The excavation conducted in summer 2022 provided the first archaeological results for the site of Toumba Serron. With the support of magnetometry operations done in 2021 we could evaluate the limits of the site and the settlement’s organisation, but, despite some good results during the walking survey (pointing us towards the Late Neolithic period) both dating and phasing of the occupations of the site needed to be confirmed through more invasive technics: drilling and excavations (Fig. 2). To test the potential archaeological layers and features we relied essentially on digging the specific magnetometry anomalies detected underground (Fig. 3).

From the drilling process (Fig. 11), the results have shown a less extensive period of occupation that was expected, with a maximum anthropic accumulation of 3m in depth across the site. As for now, the results of the auger process exclude a multitemporal use of the site by human groups, even though, there is a suspicion later layers have been scrapped away by the intensive agriculture activities of the last decades. What the drilling process confirmed though, is that the site has an occupation in situ around 160 cm to 200 cm in depth, which might correspond to the Late Neolithic (LN) I period. Yet, the presence of an abundant material dated from the Late Neolithic II period, but without clear remains of occupation in place yet, might indicate that the LNII occupations’ layers have been heavily disturbed (and possibly later periods). It should be noted that some sherds present on site were identified as “Post-Byzantine” / Ottoman period (1422 AD-1913 AD).

From the excavation process, the results have confirmed the preliminary survey observations: the archaeological material excavated belongs to the Late Neolithic period, which is particularly clear with the pottery decoration and with the presence of artefacts made of spondylus and marble, both known for their importance in the exchange networks during that period. Some crucial steps were completed through the archaeological process by testing the interpretations of the magnetometry results, resulting in their validation or, in the opposite, their necessary reinterpretations. The diagnostic pottery identified from the dig demonstrated that most fragments originate from the LN I period, and in less quantities from the LN II period, between 5500 and 4000 BC. It seems now clear that numerous sherds (‘Graphite’ type) indicate the presence of an occupation during the LN I (5500-4800 BC) confirmed in the trenches G5_83, H6_65, and in H3_82. No LN II occupation could be clearly defined, even though material from the period was clearly identified directly above the LN I layer (or mixed with) in the trenches H6_65 and H3_82. 

The objectives we defined for the season 2022 have been fulfilled by confirming the presence of a LN settlement in situ through the excavation, at least for the LN1, and by both confirming some results of the magnetometry study (i.e., presence of burned houses and a built circular enclosure on top of the tell, and high concentration of pottery reject at the bottom/south), and by refuting some of them (i.e. the presence of unburned houses in the western sectors). These conclusions will be tested further through extended excavation in summer 2023.

Fifteen drill samples were successfully completed (Fig. 2), but the full analysis of the samples is still on going. Yet, a preliminary analysis of one of the most representative samples, e.g., TS-04, located near to the top of the tell (Figs. 2 & 11) gave us the following information about the stratigraphy of the site: 

• From 0 to 117cm in depth, the stratigraphy was essentially composed of topsoil heavily disturbed by agricultural activities. 
• At 117cm to 136 cm in depth, a first sign of an archaeological occupation occurred with: an increase in numbers of pottery sherds, bones, charcoals, and recognizable LNII Black on Red pottery. This layer seems to correspond to a very disturbed LNII occupation (probably by animals, such as badgers or any kind of rodents).
• At 160cm to 168cm in depth, another diluted archaeological layer was identified, followed by an occupation layer in place between 168cm and 200cm in depth. At this depth, it was discovered high concentration of charcoals, clay building material, bones, and sherds dating from the LNI period.  
• At 240cm to 264cm in depth, another layer with some archaeological remains such as bones, sherd, and ashes were detected
• At 264cm to 268cm in depth, the bedrock/paleosol of the tell was clearly identified.  

The results of the analysis of the drilling samples will take the form of a cut of the tell through 2 perpendicular axes (North-South, and East-West), along with the detailed description of each drilling sample (TS). The report should be available during the month of November 2022. 

Overall, the stratigraphy defined by the drill Sample TS-04 has been relevant for the entire Toumba, but with some significant variations according to the results of the excavations in our 4 trenches. Yet, the precise position of each trench was defined according to the magnetometry results (Figs. 2 & 3). Each trench consisted in a team of 4 or 5 individuals, including 1 supervisor, 2 to 3 students, and 1 to 2 workers (Figs. 12 & 13).

