• Hellenic Republic • Prefecture of Drama

At the beginning of the 3rd Millennium BC the Neolithic period ended and the Copper Age began. Life in the Neolithic settlements in the prefecture continued while new ones were established. Copper Age settlements are to be found in Sitagri as well as in the city of Drama at Arkadikos, and in the villages of Petrousa, Mylopotamos, Kalos Agros, Ano Symvoli, Xiropotamos, Doxato, Kallifytos, Nikiforos, Platania, in the valley of the Nestos and on several river banks. At this time, a new type of settlement was created and social, cultural and economical changes in society have been observed. The processing of metal appeared and residents began producing alloys of copper and pewter. Population movements began to occur and trade developed.
In the area constituting the prefecture the first examples of metallurgy were found at the settlement in Sitagri dating from the mid 5th Millennium BC (Phase III).

Excavations have revealed shards of terracotta crucibles with pieces of melted copper together with arrows and beads from pure copper and well as one bead made of gold that belong to Phase III. During this period houses were larger with auxiliary areas. Three settlement phases can be distinguished at the Sitagri settlement during the early Copper Age:
a. Phase IV with examples of pile-dwellings with narrow streets between the houses,
b. Phase Va with a vaulted house destroyed in a fire and known as the "burnt house", and
c. Phase Vb with a vaulted, pile dwelling called the "long house".
The "Burnt House" is a typical example of a house from the Early Copper Age. An outer entrance hall, the main living area of the house and a small "vaulted" area at the back with storage vessels and an "oven" for the preparation of food and its storage can be distinguished.

The Sitagri settlement fell into disuse some time before the end of the Early Copper Age (2000 BC). Some settlements in the lowlands of Drama continued to exist during the Late Copper Age such as those at Nikiforos, Platania and Xiropotamos while others were established at new locations near rivers such as the settlement at Kali Vrysi at the location known as "Megali Toumba" or in semi-mountainous and fortified locations such as the settlements at Potami and Exohi. These settlements were small in size and had fortified walls surrounding them.