Paradimi is a settlement of the Prefecture of Rodopi and is located 8 kilometers southwest of Komotini. Archaeological excavations near the village revealed 17 prehistoric residential layers. The layers are classified into five phases, of which the first four belong to the Neolithic era (about 5000-4500 BC) and the last to the Bronze Age. Square houses were found in the area, placed very close to each other. Their walls are made of piles in a row, interwoven with branches and smeared with clay. Hearths, ovens, garbage pits and storage areas were found very close to the houses.
The settlement of Paradimi yielded monochromatic, polished pottery, with mostly dark hues, incised, and linear decoration. The vessels often have a black band below the rim or, more rarely, are red at the rim and black below. Their shape is usually conical, without a base and the outline is angular, while characteristic are the corneous or knob-shaped outgrowths present on the handles. In a second phase of the Parade some modernist elements are added to the pottery, while the written decoration is generally absent. From the third phase of the Paradimi, in addition to ceramics, extraordinary sculptural creations have also been found. An object with engraved representations was found in the area, which dates back to the Neolithic era,
The findings are exhibited at the Archaeological Museum of Komotini.
Editor: Niki Kalopaidis