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11/10/1984 - Macedonians, Greeks, and Human Sacrifice by Neil A. Silberman

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENTWORLD AFFAIRS NAS Yishay St Mac ed0ni Gre_eks Human crifice Abu Tor Jerusalem Israel there route Paris Mr Peter Bird artin November I0 Institute Current World Affairs West Wheelock St Hanover Hampshire USA Dear Peter Ellen I really Yugoslavia Crete Most spent driving Yugoslavia concen tration It loeal drivers condition pavement matter calculation trying decide whether passing heavy moving belching tractor trailer ahead mountainside yards remaining before terrifyingly blind curve Since schedule commitments waiting across Greek border taking longer expected drive least kilometers And although managed through least small stretch Yugoslavia federated socialis republics there driving except ourselves hotel night explore immediate vicinity until until tired around anymore That rather mountains Slovenia during afternoon drive Trieste And spent three making Croatian coast Our first island Krk Kvarner Gulf hideout medieval Uskek pirates bleak rocky holiday East European package connected mainland massive concrete Tito Bridge We spent second night Split ancient Palatium medieval Spalate where remains Roman emperor Diocletian palace through laundry lines wooden shutters modern apartments contains And third night Croatia tourist haven Dubrovnik immaculately restored medieval Ragusa buildings cobblestone streets scrubbed clean seemed elegant boutiques shops lining square always there From Dubrovnik continued south Montenegro along coastal highway climbing seemed incredible heights Adriatic Sea Turning inland around Bay Ketor Nell Silberman Institute Fellow studying political cultural impact current archaeological research Middle East Heis accompanied Ellen suddenly sight neither planned promoted local Turisticki Ured Tourist Promotion Office It medieval walled KOtor severely devasta earthquake The devastation still evidence cracks snaked thick fortifications still reduced piles rubble varying heights Further south forced Map Yugoslavia inland detour thanks stopping places along unhappy xenophobia Albanian authorities Skirting Albania northern border climbed mountains Montenegro following narrow twisting shoulder steep MoraSa River Gorge Here entered world quite different along Adriatic coast instead white washed stone houses Mediterranean style roofs villages constructed entirely timber houses steep sided roofs pierced center simple opening kitchen smoke This I always imagined century Eastern Euro landscape would barnyard animals behind weathered wooden fences haystacks gathered fields haywago pulled horses rolling slowly along Here there passed monastery nestled brilliant autumn foliage It seemed picture postcard unfortunately idealized southern Slavic world continue afternoon By reached outskirts Pritina plateau Kosovo minarets Turkish inhabitants human landscape suddenly complex Kosovo learned autonomous province Serbia blesome The population almost Albanian Sjiptar vocal nationalist underground demanding either unien Albania complete independence stirred violent demomstra tions recently discouraged liberal government troops Pritina capital Kosovo except century mosque restored Turkish baths hidden among plentiful socialist ealist architecture wouldn incredible history Nearby place called Kosovo Polje The Field Kosovo Ottoman Serbian armies engaged guidebooks massive battle medieval European history In forces Sultan Murad I defeated those Serb Prince Lazar bring dubious blessings Ottoman Pritina broken delayed counterattack Serbia And since World War II beginning intensive development Pritina entirely Modern shops office buildings department store boulevard middle imposing Grand Hotel We actually decided night Pritina because history which I little really For three years I working about ancient Philistines strangel enough I across Pritina research The problem geographi origins Philistines difficult other respected scholar perhaps moment weakness published theory about years declaring Pritina atually Philistines homeland Since Egyptian hieroglyphics earliest source spelling Philistine differen tiation between consonants L R connection plausible least linguistically Archaeologically though connection harder Arriving after Grand Hotel Pritina whose stars partially illuminated above entrance apparent figments managements imagination checked overlooking center escaped quickly lobby something Pritina ground level The noticed crystal light fixtures vinyl sofas filled almost entirely middle business suits Some ogled photos hotel nightclub strippers posted minently glass lobby Others talked nervously several friendly unaccompanied young women And others glumly tightly packed together sofas drinking glasses sljivovia chain smoking cigarettes Outside hotel street nightlife exciting though first I thought