Archaeologists in Greece are uncovering new evidence of how the ancient Greek city of Aigeira (Greek: Αιγείρα) changed across centuries of Greek history, from a Mycenaean settlement to a religious sanctuary and later a fortified acropolis. The discoveries are helping fill a long-standing gap in the history of the site in Achaea (Greek: Ἀχαΐα), in the northern Peloponnese. They could reveal how people reshaped the acropolis as Greek society changed between the Late Bronze Age and the Hellenistic period.
Similar questions about the relationship between Mycenaean communities and later Greek sanctuaries have emerged at other sites in Greece. The new excavation at Aigeira focuses on an area known as the “saddle,” just below the summit.
Burned Mycenaean building reveals settlement layout
One of the most significant finds is a large Mycenaean building measuring at least 8 meters (26 feet) long. Archaeologists believe it was freestanding. Its interior shows clear evidence of a fire. A pebble-paved path beside the structure provides another clue to the settlement’s organization. Together, the discoveries offer the first reliable evidence of how this part of Late Bronze Age Aigeira was laid out.
At least two later buildings were constructed above the burned house. Researchers date the older structure to sometime between the Late Mycenaean and Late Archaic periods. Another building, dating from the Late Archaic to Early Classical period, partly covered it.
Finds raise questions about ancient sanctuary
Archaeologists are now trying to determine whether these later structures were homes or connected to the sanctuary on the summit. Other excavations, including at the ancient acropolis of Kythnos, have also revealed evidence of residential and religious activity. Fine ceramics, cooking pottery, and numerous loom weights may point toward a sanctuary connection, particularly for the later building. However, further excavation is needed to establish its purpose.
Archaeologists in Greece are uncovering how ancient Aigeira transformed across centuries, from a Mycenaean settlement to a religious sanctuary and fortified acropolis.
A burned building, ritual deposits and stamped loom weights are helping fill a major gap in its history. pic.twitter.com/UBQ8JSRru8— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) October 6, 2026
Research is also helping reconstruct a Late Archaic to Early Classical cult building on the summit plateau. Archaeologists estimate it measured about 19 meters (62 feet) long and 6.3 meters (21 feet) wide. Its eastern front widened to nearly 8 meters (26 feet), creating an unusual T-shaped plan.
Fortification transformed the acropolis
A major transformation followed in the late fourth to early third century B.C., when builders constructed a massive fortification over the earlier remains and extensively reshaped the terrain. Archaeologists found dense deposits beneath the defensive wall and inside deliberately constructed pits. They contained roof tiles, architectural terracotta, pottery and numerous loom weights. Excavations at the ancient sanctuary of Samikon have similarly shown how archaeological layers can preserve evidence of changing religious activity.
The Aigeira deposits could represent debris cleared from the sanctuary, ritual offerings or textile production connected with religious activity. Conservation work also identified loom weights with stamped decoration for the first time among the finds. The discoveries provide a clearer picture of how one Greek acropolis evolved through major periods of ancient Greek history. Aigeira was repeatedly rebuilt and repurposed, changing from a Mycenaean settlement into a religious center and, eventually, a fortified landscape.
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