Pottery workshop in Skala, Fourka
A pottery workshop and a forlorn kouros have come to light due to winds and rough seas! When the weather plays along with the whims of chance, antiquities are unearthed. In an area of 300m along the coastline of Skala Fourka, in Chalkidiki, strong winds and big waves revealed architectural remains and part of a marble statue (kouros) of the archaic period.
The unexpected find came like a gust of wind to unfurl archaeological research, providing a complete picture of the region with yet another pottery workshop for the production of Mendean type amphorae, which were used for transporting the renowned and highly regarded Mendean wine to the far corners of the ancient world.
The 2022 rescue excavation, although small-scale, brought to light building remains and a large ceramic kiln. The portable finds (amphorae and amphorae bases-support stands, pithoi, vessels, etc.) and the building remains led to the identification of the site as pottery workshop facilities.
The aforementioned finds belong to a region with known antiquities that range in date from the Archaic (6th century BC) to the Proto-Byzantine period (4th-6th AD). They are directly linked to the ancient city of Mende, which is less than 5 km to the east.
The production and trade of the renowned Mendean wine can be traced back to the early Iron Age (11th – 9th century BC) and it lasted until the Late Hellenistic period (1st century BC).
The pottery workshop in Skala Fourka seems to be part of a network of organized facilities, such as the one found in the years 2002 to 2008 on a seaside parcel in Mende. These facilities appear to be associated with the production, the storage in commercial amphorae and the distribution of Mendean wine to markets via maritime trade routes.
