with Aigeira have been found dating to the early part of Late Helladic III, including chamber tombs excavated by the Greek archaeologist Nikolaos Verdelis in 1956 at Lykovouno/Derveni, approximately 1.2 km southeast of the settlement. In LH IIIC, these tombs continued to be re-used, but some innovations in funerary practice are observed: instead of re-opening the chambers and interring new bodies, rectangular trenches, known as 'dormitories', were dug into the floors of the tombs. Classical and Hellenistic Periods Like many Aegean sites, Aigeira was abandoned at the end of the Bronze Age, following the destruction of the site at the end of LH IIIC Middle. Occupation began again in the second half of the 8th century BCE, likely associated with the sanctuary at the site, and included areas of the 'lower town' previously occupied in LH IIIC. Some partial fortifications are known from the Archaic period, covering an area of around 3.5 hectares. In the Iliad, Aigeira was known as Hyperesia. In the 2nd century CE, Pausanias recorded a story of how the town came to change its name: Pausanias relates that the old name of 'Hyperesia' continued in use: indeed, he elsewhere records that Icarus of Hyperesia was proclaimed victor in the 23rd Olympiad in 688 BC; Eusebius refers his name as Icarius., while Cratinus, the winner of the Olympic prize for boys' wrestling in 260 BC, is named as a citizen of 'Aigeira'. Aigeira was a member of the Achaean League during its first period of existence in the early fourth century BCE, and again when it was re-founded in 284 BCE, after collapsing shortly after 323 BCE. During this period, probably early in the 4th century, the nearby town of Aigai appears to have been abandoned or become depopulated, and its citizens incorporated into the citizen body of Aigeira. Perhaps in commemoration of this, the coins of Aigeira began to use the symbol of a goat, previously used in the coinage of Aigai, and continued to do so throughout the Classical and Hellenistic periods. The Hellenistic period appears to have been a time of great growth, with the size of the settlement increasing by as much as fourteen times, perhaps owing to money from the Achaean League. The city was re-fortified in this period with a circuit wall, which encompassed around 50 ha. Excavations in the later 20th century uncovered a building complex, known as the 'guest