Spectacular fabric from Greek “Dark Ages” unearthed in Evia and displayed in Athens

Fabric which belonged to an eminent citizen of ancient Lefkandi is now showcased at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens along with other exhibits from the settlement. Lefkandi developed during the so-called Hellenic “Dark Ages,” c.1100-750 BC.

The ancient city of Lefkandi is hidden away on Evia, the Greek island which was the home base of many of the earliest Hellenic colonies. It was from Lefkandi that the first recorded war in Greek history was fought. Most importantly, archaeologists regard Lefkandi the key to understanding how the Mycenean civilization transformed into the period known as Classical Greece.

The spectacular find was found in 1980 when a large mound was excavated, revealing two shaft graves, one with the remains of a man and a woman under a large structure called a hērōön or “hero’s grave”. The other shaft grave held four horses which appear to have been sacrificed at the time of the couples’ burial. Two of the horses were discovered with their iron bits still in their mouths.

One of the bodies in the grave had been cremated. The ashes were wrapped in a fringed linen cloth, then stored in a bronze amphora from Cyprus island. The amphora was engraved with a hunting scene and placed within a still-larger bronze bowl. A sword and other grave goods were nearby. It is believed that the ashes were those of a man.

The woman’s body was not cremated, but was buried alongside a wall. Her body was adorned with jewelry, including a ring of electrum and a bronze braziere. Perhaps the most significant find of all was a gorget she wore,  which was already one thousand years old at the time of the burial. The gorget is believed to have come from ancient Babylonia. An iron knife with an ivory handle was located near her shoulder.

The Lefkandi exhibit will be shown at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens until May.