Megalos Peristeres cave - Rethymno - 2024

Megalos Peristeres Cave - Rethymno. Andreas Darlas (Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology) and Thomas Strasser (Providence College) report on the first season of a synergasia between the Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology and ASCSA.

The aim of this project is to learn if humans interacted with extinct Ice Age Cretan fauna: specifically, species from the cervid (deer) genus Candiacervus and the elephant genus Palaeoloxodon. This will have significant implications on our understanding of human environmental impact on Mediterranean islands, perhaps contributing to the demise of extinct terrestrial fauna, as well as the development of early seafaring.

The geophysical investigation, using ground penetrating radar, indicated that there is ca. 3.5 m of preserved sediments in this location. Initially six 2x2m trenches were opened, but three were abandoned as the soil is extremely calcified ca. 10 - 20 cm. deep. Holocene artifacts were found, such as pottery and two spindle whorls. Most of the pottery appeared, upon initial inspection, to be Final Neolithic (Fig. 1 & 2), but there are small amounts from later periods. Trench X08 was excavated to the greatest depth (ca. one meter) and revealed stratigraphy that will help guide further excavations in that part of the cave (Fig. 3).  Many lithics and obsidian fragments were also found throughout the site (Fig. 11a & b). Trench R08 was the most important for the first season. At approximately 60 cm. deep, are the remains of an extinct elephant Palaeoloxodon creutzburgi.  Its atlas vertebra was found, some other bones not yet fully excavated, and potentially a tusk, as well as some stone tools were within 10cm above the fossilized animal (figs. 13a-c). No pottery was found in this stratum.