What archaeological evidence shows that Athens had a settled population before 3000 BCE?

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Archaeological evidence confirms that Athens was inhabited during the Neolithic Period (before 3000 BCE). The primary evidence for this settled population consists of pottery finds discovered on and around the Acropolis.1

Specifically, researchers identified a group of approximately 20 shallow wells or pits located on the northwest slope of the Acropolis, situated just below the Klepsydra spring. These wells contained high-quality burnished pottery, which serves as significant evidence that the inhabitants of Athens at this time possessed both a settled lifestyle and advanced technical and artistic standards.1