| The archaeological analysis for clay and the relevant dating have been under the
responsibility of the "Demokritos" Centre in Athens and the University of
Edinburgh. The lowest archaeological level is one of more particular interest. This is
where they found plenty of fish-hooks made from bone, stone and bone tools, jewellery,
bone awls, tenths of thousands of snails, shells from shell fish, fish, birds and
goats’ bones, fire places as well as , this year, a human skull.
Mr Sampson dates these findings from at least the 8th millennium BC . He
concludes that the habitation of the Cyclops’ Cave was occasional according to
the needs of fishermen. For this reason:
Today’s sea depth in the area show that Gioura was an island dating back to 10,000
BC. Research on the surface of the island and all the relevant information show that
Gioura never had permanent residents.
It is also estimated that fishermen who used the cave as a shelter were professionals
(for today’s standards).
Let us now turn to the proof and indications provided by these modest but substantially
important findings.
The 60 bone fish-hooks make part of a great collection starting from sizes of 8
millimetres and up to 6 centimetres long. The fish are tenths of thousands in variety, as
this is proved by their remnants and a lot of them are heavy in weight (garfish, tuna).
Evidence on fish is by far richer in the area of Frachthi. The relevant research on such
evidence and the remnants of a seal is being carried out by the Australian expert, Judy
Powel.
Also, remnants of fish hooks and large fish of several kinds prove that the inhabitants
of the Aegean had developed fishing and shipping techniques which were extremely
progressive for their times. The advance level of these techniques is further proved by
the mere fact that the technology for fish-hooks of various sizes as these were found in
Gioura, is not much different from the contemporary one.
Continue.... |
