Originally published on BBC NEWS Science and Environment

DNA reveals origin of Greece's ancient Minoan culture

The palace of Knossos on Crete is now a major tourist attraction

Europe's first advanced civilisation was local in origin and not imported from elsewhere, a study says.

Analysis of DNA from ancient remains on the Greek island of Crete suggests the Minoans were indigenous Europeans, shedding new light on a debate over the provenance of this ancient culture.

Scholars have variously argued the Bronze Age civilisation arrived from Africa, Anatolia or the Middle East.

Details appear in Nature Communications journal.

The concept of the Minoan civilisation was first developed by Sir Arthur Evans, the British archaeologist who unearthed the Bronze Age palace of Knossos on Crete.

Evans named the people who built these cities after the legendary King Minos who, according to tradition, ordered the construction of a labyrinth on Crete to hold the mythical half-man, half-bull creature known as the minotaur.

Evans was of the opinion that the real-life Bronze Age culture on Crete must have its origins elsewhere.

And so, he suggested that the Minoans were refugees from Egypt's Nile delta, fleeing the region's conquest by a southern king some 5,000 years ago.
Surprisingly advanced
"He was surprised to find this advanced civilisation on Crete," said co-author George Stamatoyannopoulos, from the University of Washington in Seattle, US.

The evidence for this idea included apparent similarities between Egyptian and Minoan art and resemblances between circular tombs built by the early inhabitants of southern Crete and those built by ancient Libyans.

But other archaeologists have argued for origins in Palestine, Syria, or Anatolia.

In this study, Prof Stamatoyannopoulos and colleagues analysed the DNA of 37 individuals buried in a cave on the Lassithi plateau in the island's east. The majority of the burials are thought to date to the middle of the Minoan period - around 3,700 years ago.

The analysis focused on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) extracted from the teeth of the skeletons, This type of DNA is stored in the cell's "batteries" and is passed down, more or less unchanged, from mother to child.

They then compared the frequencies of distinct mtDNA lineages, known as "haplogroups", in this ancient Minoan set with similar data for 135 other populations, including ancient samples from Europe and Anatolia as well as modern peoples.

The comparison seemed to rule out an origin for the Minoans in North Africa: the ancient Cretans showed little genetic similarity to Libyans, Egyptians or the Sudanese. They were also genetically distant from populations in the Arabian Peninsula, including Saudis, and Yemenis.
Locally sourced
The ancient Minoan DNA was most similar to populations from western and northern Europe. The population showed particular genetic affinities with Bronze Age populations from Sardinia and Iberia and Neolithic samples from Scandinavia and France.

They also resembled people who live on the Lassithi Plateau today, a population that has previously attracted attention from geneticists.

The authors therefore conclude that the Minoan civilisation was a local development, originated by inhabitants who probably reached the island around 9,000 years ago, in Neolithic times.

"There has been all this controversy over the years. We have shown how the analysis of DNA can help archaeologists and historians put things straight," Prof Stamatoyannopoulos told BBC News.

"The Minoans are Europeans and are also related to present-day Cretans - on the maternal side."

He added: "It's obvious that there was very important local development. But it is clear that, for example, in the art, there were influences from other peoples. So we need to see the Mediterranean as a pool, not as a group of isolated nations."

"There is evidence of cultural influence from Egypt to the Minoans and going the other way."

First Fundraiser!

On December 27th, 2012, LANTIF hosted its first fundraiser at Niche Supperclub in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Despite a winter storm, a dedicated group of archaeology enthusiasts joined Adamantia Vasilogamvrou for dinner and an enlightening discussion about the exciting discoveries at Ayios Vasileios.

The event raised over $2,000 towards LANTIF's goal of securing the land on which the site is located.

Ms. Vasilogamvrou shared an update on her discoveries in 2012, including;

• The first linear B tablets discovered in Laconia
• A large temple in the Mycenaen style
• Gold jewelry, weapons, and ceremonial pottery
• Sophisticated decorations and import goods from across the Mediterranean

While research is still in the early stages, the discoveries so far have shown that this site was a major centre for trade and religious life in Laconia. Could it be the Homeric city of Pharis? Further research will paint a better picture.

