Palace of Nestor Excavations and the Grave of the Griffin Warrior at Pylos, Greece

Excavations and a programme of conservation works at the Palace of Nestor in Pylos, in the Peloponnese, have been ongoing since 2015. Supported by the A. G. Leventis Foundation in 2018 and 2019, these efforts led to an extraordinary archaeological discovery: the intact Mycenaean grave of the Griffin Warrior, a 15th-century BC warrior-prince buried with his weapons alongside a remarkable collection of sealstones and jewellery.

The grave was named one of the top ten archaeological discoveries of the decade worldwide by Archaeology Magazine and has received extensive media coverage. It has featured in major television productions presented by Bettany Hughes and Simon Schama, as well as in Greece on Μηχανή του Χρόνου.

Four major reports on the findings have been published in the journal Hesperia, including one dedicated to the extraordinary Combat Agate- hailed by some as the finest example of Minoan craftsmanship yet discovered. At the same time, excavation of one of two tholos tombs uncovered in 2018 has been completed.

Among the most striking finds is a pair of inlaid gold cloisonné earrings depicting the Egyptian goddess Hathor, presumably imported from the Levantine coast.

For more information go to : https://griffinwarrior.org/