Archaeologists Unearth Mystery Stone Building While Building New Crete Airport

Currently, construction is ongoing for a new airport in Crete, Greece. While it is projected to be the second largest in the country, construction had to be paused after archaeologists made an amazing discovery. According to the archaeologists, the find is “extremely interesting” and likely dates back 4,000 years. Originally, this was to be the site of the airport’s radar station, but temporarily, the mystery stone building put a pause on construction.

New Crete Airport to be second-largest in Greece

Second only to Greece’s largest airport at Heraklion, the new Crete airport in Kastelli is likely to handle up to 18 million travelers annually. Meanwhile, it is set to open in 2027 and will streamline travel in the area.

Unique Minoan building discovered in Kastelli, Crete pic.twitter.com/vJuIpfE6KU

— The Greek Analyst (@GreekAnalyst) June 11, 2024

However, while construction was underway of the airport’s radar station, an “extremely interesting” discovery was made. Archaeologists unearthed a mysterious stone building on the site, which dates back some 4,000 years. Meanwhile, the archaeological site in Crete is puzzling experts and looked to stand in the way of the new Kastelli Airport in Crete which is currently under construction.

While archaeologists were puzzled over the original purpose of the round stone hilltop building, Greece’s Culture Ministry gave a statement:

It may have been periodically used for possibly ritual ceremonies involving consumption of food, wine, and perhaps offerings.

Mystery stone building temporarily halted airport construction

Initially, the find appeared to be halting construction on the new airport, but it was decided to build the radar station elsewhere. Speaking of the exciting find, Greece’s Culture Minister, Lina Mendoni pledged that the discovery would be preserved, while an alternative location would be found for the radar station. Mendoni, who is herself an archaeologist, said:

We all understand the value and importance of cultural heritage … as well as the growth potential of the new airport project.

It’s possible to go ahead with the airport while granting the antiquities the protection they merit

One of 35 archaeological finds at the Crete Airport site

The mysterious round stone building is not the only archaeological find uncovered during the building of Crete’s new airport. According to the Culture Ministry, this structure is a “unique and extremely interesting find” from the Minoan civilization in Greece. The Minoans were famous for their sumptuous palaces, enigmatic writing system and flamboyant art.

Meanwhile, the Culture Ministry added that at least 35 other archaeological sites have been uncovered on the site of the new Kastelli Airport and its road connections. At the end of the last century, an entire hilltop fortified settlement was discovered dating from the third millennium BC which was excavated and destroyed during work on the Athens International Airport.

‘Unique and extremely interesting find’

According to Euronews, the circular building looks like a huge car wheel from above and the ruins of the labyrinthine, 19,000 sq ft building were discovered during a recent archaeological dig. The structure is ringed by eight, stepped stone walls up to 5.6 ft high, while the inner structure was split into smaller, interconnecting spaces and may have had a shallow conical roof.

Meanwhile, archaeologists are so far puzzled about the hilltop structure and what it was for. During the excavations, they found no known parallels to the Minoan people. For the time being, experts speculate that it could have been used for a ritual or religious function.