3,500-year-old Cretan 'Minos Ring' is authentic

CULTURE Minister Evangelos Venizelos said on April 3 that the "Minos Ring", the famous seal discovered more than 100 years ago in excavations on Crete, was assessed by the Archaelogical Service as being an authentic 3,500-year-old piece of Minoan jewellery. The minister said the seal-ring, dating to the 15th Century BC, is valued at 400,000 euros, "a figure which of course does not correspond to its scientific and historical value." Venizelos said "we will reward the citizen who handed over this finding by encouraging a behaviour which is legal and helps the archaeological authorities in conducting their work which is the protection and promotion of cultural heritage." The "Minos Ring" was discovered by British archaeologist Arthur Evans, who was the first to excavate the Knossos ruins of the Minoan Civilisation in Crete.

(ANA)

ATHENS NEWS , 05/04/2002, page: A10
Article code: C12956A103