‘Archaeology’ Archives
Windy Island — Day 2: History
On our second day, we looked forward to exploring towns in the southern part of Karpathos. All of these are very old, but the legacy of this island goes back to a time before history was invented. Ancient Times Archaeologists have proved the island was first settled by pre-Greek people during Stone Age times (around [Read More]
Way Station
The ancient Cretans, known as “Minoans” today, created a far-flung shipping and trade network with Europe, Africa and Asia. They built grand public buildings (palaces) with beautiful wall paintings, colorful stonework, light wells and sophisticated plumbing. However, after more than a century of digging up Minoan artifacts, archaeologists are still trying to explain who the [Read More]
Ancient Sailors
Until recently, it was thought that humans began sailing the Mediterranean Sea around 12,000 BCE. But scientists now believe early Stone Age people arrived on Crete at least 130,000 years ago. Why the huge timeline shift? A Greek-American research team found man-made tools in 130,000-year-old rock formations in southwest Crete, near the village of Plakias. [Read More]
Measuring the Past
Turning southwest from Mirabello Bay, we drive through Kritsa village and up towards the Lasithiotika mountains. We are on our way to visit the research site of our friend Sabine, an archaeologist who is studying a Minoan farming community in a remote forest. It’s not an exploration you might imagine (no digging in ancient ruins), [Read More]
Last Day of Digging
We revisit the Minoan town of Gournia to learn what new things have been discovered at those excavations. Sadly, we find the project is wrapping up for the summer. Many of the student workers are gone, and some of the areas are covered with heavy fabric and soil, to shelter them from the weather. A [Read More]
