Excavations in Eastern Crete: Sphoungaras (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Excavations in Eastern Crete: Sphoungaras

The Sphoungaras slope, like many other steep hillsides of Crete, had been stripped of most of its soil. In this process of denudation the higher parts of the hill had become quite bare except here and there where the slipping soil had found lodgrnent against a boulder, or just below the cliffs where the overhanging rock protected the earth below. Near the foot of the hill the deposit of earth was sufficient to cover the tall burial jars, although some of these lay only a few inches below the surface where, in View of the centuries during which this field had undergone cultivation, it seemed incredible that a plough had not reached them. The upper part of the hill had suffered not only from the denudation of its soil, but also from the falling of boulders from the cliffs, which had seemingly broken up whatever pottery had not already been washed down the hill. The number of potsherds strewn about the lower slope bore witness to the extent of the havoc. Thus, when in the course of the excavations the upper part of the slope was reached, the deposit of earth together with the ancient remains came abruptly to an end and we saw that the area where the soil was deep enough to make excavations possible was confined to a comparatively narrow belt. There were however these excep tions: just outside the cave which had been partially cleared by Mrs. Hawes, was found a considerable Early Minoan deposit (b on plan, Pl. XV); at the top of the hill between the cliff and some boulders (c on plan) were found three pithoi together with fragments of others and as many as 8 skulls; lastly, sorne metres to the south - outside the limits of the plan - were found broken remnants of both Early and Late lviinoan burials, which were evidently in their original position but had been crushed by fallen rocks.

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