The Ancient Mine Workshops of Lavrio
Souriza's Valley, near Aghios Konstadinos, Attiki, Greece
Geographical coordinates of main gate: 37°41' 31.76" N, 24° 01' 01.80" E
Location of sign: 37° 41' 34.80" N, 24° 00' 52.52" E
The parking area is 250 metres down the side-road from here.
EU-funded archaeological excavation program of the metallurgical workshops
Horizontal
scroll -> to see a panoramic view of Souriza's valley (Spring season) -
one of the driest and hottest areas in Attiki.
The steps leading
down to the ancient workshops
from the parking area
The channel directing the water from the hillside to the cisterns
Remains of workshop buildings
Rectangular ore washeries on the right (in roped enclosure)
Longer view of previous scene
Horizontal
scroll -> to see a panoramic view of Souriza's valley & workshops from a hillside opposite
The workshops (2009) - still being excavated by the archaeologists
The workshops from another angle.
Note the water channel on the left which supplied water to the cisterns
and was supplied with rain water gathered from the hills behind.
A close-up view of the bottom-end of the workshops.
The water channel lies elevated along the left-hand side of the valley
and the cisterns
are located below the channel along the centre
of the valley.
THE CISTERNS
The
feed channel to the sedimentation tank coming from the main water channel (right)
and the small channel
feeding the water clarified water to the cistern (left) can be clearly seen.
Same cistern from another angle
A square cistern with rounded corners
Circular cistern
An almost rectangular cistern.
Note the fine plastering -
still intact after 2,500 years.
Large cistern
Large cistern - another view
Circular cistern - still able to hold water after 2,500 yeras
Remains of a large square-shaped cistern
Small rectangular cistern
CISTERNS JUST OUTSIDE THE SOURIZAS WORKSHOP FENCE
Horizontal
scroll -> to see a panoramic view from inside a massive cistern
The large sedimentation tank leading to the same massive cistern.
Note the water feed channels.
Large, round cistern
Round cistern partly build above ground.
The wall section without
earth support behind it -
had to be strongly built
(thick) to withstand the water pressure.
Typically these unsupported cisterns have not survived intact.
A large cistern with crumbling freestanding walls.
Another cistern with once partly-freestanding walls
THE WASHERIES
