Excavations and restoration of a unique monument on the small island of Sikinos, one of the more remote and less visited Cyclades islands, have revealed an untouched grave containing the skeleton of a woman and numerous priceless artifacts. The box-shaped grave was located in a concealed portion of the Episkopi site’s underground, ostensibly in order to avoid tomb raiders.
Several precious items of jewelry adorned the body entombed in the grave, denoting a prominent resident of the island, including gold rings, bracelets, necklaces, along with glass and metallic vases.
One assessment is that the building, dated to late antiquity and subsequently serving as a Christian church during the Byzantine era, was as an impressive mausoleum for the woman. An up-until-now funereal inscription discovered at the monument cites the name “NeikO” – spelled Νεικώ, in Greek.
The monument itself resembles a temple, and due to its height is considered as unique in the Greek world. A settlement was built up around the monument in subsequent centuries, including a monastery and chapels.