What is clear is that this is an exciting discovery, and one that has already changed what we know about the ancient world.

Work on the site will continue in 2013!

If you wish to make a donation to support the excavation at Ayios Vasilios, you can now do so using our Donate button!


 

Launch Party Silent Auction Items!

Silent Auction Items for Launch Fundraiser!

As part of our fundraising efforts for LANTIF, we'll be holding a silent auction for two images which will be matted and professionally framed:

Item 1:

The Travels of Anacharsis- 1808 Antique Map ORIGINAL COPPER ENGRAVING WITH WASH COLOURING from Wilkinson's Atlas Classica.

This antique map showcases the ancient Peloponnese, including Ancient Sparta. The image is 19.5" by 13.5".

Reserve: $300 

Item 2: Statue of Leonidas - 2006 - ORIGINAL FULL COLOUR PHOTOGRAPH -

Tatiana Popova

This full-colour photograph is of the statue of King Leonidas located in modern Sparta, Greece. The image is 14" x 11".

Reserve:  $200



Great News

Greece arrests Olympia robbery suspects: police

 

(AFP)–November 24, 3012 



A handout photograph of the Mycenaean-era ring that was seized during the sting operation. All the artifacts salvaged by authorities will be returned to the museum for identification.

In this image made available Nov. 24, 2012, by Greek Police, an array of ancient artifacts are displayed by police after they were recovered.

PATRAS, Greece — Greece on Saturday said it had recovered dozens of archaeological artefacts stolen in February from a museum in Olympia after arresting three men in connection to the case.
"The discovery and arrest of the perpetrators of the robbery and the recovery of the stolen items are a great success," deputy education minister responsible for culture Costas Tzavaras said in a statement.
A pair of armed robbers in February made off with nearly 80 artefacts from a museum dedicated to the ancient Olympic Games, including a bronze statuette of a victorious athlete, a 2,400-year-old oil jar, clay lamps, bronze tripods and miniature chariot wheels, as well as dozens of idols of charioteers, horses and bulls.

A ministry source told AFP: "Archaeologists are currently evaluating but we understand that all of the artefacts have been recovered."
Citizen's Protection Minister Nikos Dendias is expected to make a full announcement on the case later in the day.

Greek police had earlier said that one of the suspects had been arrested at a hotel in the city of Patras on Friday after trying to sell a 3,300-year-old gold ring to an undercover officer posing as a potential buyer.

The man, who had asked 300,000 euros ($387,000) for the Bronze Age ring, later cracked under questioning and named his accomplices, a local police source said.
Officers were then dispatched to a village near Olympia to look for other items stolen from the museum.

Private Skai Radio reported that the suspects are Greek.
Greece, rich in archaeological heritage, has been targeted by antiquity smugglers for decades.
But the financial crisis rocking the country has brought hundreds of staff layoffs among archaeologists and guards, leaving museums vulnerable to theft.

The Olympia robbery badly embarrassed authorities at the time. The then culture minister offered to resign but was allowed to keep his post.
It came a month after thieves broke into the Athens National Gallery and stole a painting personally gifted to Greece by Spanish-born master Pablo Picasso, in addition to two other artworks.

No arrests have been made in that case.

 

LANTIF Launch Party and Fundraiser

Mark your calendars for a special event happening on December 27^th, 2012. The Laconian Antiquities Foundation (LANTIF) is holding its launch event and first fundraiser.

The event will be a fun and informative evening featuring archaeologist Adamantia Vasilogamvrou, who will speak in english about an ongoing excavation of the Mycenaean site at Ayios Vasileios, outside Sparta, near Xerokambi, Laconia.

The evening will feature a three-course dinner at Niche Restaurant including wine, with a launch party to follow at Pacifico Nightclub.

Tickets to the event will be $60 per person for the whole evening including dinner, speaker and launch party, or $10 for the launch party only. Tickets are available by contacting Jimmy Karountzos at karountzos@hotmail.com or 802-7774 or online at TicketPro:
https://secure.ticketpro.ca/achat_PAC27LS12.html?lang=en

LANTIF is a Halifax-based non-profit group organized to help fund archaeological research in Greece, specifically projects that have lost funding due to the Greek financial crisis.
A note about our sponsors:

Since 1996, Pacifico has raised over a million dollars for various charities, local university and non-profit groups. Pacifico and Niche have generously provided venue and food and beverage services at cost for this non-profit event.

