Aerial Photography - Aerial Photography – from kite to drone Since the beginning of the excavations in 2007, the Sissi project has given priority to aerial coverage to add to the Google Earth pictures that were then starting to be of a useful resolution (Fig. 1-2) Figure 1: Google earth images of the Kephali: from left to […]
Archeobotany - Since the beginning of the excavations at Sissi in 2007 soil samples have been taken from all zones for the investigation of bioarchaeological remains, including seeds, charcoal, molluscs, fish and animal bones. The aim has been to recover with rigorous methods soil samples from all excavation contexts to allow investigation of the spatial distribution of […]
Archeomalacology - The systematic collection of remains of marine and land molluscs has been integral to the excavation on the Kephali hill at Sissi. The aim of the shell study is to allow insights into the life cycle of shells, from the procurement of molluscs, to preparation/working, consumption and final discard on the basis of detailed faunal, […]
Archeothanatology - Since the very start of excavation of the cemetery area (Zone 1 & 9) at Sissi, two specialists in archeothanatology and bioanthropology, Isabelle Crevecoeur & Aurore Schmitt, were present, directing a larger team of anthropologists. Careful observations and recording of the human remains, as well as the associated artefacts, allowed us to restore precisely and […]
Architectural Survey - In 2016, architectural engineers Eleftheria Zografou, Marilena Pateraki and Christos Koutsaftis surveyed the architectural remains that had been uncovered since the last architectural survey had taken place in 2013 under the direction of Aphroditi Chalkidi. More specifically, they focused on the northeast, southwest and southeast parts of the ceremonial Building F in Zone 6, covering […]
Ceramic Studies - The settlement of Sissi is quite remarkable considering the quantity, quality and variety of ceramic assemblages that have thus far been excavated. At the close of seven archaeological campaigns, we have inventoried no less than 590 crates of ceramic sherds as well as 3021 individual ceramic objects, which are undergoing conservation. Particularly large assemblages of […]
Geoarchaeology - Geoarchaeology and phytolith studies The 2016 excavation campaign at Sissi was complemented by a preliminary geomorphological survey undertaken in the valleys debouching to the east and west of the Kephali Hill. This survey was carried out by Dr. Simon Jusseret (University of Texas at Austin, USA, and UCLouvain) and Prof. Mark Macklin (Aberystwyth University, now […]
Ground Stone Studies - Ground stone artefacts and stone vases The systematic collection of material during excavations at Sissi has led to the recovery of a large assemblage that comprises finished stone artefacts, debitage and unworked nodules. Drawing upon the concepts of the chaîne opératoire and object biographies, the aim of the study of the ground stone assemblage is […]
Management and Conservation of archaeological material - Apothiki management and logistics Since 2016, the new ‘Apothiki’ (or storerooms) of the Sissi Project located at Agios Nikolaos, East Crete, is operational. All the archaeological finds of seven excavation campaigns at Sissi have been gathered, transferred and reorganised within this new space, which also comprises spacious working areas facilitating the work of researchers and […]
Micromorphology - As part of the interdisciplinary approach as practiced by the Sissi Archaeological Project, an extensive micromorphological study is carried out on site by Laura Matilde Magno. Complementary to archaeology, micromorphology is a special branch of pedology that involves the study and the interpretation of soils through the analysis of thin sections under the polarizing light microscope. […]
Non-destructive geophysical survey methods - The 2015 and 2016 excavation campaigns were each preceded by a geophysical survey led by Dr. Apostolos Sarris, director of the Laboratory of Geophysical- Satellite Remote Sensing & Archaeo-environment (Foundation for Research & Technology, Hellas). The approach adopted by the geophysical team favoured high resolution over wide coverage. Specific areas of limited extent were surveyed […]
Recording the Site - Recording the Site: Topography-Database-GIS Recording is everything in archaeology. If you don’t record something, the evidence is lost, The overall aim of the topographical survey of the Kephali is the investigation and mapping of visible archaeological, architectural and topographical features, an ongoing process. All the retrieved archaeological data are recorded on the field in a […]
Seals and Sealings - More than 7,500 Minoan seals and ancient seal impressions are known today. This number is estimated to represent only 5% of the original output and attests to the significance of these objects in Minoan society. Seals served functions at multiple societal levels, starting from the personal one and reaching that of state administration. They were […]
Site conservation - By its very nature, archaeology is destructive and irreversible. Site conservation, on the contrary, is concerned with preventing damage and slowing deterioration processes by using reversible methods. Despite this, at first glance, conflicting interest and objective, the preservation of the remains of the past has become an integral and mandatory part of the archaeological […]