Who was buried in the great mausoleum of Gortyn? : A preliminary analysis of new osteological data from the Praetorium district

The paper illustrates the outcome of a preliminary analysis of osteological remains found inside the hypogeal chamber of the great Mausoleum situated in the northern sector of the so-called Praetorium district of Gortyn. The results of the study, carried out during the archaeological mission which took place in the summer of 2023, indicate that four individuals were buried in a grave located along the southern side of the subterranean space of the impressive funerary monument. In fact, the examined skeletal remains correspond to two relatively young adults, namely a woman and a man, an adolescent and a perinatal individual. The individuals, buried with their grave goods, possibly belonged to a family unit.