4,000-year-old structure in Greece may have been used for ancient Minoan rituals

Archaeologists in Greece have discovered a mysterious4,000-year-old circular structure on a hilltop that may have beenused for ancient Minoan rituals. The structure compriseseight superimposed stone rings with small walls intersecting them to form rooms.

A report by LiveScience on Thursday (June 13) said that the structuremeasures 157 feet in diameter, and was discovered about 51 kilometressoutheast of Heraklion whileconstruction workers were installing a surveillance radar system for a new airport.

Based on the styleof pottery fragments discovered during the excavation, archaeologists have tentatively dated the building to 2000 BC to 1700 BC, in the middle of the Minoan civilization, LiveScience reported.

Building unlikely to have been used as residence

A statement from Greece's culture ministry said that the building wasunlikely to have been used as a residence.

The building near the town of Kastelliappears to have hadtwo main zones-a circular building with a diameter of 49 feet at the very centre and an area created by the walls radiating out from it.

The site has been earmarkedfor a radar station to serve a new airport under construction nearKastelli. The airport, which is set to open in 2027, is projectedto replace Greece’s second-biggest airport at Heraklion.

The airport will be designed tohandle up to 18 million travellers annually.

Meanwhile, the culture ministry said that so far, at least another 35 archaeological sites have been uncovered during work on the new Kastelli airport and its road connections.

(With inputs from agencies)