January 21

So we made it to Crete. Waking up this morning wasn’t too bad, but it was largely due to the fact that I kept waking up every hour or so anyway. We all managed to get off the boat and onto the bus. The hotel in Crete let us have breakfast there this morning for just a little extra charge, so we went straight there and waited in the lobby until 7. That must have been a sore sight: 20 or so basically unconscious college students sprawled out across this nice lobby, soon to devour their weight in scrambled eggs and toast. I decided it was better that I stay awake. I knew that I would wreck my day if I fell back asleep, so I turned on m ipod and did some of my assigned reading and made sure to drink plenty of coffee at breakfast.
We left the hotel at 8:30. Though it was nice outside the hotel, it was frigid at the first site. The wind blew hard and the skies threatened rain, but fortunately never followed though. This site contains the ruins of a villa that dates back to 1600 or 1500 BCE. What remains of mainly just the bottom level of the stone walls and a fes column bases. Again, we tested our archaeological skills by picking out the clues to help us determine: the entrance, the functions of the various rooms, the number of stories, etc. I was good at picking out certain features, like the stone bases that probably supported wooden columns, the shrine area, the basin-like stone, the squared off stone block walls verses the rougher stone walls, but I didn’t always know what these features signified. I think by the end of the trip I’ll be much better at examining these features.
Next we went into town and tried to find a place called Anemospilia. Prof. Krentz had been here 2 times previous and knew he had managed to find it both times by asking around town. His Greek isn’t great, so after walking up and down the same street a couple of times, we were steered in the right direction. It took us between 30 and 40 minutes to climb up the path, but we made it. Apparently the fence around this site was new, but not so new that it was hole-free. So after squeezing through, we made it to the ruins of a building which dates back to 1700 BCE. Given the positions of the skeletons found here when the site was excavated, it is likely that a human sacrifice was occurring here, just as an earthquake destroyed the structure.
On the boat last night, we discussed the issue of exhuming skeletons for the sake of study. As I listened to the debate, I felt that if given the choice, I probably wouldn’t disturb the body. I would wan to respect the wishes of that person, despite what could be garnered from going against them. While we didn’t end up coming to a conclusion, it did leave everyone wondering how far was too far? This question popped into my mind as I was trying to find a hole in the fence so we could study an ancient site that has been closed off for some unknown reason. It seems to me to be the basic problem. Someone out there has legitimate reasons for me to leave this site alone, yet for the sake of study, I am willing to break those rules. And really, at the time I didn’t give it all that much thought. I even felt a little rush as I squeezed into that little hole. So now I wonder that, given how easily I made mental excuses here, what would I really do at the barrier to a grave?
By now, the wind is blowing so hard that I can hardly hear Prof. Krentz and I keep losing my balance, but I still feel exhilarated from the trek. We snap photos of each other and the view. From this hillside, you can see miles into the distance. There are lambs and olive trees, farms, and fishing boats. Allie and I had great conversations up and down the hillside.
By now it is 1:00 and we are starving. We go into town and I end up having lunch with Prof. Krentz, Allie, and Emily. We ordered some appetizers to share: fried feta cheese, and garlic yogurt with fresh bread. They were incredible! Then I just had to get a Greek salad, and I didn’t regret it. I shared a half kilo of the local red wine with Krentz and Allie. And just when things couldn’t get any better, the waitress brought some fresh dessert, on the house. These were little fried balls of cheese, drizzled in honey. I even had a sip of the raki (I think it’s along the lines of vodka), that she brought with it. It wasn’t anything I’d particularly want again, but now I can say that I don’t pass out with a sip of hard liquor.
Lunch lasted till 3:00 and we had the afternoon off. I wanted to walk around Crete a little bit, and Bryce and Emily joined me. I bought some fruit and drank an espresso while we were out, and Bryce seemed to marvel at my coffee obsession. I told him I come by it naturally.
I just finished some laundry in the sink and washed the Egyptian dirt out of my socks and pants. Now I have some reading to finish and it is lights out for Bonzo.