Lefkanti
It is located in a strategic and fertile point of the southern Euboean gulf, between Chalkida and Eretria. On the coastal hill of Xeropolis, the successive residential phases date from the late Neolithic era to the 7th century BC. Important is the phase of the last Mycenaean years (1200 - 1100 BC), which proves the smooth transition from the Mycenaean to the Geometric era. On the same hill, Middle Helladic tombs (2000 - 1600 BC) with elements of Proto-Hellenic chambered and box-shaped tombs. On the neighboring hills of Skoubri and Toumba, cemeteries of the 11th - 10th centuries BC where the gradual predominance of cremation over burial of the dead is noted. In geometric times, the hill of Xeropolis seems to have been inhabited in comas, i.e. settlements, and was destroyed around 700 BC.
Remains of an arched house and other circular buildings (8th century BC) were found. On the northern and eastern outskirts of today's village, five cemeteries of the settlement of the geometrical period came to light with rich and unique finds (exhibited in the Eretria Museum) that testify to contacts and transactions with Egypt, Phoenicia and Cyprus. In the northern part of the Tomba cemetery, an elongated arched building of impressive dimensions (47 x 10 m., first half of the 10th century BC) with brick walls was discovered. The building contained externally a series of wooden (?) buttresses. Internally it was divided into three areas. On the floor of the largest space were found the burials of a woman, four horses and the cremation of a man. The building was apparently a heroon for the royal dead and was covered with an earthen mound.
Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou