The megaron before you (a long narrow structure with a "front porch" enclosed at the sides by extensions of the lateral walls of the structure -a forerunner of the Greek temple plan) of mudbrick masonry upon stone foundations came to light during the excavations of 1998-99. The walls of the structure, built immediately inside the citadel fortifications, were preserved to a height of more than 1.5 m. C-14 analysis of carbonized grains of barley found inside the building provide a final date for the use of the building (destroyed by fire) between 2290 and 2200 BCE. A central hearth measured 1.2 m in diameter; white plaster covered the interior walls, and the whitewashed floor bore the imprint and charred remnants of reed mats. The wealth of finds inside indicate at least some cult activity.
Just to the north of this structure are the remains of still other megara which have only been partly excavated. A shift in the orientation of the complex demonstrates that these structures must be ascribed to a phase transitional between Troy II and III; Gate FO was clearly no longer muse.
