ELEUTHERNA - 2009
General Information
Record ID
1827
Activity Date
2009
Chronology
Key-words
Type of Operation
Institution
Localisation
Linked Record
Report
Eleutherna. Press reports of the 25th season of excavation by N. Stampolidis (Crete/Museum of Cycladic Art). make particular reference to three eight-century BC burials from the cemetery at Orthi Petra. A rectangular structure (ca. 3–3.5m long) with walls standing to a height of 2.1m - effectively a built chamber tomb complete with door - was constructed in an area previously utilized for Mycenaean tombs (17th- to 10th- century BC). Some late eighth- to early seventh-century pottery was located ca. 1m above the floor. On the floor were three female skeletons in close proximity, one 65-70 years of age, the others around 16-17. Organic remains indicate some form of cloth cover, adorned with faience beads and gold foil ornament. Rich grave goods include scarabs of Egyptian Blue, seals of amber and rock-crystal (their motifs often hark back to earlier times: double-axes, deer, horses, starfish and squid), bronze bracelets, brooches, earrings and hair ornaments. The gold jewellery is notable, being decorated with granulation and inset stones (now all lost). Some are pendants, like the Daedalic female heads and the tortoise, and other larger pieces may be pectorals: some depict lions and carry meander motifs. Over the structure were remains of pyres of later date (similar to others found in the area) and other types of burials, including that of two small hunting dogs. The tally of burials at Eleutherna has now reached some 400.
Author
Don EVELY
Bibliographic reference(s)
Ethnos (28/08/09); Ta Nea (28/08/09); Eleftherotypia (28/08/09); Apogevmatini (28/08/09)
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Date of creation
2011-02-14 00:00:00
Last modification
2023-10-06 11:23:19