Poliochni, Lemnos: One of the oldest cities in Europe

It was established between the mid-5th millennium BC and peaked in the 3rd millennium.

Poliochni, located at one of the safest anchorages along the maritime trade route to and from the Black Sea, and directly opposite the Troad, became one of the earliest and most significant examples of urban centers during the Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC) in the Aegean. Thanks to its economic growth, it soon rivalled powerful settlements of the neighboring Asia Minor coast, like Troy and Liman Tepe (Clazomenae).

Excavations have unearthed traces of the settlement’s urban organization, which must have housed around 1,500 inhabitants at its peak. The city’s fortification, the remains of houses, as well as paved streets and squares with communal wells, paint a picture of a highly organized urban environment.

Of particular interest is a hall lined with stone benches, which must have served as a gathering place for the inhabitants, most likely to discuss important matters and make decisions. It was identified as a Bouleuterion and is considered one of the earliest assembly structures of its kind.

Among the various finds, archeologists discovered golden jewelry known as the “Treasure of Poliochni”, currently on show at the National Archaeological Museum.