidiki. The sanctuary of the ancient city finally found in the sandy, level cape "Possidi" 4 km. west of Mendi. In buildings that have been excavated including the Temple of Poseidon early 5th century. BC, the identification of which is due to a series of engraved inscriptions on vases. The results to date archaeological research in ancient Mende considered particularly important as they proved that a permanent settlement with intense Euboea influences was already there from the late 12th - early 11th century. B.C. The character of this very early installation may not yet be clarified, however, new elements are added not only in our knowledge of the Euboean colonization activities in the Halkidiki region, but also for trade relations developed in the North Sea during the "Dark Ages '.