The Anthropology of Tomb A1K1 of Orthi Petra in Eleutherna

With α great sense of humility Ι present this report to the reader due to the task' s interdiscipIinary compIexity, its intricate scientific ethics and conscientiousness, its responsibilities to the schoIarly community and the public, and, Iast but not least, its sensitivities to the antiquilies, specifically the human skeletaI record of past peopIes. The priviIege of studying the cremated human remains from Tomb Α 1 ΚΙ at Orthi Petra bears with it immense responsibililies to the non-renewabIe skeletal resources, each individuaI's life accompIishments, and the coIlective achievements of the ancient inhabitants of Eleutherna, whose taIes we are coaxing from bones nearIy three thousand years old. TypicaIly αt the moment of submission, each author wishes that he had more time to further refIect and deIiberate upon his report, to pursue additionaI reevaluation and/or fine-tuning of the data under α slightIy different prism of research, and to consider in further depth intra αnd inler-site comparative questions, especialIy with αccumulaled experience and hindsight... And in a collective way all these may be α composite refIection of the αnxiety of the author in light of his objectives of aiming to produce the most comprehensive and multifaceted report possible, one that wouId do justice to the significance and meaning of the project to both the colIeague and the Iayperson. However, considering the inevitability of the various deadIines and needs of the Iarger project, of which this anthropologicaI study is but one component, it was necessary to generate as complete a report as possibIe within the boundaries of the given time limitations. Of note, the reader shouId be aware that the latest field laboratory season was οnly completed in the summer of 2004. And yet, at the submission of this report, an additionaI volume on Orthi Petra in EIeutherna has already been planned, one that will better inter-phase the multitude of the archaeologicaI and anthropological components, thereby providing a better synthesis and illustration of results. This report is dedicated to the memory of the ancient peopIe of Eleutherna. Professor Anagnostis Ρan. AgeIarαkis