Trench E6_6 was the first opened on the fieldwork. It was aiming to test the presence of an occupation layer, possibly later than the Neolithic site of Toumba. Through the magnetometry results (Figs. 3, 3.1 & 4), it was expected to find between the surface and 160cm in depth approx., the remains of 2 buildings, as well as the traces of an enclosure. However, it was not possible to detect any features in this trench, apart from some suspicions about the presence of post-holes cutting through the bedrock. The bedrock was hit as soon as 97 cm in depth. The trench was closed on July 8th. Even though a negative result, this was a crucial test which will allow us to recalibrate the magnetometry results and exclude some specific anomalies.

Trench H6_65 was the trench located the closest to the top of the Toumba (Fig.3 & 3.1). It was opened to test the results of the magnetometry survey which indicated the presence of a long building made of burned clay building material (Fig.7), and oriented South-West/North-East. In accordance with the sample drill results, a first layer (≈40cm) of extremely disturbed and diluted clay building material (C-105) was defined around 80 down to 120cm in depth (Fig.8). A second archaeological layer started to be defined immediately bellow, notably with what seems to be a stones assemblage. Most importantly, a last attempt in exploring deeper layers was done in the last days of the dig, and a 3m x 2m test (C-109 – 90cm thick) was opened in the South-West corner of the trench down to 165cm in depth. It contained essentially pottery sherds dating from the LNII, and only few from the LNI, which illustrates that the transition between the two periods were not detected stratigraphically during the excavation but should be located between 140 to 160cm (as indicated by the drill sample TS4). Another 1m x 1m test pit (C-110 – 50cm thick) was opened in the Southern border/Center of the trench. Like the pervious test pit (C-109), it contained an equal quantity of diagnostic sherds from the LNI than LNII phases, coming from layers located between 150cm and 200cm in depth. In this case, the transition between the 2 phases were not detected either during the excavation but it shows that the transition between LNI and LNII should be expected between 150 cm and 160cm.

Trench H3_82 was the southern and lower trench opened in 2022 in Toumba (Fig.2 & 3.1). Its surface was 12m lower (60m amsl) than the top of the Toumba (72m amsl). It was selected because of a strong circular signal indicating high concentration of highly burned clay material (Fig.3). It was hypothesized as a kiln ceramic production area. However, an extremely thick topsoil (Fig. 10 Top) prevented us to reveal such a hypothetical structure, and it is only through a small window (test pit of 1m x 1m) located at the Northern border of the trench (middle), that we could access the first archaeological layer at 160cm in depth (Fig. 10 Bottom). It was essentially composed of a high concentration of pottery dating from the LNII phase, but still with some LNI sherds. As a result, it is now fair to suggest that the strong signal detected by the magnetometry survey corresponds to a dump/pit of pottery rejection, mostly from the LNII. The depth of this archaeological layer (C-420) located between 160cm and 180cm in depth could be explained by a higher accumulation of soil due to alluvial deposition and terrain modification in modern times (related to leveling for roads and train tracks). It would be interesting to open further this trench to define the limits and the nature of this pottery concentration (and if associated with a kiln production), but the depth and location of the trench might forbid us to reopen it in the 2023 season. Yet, the result of the excavation should be enough to help the magnetometry survey officer to recalibrate its results to offer new interpretations in November 2022.

Trench G5_83 is a trench located at the southern side of the top of the Toumba (Figs. 2, 3 & 3.1). This location was selected based on the results of the magnetometry, where we were expecting both a building and an enclosure (Fig.5). The trench was initially opened on a 5m x 5m base, but soon limited to a 5m x 2m sector, on the west side of the trench. The first discovery was done in the South-West corner of the trench with the remains of the shape of a linear feature (slightly circular), corresponding to the expected magnetometry signal, and located at 100cm in depth. This feature composed of a (possibly built) clay structure (C-204) and a cut (C-206), formed a clear 2m long linear feature (Fig.6 – Top), slightly curving to the west, as a fragment of the potential circular enclosure of 120m diameter (Fig.3). Further on during the excavation, focusing on the North-West corner of the trench, the C-218, at 120cm in depth (unexcavated), we revealed clay remains which might correspond to the signal detected by the magnetometry, and might correspond to the remains of the wall of the building (oriented North-East/South-West and North-West/South-East) (Fig.6 – Bottom). More investigations will be necessary during the season 2023 to clarify the configuration of the space. In the meantime, a concentration of hash and charcoal material (C-219) was fund next to C-218. Both contexts were characterized by a high concentration of sherds dating from the LNI, but the contexts were partially disturbed (notably by rodents) as few sherds from the LNII were also present. Yet, it seems that the structure revealed should be associated to the LNI (with a depth between 120cm and approx. 140cm).