The Excavation of an Early Minoan Tholos Tomb at Ayia Kyriaki, Ayiofarango, Southern Crete

Abstract

This report is concerned with the excavation of an Early Minoan tholos tomb just south of Ayia Kyriaki in the Ayiofarango, one of the river systems which gives out on to the Libyan Sea, just west of Kaloi Limenes (fig. i). Details of the site location (plate ia) can be found in the report on the Ayiofarango survey, which, together with this report and one other already published, make up the complete report of work undertaken by the authors in the vicinity of Kaloi Limenes in the summers of 1971 and 1972. The excavation of the tholos, which was undertaken because there were surface indications that looting was incomplete but possibly to be resumed, took place in September 1972 in collaboration with Dr. C. Davaras of the Greek Archaeological Service. The excavation lasted for a period of three weeks, and was undertaken by a staff of three supervisors and ten workmen, directed by the authors.