Votive figurines discovered at Anavlochos massif in eastern Crete

As part of a new 5-year programme, a team from the French School at Athens under the direction of Florence Gaignerot-Driessen carried out excavations this summer on the Anavlochos massif (Vrachasi, Lasithi, Crete).

Figurines from the first deposit mainly representing females mostly dating to the Archaic and Classical periods 
[Credit: French School at Athens]

Two areas on the western part of the summit, located by the team during the 2015-2016 survey of the massif, have yielded a large amount of votive material.

In the first one, 350 figurines, figures, and plaques have been recovered, representing female figures mostly dating to the Archaic and Classical periods.

Figurines from the first deposit mainly representing females mostly dating to the Archaic and Classical periods 
[Credit: French School at Athens]

The second deposit, located 200 m to the east, contained zoomorphic figures and figurines associated with Late Minoan IIIC pottery.

In the cemetery area, located at the foot of the massif, several groups of graves have been recognized.

Zoomorphic figurines from the second deposit at Anavlochos massif 
[Credit: French School at Athens]

The excavation of one of them yielded circular burial enclosures with platforms, from on top of which large Late Geometric vases have been recovered.

Finally, on the so-called 'Kako Plaï' slope, which overlooks the cemetery, a bench building containing Protogeometric to Archaic votive material has been excavated.

Head from the bench building at Kako Plaï [Credit: French School at Athens]

It is located above trenches opened by Pierre Demargne in 1929, where Geometric to Classical votive material was found and which were reidentified during the 2015-2016 survey.

For more information see the Anavlochos Project website: http://anavlochos.hypotheses.org/

Source: French School at Athens [November 09, 2017]