CRETE ISLAND

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Picture Courtesy: https://arkeonews.net/a-big-round-4000-year-old-stone-building-discovered-on-a-cretan-hilltop/

Context: A large circular monument dating back 4000 years has been discovered during excavations for an airport on Greece's largest island of Crete.

Details

• The building is circular; it features eight stepped stone walls rising to a height of 1.7 meters. The inner structure was divided into smaller, interconnected spaces and may have had a shallow conical roof.
• The building dates back to the Bronze Age Minoan Civilization, which thrived on Crete from around 3000 BC to 1450 BC. The Minoans were known for their advancements in seafaring, trade, and the arts.
• Potential Purpose
  • Ceremonial Use: Archaeologists speculate that the building may have served a ceremonial or religious purpose. It does not appear to have been a dwelling.
  • Rituals and Offerings: Inside the structure, a large quantity of animal bones was found, leading to the hypothesis that it was used for ritual ceremonies involving the consumption of food and wine, and perhaps offerings

About Crete Island

• Crete, the largest island of Greece and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean, is characterised by its rich cultural and geographical diversity.
• Its climate is Mediterranean, with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
• The landscape is dominated by Mediterranean scrub, with palm trees along the coast and cedars in the east.
• Crete hosts a variety of plant species, including endemic varieties in places like the Samariá Gorge.
• The economy of Crete has been primarily tourism since the 1970s, surpassing agriculture.
• The island is a significant producer of olives, olive oil, grapes, and vegetables, with the Mesara Plain being particularly fertile.
• Industrial activities are limited, focusing on food processing, building materials, ceramics, textiles, and leather.

Source:

Arkeonews

Britannica