The excavation of the unplundered Pre- and Proto-Palatial Minoan cemetery (2800-1800 BC) at Petras Siteia in eastern Crete continued for the 12th season under the direction Dr. Metaxia Tsipopoulou, with excellent results.
Minoan site of Petras [Credit: Petras Excavations Facebook]
In previous years some 17 monumental tombs, a funerary rock shelter, three pits and two extensive ritual spaces erected and used by prominent families of the palatial settlement have been excavated.
Monumental tomb [Credit: Petras Excavations Facebook]
The quantity and preservation of the skeletal remains is exceptional, as well as the variety of grave goods, many of which are made from imported raw materials.
Some of the grave goods discovered this year [Credit: Petras Excavations Facebook]
Finds include a large number of gold and silver jewellery, bronze tools, more than 200 stone vases, 65 seals carved from ivory and semi-precious stones, two signet rings and numerous small ceremonial statues.
Aerial view of the Minoan cemetery at Petras [Credit: Petras Excavations Facebook]
The quantity of ceramics is also very important and includes a large number of decorated, mainly ritual, vessels.
This year's excavations focused primarily on Early Minoan II and Middle Minoan II burial groups, which yielded new ivory seals, unique gold jewellery, beads of gold and semi-precious stones, as well as stone vases, figurines and polychrome 'Kamares' ware.
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