A farmer in Kentri Ierapetra on Crete island discovered a tombstone from the late Minoan period when he tried to park his vehicle in an olive grove and the soil gave in.
The clay coffins have reportedly embossed ornamentation and are in very good condition.
They also contained two skeletons and 24 pots with coloured ornaments and depictions.
“We are particularly pleased with this great archaeological discovery as it is expected to further enhance our culture and history. Indeed, this is also a response to all those who doubt that there were Minoans in Ierapetra,” said the deputy mayor of Local Communities, Agrarian and Tourism of Ierapetra, Argyris Pantazis.
“Soil retreat was a result of watering the olive trees in the area as well as a broken irrigation tube. The ground had partially receded, and when the farmer tried to park in the shade of the olive tree, he completely retreated to the soil below. Archaeologists were immediately called and they realised this is a great archaeological discovery,” Pantazis added.
A team made up of 15 students from various archaeology schools along with the head of the Lassithi Ephorate of Commerce, Chrysa Sofianou, and the Professor of Archaeology at the University of Athens, Mr. Yannis Papadatos, have launched an excavation at the site.
Photo credit: Nikos Petassis’s Facebook Page
