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Aegeus Society For Aegean Prehistory

NEWS

29 January 2014

Possible evidence of human sacrifice at Minoan Chania

Archaeology News Network, 27-01-2014

Possible evidence of human sacrifice at Minoan Chania

The soil beneath the modern city of Chania, Crete, the ancient city of Kydonia, hides many secrets, including human sacrifices it seems. This is, at least, what is indicated by the skull of a young girl dating from around 1280 BC, which was found in pieces, alongside skulls of animals, during an excavation at the Kastelli Hill, in the Old City of Chania. Primary finds from the dig on the site were brought to light back in 2007, while news on the subject first appeared in press in 2010. However, a general ‘image’ of the site begins to emerge only now.

“We believe that we have found evidence if a ritual which included the sacrifice of animals and a woman, whose broken bones were found under a deposit of rubble. We have yet to reach a final conclusion, since the bones need to be studied further, especially as the latest finds, which include the girl’s skull, were found only recently. We are studying the results, aiming to be ready by October, the month of our contribution to a conference on Human Sacrifices which is to take place in Milan. At this conference, the Chania find will feature as the keynote lecture”, states Maria Andreadaki Vlazaki, the site’s chief excavator and the Director of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage for the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sport. With finds representing all the chronological phases of the Minoan civilization, the most important palatial centre of Western Crete comes to light bit by bit at Kastelli and at its neighbourning site of Splantzia.

Read more: http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.gr

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Παρακαλούμε τα σχόλιά σας να είναι στα Ελληνικά (πάντα με ελληνικούς χαρακτήρες) ή στα Αγγλικά. Αποφύγετε τα κεφαλαία γράμματα. Ο Αιγεύς διατηρεί το δικαίωμα να διαγράφει εκτός θέματος, προσβλητικά, ανώνυμα σχόλια ή κείμενα σε greeklish.