Late Minoan cemetery at Armeni, Late Minoan cemetery in Somatás, Greece
The Late Minoan cemetery at Armeni is a necropolis with more than 200 rock-cut chamber tombs and one tholos tomb facing northeast. Many of these burial chambers remain accessible today, allowing visitors to see how the tombs were constructed and arranged.
The burial chambers date from the Late Minoan III period and were systematically excavated starting in 1969 under archaeologist Yiannis Tzedakis. These findings reveal the cemetery was used continuously across multiple generations.
The burial site reveals how Minoan people honored their dead and what objects they considered necessary for the afterlife. The chambers hold pottery, bronze vessels, and personal items that show the crafts and daily practices of that era.
The site sits about 8 kilometers south of Rethymno on the road toward Spili and is easy to reach by car. Inside the accessible rock-cut tombs you will find automatic lighting that helps you safely explore the chambers.
Scientists studied around 500 skeletons from this cemetery and learned surprising details about the diet, health problems, and life span of Minoan people. This large collection of human remains is rare and gives researchers a clear picture of how these ancient inhabitants lived.
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