Chania - 1 Katre street - 2008

Chania - 1 Katre street. Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki (ΚΕ’ EPKA) reports that archaeological investigations commenced in a plot in 1 Katre Street on Kastelli hill of the town of Chania (Fig. 1).

During the third systematic excavation season in 2008 only two new trenches were opened, ΙΒ and ΙΓ, however at the same time the trenches Η-Ι were further investigated and corridors ΣΤ-IB, Δ/Ε-Θ and IΒ-Θ were excavated. A new uniform and extended excavated surface was created and more layers of the Minoan period came to light (Fig. 2). 

In the northern part of the plot, structures of unique significance began to be discovered (trenches Δ, Ε, ΣΤ, Θ and ΙΒ), which are dated to the beginning of the LM IIIB period (approximately 1300 BC). 

An extended outdoor area, a yard, whose limits currently remain unknown were detected. (Fig. 3). This yard is located at the W edge of the hill and of the Minoan settlement. The elaborate floor of the yard with a thick layer of plaster, small pebbles (tarazza) and cracks on its surface, was hastily covered with a layer of soil and pebbles (floor 17), on top of which small scattered piles of stones were placed (Fig. 4) – apart from the W side where large worked stones deriving from a nearby building were found. The floor of the yard resembles those of the Palace of Nestor in Pylos. After the removal of the stone piles, it was discovered that these were covering bones that bore no burning evidence (Fig. 5). In few cases bones not covered by stones were found. These scattered bones were of young ibexes, goats, cattle, and pigs, according to zooarchaeologist D. Mylona. 

Among the animal bones, scattered human bones belonging to a young female were also found, according to anthropologist P. McGeorge. It should be mentioned that all these bones were intentionally placed on the floor. However, the largest bone concentration was found on the NW part of the excavated area. On top of a layer of small stones, “parts” and not simply fragments of animals were placed (Fig. 6). 

Α second layer of larger stones covered them afterwards. This evidence suggests ritual practices. Another indication supporting this hypothesis is the burnt wooden structure that had collapsed right next to the bone layer. Next to it a concentration of burnt tiles and floor parts of gravel and lime were discovered (Fig. 7,8,9). The nearby bone layer did not bear any signs of burning. The preliminary analyses of the soil flotation from the area of the burnt structure, and the archaeobotanic research conducted by A. Sarpaki, have resulted to large concentrations of seeds (mainly cereal, olives, legumes and figs).  

The stone column base that was found in situ at the NW edge of the excavated area, next to the collapsed large worked stones is an interesting find (Fig. 10). Few wall-painting fragments were found near the column base, suggesting that a building existed at the W side of the plot. 

According to the results of the 2007 and 2008 excavations, the earthen floor 16 belongs to the LM IIIC period, as an outdoor area. At the N, a layer of large stones occupied the central part of this area and it seems that it surrounded an extended concentration of smaller stones that reached the north edge of trench Θ. The removal of some of these stones revealed that more of them were placed deeper. 

The large layer of pithoi fragments and of other large vessels, as well as of stones that was found in 2007 with burning traces on its entirety, corresponds to the end of the 8^th and the beginning of the 7^th c. BC. The area remained an outdoor space until the Arhaic period, when the walls 10 and 11 were built at the N edge. During the Roman occupation the W part of wall 10 was destroyed. 

The excavation in trench ΙΓ brought to light remains of different periods: α) Wall 18, dating to the 20^th c. AD β) Wall 19, which comprises the continuation of wall 8 of trench Ζ and bears evidence of a destructive earthquake, floor 19 which is made of plaster and is related to the aforementioned wall μ, as well as pits ΚΒ and ΚΓ, which contained shells, mainly whorl-shells, suggesting workshop or cooking activities, during the Late Roman period. γ) The newer part of wall 20 and the earthen floor 20, dating to the Early years Roman occupation. δ) The initial part of wall 20 and the earthen floor 21, dating to the Classical Period. The excavation stopped at this depth in this area. 

The excavation in the joined trenches Η-Ι and their extension towards the S brought to light: α) Part of a building of the Classical or/and Archaic periods, at the east edge of the excavation (Rooms Α and Β). β) Large quantities of pottery of the 4^th, 5^th, 6^th and 7^th c. AD, and an abundance of tiles of the Classical period. γ) A bronze pseudo-Rhodian coin, of Cretan cutting of the 3^rd c. BC δ) An extended outdoor space. During the cleaning of the floor 25 a large amount of pottery was collected, mainly of the LM IIIC period. The probable connection of this outdoor space to the LM IIIB yard creates new questions which hopefully will be answered during the excavation of 2009.

[Entry created by K. Christakis and translated by C. Koureta]