Acharnes, Crete - 2024

Acharnes - Crete. Efi Sapouna-Sakellaraki (Archaeological Society of Athens and Ephorate of Antiquities of Euboea) reports on continuation of the research project in the Minoan Palace in Acharnes, Crete.

the first-known “Sacred Gate” identified at a Minoan palace, located just outside its main entrance, in an area already known for four altars and stone architectural features that underscore the site’s religious importance. In addition to uncovering new bases for double axes on the ceremonial platform (one pyramid-shaped and another fragmentary) the excavation clarified previously ambiguous architectural remains and revealed extensive evidence of Mycenaean-period destruction by fire, including numerous fragmented kylikes and a few Minoan artifacts. Noteworthy finds include a fallen stone base and four bronze hooks likely associated with a wooden cult statue from an upper-floor shrine, affirming the sacred character of the eastern rooms. Further north, the team exposed multi-story sections of a luxurious wing with gypsum door frames, schist floors, and in-situ decorative plaster bands, along with wall-painting fragments preserving blue and red pigments (Fig. 1). The western area yielded part of a doorway façade with an intact lintel and shining gypsum jamb base, collectively enriching the understanding of the palace’s complex religious and architectural evolution. In an undisturbed layer in the southernmost part was a destruction layer associated with the Mycenaeanperiod, which appears to have destroyed much of the Minoan palace, with finds from these strata predominantly Mycenaean in character (Fig. 2).