Archaeological Site of Manika

The largest excavated part of the settlement that still exists is the area I, which identified public buildings and residences in high density. There orthogonia buildings yards, adjacent to one another. One road leads rather to the sea, while in this end other roads with address A-D. The buildings here date back to the early Helladic II period, although there remains little earlier. Particular importance should have two unusual horseshoe buildings with thick walls that are very likely to belong to “granaries” of the season and also dated to the EH II. It is not excluded at this point there were important buildings and storage areas where concentrated surplus production, which probably originated from two large plains, the Lelantine field and river cavity of Psachna. The buildings it certainly would be public and would be checked by a ruler. We assume that the same central authority would be responsible for the production, collection and transportation of goods. The surplus (mainly wheat) when there could be exported to the poorest areas, which due to the unfertile soil of producing small quantities of barley, for paradeigna Cyclades islands. This role of Manika or rather of prehistoric Chalkis, as productive and commercial center in a strategic position between Attica, Viotia, Thessaly and the Cyclades are very important for us to reconstruct the economic basis of the Early Bronze Age and its geographical context.

The buildings of Manika must have had a flat roof, because the excavations completely absent relic tiles. Another element is the cobblestone available in open and closed spaces. Similar cobblestone observed in other EH settlements like Linovrochi the Magoula Eretria and Kalogerovrysi. The buildings are usually rectangular shape, while the arched structures are rarer and usually atypical. One wonders what use were these buildings with the arched shape. So far not found any building Megaroid type that can be classified as public, similar to those found in Thebes, the Akovitika Messenia, Lerna Argolida and elsewhere. However if there was palace should be located in a high position as the sector I.

The importance of Manika cemetery is particularly important because from there come and most findings (pottery, metal tools and utensils). Although the tombs excavated no more than three hundred, are a rare funerary ensemble, which has been extensively studied by structural view of the findings in terms and skeletal remains. This monumental carved tombs whose construction seems the result of a well organized and hierarchical society. The skeletal material studied by the Biology Department of the University of Athens and preparing comprehensive publication, which, in conjunction with the offerings will contribute to a better knowledge of the social and economic conditions.

The offerings of the cemetery is basically Greece, but there are numerous offerings eastern and Cycladic type. The oriental vases found in the cemetery of Manika dating in EH III period and is often most of the Cycladic. Similar oriental pottery has been found in the Cyclades (Kastri, Syros, Paros, Delos) and supported on the eastern invasion gender theories. In mainland Greece there is a strong internationalist climate of exchanged and a train which favored the spreading Cycladic and eastern cultures.

This is an important prehistoric settlement and cemetery of the Early Bronze Age (3000-1900 BC) found in a fertile and strategic point of the Evian Gulf, near Halkida. It is undeniable that the settlement of Manika was a whole city although not as densely structured, after it was found that there were excavated and uncovered several areas. The heyday of the settlement must be that controlled the main water route of communication of that time, the Evian Gulf, while trafficked and worked obsidian and especially metals, which ought and greatest growth. By J. Davis was identified as one of the largest settlements of the Bronze Age in Greece, but if you look deeper into things one finds that it has not yet found another larger in size. There is also beyond dispute that this city had a fairly regular urban plan, because in the most remote parts found orientation of houses with direction NS or EW. This approach seems to be influenced by both physical axes, the coast and the ancient road that went parallel with direction B – N.

The investigations in Manika have long filled decade, however, a small part of the settlement has been excavated, while the majority (about 600 acres) has been covered by buildings and so there is no further possibility excavation. The largest part of the cemetery which was estimated at more than 5000 graves must have been destroyed by uncontrolled construction. Only a few hundred tombs have been excavated, while still visited a few dozen of them.