political monstration underway The street closed traffic filled young people right white walking slowly street coming The stores closed cafes young people Pritina This apparently customary evening social gathering getting spirit Ellen I sauntered right white street U saunter hotel Inside noisy smoky lobby again I directions driving Ellen standing alone approached guests hotel threw around apparently offered special evening A swing clearly point already enough Pritina I honestly morning quickly breakfast hotel cavernous ballroom happy leave We better Yugoslav Soci alist Republic Macedonia geographical YUGOSLAV IA counterpart Greek vince Macedonia south I always pecially interested Hellenistic Period Mace donia really where Hellenistic Period began In BC Macedonian named Philip II advantage cline Athens Sparta began campaign quest death TURKEY Alexander Babylon years later which lands peoples Indus brought under least nominal Macedonian Yet flung conquests Philip Alexander Macedon General region numbered insets never considered Hellenes least Hellenes further south The Macedonians wholeheartedly absorbed spread Greek culture their local language traditions always influenced steady migration Vardar valley peoples tribes Central hrope In century AD Greco Roman civilization strong trickle northern migrants suddenly became flood Within first years century acedonia invaded times quick succession Bulgars Slavs Huns Goths The ethnic language country changed forever language still spoken there called Macedonian Inset I Yugoslav unique south Slavic dialect Greek Macedonia closely related Bulgarian And after Ottoman conquest country Turkish topping added strange layer Macedonian nationality There problem boundaries since where precisely Macedonia begins still matter dispute In century Macedonia became focal point Balkan nationalism issue settled least being No sooner Serbia Greece Bulgaria jointly wrested Macedonia Ottomau Empire begin among themselves eventually tearing apart Greece coastal plain around Bay Thessaloniki Serbia Yugoslavia highlands And Bulgaria All these historical developments century BC AD their It always I learned disentangle thing certain If anyone thinks visit Macedonia provide single clear picture history person further On Yugoslavia Ellen I finally slowed driving spend hours intriguing archae ological Near course Vardar River where tains Yugoslav Macedonia begin flatten slope toward Macedonia Greece visited ancient Stobi impressive mound Hellenistic Roman Byzantine remains excavated joint American Yugoslav dition since Yugoslavs alone During first seasons excavation American Yugoslav diggers concentrated aucient forum clearing unusually preserved amphitheater seats which still carefully carved Greek season ticket holders complex workshops villas Byzantine churches appointed century AD synagogue For seasons restricted single structure episcopal basilica frescoes floor mosaics taining important inscription testifying prominence Stobi early Byzantine times October generally visit archaeologi excavation mound Mediterranean completely closed September I And arrived Sto tourist parking empty museum closed elderly attendant seemed annoyed rifle through drawers gateheuse entrance tickets After paying walking colonnaded street wandered toward apparent activity small workmen supervised young archae ologist constructing metal protect coming winter rains I Stobi ruins I really expect political significance excavations But I spoke Yugoslav archaeologist supervising workmen I suddenly began episcopal basilica buildings particular interest Uni versity Belgrade archaeological Under protective basilica Greek inscription dated early century AD It described territory under ecclesiastical control bishop Stobi mentioning number other Mace donian cities among Pella capital Alexander Great being subsidiary centers Macedonian diocese The implicati archaeolegist assured Byzantine inscription based earlier tradition stobi spiritual capital ancient beyond border Macedonia cities Greece I little taken aback patently patriotic theory I wrote archaeelogist understandable enthusiasm But there something debate about cient Macedonia enthusiasm after crossed Greek border visited truly spectacular excavations Yergina I discovered archaeological claims prece dence Macedonia sided Yugoslav monologue It about hours drive Stobi across Greek border Thessaloniki where spent first night Greece Election posters spray painted election graffiti every where supporters major parties Pasok Greek Socialist Party headed Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou New Democracy conservative party headed Kostas Mitsotakis apparently vying other cover every ilable crete surface pictures leaders deface those their opponents Late evening loudspeakers blared opposing party headquarters every pickup truck covered posters fitted sound system would street beneath hotel window playing patriotic Greek songs Early morning Ellen I electioneering Thessaloniki behind headed about miles across Macedonian plain crossing Vardar River whose changed classical Axios Greece The political posters graffiti still evidence countryside arrived village Vergina founded resettlement Greek refugees Turkey hilly sometimes mountainous landscape seemed almost identical which Yugoslav Macedonia The archaeological excavations Vergina still closed public despite pUblicity received And after presented letter introduction nervous watchman permitted tough barbed climb beneath surface ground almost unbelievable ancient treasures recently discovered The Vergina directed Professor Manolis Andronicus University Thessaloniki spent years proving there great fantastic archaeological material waiting uncovered northern Greece While Greek foreign expeditions concentrated their Attica Peloponnese islands Aegean Andronicus quietly worked archaeological pasture patiently looking evidence ancient Macedonian culture especially short lived empire Alexander Great father Philip BC Anyone PBS series The Search Alexander chance exhibition centl tedmajor American museums knows Andronicus dedication really At Ver discovered incredibly buried beneath funeral mound containing treasure silver glass ivory objects which plausibly identified funer oiferings interred Alexander father Philip II Macedon In addition Professor Andronicus flair dramatic greeted entrance assistant Georghis followed steep suitably funereal gloom The entire excavation encased corrugated metal surrounded thick styrofoam walls But Georghis assured Us enclosure sphere When winter storms start Macedonia drives smile The first robbed antiquity although precious objects removed ancient looters enough skeleton remained Georghis identify teenage In small burial chamber about illuminated single light Georghis drawing table graceful fresco still dimly visible Wall The sbject appropriately enough burial place princess Macedonian royal family abduction maiden Persephone underworld Hades favorite Greek theme tragedy death No sooner finished admiring delicate pastels fresco Georghis centerpiece cavation Philip himself As stood balcony above entrance Georghis flicked floodlights luminate doric facade white Macedonian marble decorated paint The colors facade really shocking their bright colors fectly preserved The magnificent covered earth construction burial Philip still maintained brilliance given Macedonian artists haStily asaembled Phi assassination BC A black curtain extended above facade Georghis flourish reveal spectacular element decoration Painted plaster applied brick elaborate hunting scene extending across entire width facade On extreme several naked figures sparimg frightened Next naked figures together their hunting nered vicious looking At center painting mounted figures Alexander Philip spearing appro priately regal right panel naked hunters taunting standing black This impressive painting never intended benefit casual admirers grave goods found inside sealed burial chamber intended benefit deceased In there objects inside Andronicus resort tothe techniques underwater archaeology Georghis explained process First capstone removed burial chamber vaulted ceiling offering strewn floor photographed above A rectangular drawn esulting photograph descended slicedp thick layers offerings along lines squares could reassembled laboratory peeled layer layer If there vessels pottery vases metal weapons complicated procedure would superfluous But Philip Was offerings perishable A sized plywood table nearby excavation labora covered still incompletely dissected organic layers which Andronicus distinguished remains wreaths flowers leather objects wooden furniture dozens fragments fabric which hundreds delicate ornaments sewed Philip Tomb discovered analysis contents still obviously arfom complete In meantime other richer discovered nearby But layers oflerings floor thick compacted Georghis words We decided forget about being We almost finished Georghis suddenly remembered something wanted I finds Will disprove Hellenis propaganda coming Yugoslavia these I realize Greek archaeologists aware patriotic theories their Yugoslav colleagues I denly learned claims I heard Stobi archaeological iceberg speak Georghis brought storeroom filled shelves pottery least dozen marble funerary stelae Some these ancient tombstones decorated reliefs plain inscribed pedigree deceased AS walked among stelae found great burial Georghis pointed individual names Demetrios Antigonos Eugenes known Greek names These people Greeks insisted trying counter theories certain Yugoslav archaeologists Slavic presence acedonia least Alexander Great And since these stelae dated century BC appearance names randfathers brings least century before determined there would question minds which cultural sphere build occupants cemetery Vergina belonged But point political interest excavations Vergina