The Greek-Swedish excavations at Kastelli, Khania 2001: a preliminary report

Abstract

During five weeks in June and July 2001 a small supplementary
excavation was carried out at the Ag. Aikaterini
Square. The purpose of the excavation was to clarify some
problems and test some ideas before the final publication
of the forthcoming volumes of the Greek–Swedish
Excavations (GSE). For the Late Minoan IIIA:2/
IIIB:1 period there was a question about the supposed
north-western wall of Building 1, Space G.3 It was therefore
decided to open a new trench (Trench 33) within the
area 508‑510/709.5‑714 (Fig. 1) – a trench which would
possibly also reveal further information on the two LM I
destructions noted in House IV of the LM I period. For
the LM I period there were three more objectives: (a) to
find out whether House I, Room K (Fig. 1) incorporated
a lustral basin in an earlier phase; (b) to investigate extensively
the drainage system of the excavated buildings
and their connection to the “public” drain running in the
street between Houses I and II; and (c) to investigate the
stratified remains from the MM and EM periods still left
in the baulk between trenches 1 and 2 and 2 and 4, which
were excavated in 1970. But in opening two new areas important
supplementary information was revealed, related
to periods which were not directly under investigation.
Here follows a presentation of the 2001 excavation, period
by period from surface to bedrock.