May 11, 1957
ANCIENT PELLA: Thessaloniki, 10 – «There is no doubt that we are in ancient Pella, the capital of Alexander the Great, and that the buildings that have been excavated once belonged to the town’s notables,» said Athens University Professor Spyridon Marinatos, head of antiquities at the Education Ministry. Marinatos, along with other members of the Archaeological Council, watched the excavations conducted over the course of the day by the Thessaloniki antiquities ephorate. «The ancient city appears to be quite extensive,» continued Marinatos. «Undoubtedly we will be looking for the palace, temples and other public buildings. The excavations will surely bring to light other important structures.» The council members examined the buildings unearthed to date, as well as the various finds, which include a colored roof tile and an intact clay amphora. The archaeologists examined the entire area around the site and stressed the need for excavation work to continue. Marinatos said that the buildings discovered so far attested to the greatness of the age of Alexander the Great. Archaeologists have extended their investigation to the old lake of Yiannitsa, now dried up, which is believed to be the site of prehistoric Pella.