provided As walking I commented Georghis sheer scale excavations their importance require substantial budget Georghis assured finaucing really serious problem When discovery Philip Tomb public Constantine Karamanlis leader New Democracy party campaigning regain power Prime Minister himself provide Professor Andronicus government funding continue And Karamanlis seems another personal interest proving Macedonia could boast ancient Hellenic culture impressive cities further south Karamanlis native Macedonia small northeast Thes saloniki years before southern Macedonia annexed Greece Patriotism local pride obviously played important excavations Vergina excavations stobi several hundred kilometers north And Ellen I continued southward Peloponmese visited excavations which Greekness century BC nearly cient enough One reasons I wanted spend Greece before coming Middle East because I never centers Bronze Age Mycenaean civilization Pelo ponnese It anyone slightly I0 century raconteur licist money maker dreamer taught archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann changed forever cepted understandings about Greek civilization actually The stuffy Oxford century Greek historia Herodotus Thu cydides value discounted about everything Greek fantasy As result believed Greek history really begun first Olympiad BC But Schliemann almost childlike faith Homer Inset tales earlier Trojan War The Peloponnese And almost miraculously seemed Schliemann peasant workers sites Troy Mycenae covered first evidence Mycenaean civilization behind Homeric epics neatly buryi cepted ideas Oxford So suddenly Homeric epics shown significant basis Troy proved strongly fortified destroy after violent siege Mycenae Homeric capital legendary King Agamemnon proved impressive fortified citadel palace royal tombs famous Lion Gate Other Mycenaean centers subsequently excavated Schliemann archaeological successors nearby Tiryns birth place Herakles Pylos other Peloponnese Restor peacemaker among Greek leaders Troy In recent years discoveries Mycenaean artifacts through Meaiteranean prompted reappraisal cultural connections between ancient East West With Mycenaean pottery found Amman Marseilles coming clear archaeologists everywhere Mycenaean Period I50 BC extremely important chapter Greek history Unfortunately I chose worst possible first visit Mycenae After driving south Athens turned souvenir stands tavernas enter baked parking filled least dozen brightly painted tourist buses My conventional wisdom about seasonal traffic antiquity sites failed although already October summer tourist season Mycenae apparently ended Pushing citadel through thickly packed groups visitors listening explanations signi ficance Schliemann achievement English German Italian Japanese managed catch glimpse Lion Gate obstructed Grave Circle inside walls before deciding might better found ourselves hotel nearby Navplio returned leisurely visit later By afternoon ready Mycenae again I happy The emptiness allowed wander Off south could water Argolic Gulf which Homer recorded Greek forces Troy To beyond mountains Arcadia setting weakening reddened stone walls Mycenae itself The scheduled close modern guardians Mycenae I discovered conscious At shrill pollceman whistle sounded gatehouse entrance warning remaining visitors better their snapshots ready leave We position argue walked quickly through Lion Gate Actually raced prkig because before Mycenae there thing The Tomb Agamemnon According Roman writer Pausanias Treasury Areus private vault founders Mycenaean dynasty According Heinrich Schliemann other King Agamemnon himself But whatever chooses imposing stone built shaped called tholos almost diameter appro ached forbidding entranceway Although robbed original contents ancient times attracted attention wonder visitors Mycenae Pausanias And gathering gloom early evening entered burial chamber I inclined skepticism really believe Schliemann expansive attribu Agamemnon might wrong At Mycenae I really believing Homer traveled across Peloponnese visit Pylos I suddenly discovered I least years behind times Not essential historical basis Homeric epics valued current generation Greek archaeo ologistshave moved other pressing concerns Pylos famous Palace Nestor ingly preserved royal residence suddenly destroyed century BC It xcavated consec utive seasons American archaeologist Carl Blegen headed large expedition University Cincin Blegen actually began search Mycenaean remains relatively remote Peloponnese He vinced great centers Mycenaean culture restrict around Mycenae having noted intriguing surface indications began rubble strewn called Epano Englianos April Unfortunately Blegen timing couldn worse That ssolini decided would invade Albania plunging entire hostilities would called Second World War But Blegen timing unfortunate couldn better within hours beginning first digging workers uncovered large archive tablets inscribed undeciphered