CHANIA - 2005

Chania, National Stadium. E. Kataki (ΚΕ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports on the excavation of 280m2 of the cemetery of ancient Kydonia. The 81 burials uncovered, cut into in a deep sand layer, comprise 60 enchytrismoi (51 in amphorae, eight in beehives, and one in a chytra), 19 pits, and two tile graves. The enchytrismoi contained premature or new-born infants (one amphora held premature twins). Most lacked grave goods, but a few had unguentaria or plates, iron bracelets or rings, and there is one case of a terracotta bird figurine. In some cases a jug or olpe was set outside the burial vessel. The boundaries of the pit graves could no longer be discerned, but eight contained multiple burials (with two, three, or four bodies and in one case at least 12). The dead were supine and oriented north-south (head to the south) or east-west (head to the east). One inscribed stele of worn limestone was found. A few pit burials lacked grave goods, but most had one or two domestic pots (unguentaria, olpes, jugs), and black-glaze vases such as kantharoi and kotylai were also represented. Other finds included female figurines, four silver danakes, an iron strigil and an iron knife. Of the 12 or more bodies contained in a single pit grave, most were men aged 17 to 25 and two may have been women. These individuals had been in poor physical condition (one man under 20 had died as a result of a triple trepanation). Grave goods comprised a small lekane, a lamp and a fine lagynos. One pit burial (36) contained a man (who had poor teeth) accompanied by iron shackles. The main period of use of the cemetery was from the mid fourth until the first half of the third century BC.