Going Greek: Why Now Is a Good Time to Visit

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Posted by Guest Blogger on October 11, 2012

 

 

The Peloponnese gives you access to history and beaches -- like Messinia (above). (Photograph by Visit Greece, Flickr)

By Odysseas Papadimitriou
Growing up in Athens, I suppose it was inevitable that I’d take the city’s natural beauty and historic significance for granted. But now — years after moving to the U.S. for college and starting my own business — my biannual trips back to Greece to visit friends and family have allowed me to see the country for what it is: a veritable wonderland for the senses. But, being an expert in personal finance, I can also see the costs and logistical challenges travelers face when they’re thinking about visiting.

A beach bar on a small island off of Zakynthos. (Photograph by Dragan Arsovski, My Shot)

So, let me save you some time and frustration by providing some insider tips on what to see in Greece, what to skip — and how to save a ton of money while you’re at it. And don’t worry, I’m not on Greek Tourism’s payroll (I don’t think they could afford me these days), so I’ll give it to you straight.
Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room: anxiety about Greece’s economic struggles. It’s easy to assume from snippets on the news that Greece is awash in protests and debilitating strikes. The truth is that the demonstrations are really only limited to ten square blocks in Athens’ center (around Syntagma Square), and if you’re anywhere else, you’ll have no idea that anything is going on. Even with the recent turmoil, there is far less violent crime in Greece than in Canada or the U.S. — at least that’s what the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime tells us.
If you need more convincing, consider the fact that Greece’s main draws – history and natural beauty – haven’t been affected by the unrest, and that the downturn has made hotels, restaurants, and inter-country travel much, much cheaper. In other words, it’s actually a great time to visit. You just have to keep a few things in mind as you plan your itinerary. Like:
1. Look for a package deal. Often, you’ll be able to get a better deal by booking flights, hotels, and certain activities in a bundle rather than individually. Just make sure to check online reviews before you sign on the dotted line.
2. Don’t cruise. While the Greek islands are popular cruise destinations, cruise line operators are much less affected by the struggles of the Greek economy than hotels and restaurants, which means you won’t be likely to score the best deal. Besides, in my opinion, docking at a bunch of different islands for a few hours won’t give you enough time to get a real taste for each one’s unique flavor.
3. Don’t be afraid to negotiate. The trick is to shop around for the lowest possible rates and then call the respective hotel or package-deal provider and tell them that you’ll make a reservation then and there if they give you a 10-15% markdown. I’ll tell you from past experience that this works more than you might think. But keep in mind that the odds of success decrease in July and August.

Check out Paros instead of the uber-popular Mykonos. (Photograph by Natalia Romay, Flickr)

4. Skip cosmopolitan islands. Like cruises, notoriously popular islands such as Mykonos and Santorini have a worldwide appeal that insulates them from the financial troubles that have befallen the Greek mainland. But don’t worry, there are still plenty of beautiful, fun, and most importantly, reasonably priced island destinations to visit — including Paros, Skopelos, Tinos, and Zakynthos.
5. Forget the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Don’t plan your whole trip around visiting these historic attractions because any protests or strikes will make them inaccessible. If you are dead-set on seeing some archeological sights, check out Delphi, Phaistos, Olympia, and Vergina instead. If you really want to hit the main attractions, schedule a couple of days in Athens at the bookends of your trip because odds are that you’ll be able to get there at some point.
6. Avoid flying within Greece. Airline personnel have a history of going on strike, so try to rent a car and drive if you can, or at least take a mode of transportation that offers back-up options (e.g. travel by boat to an island that gets served by more than one port in Athens). In that vein, traveling to the Peloponnese could be an excellent alternative to the islands because you can rent a car and visit a number of beautiful seaside towns as well as important archeological sites.
7. Save money. Use a no-foreign-transaction credit card to save on purchases made through foreign merchants. Just make sure to notify your credit-card company of your travel plans and only sign receipts in terms of Euros. If you have excellent credit, apply for a card that offers a lucrative initial rewards bonus. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card currently gives you up to $500 toward travel expenses if you spend $3,000 during the first three months.
There you have it, a Greek personal finance professional’s guide to experiencing all that Greece has to offer while saving money in the process.
All that’s left to say is Kalo Taxidi (have a good trip)!
Odysseas Papadimitriou is a native of Greece who founded the credit card comparison website Card Hub in 2008 after serving as a senior director at Capital One for eight years.

