Mortuary Practices at Petras (Siteia, Crete); Greece Needs Your Assistance - Be Generous!!

For the past few years I have regaled the blogosphere with the highlights of my summer fieldwork in eastern Crete. In as much as the members of a project are not supposed to publicize its discoveries (especially in the social media) in the field before the director submits a formal report to the Ministry of Culture my blog comments were focused on the work and life on the excavation and not about the exciting remains that we were finding each year. Well, on Wednesday, March 9^th at 19:30 in the Library of the Institute Dr. Metaxia Tsipopoulou (Director Emerita, Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport) will reveal everything that I couldn’t tell (and much, much more) in her lecture entitled “«Ce qui donne un sens à la vie donne un sens à la mort» (Antoine de Saint Exupéry). The Pre- and Protopalatial cemetery at Petras, Siteia. (ca 2800-1900 BC)”.

At Petras, Siteia, in northeastern Crete, the archaeological sites extend over two neighbouring hills. Excavations, directed by Dr. Tsipopoulou, started in 1985 and are still in progress. On Hill I an important Minoan palace and parts of a settlement occupied from the Early Minoan IIA to the Late Minoan IIIB periods were excavated. On Hill II (or Kephala), a Final Neolithic IV and Early Minoan IA settlement, another settlement dated to the Late Minoan IIIC and an extensive Early Minoan I to Middle Minoan II cemetery are being excavated.

Petras played a leading role in the cultural, economic, and religious networks not only of Crete, but also of the Aegean, and beyond, in the Eastern Mediterranean. The cemetery comprises house-tombs with up to 10 rooms measuring between 50-90 m², each of them used by an extended elite family. To date 14 house tombs have been excavated and there is a possibility of more. The tombs were unplundered and this fact combined with the modern methods of the excavation, documentation and study by an international group of experts offer a unique opportunity to understand social status and competition in a Pre- and Protopalatial society.

So come and learn about these important new discoveries in the far east of Minoan Crete. There is so much more to the island’s Bronze Age archaeology than Knossos, Phaistos and Malia.

The Refugee / Economic Migrant Crisis in Greece

The mild winter in the Aegean, the Russian military intervention in Syria, the overcrowded refugee camps in Turkey and the large numbers of these victims of violence that were allowed to resettle in Germany in 2015 have encouraged more desperate people to attempt this migration route. From Syria come entire families from infants to grandparents. Even individuals with wheelchairs are part of this impromptu migration. They have been joined by economic migrants from the Middle East and North Africa. Last years’ record numbers crossing to the Greek islands in the eastern Aegean have increased in the first two months of 2016. What is different in the past few months is that, along the transit corridor from Greece to Germany via the Balkans states, first specific “gateways” were established with various levels of document controls imposed. Then individual countries began to harden their borders and, first, to strict severely and, then, to close effectively the gateways to all but a very small number of documented asylum seekers each day. In general, economic migrants (mostly single males) are not wanted at all. For Greece this has meant that the intake of these people from the east continues unabated and growing while the exit to the north has stopped.

At this point there are over 33,000 refugees/economic migrants in Greece. Of these there are now almost 13,000 people waiting in northern Greece in a squalid tent city at the Eidomeni train crossing into the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Here a double line of fencing with razor barbwire guarded by the FYROM border police and army keeps them at bay. More are waiting at the other primary crossing at Evzoni. Each day 1-3 boats arrive in Piraeus with 500-1500 new refugees from Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Leros, and Kos. They are camped out on the docks and number almost 5,000. Many have moved on to Athens’ Victoria Square where there are over 500 in limbo. Temporary facilities (or “hotspots” as they are called) have been set up at the old Hellinikon airport terminal and at the Olympic baseball field. Other more permanent camps have been established elsewhere. Many of these people, however, do not want to go to such camps as they fear that they will remain “stuck in Greece” and not be able to go to their desired destinations of Germany, Denmark or Sweden. Unfortunately, it appears that the numbers will not decrease any time soon and that these people will have to stay in Greece for many months, if not many years to come.

The bottom line here is that this steady influx is overwhelming Greece’s ability to cope with them in a humanitarian fashion. The hygienic conditions in the unofficial points of congregation and waiting are poor. Infants and children lack proper food, clothing, health care and means of entertaining themselves. Feeding these people each day is a challenge. There are various local, national and international charitable organizations that have been working hard to meet these needs. Besides volunteers and donations in kind of food staples, medicine, sleeping bags, blankets, diapers, toys and clothing they need money to purchase what is necessary.

What can you do to help alleviate this growing crisis if you don’t live in Greece? Below are some links to organizations supporting the refugees and migrants which will accept charitable donations via electronic bank transfer, credit card or PayPal. Your interest in Greece can and should extend to more than its rich cultural heritages and beautiful touristic venues. Be generous!!!

This an umbrella group of volunteer organizations working with the refugees at various locations on the island of Lesbos as they arrive from Turkey: www.levosvolunteers.com

Medecins Sans Frontieres / Yiatroi Xoris Synora / Doctors Without Borders is an internationally known medical humanitarian organization. Its dedicated Greek branch can be accessed at: https://www.msf.gr/en

The Greek Red Cross / Ellinikos Erythros Stavros is working hard throughout the country to provide basic aid to as many refugees as possible: http://www.redcross.gr/ [see in English for donations: https://www.ammado.com/nonprofit/152118 ]

The Greek office of UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, is very active at all of the points of intersection with the refugees here in the country. For a donation which can be made to the Canadian office for use here go to: http://donate.unhcr.org/international/general

Volunteers and staff of the Salvation Army / O Stratos tis Sotirias in Greece are very active too. One can donate by going to: http://www.salvationarmy.gr/en-GB/%CE%B2%CE%BF%CE%B7%CE%B8%CE%B7%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B5-%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%82

Let’s Do Our Part!

The volunteer organizations working in Athens and Piraeus to alleviate the conditions of the temporary refugees and immigrants here need desperately the following items: diapers for all ages, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorants, wet wipes, sanitary napkins, rice, pasta, tomato sauce, fruit juice, tea, medicine for colds, aspirin, and hand soap.

I urge you to do your part by bringing to the Institute Lecture on Wednesday evening a selection of items from the list above. You can also drop off your donation at the Institute from 09:00 – 13:00 during the week. I will see that these donations will be given promptly to these organizations. If you want to volunteer in this ongoing effort please let me know and I will put you in contact with them. Be generous!!! Participate!!! Spread the message!!!

Cordially,
David Rupp
Director