78-104

Burial cave at Ayios Spyridonas, Siteia

• Τσιποπούλου, Μεταξία

The rescue excavation of a small burial cave at Ayios Spyridonas, Siteia, in Easten Crete, is described, which was undertaken after a local shepherd brought in a Protogeometric amphori- skos to the Siteia Museum. The vase had been carried out of the cave by a large rodent. Ayios Spyridonas is a small mountain village near Praisos. There had been no previous excavations at this place, but LM III remains were found there in the past (fn. 3).The cave was oval in shape, measuring 3x2m., and was unrobbed. It had two entrances, closed with field stones. It was first used in the LM IIIA2 period, perhaps for burials, and was subsequently reused from the Subminoan/Protogeometric to the early Orientalizing period. No undisturbed burials were found. The bones were few and in a bad state of preservation; no signs of burning were noted. The finds consisted of 30 clay vases, a triton shell (P1. 48 ε), part of a Minoan stone vase (fn. 62, 63) and a bronze fibula of early type (F i g. 13) (fn. 64, 65).The vases were found in small groups, most of them near the sides of the cave. The following phases were noted:1) LM 1I1A2. To this belong the oinochoes 7283 (Fig. 1; P 1. 43 u) and 7295 (Fig. I; PI. 43 β), the handleless cups 7296, 7291, 7290 and 6290 (Fig. 2; PI. 43 δ-στ), and the lid 7284 (Fig. 1; P 1. 43 γ).2) Subminoan/Protogeometric. This includes the askos 6294 (Fig. 7; PI. 45 δ), the tripod vase 7288 (Fig. 7; PI. 45 στ), the one-handled cup 6280 and the amphoriskos 7303 (Fig. 3; PI. 44 β).3) Protogeometric Il-Early Geometric. The amphoriskoi 7299 (Fig. 3; PI. 44 γ) and 6286 (Fig. 3; PI. 44 δ).4) An advanced phase of Late Geometric. Most of the vases belong to this phase, and it is probable that there was more than one burial during the course of it.5) Late Geometric-Early Orientalizing. The fragment of a one-handled cup 7301 (Fig. 10; PI. 48«), the aryballos 6292 (F i g. 6; PI. 45 ε), and the one-handled cup 7297 (F i g. 8; PI. 48γ).The small burial cave at Ayios Spyridonas does not seem to have formed part of an organized cemetery in either of its two periods of use. It was probably used by a single family living isolated on its land (fn. 67).The material allows of only limited comment on the burial customs of the Early Iron Age;1. It was a collective, probably family, tomb.2. The practice of cremation appears not to have been known.3. The absence of weapons and jewellery, apart from the fibula, as well as of iron objects, is surprising.4. The tripod vessel contained a few bird bones, an indication of the sort of offerings made to the dead.5. It would be interesting if the deposition of the triton shell could be certainly attributed to the Iron Age, thus showing the continuity of a Minoan custom, but unfortunately the conditions inside the cave were such that one could not be sure of this, although the triton shell was found together with Late Geometric vases (fn. 61).This small excavation has answered very few of the excavator’s questions; she had hoped to be able to test and perhaps confirm some of the conclusions about the chronology of «Eteo- cretan pottery» (fn. II).Although a considerable time has passed since the days of those venturesome pioneers, Harriet Boyd and Edith Hall, carefull excavations of settlements, such as those in recent years by our American colleagues at Kavousa, are still needed in order to shed more light on the "Dark Age" of eastern Crete.

• History and Archaeology

• Αρχαιολογία
• Ανασκαφές (Αρχαιολογία)
• Decorative arts

Tα σχέδια και οι φωτογραφίες έγιναν από τη γράφουσα. Τα ευρήματα βρίσκονται στο Μουσείο Σητείας., Περιέχει 13 σχήματα. Πίνακες 41-48 βλέπε τέλος τεύχους, Το άρθρο περιέχεται στο τεύχος: Μέρος Α'-Μελέτες