guage called Linear Bo The problem Linear B central question Mycenaean archaeology Like predecessor Linear A script Crete which still undeciphered language records ancient palaces believed discovering ethnic identity palace dwellers themselves While Mycenaean civilization provide torical basis Homeric epics serious larly doubts whether Mycenaeans could actually called Greeks And Greeks their direct contribution Clas sical civilization Would thrown considerable doubt But Blegen resumed excavations Pylos English architect amateur cryptographer named Michael Ventris demonstrated convincingly Linear B early Greek What explanatory material archae ology politics matter visit Pylo Actually I expected since current question among Greek archaeologists dence arrival settlement Greeks Greece One archaeologists concerned problem Professor Georghis Korres University Athens prominent conservative political leader For several years Korres working around Pylos small called Voidhokoilia pronounced Voydokeelia believes found evidence apparent continuity Greek dition BC The digging Voidhokoilia ended season Pro fessor Korres assistant graduate student named Aphrodite still Pylos finishing registration recent finds She agreed explanatien importance Pylos across flats marshes broad circular called which Voidhokoilia takes The itself something disappointment physical appearance least After scrambling steep sandy slopes overlooking followed Aphrodite through large protective fence walked around seemed large stones denuded cover except pockets brown earth still filling crevices there But slowly Aphrodite began technical explanation methods results excavation successive stages building began sense At center rockp remains Mycenaean tholos missing still recognizeable beehive shape smaller version Tomb Agamemnon Mycenae This tholos legendary associations Aphrodite according Pausanias prolific travel writer AD Thracimedes Nestor Pyles Professor Korres teacher pioneer modern Greek archae ology Spyridon Marinatos excavated tholos found contained typical Mycenaean artifacts BC Since Trojan War placed scholars around BC legendary connection tholos Nestor chronological standpoint least unreasonable But I beginning discover Pylos Homeric discoveries longer enough modern Greek archaeologists settlement levels preceded tholos archaeological elements greates The tholos seems constructed already consecrated ground Around BC years before Mycenaean civilization first started bloom already being cemetery Aphrodite pointed remains large storejars called pithoi discovered taining skeletons burial gifts These pithoi buried haphazardly their sides their bases radiat central point spokes wheel The central circular within bases pithei empty later iycenaean builders structed their tholos And significant Aphrodite assured Mycenaeans careful avoid damaging pithoi their contents This seemed indicate continuity religious tradi Linear B tablets proved Mycenaeans Greek speakers pithoi people Middle Helladic Period might Greek speakers This conclusion traditional belief Greeks arrived Dorian invasion around BC But Professor Korres believes Voidhokoilia there clear evidence connections Beneath level pithos burials walls courtyards small village Early Helladic Period dated BC Aphrodite showed useremains workshops dwelling places kitchensdshe delineated village circular perimeter The central although still covered later Mycenaean tholos contained several usual Early Helladic pottery vessels ground appar religious offerings If further excavations confirm central seems cultic Aphrodite explained possibility Greek presence could pushed almost years The arguments maintenance constant religious dition Voidhokoilia seemed based faith Did sanctity connected certain really ethnic group always there Although I polite refrained mentioning Aphrodite Jerusal where Ellen I headed several sacred spots within ancient walls fought centuries distinct ethnic groups Professor Korres would first admit theory excavations other sites before archaeological theory accepted historical But interesting element Pylos Voidhokoilia Korres tentative conclusions about least branch Greek archaeology today Having behind romantic quest historical basis behind Homeric epics today generation seems searching deeper Greek roots Our Greece island Crete legendary King Minos impressive Bronze Age Minoan civilization Ever since discovery palace complex Knossos British archaeologist Ar Evans first decade century cultural level Minoan civiliza idealized almost absurd degree Maybe projection sonal background seems uncannily coincidental aristocra Englishman while still never Empire would reconstruct picture earlier island empire advanced branches sciences serenely ruling flung mercial network through undisputed command In recent years Evanm conception Minoan civilization historical Atlantis under increasing attack One Professor H G Wunderlich termed Evans recon