Sponsorship from Kaspersky Lab allows archaeologists to expand excavations in Akrotiri and celebrate new findings
Woburn, MA – October 18, 2018 – This season, excavations at the Akrotiri settlement on the Greek island of Santorini revealed spectacular findings, including 13 chests from up to 5,000 years ago, filled with artefacts of Cycladic culture. In addition to the chests, wall paintings from the prehistoric city, assembled from thousands of plaster fragments, were also uncovered. After excavations had stalled for a few years, sponsorship from Kaspersky Lab allowed archaeologists to expand their work on the site, and today, celebrate their findings.
Akrotiri archaeologists revealed some of the project’s achievements to Eugene Kaspersky, founder of Kaspersky Lab, on his latest visit to the site. After a close examination of the part of the settlement known as the ‘House of Benches,’ archaeologists discovered 13 clay chests under debris covering the floor of one of the buildings. As researchers examined the chests, one of their most striking findings was a female figurine, hidden inside a small chest dating from up to 5,000 years ago. The figure is of scientific interest, as its look reflects a transition between the earliest periods of Cycladic culture and could provide clues for uncovering the many mysteries of the Akrotiri region.
Another prominent accomplishment of the excavation was the unveiling of one of the most impressive compositions of wall-paintings from the prehistoric city, including frescoes on the wall of the city’s largest building. These paintings once decorated the walls flanking all flights of the staircase and its landings, and are estimated to cover a total surface of over 900 square feet. The work to restore and conserve the wall paintings will be continued over the next few years.
The preservation of both cultural heritage and ancient achievements is an integral part of preparing for our future development. Three years ago, after Eugene Kaspersky’s private visit to Akrotiri, Kaspersky Lab began its cooperation with the Archeological Society at Athens to support the excavation of the Akrotiri settlement in the Aegean Sea. While the exploration of the historic Cycladic archaeological site is far from over, recent findings are already proving that Akrotiri has much to offer to scholars of ancient Greece.
According to the Greece Ministry of Culture and Sports, the finds at Akrotiri are undoubtedly linked to the views and beliefs of the Thiran society. These discoveries provide a stimulus for a new interpretive drive on fundamental questions about the ideology and possibly the religion of prehistoric Aegean society.*
“We are excited to see so much progress sponsored by Kaspersky Lab, but the team’s current projects are only a small part of the scientific initiatives at Akrotiri,” said Professor Christos Doumas, director of excavations at the prehistoric settlement of Akrotiri, Thira. “Our future plans include extending the Laboratory for the Conservation of Wall Paintings, and continuing our project to conserve the buildings, to ensure the best possible protection of the ruins for everyone interested in Greek culture. We are aiming to improve how easy it is for visitors to understand the cultural significance of the Akrotiri site.”
For his contributions to the culture and history of the island, Eugene Kaspersky was awarded honorary citizenship of Santorini by Anastasios-Nikolaos Zorzos, Mayor of Thira.
This Kaspersky Lab initiative demonstrates the company’s commitment to exploring and learning from the past, to help understand the future. To help showcase their findings to new generations, researchers are working on digitizing information about Akrotiri and improving visual presentation of the site.
*Source: The Greek Ministry of Culture [October 12, 2018]
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