Armeni is the archaeological site of an ancient Minoan cemetary on Crete.

Geography

The cemetary is eight kilometers south of the modern town of Rethymnon.

Archaeology

Armeni has been under excavation since 1969 by Yiannis Tzedakis. Over 200 chamber tombs and one tholos tomb have been found from the Late Minoan era.

Finds from various tombs included seal stones, jewelry, tools, stone vases, bronze vessels and pottery. Clay larnakes (coffins) inscribed with double axes, scenes of hunting and bulls, and horns "of consecration" were also excavated.

Over 500 skeletons have been excavated, yielding useful information about the diet of the Minoan people in this area. They ate high carbohydrate diets but very little meat.

Tourism

Swindale reports that the lighting does not work in many of the tombs, and recommends the use of a flashlight (British: torch). The area is open to tourists 8:30 until 15:00 during the summer, except on Mondays.

Reference

Swindale, Ian "Armeni" Retrieved 11 Feb 2006

Minoan Crete Map

Links

• http://www.uk.digiserve.com/mentor/minoan/armeni.htm
  
• Mieke Prent , Sanctuaries and Cults in Crete from the Late Minoan IIIC to the Archaic Period: Continuity and Change -(Religions in the Graeco-Roman World) Brill Academic Publishers , 2005, ISBN: 9004142363