struction palace Knossos hypotheses reinforced concrete But having begun criticize theories father Minoan archaeology Evans successors faced challenge having provide alternative reconstructions nature undeniably prolific Minoan culture there scholars The reconstructions plentiful engaged problem theme common Minoan civilization neither sovereign carefree Sir Arthur Evans believed While Evans assumed itwas inoans Crete civilized mainlanders certain Greek archaeologists today mainlanders themselves longer place great emphasis civilizing influence Crete Prominent among Professor Ioannis Sakellarakis University Athens serving Director Heraklion Museum His recent discoveries vicinity Knossos indicate being peace loving lotus eaters Minoans actually cruel sinister After arriving Piraeus overnight ferry Ellen I Nikos local inspector Greek Antiquities Service outside local kafenion central square village Kato Arkhanes about miles south Heraklion We invitation Pro fessor Sakellarakis instructions Nikos extremely grisly event Since spoke Greek Nikos English mixture pidgin German Nikos directed drive village steep toward summit nearby mountain herds sheep goats stinking piles purple grape dumped there stage production local winery At ledge mountain Nikos directed The toward north truly spectacular stretched coast island buildings Heraklion gleaming brighter close rauge Down oppressively mountainside brisk breeze brought autumn chill Aegean Sea Leaving parked within mountain Nikos leave local imbed slightly higher approach remains angular stone structure Minoan Temple human sacrifice Be cause walls building preserved height about floor immediately clear It divided three parallel chambers entrance three doors fronting their narrow Nikos indicated supervised workers professor Sakellarakis conducted excavations He proudly sketched footed chalice figure indicating number complete Minoan vessels recovered center rooms But already number complete vessels attraction Professor Sakellarakis grabbed headlines world about years graphic imagina reconstruction desperate human sacrifice taken place around BC Throughout entire structur Professor Sakellarakis found evidence effects terrible earthquake presumably natural disaster leveled great palaces Crete In rooms uncovered three intact human skeletons whose relative positions associated finds reconstructed desperate ceremony moments before shrine engulfed flames walls toppled contents buried under collapsed Near entrance slightly raised gypsum table Sakellarakis identified table sacrifice On found complete skeleton young contracted position In corner skeleton young woman beside altar itself remains middle signet finger whose other clutching knife Professor Sakellarakis convinced aftermath human sacrifice ducted during earthquake futile attempt His evidence conclusion strangely enough color bones young altan While skeletons burned ravaged temple bones young woman pletely charred bones young resting directly altar charred bones white Consulting physical anthropologists about strange situa Sakellarakis received explanation probably already bones burned The force gravity caused blood concentrate lower leaing upper almost completely drained Although there scholars still issue explanation facts Nikos believed Sakellarakis reconstruction implicitly particularly dramatic rendering Pointing altar still preserved under wooden plexi frame hands cheek imitating sleep Stepping corner where woman found crouched hands panic sleld himself phantom attacker quickly pointing where middle priest skeleton Rising stepping where pointed stood threatening stance scowl invisible dagger clenched tightly raised Ellen I nodded appreciation performance trying stifle giggle Rikos himself began laugh Once again indicated excavation these things found We thanked drove steep Kato Arkhanes again At Heraklion Museum later talked curators about Professor Sakellarakis revisionist Minoan ories It seems sanctuary Arkhanes instance human sacrifice believes found In newly excavated houses Knossos itself uncovered large children bones bearing cisions knife But matter Minoan human sacrifice thetical curator warned tactfully wanting contra Professor Sakellarakis wanting accept theory MY husband doctor Hera klion colleagues believe knife marks could signs ancient attempt surgery necessarily religious ritual Local pride wonders Minoan civilization turned slightly defersive these The doctors upset human sacrifice That experience current trends Aegean archaeology after visiting major sites island Elle I boarded rusty Cypriot ferry cruise Israel If fulfillment expectations measure dismal failure I wanted visit sites Classical Mycenaean civilization before coming Middle East because I wanted archaeological stability What I found opposite But realization archaeo logists everywhere bring great patriotic psychological baggage Withtem every worth anything I failure after All Best Received Hanover