The Culture Ministry announced that archaeologists in Crete have found an unlooted late Minoan-era tomb containing a larnax coffin of an adult skeleton in a contracted position.
The tomb was discovered during a salvage excavation conducted in an olive grove located at Rousses, about 800 metres northeast of the village of Kentri, in the town of Ierapetra.
The Lassithi Ephorate of Antiquities was alerted when a local resident notified them of the possible existence of a tomb at the site, the statement from the Ministry of Culture explained.
“A pit with a diametre of 1.20m and a depth of more than 2.5m was excavated in the grove after which a chamber tomb was discovered, dug into the soft limestone of the area. The access to the tomb was made by a vertical shaft, while the entrance was sealed by stone masonry.”
“According to the ceramic typology, and according to the first estimates, the tomb can be dated to the Late Minoan IIIA-B period, approximately from 1400 to 1200 BC,” the announcement said.
The interior of the tomb was divided into three carved chambers, said the statement.
More specifically, in the southern chamber was the sealed larnax coffin while 14 ritual amphorae, an amphorae krater with an extended base and a drinking cup were found in front of the coffin.
The Lasithi Ephorate found another larnax with another adult skeleton and additional vases near it in the northern chamber was; again all contents were intact and excellently preserved.