WEATHER

Anogeia

Light Showers
11°C
Wind: 15 Southwest

Rethymno

16°C
Wind: 27 West

Spili

14°C
Wind: 06 West

Fragma Potamon

17°C
Wind: 13 West

Armeni - Arkadi

Archaeological sites

Late Minoan Cemetery of Armenoi

At a 7 km distance from Rethymno, at Prinokefalos site, between Armenoi and Somatas villages, on a rocky landscape with oak trees, a late Minoan cemetery was found (1350 BC - 1200 BC). In 1969, two students delivered two vessels to the Archaeological Museum of Rethymno. The research that followed confirmed the existence of a spacious late Minoan cemetery. More than 220 tombs have been excavated until now. They are sculpted vaulted tombs with corridor. The tomb no 200 is the only exception and it is built and vaulted. Unscuplted stones and pyramid-shaped or plate-shaped columns were used for their marking. The tombs belonged to families: they contain many dead humans put either on the floor or in sarcophaguses. The grave goods (pottery - weapons - tools - jewelry), provide important information about art, religion and the social structure of that era.

Most of the vaulted tombs were found unsealed and contained rich findings, such as vessels, statuettes, weapons, jewelry, tools etc. They are family tombs with a number of dead humans put directly on the floor or in ceramic feretories. The ceramic feretories are impressively decorated with pictures taken from nature and religion. The findings of the late Minoan cemetery of Armenoi can be found at the Archaeological Museum of Rethymno. This archaeological site is open to visitors.