Dispilio Administrative Seat

Dispilio is the site of a Neolithic lakeshore settlement on the shore of a lake in Western Macedonia, Greece, and is known for extensive prehistoric archaeological remains. Excavations at the site began in the early 1990s and have revealed wooden structures, pottery and other domestic artefacts preserved in waterlogged soils.

The site is presented to visitors through an excavation area and a local display that shows major finds and explains the settlement’s layout. Finds include preserved wooden elements and organic material, which are uncommon for Neolithic sites in the region.

Excavations were led by archaeological teams from the early 1990s onward, with systematic work uncovering successive occupation layers and structures. The site has contributed important evidence on lakeshore settlement and Neolithic lifeways in northern Greece.

Dispilio lies on the lakeshore near the modern village of Dispilio in the Kastoria/Western Macedonia region, with the archaeological area close to the contemporary shoreline and accessible from the surrounding local roads.

• Dispilio Tablet: A wooden tablet with incised markings - often referred to as the Dispilio Tablet - was recovered from the site and dated by investigators to around the 6th millennium BC; the find is one of the key artefacts from the excavations.

What to See#

• Excavation area: The main archaeological excavation area where successive floors, wooden structures and domestic remains have been uncovered and preserved in situ under waterlogged conditions.
• On-site museum and display: A local display and small museum exhibits finds from the site, including pottery, tools and the famous inscribed wooden tablet discovered during the excavations.

• Visit Dispilio in the morning to avoid the midday heat and crowds, and to see the lakeside light on Lake Orestiada.
• Be sure to see the small on-site archaeological display - the finds from the Neolithic lakeshore settlement (including the famous Dispilio Tablet) are exhibited there and add crucial context to the wooden reconstruction.
• Walk the shore and the reconstructed stilt-house area rather than just viewing from the car park - the boardwalk and lakeside viewpoint are often overlooked but give a much better sense of the original settlement.