[imported_admin Februar 4, 2006 um 2:01 pm Uhr Beitragsanzahl: 3194]

#7822

Griechische Archäologen graben alte Stadtbefestigungen aus

ATHEN – Griechische Archäologen haben auf Kreta die Befestigungsanlagen einer ca. 2350 Jahre alten Stadt ausgegraben, die umfangreiche Spuren einer Belagerung aufweisen. Die Archäologen entdeckten aus dem 4. Jahrhundert v.Chr. stammende Reste eines Befestigungsturms, ein Stadt-Tor und eine 3,5 km lange Mauer um die antike Stadt Apterea, süd-östl. von Chania, erklärte das Kulturministerium.

In der Nähe wurden auch Waffen und Schleuder-Kugeln entdeckt, außerdem Grabsteine, Töpfe, Münzen und Öllampen. Von besonderer Bedeutung bei den Funden in Aptera seien Zeugnisse von Schlachten aus der Zeit der nach-klassischen Ära und die Entdeckung neugeborener Kinder, die nahe dem Turm begraben worden seien, so das Ministerium weiter.

Außerdem wurde zwei gut erhaltene Grabkammern entdeckt, eine davon mit einer unterirdischen Treppe und einem Vorraum. Eine der entdeckten Kammern enthielt Lehmabbildungen von weiblichen Figuren und von Eros, dem Gott der Liebe der alten Griechen. Kreta war die Hochburg der Minoer, einer Zivilisation des Bronzezeitalters, die ihre Blütezeit vor etwa 4.000 Jahren hatte.

>> The]www.metimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20060202-051358-8478r]The Middle East Times[/url]

[imported_admin Februar 4, 2006 um 2:05 pm Uhr Beitragsanzahl: 3194]

#8210

Zum Thema noch folgender Artikel:

Roman-Era Benefactors‘ Tomb Unearthed in Cretan Town
The Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece – A well-preserved underground tomb belonging to a prominent Roman-era family of public benefactors has been unearthed on the island of Crete, archaeologists said Wednesday.

The large 1st or 2nd century A.D. structure, beside one of the main gates to the walled city of Aptera near Hania in western Crete had been looted during later Christian times, archaeologist Vanna Niniou-Kindeli said. But it still yielded a wealth of finds, including 25-centimeter (10-inch) pottery statuettes of Eros the ancient Greek love deity glass and pottery vases and lamps. "We entered through the hole dug by the looters," Niniou-Kindeli told The Associated Press.

Built of large stone blocks, the grave is reached by a flight of steps. It has an antechamber, and the main room, measuring three by two meters (yards), contained four burials. "These must have been highly important citizens, probably among the city’s wealthiest, who had contributed to the common good of the city," Niniou-Kindeli said. "In return, they were buried in a prominent position so that whoever entered the city saw the grave."

Archaeologists also discovered a small burial ground of newly-born babies, dating to the 4th century B.C., just outside the city walls. Seven burials have been found, including a prematurely born infant. Niniou-Kindeli said traces of ritual offerings had been located beside the graves. "This is an interesting find," she said. "We are not quite sure how to interpret it."

Aptera was founded around the 7th century B.C., and was destroyed by an earthquake in the 7th century A.D. It flourished during Hellenistic and Roman times.

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