M. and E. Tsoupaki plot
The property is situated on the west slope of the Kephala hill, to the south-west of the Tsakalakis plot. A burial rock shelter was excavated there in 2006 and 2009. The entrance is to the west, opposite Hill I, where the palace and the town situated. The excavation produced a very large and precious amount of well preserved skeletal material, including 102 skulls. The grave goods were also many and very significant as for their quality and the historical value, dated Early Minoan I to Middle Minoan IA, including pottery, jewellery and seals. Noteworthy is the presence of Cycladic type and/or origin pottery similar to those excavated at the nearby cemetery at Agia Photia.
The rock shelter was used for secondary burials. It is probably that the deposition followed the cleaning of a particular house tomb.
It is also very interesting that there has been at least one instance of a later human presence in the cave, namely in the Neopalatial period, when a ceremonial jug and a conical cup were deposited, almost on the surface. This shows that in Late Minoan IA not only the place of the ancient then cemetery was still known, but that at least one ceremonial act took place then, in honour of the ancestors.
