Archaeology 24

Accidental Discovery by Greek Farmer Reveals 3,400-Year-Old Minoan tomЬ Concealed Beneath Olive Grove

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by

AQ

Between 1400 and 1200 B.C., two Minoan men found their final resting place in an underground chamber carved from the soft limestone of southeast Crete. Enclosed within intricately embossed clay coffins known as larnakes, a popular choice in Bronze Age Minoan society, the burial site showcased colorful funerary vases indicative of high social standing. The underground tomb was sealed with stone masonry, remaining forgotten for approximately 3,400 years.

The discovery unfolded when a farmer, parking his truck beneath olive trees on his property, noticed the ground starting to give way. After moving his vehicle to safety, he observed a four-foot-wide hole that had opened up. Upon closer inspection, he realized that this was no ordinary hole.

The hole in the ground led to a Minoan Bronze Age tomb.

The farmer called in archaeologists from the local heritage ministry to investigate, and they began excavating what turned out to be an ancient Minoan tomb, carved into the soft limestone, which had been lying hidden for millennia.

Two adult Minoan men had been placed in highly-embossed clay coffins called “larnakes” which were common in Bronze Age Minoan culture. These, in turn, were surrounded by funerary vases which suggest that the men were of high status.

The ancient chamber tomb remained entirely intact and untouched by looters. Spanning approximately 13 feet in length and eight feet in depth, the tomb comprised three chambers accessible through a sealed vertical tunnel, crafted from clay after the interment of its occupants.In the northernmost chamber, a larnax was discovered, surrounded by various funerary vessels. Meanwhile, the southernmost chamber housed another larnax coffin alongside 14 amphorae and a bowl. Estimated to be around 3,400 years old, the tomb exhibited remarkable preservation, marking it as a highly significant discovery.

The ancient chamber tomb remained entirely intact and untouched by looters. Spanning approximately 13 feet in length and eight feet in depth, the tomb comprised three chambers accessible through a sealed vertical tunnel, crafted from clay after the interment of its occupants.In the northernmost chamber, a larnax was discovered, surrounded by various funerary vessels. Meanwhile, the southernmost chamber housed another larnax coffin alongside 14 amphorae and a bowl. Estimated to be around 3,400 years old, the tomb exhibited remarkable preservation, marking it as a highly significant discovery.

The ornate pottery vessels found inside the tomb were all in good condition. 

Locals don’t anticipate the discovery of any more tombs of this type, but the area is known to be the home of a number of antiquities, and a great deal of them have been found by coincidence, as with this find.

The Deputy Mayor of Local Communities, Agrarian, and Tourism of Ierapetra pointed out that the tomb had never been found by thieves, and went on to say that it would probably have remained undiscovered forever, except for the broken irrigation pipe that was responsible for the softened and eroded soil in the farmer’s olive grove.

Minoan fresco is commonly known as the ‘Prince of the Lilies.’

He went on to say how pleased they were with having the tomb to further enrich their understanding of their ancient culture and history, and that the tomb was proof for those historians who didn’t think that there had been Minoans in that part of Crete.

Previously, it had been thought that the Minoans only settled in the lowlands and plains of the island, not in the mountains that surround Ierapetra, although there was an excavation in 2012 that uncovered a Minoan mansion in the same area.

Killgrove will be analyzing the skeletons, to see what further information can be gleaned from them. She said, “As a bioarchaeologist, I routinely pore over the skeletons of ancient populations so that I can learn about their health, diet, and lifestyles.” It’s also hoped that analysis can contribute more information to the research on Minoan and Mycenaean origins.