In 1993, journalist Rita Reif published an article in the New York Times called “Rare Gold Baubles: Small, Ancient and Radiant.” Reif’s article set off a chain of events that would bring a little-known Mycenaean Greek cemetery near the village of Aidonia into the spotlight. The resulting cultural heritage case brought to light a story of tomb robbers, smugglers, eagle-eyed archaeologists, and an ill-fated donkey. In the end, archaeology won the day (sort of), and the so-called ‘Aidonia Treasure’ was repatriated to Greece.
Twenty years later, attention – and looters – returned to Aidonia, prompting the initiation of a new archaeological project aimed at investigating and protecting the site. The Tombs of Aidonia Preservation, Heritage, and exploration Synergasia (TAPHOS) began with the goal of conducting systematic excavation at the Late Bronze Age (1600-1100 BCE) cemetery. In the process, the project has uncovered new information about the Mycenaean Greek burials. This talk will introduce the audience to the dramatic archaeological discovery of the site, describe the work that TAPHOS has completed over the last decade, and outline findings that are changing the way scholars understand the lives and deaths of the Mycenaean Greeks.