The ancient city of Larisa, near Troy in present-day northwestern Turkey, has a prehistoric past reaching back to the Chalcolithic Age, according to a 2026 study of pottery and stone tools found at the coastal settlement known today as Limantepe.
Archaeologist Nurettin Bataray of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University examined surface finds from the site in Çanakkale province’s Ayvacık district. The research places its earliest material alongside discoveries from Kumtepe and prehistoric Gülpınar, adding to evidence of early settlement in the Troad region beyond the better-known history of Troy.
Limantepe lies near Kösedere village, beside a natural harbor and the fertile Tuzla plain. Artifacts are spread across roughly 10 hectares, with prehistoric objects found mainly on the slopes and later remains concentrated higher up.
Erosion has exposed older material on the hillside, while deposits from subsequent occupation cover earlier layers on the summit. Its location also connected maritime routes across the Aegean and toward the Dardanelles.
At ancient Larisa near Troy, pottery reveals a prehistoric past
Among the oldest finds are dark, handmade vessels containing coarse material and organic matter. Some have wide openings and simple impressions made by fingers or tools. Other fragments preserve marks left by woven mats or textiles when the clay was shaped, providing clues to pottery production and other crafts.
Researchers also documented flint blades, stone axes, grinding stones, mortars and spindle whorls. Pottery from the transition to the Early Bronze Age resembles wares from Troy I and other settlements. Among the pieces are vessels with raised decoration, an animal-head handle, and a perforated container interpreted as a possible cheese-making pot.
Later examples include wheel-made bowls and plates associated with subsequent Bronze Age phases. The survey used satellite imagery, drone mapping, and field recording to document where the objects were found and map the mound’s shape. Unlike the earlier handmade vessels, these later pieces often have lighter red or brown surfaces.
Unexcavated layers could help clarify the Troad history
Larisa drew attention from early investigators, including Frank Calvert and Heinrich Schliemann, but much previous work centered on its ancient remains. The study also identifies evidence of Archaic Greek, Classical Greek, and early Hellenistic Greek period. Its inhabitants were later relocated to Alexandria Troas during the Hellenistic period, the paper says.
Despite the range of finds, no systematic excavation has established the full sequence of settlement layers. Bataray notes that some gray pottery may belong to the Bronze Age or later periods, making precise dating difficult.
Excavation could test how the community developed over time and help address gaps in the region’s prehistoric record. Such work may also shed light on a 1,500-year cultural gap identified between phases at nearby Kumtepe.
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