DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12762#0115
CHAPTER IX
PLATANOS
I. DISCOVERY OF THE CEMETERY
discovery of The cemetery by the village of Platanos, which lies in the Mesara plain about
cemeieky f0ux kilometres south-west of ancient Gortyna, was accidentally discovered in
the autumn of 1914, through the desire of the village community to construct
a church and graveyard at a spot called Stavros, the ' Cross,' a hundred and
fifty metres to the west of the village. From the name Stavros 1 they assumed
that there must have been a church there in old days, and they began to dig
in order to find it. Instead of the church, however, they came upon circular
walls of great thickness, some copper dagger blades, and some gold ornaments
and other objects. Recognising that they had to deal with antiquities, they
broke off their work and informed the archaeological authorities. In view of
the urgency excavations were begun at once, and were resumed in the summer
of 1915.
In the course of the work tholos tombs were discovered, and other smaller
interments close by, forming the cemetery of a large Early and Middle Minoan
community.
Two of the tholoi, A and B, are the largest and most important yet found
in Mesara, and though they had been partially plundered—A in particular, the
larger and richer of the two—they yielded a great many objects of importance.
tholos a II. THOLOS A. (Plate LXH.)
Fifty or more years ago, as the village elders tell, the Turkish inhabitants
of Platanos had dug at the site of the tholos and had taken out a large number
of stones for building purposes. And later, not many years ago, the inhabitants,
in digging a drainage trench near by, had struck the burial stratum on the east
side of the tholos and had found various ancient objects. This was how about
half the circuit of Tholos A on the east side, including the doorway and the ante-
room, came to be destroyed, as the plan shows, and no doubt many of the
contents disappeared at the same time (Plate XLVI b).
Construction The method of construction had no novel features; the inner diameter
was 13-10 m., and the thickness of the wall from 2-35 m. to 2-45 m., so that
the diameter, including the walls, was all but 18m., the largest yet found. The
1 Stavros, ' Cross,' is a frequent place-name in set up by Christians of former days, particularly
Crete, arising from the crosses of wood or stone at cross roads.
PLATANOS
I. DISCOVERY OF THE CEMETERY
discovery of The cemetery by the village of Platanos, which lies in the Mesara plain about
cemeieky f0ux kilometres south-west of ancient Gortyna, was accidentally discovered in
the autumn of 1914, through the desire of the village community to construct
a church and graveyard at a spot called Stavros, the ' Cross,' a hundred and
fifty metres to the west of the village. From the name Stavros 1 they assumed
that there must have been a church there in old days, and they began to dig
in order to find it. Instead of the church, however, they came upon circular
walls of great thickness, some copper dagger blades, and some gold ornaments
and other objects. Recognising that they had to deal with antiquities, they
broke off their work and informed the archaeological authorities. In view of
the urgency excavations were begun at once, and were resumed in the summer
of 1915.
In the course of the work tholos tombs were discovered, and other smaller
interments close by, forming the cemetery of a large Early and Middle Minoan
community.
Two of the tholoi, A and B, are the largest and most important yet found
in Mesara, and though they had been partially plundered—A in particular, the
larger and richer of the two—they yielded a great many objects of importance.
tholos a II. THOLOS A. (Plate LXH.)
Fifty or more years ago, as the village elders tell, the Turkish inhabitants
of Platanos had dug at the site of the tholos and had taken out a large number
of stones for building purposes. And later, not many years ago, the inhabitants,
in digging a drainage trench near by, had struck the burial stratum on the east
side of the tholos and had found various ancient objects. This was how about
half the circuit of Tholos A on the east side, including the doorway and the ante-
room, came to be destroyed, as the plan shows, and no doubt many of the
contents disappeared at the same time (Plate XLVI b).
Construction The method of construction had no novel features; the inner diameter
was 13-10 m., and the thickness of the wall from 2-35 m. to 2-45 m., so that
the diameter, including the walls, was all but 18m., the largest yet found. The
1 Stavros, ' Cross,' is a frequent place-name in set up by Christians of former days, particularly
Crete, arising from the crosses of wood or stone at cross roads.