Archaeological excavations on the Ionian island of Lefkada have brought to light a previously undiscovered and sizeable ancient theatre, the culture minister announced specifying that the find was made on Koulmou hill toward the end of 2015.
So far very little is known so far about the theater, since it has not been mentioned in any known ancient texts or sources. The efforts of the Antiquities Ephorate of Aetoloakarnania and Lefkada have revealed rows of seats, the orchestra section and sections of the auditorium and stage walls.
Test ‘sections’ were cut in an area on the northeast flank of Koulmou’s middle hill, which forms an amphitheatrical downward hollow ending in a lengthy flat section, the ministry announcement said.
Theater structure
It also added that six sections revealed seats carved from the rock, about 0.73 to 0.90 metres deep and 0.22-0.33 metres high. Others found the orchestra and a section of a wall in a quadrant plan, up to 0.6 metres across. The sections also found portions of retaining walls.
A dig had been carried out at the start of the 20th century under the direction of German archeologist Krieger, a partner of the seminal classical archeologist and architect Wilhelm Dörpfeld. Although the findings of the dig were not widely published at the tie, the journals and plans kept from the dig indicate that a number of features uncovered suggested the presence of a theater structure.
The culture ministry said that continuing the excavation in order to reveal and protect the monument will be a priority for the ministry’s services, adding that the Lefkada Municipality and Ionian Islands Regional Authority have both supported the work.
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