An excavation carried out close to the church of St. Paraskevi on Tolofona Beach revealed architectural remains and burials of the Middle Helladic period (2000-1600 B.C.). Inside the valley, on a steep hill at the site called "Mathiou" or "Marathiou" there are remains of an important cyclopean wall, dated to the Mycenaean period (1600-1100 B.C.). The fortifications at the sites Bouhouri and Palaeokastro in Vitrinitsa accomplished the complex defense system of the region.
On the hill Pitha, just by the seaside, was located a significant Classical and Hellenistic settlement, protected by a fortification wall with quadrilateral towers. Archaeological research carried out all over the hill reveals architectural remains of houses with a propylon and storage spaces, as well as foundations of public buildings dated to the 3rd-2nd centuries B.C. The extent and importance of the antiquities investigated on the hill led several scholars to identify this thriving settlement with ancient Oeantheia, one of the important cities of west Locris.
On the foothill, just by the sea, there are visible traces of a medieval tower, built with stones from the ancient fortification. Stones coming from ancient well-constructed buildings or from the fortification have been used for building the Church of Evangelistria or Panayia Polyportou, a three-naved basilica dated to the transitional period between the 10th and the 11th century. Close to the Polyportou church a Mycenaean chamber tomb had been destroyed a while ago.
Finally, at the site "Marathias" of Erateini a pithos (large jar) was discovered, containing a 7th century B.C. burial. Among the grave goods of the burial counted Corinthian aryballoi, used for keeping perfumes and aromatic oil, as well as a faience scarab, all exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Amphissa.
Text: Antoula Tsaroucha, Archaeologist
Translation: Dr. Aphrodite Kamara, Historian