Timeline of Selected BCM Exhibitions until 2010
The cave of Andritsa
The Andritsa cave lies in the south-west part of the prefecture of Argolida at Biglitsa, between the settlements of Velanidia and Andritsa of the Municipality of Lerna. It was first investigated from 29 to 31 January 2004 by the Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology and Spelaeology of South Greece, and the Greek Spelaeological Exploration Society. From November 2004 to January 2005, a group from the Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology and Spelaeology carried out a project involving mapping the cave, making measured drawings of the finds in situ, taking photographic documentation, and also conducting an excavation and collecting surface finds.
A mystery in need of answers
The questions put forward by the exhibition were, who these people were, what forced them to abandon their homes, and how they died inside the cave. Based on the collected evidence, we can say that sometime in the last quarter of the 6th century, a group of 33 people, Christians, mainly children, adolescents and women, residents of a nearby settlement, were forced to hide inside the cave in order to escape some danger, probably a raid. In order to reach the place that they believed it would save them, they had to descend a steep pot hole of 14 m. length. They had some supplies, mainly water, some food, oil lamps and coins. They created stair-like steps in front of the entrance of the main site at the end of the pot hole, filling the gaps with large stones, in order to place vases, creating some basic conditions for temporary survival. The exploration of the cave was still undergoing when the exhibition took place, and so, many of the questions were not answered while some aspects of the story may remain forever in the dark.
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