Mortuary architecture, depositional behaviour and social change in the Tholos cemeteries of south-central Crete, 3000-1700 BC
The bulk of the evidence for the Pre- and early Protopalatial societies of Crete comes from cemetery sites, and particularly from the monumental round (tholos) tomb cemeteries of south-central Crete, mostly excavated early in the 20th century, or salvaged after looting from the 1950s to 1980s. The tombs, often occurring in pairs and within more complex cemeteries (including rectangular buildings and enclosed and paved areas), have been particularly intensively investigated in the western Mesara plain and the Asterousia mountains immediately to the south. For over a millennium, this was the type of tomb principally used for burial throughout this region, only rarely occurring elsewhere on the island. Along with localised patterns in artefacts styles, increasingly recognised, this mortuary tradition serves to define a common cultural area, which can be analysed as a coherent microcosm, providing a detailed perspective on social and political transformations during the period of the development of the first complex societies in Crete, represented by the palace states of the Middle Bronze Age. The aim of this research is to examine the architectural and depositional complexity of the best documented tholos cemeteries
Michelaki, Flora
Mortuary architecture, depositional behaviour and social change in the Tholos cemeteries of south-central Crete, 3000-1700 BC. The bulk of the evidence for the Pre- and early Protopalatial societies of Crete comes from cemetery sites, and particularly from the monumental round (tholos) tomb cemeteries of south-central Crete, mostly excavated early in the 20th century, or salvaged after looting from the 1950s to 1980s. The tombs, often occurring in pairs and within more complex cemeteries (including rectangular buildings and enclosed and paved areas), have been particularly intensively investigated in the western Mesara plain and the Asterousia mountains immediately to the south. For over a millennium, this was the type of tomb principally used for burial throughout this region, only rarely occurring elsewhere on the island. Along with localised patterns in artefacts styles, increasingly recognised, this mortuary tradition serves to define a common cultural area, which can be analysed as a coherent microcosm, providing a detailed perspective on social and political transformations during the period of the development of the first complex societies in Crete, represented by the palace states of the Middle Bronze Age. The aim of this research is to examine the architectural and depositional complexity of the best documented tholos cemeteries
mortuary architecture depositional behaviour social_change cemeteries south_central crete bulk evidence pre early protopalatial society crete come cemetery_site particularly monumental round tomb cemetery south_central crete mostly excavate salvage loot tomb often occur pair within complex cemetery include rectangular building enclose area particularly intensively investigated western plain mountains immediately south millennium type tomb principally use burial throughout_region rarely occur elsewhere island along localise pattern artefact style increasingly recognise mortuary tradition serf define common cultural area analyse coherent microcosm provide_detailed perspective social_political transformation period development first complex_society crete represent palace state middle_bronze_age aim_examine architectural depositional complexity best document cemetery