DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12762#0028
CHAPTER I
SUMMARY OF EXCAVATIONS 1904-1918
It was in the autumn of 1904, a few months after the discovery and excavation1 koumasa
by Professor F. Halbherr of the large Early Minoan tholos at Hagia Triada, tombs
that a peasant from the little village of Koumasa brought some objects to
the museum at Candia. Koumasa lies about ten kilometres (6j miles) south-
east of Gortyna on the lower slopes of the Asteroiisia (Kophina) range (see Frontis-
piece).
The objects, three seals, two of ivory and one of steatite, some crystal
and steatite necklace beads, and some pieces of a bronze dagger with its pommel
of chalcedony,2 were at once recognised as Early Minoan sepulchral gear like
that from the tholos at Hagia Triada, and were bought by the museum.
An immediate exploration of the spot by the Archaeological Service was
decided upon, since the villager said that more things had been found, vases of
clay and stone and fragments of daggers, and it was to be feared that the people
of the village would go on with their unauthorised digging now that they had
discovered that these things had a value.
Thus it came about that in December 1904 I discovered and partly ex-
cavated the Koumasa group of tombs, four in all, three circular and one square
(Plate LXI). I dug a second time at Koumasa in the summer of 1906, finishing
the exploration of the tombs, exploring the surroundings, and excavating part
of the Minoan settlement that lay above the tombs on the hill called Korakies.
The experience so acquired and a little information from the village people
led me to the discovery of three more vaulted beehive tombs or tholoi, two
at a place called Hagia Eirene below Koumasa in the plain and the third at tholos tomb
a place called Porti between the villages of Kantela and Vasilika Anogeia, rh^ne and
half an hour to the north-west of Koumasa. These three I also excavated in port!
the summer of 1906.
In 1907 my explorations were continued and resulted in the finding of two tholos tomb
small tholos tombs at the sites of Salame and Koutsokera below the village of JSSS^St^
». . ° kou1soklra,
Vasihke. Both had been plundered m antiquity. Another tholos was found christ6s,anb
at Christos, an hour to the south-west of Vasilike, and two more at a spot called drakones
Drakones, between the villages of Stavies and Phournopharangon.
1 Memorie del Reale Istituto Lombardo di Scienze Tav. VII-XI.
e Lettcre [classe di letiere, scienze morali e storiche), 2 These objects are described below in their
vol. XXI (XII della Serie III), pp. 218-251, proper place.
a
SUMMARY OF EXCAVATIONS 1904-1918
It was in the autumn of 1904, a few months after the discovery and excavation1 koumasa
by Professor F. Halbherr of the large Early Minoan tholos at Hagia Triada, tombs
that a peasant from the little village of Koumasa brought some objects to
the museum at Candia. Koumasa lies about ten kilometres (6j miles) south-
east of Gortyna on the lower slopes of the Asteroiisia (Kophina) range (see Frontis-
piece).
The objects, three seals, two of ivory and one of steatite, some crystal
and steatite necklace beads, and some pieces of a bronze dagger with its pommel
of chalcedony,2 were at once recognised as Early Minoan sepulchral gear like
that from the tholos at Hagia Triada, and were bought by the museum.
An immediate exploration of the spot by the Archaeological Service was
decided upon, since the villager said that more things had been found, vases of
clay and stone and fragments of daggers, and it was to be feared that the people
of the village would go on with their unauthorised digging now that they had
discovered that these things had a value.
Thus it came about that in December 1904 I discovered and partly ex-
cavated the Koumasa group of tombs, four in all, three circular and one square
(Plate LXI). I dug a second time at Koumasa in the summer of 1906, finishing
the exploration of the tombs, exploring the surroundings, and excavating part
of the Minoan settlement that lay above the tombs on the hill called Korakies.
The experience so acquired and a little information from the village people
led me to the discovery of three more vaulted beehive tombs or tholoi, two
at a place called Hagia Eirene below Koumasa in the plain and the third at tholos tomb
a place called Porti between the villages of Kantela and Vasilika Anogeia, rh^ne and
half an hour to the north-west of Koumasa. These three I also excavated in port!
the summer of 1906.
In 1907 my explorations were continued and resulted in the finding of two tholos tomb
small tholos tombs at the sites of Salame and Koutsokera below the village of JSSS^St^
». . ° kou1soklra,
Vasihke. Both had been plundered m antiquity. Another tholos was found christ6s,anb
at Christos, an hour to the south-west of Vasilike, and two more at a spot called drakones
Drakones, between the villages of Stavies and Phournopharangon.
1 Memorie del Reale Istituto Lombardo di Scienze Tav. VII-XI.
e Lettcre [classe di letiere, scienze morali e storiche), 2 These objects are described below in their
vol. XXI (XII della Serie III), pp. 218-251, proper place.
a