According to Cretapost, the farmer was attempting to park his car underneath an olive tree when the ground beneath him suddenly began to sink.
A pit with a diameter of 1.20 meters and a depth of more than 2.5 meters was excavated in the grove, after which “a chamber tomb was discovered, dug into the soft limestone of the area. The access to the tomb was made by a vertical trench, while stone masonry sealed the entrance.”
The interior of the tomb was divided into three carved niches.
An intact coffin with the cover in place was found in the most southern one. The well-preserved skeleton was found inside. 14 ritual amphorae, an amphorae crater with an inherited fact and a bowl, were found before the coffin.
In the northern niche was found another container with another adult skeleton and additional vessels near it. All vases are intact, of good craftsmanship and in excellent preservation.
The announcement said, "according to the ceramic typology, and according to the first estimates, the tomb can be dated to the Late Minoan IIIA-B period, approximately from 1400 to 1200 BC.”
“The location of the tomb is due to a random incident, and a resident made the suggestion to the Lassithi Ephorate of Antiquities of the area,” the ministry statement said adding that close to the excavation, there was evidence of another tomb, and research continued, but this did not prove to be the case.
The tomb was discovered at the beginning of August when a farmer tried to park his vehicle in an olive grove, and the soil gave in.
A Minoan tomb refers to a burial site constructed by the ancient Minoan civilization, which flourished on the island of Crete from about 2600 BC to 1400 BC.
Minoan tombs were often carved into the sides of hills or cliffs and were built using large stone blocks. The tombs were used to bury important members of Minoan society, such as nobles, priests, and rulers, along with their possessions, offerings, and sometimes even servants.
There were different types of Minoan tombs, including tholos tombs, circular structures with a corbelled dome, and chamber tombs, rectangular structures with a roof made of large stone slabs. Some of the most famous Minoan tombs include the Royal Tombs at the Minoan Palace of Knossos, discovered by archaeologist Arthur Evans in the early 20th century.
