200 ancient sites discovered in Greece reveal 6,000 years of hidden human history

Through a lens of advanced technology, researchers have finally unmasked the enduring architectural and economic heartbeat of this ancient Greek landscape. A recent archaeological survey by the Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece (ESAG) has identified a sprawling rural network of over 200 sites covering an impressive period of 6,000 years of continuous human activity in the Eretrian plain region of Evia, Greece. ESAG conducted the survey using state-of-the-art LiDAR technology to penetrate the dense canopy and document a complex rural organisation connecting prehistoric settlements with the medieval churches of the area. More than 30 square kilometres of land were mapped, yielding results such as ancient farms, industrial quarries, and medieval roads that connected different demes (areas of rural settlement) with the urban area of Eretria and the Sanctuary of Artemis at Amarynthos. The survey results provide an unprecedented view into how the people of Greece have been able to evolve and sustain themselves for 6,000 years from their earliest agrarian beginnings to the end of the 19th century.

Archaeologists discover 200 ancient sites in Greece

The survey, conducted between 2021 and 2025, researched land around Eretria. Upon conducting extensive fieldwork, the team gained new insights into the many settlements or administrative units that functioned as the city-state’s hinterland. Many of these areas have been designated as separate demes, some resembling organised social units. As part of their findings, the team documented the existing rock-cut olive presses at most demes and the extensive road systems that provided socio-economic and cultic connectivity to the populous regions, such as to the Sanctuary of Amarynthos.

The role of 3D terrain mapping in modern archaeology

The use of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is crucial to further detecting hidden sites related to these demes. According to the Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece – Annual Reports, by employing LiDAR as a remote sensing technology, the researchers were able to obtain high-resolution, 3D terrain maps revealing the locations of buried walls, terraces and ancient routes that are otherwise invisible. By integrating this information into a GIS (Geographic Information Systems), the team analysed the factors influencing the spatial distribution of human activity over time throughout this part of Greece.

How Eretria’s rural communities outlasted empires

The artefacts found in the area demonstrate that the Eretrian plains always had a population. According to the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, the rulers changed from Mycenaean to Roman and Ottoman administrators; there was a persistent agrarian population living there, tending the farmland and maintaining the farms for 6,000 years.

Why mapping 200 sites matters today

The act of mapping the 200 settlements achieves two goals. First, it enhances our historical understanding of the area. Second, the mapping creates the basis for protecting the cultural heritage of the area under Greek law. Amidst increasing urban development on Evia, this mapping will provide a record of the archaeological heritage sites that existed in the area in order to mitigate the destruction of unexcavated cultural strata before they can be excavated.