Antiparos in the Cyclades

Ancient artifacts, kouroi and goats

A multitude of finds makes the need to protect islet of Despotiko imperative

By Iota Sykka

 Uninhabited apart from dozens of wild and disobedient goats that roam its scrubland, Despotiko, off the island of Antiparos in the Cyclades group, was in ancient times a destination for pilgrims. Its strategic importance as a beacon of the Aegean has been confirmed by a number of significant archaeological finds, which include impressive kouros statues, parts of which are scattered around Despotiko.

Despotiko is thought to have been a sanctuary throughout the Geometric era which rose to prominence in ancient times after the inhabitants of Paros established it as a place of worship in order to confirm the larger neighboring island as a dominant force in the Aegean.

It continued to serve as a religious site up until the beginning of the 2nd century BC, when it suffered extensive destruction at the hands of the Athenians as a punishment to Paros for siding with the Persians. Later, in Roman times and the post-Byzantine era, the islet was frequently targeted by pirates.

In recent years researchers have been attempting to secure Despotiko a place in the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) funding program in the hope that it may one day be seen as a paradigm of Archaic restoration, just like Sangri and Iria on Naxos, Messini in the Peloponnese and Karthea on Kea.

For the time being aspirations are focused on getting off the ground a plan by architect Katerina Tsigarida for an archaeological park, or “open museum,” with the restored temple as its main attraction. In addition, plans are also being made by architect-engineer Goulielmos Orestidis (who took on the restoration of the ancient theater at Sparta) for further studies into the stabilization of the ruins.

Whether these plans will be implemented rests with the Central Archaeological Council (KAS) and the archaeological services, while according to the director of the excavations on Despotiko, Yiannis Kouragios, the Municipality of Antiparos has been aiding proceedings to the best of its abilities so that steps can be initiated for the island to become a destination for archaeological tourism.

While previous excavations have taken place on Despotiko, most of the architectural ruins and a plethora of tools and storage vessels made out of seashells were brought to light during this year’s digs in the area of Mantra, as well as Archaic ceramics and other ancient artifacts concerning the god Apollo. During the last few days of excavation work, a pleasant surprise came in the discovery of a piece of marble which appeared to belong to a kouros due to its muscular form, adding to the dozens of marble fragments that have been unearthed on the island of kouroi, as Despotiko has been dubbed.

Kouragios has continued his research around the ancient temple dedicated to Apollo. Twelve buildings have been discovered around Despotiko and another five on the nearby islet of Tsimintiri. The current research team (which includes archaeologists Cornelia Daifa, Spyros Petropoulos and architects Aenne Ohnesorg and Katerina Papagianni from the University of Munich) has been working around the temple and a walled-in space where rituals were held. The various facets of the structures have been studied, more buildings have been excavated and various architectural elements categorized. A marble sacrificial site was discovered at the forefront of the temple, similar to one found at a shrine on Naxos. Kouragios says older artifacts uncovered in front of one of the temple’s pillars have proved crucial, as “they identify the temple’s function during the Geometric era.” Among the finds were vases from the Late Geometric and Early Archaic periods, as well as engravings and a table-like structure made of four plaques (a type of altar).

The tomb of an adult was discovered without funeral offerings in the outer corner of the temple and at its base was yet another find that proved perplexing for the archaeologists as it was next to a place of worship. If this tomb proves to date back to the Archaic period, it could be surmised that the deceased was a laborer that died in the temple and was buried next to the ruins. If however evidence shows it is from more recent times, it could be merely one of the temple’s pillagers. A tomb containing three skeletons dating back to Late Roman era, meanwhile, was found within the interior of Building B.

The excavation was made possible thanks to the sponsorship of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the P&A Canellopoulos Foundation, the A.G Leventis Foundation and the Merchant Marine Ministry’s secretariat for islands.