AGIOS FRANGISKOS - 2010

Agios Frangiskos, Herakleion. M. Andrianakis (Director, 13th EBA) and P. Epitropakis (13th EBA) report on the excavation of most of the east part of the monastery for the construction of offices for the ΚΓ’ ΕΠΚΑ and Herakleion Museum.

A lead commemorative medallion of the second half of the 14th century AD from the foundation of the apse bore a depiction of Saints Paul and Peter with the name of Pope Gregory XI (1370–1378) on the reverse. Inside the north wall is a well of dressed limestone.

The red limestone floor of the groin-vaulted burial crypt incorporates the cover slabs of graves. A cluster of box-like, two-tiered nobles’ tombs (vaulted inside) were found, all robbed but nonetheless containing finds such as stone coats-of-arms, jewellery, and metal attachments from clothing. Another set of graves, similar but with flat covers that form the floor of the central nave, should be those of monks. While disturbed, they yielded parts of votive plaques, candle-holders, floor slabs, etc.

East of the monastery, cutting the Arab-Byzantine town wall, is a third, comparable cluster of tombs belonging to Ottoman officers (to judge from crescent-moon emblems and traces of metal uniform accoutrements). A lower level held the remains of those who died in the course of the Seige: other such collections of bodies had been made when creating the courtyard to the south of the main Museum entrance.