Karampournaki
Karampournaki is the natural coast with archeological interest in Kalamaria.
Modern and Contemporary era (1912 - )
1917 The prehistoric settlement was first mapped by the English traveler Leon Rey.
Ottoman era (1453- 1912)
Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)
Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)
Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)
Classical era (478-323 BC)
Archaic era (800-479 BC)
Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)
Prehistory (-1100 BC)
What I can see
From the point where the Thessaloniki Concert Hall and New Sea-front end, the natural coast of the city begins. Wooden platforms and boats compose a picturesque, calm and nostalgic image, reminiscent of previous decades. A prehistoric settlement, which contributed significantly to the creation of the city of Thessaloniki is located here. The traces of the port of the settlement are located at the present day Kyvernio. It was of great importance, as trade extended to all Greek cities on both sides of the Aegean Sea and remained very prosperous until the classical years (5th century BC).
What I can't see
When the settlement was first mapped, it had a semicircular shape, with a diameter of 110m and part of its coast was submerged. With the opening of the main road above (1954), the construction of the Kyvernio and the adjacent camp, a large part of the settlement was destroyed. The findings date back to the Bronze Age, which shows the contact with the Mycenaean world further south. More were the findings of the Iron Age. It was a cosmopolitan settlement and may have been the core of ancient Thermi. Some Phrygians also lived here (Phrygia: an area of present-day central-western Turkiye). The cemeteries of the settlement are located in the camp. Some tombs were excavated during World War I by the French and others quite recently. The findings are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum.
Bibliography
Zafeiris Ch. (1997), Θεσσαλονίκης Εγκόλπιον, ιστορία, πολιτισμός, η πόλη σήμερα, γεύσεις, μουσεία, μνημεία, διαδρομές, [Thessaloniki Handbook, history, culture, the city today, flavours, museums, routes], Athens: Exantas
Tsaktsira L, Papanthimou K., Mantziou G., Kalogirou N., (2014), Θεσσαλονίκη, η πόλη και τα μνημεία της, [Thessaloniki, the city and its monuments], Thessaloniki: Malliaris Pedia
