“Lady in Gold” unearthed on Crete

Archaeologists made an important discovery when they unearthed an ancient female skeleton covered with gold foil in a grave in the ancient city of Eleutherna on the northern foothills of Mount Ida near Rethymno, Crete. The finding dates back to the early Archaic Period.

The findings were inside a 2,700-year-old twin tomb, the only one in ancient Eleutherna, located very close to a necropolis of fallen warriors. The woman, of high social or religious status, was interred with a second skeleton in a large jar placed behind a false wall, to ward off body snatchers.

The tiny gold ornaments, ranging from 1 to 4cm long, in different forms (square, triangle, and diamond-shaped) were found next to the remains of the woman, discovered a few weeks ago by a team led by archaeology professor Nicholas Stampolidis of the University of Crete – head of the Eleutherna excavation.

A unique jewelry piece depicting a bee as a goddess was also found amongst the thousands of gold plaques. Excavators also unearthed perfume bottles, hundreds of amber, rock crystal and faience beads and a gold pendant in the form of a bee goddess.
The findings are so extraordinary that they justify the decision made recently by the Archaeological Institute of America to include the excavations at ancient Eleutherna among the best worldwide.

YouTube: Introduction to the Excavation of Orthi Petra Eleutherna 

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

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Antiparos:Caves, History and Cycladic Charm

Paros has for years been a household name even to those who have never visited the Greek islands.
But Antiparos – just 30 minutes by boat from Parikia, the capital of Paros, or a mere six minutes by ferry from Paros’ popular Pounta Beach – has yet to be discovered by more than those who have already been initiated in its hidden treasures:
One of the oldest and loveliest stalactite and stalagmite caves in the world; the remains of a Venetian Castle built in 1440 to protect inhabitants from pirate raids; innumerable white churches with blue domes scattered all over the island; secluded emerald beaches.
On Faneromeni beach, at the small church of Panagia Faneromeni, the September 7 annual Festival will once again treat lucky visitors with grilled octopus, tsikoudia – and warm hospitality.

To the south-west of Antiparos lies uninhabited Despotiko islet, the archaeological findings of which are turning it into an Archaeological Park.

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

Archaeological Findings Repatriated to Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   The repatriation of 100 archaeological finds currently stored at Ghent University’s Archeological School in Belgium was decided following a meeting of Greece’s Minister of Culture with the Belgian ambassador and the director of the Belgian Archaeological School in Athens. The Belgian delegation informed Minister Antonis Samaras that the finds come from the School’s excavations at the archaeological site of Thoricos at Lavrio (see picture), southeast Attica. The School’s project of Thoricos was first launched in 1963, and four major areas have been investigated to date: the acropolis, the necropolis, the theatre and the industrial area. The acropolis has yielded the most important finds, while the theatre, probably the earliest in Greece, is of unique archaeological interest. The modern-day name of Thoricos, Lavrio, derives from the word “lavra” which means narrow passage and it is mostly known for its ancient and modern mining galleries. Mine extraction at Thorikos dates back to around 3000 B.C. Silver mining, once one of the chief source of revenue of the Athenian state, reached its peak during the years of Pericles. After a long pause, activities were resumed during the 19th century, contributing to the newly established Greek state’s technological progress for more than a century’s time. Nowadays, the area boasts the Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park, where the rich local legacy comes to the fore. Ministry of Culture: www.culture.gr; Hellenic Culture Organisation: Odysseus portal