In the spring of 1993, two Mycenaean (14th-12th centuries BC) chamber tombs were discovered by accident at Pylona, not far from Lindos on the southern coast of Rhodes. Excavations uncovered a cemetery site of six tombs and a series of remarkable finds: human remains, pottery, bronze objects, and jewellery. The excavation reports are published here with a complete catalogue of finds, including the extensive and especially fine pottery discoveries. Chapter six is a detailed illustrated study by P. J. P. McGeorge of the skeletal remains from the tombs, presented as a catalogue of finds and a concluding summary on the general health, living conditions, and customs of the community. The work also includes a further three specialist appendices: an ICP-AES analysis of some of the Pylona vessels (M.J. Ponting and the author); a review of the textile remains (D. de Wild); and chemical analyses of glass beads and the copper sword find (H. Mangou).

By studying various aspects of the material culture found in Crete, the Cycladic islands and mainland Greece during the early Bronze Age, Karantzali hopes to produce a tighter typological chronology than has previously been established. He believes that by placing developments in parallel and tying up the timescale of changes, a tighter sequence can be obtained and thus a more useful framework for the dating of artefacts of unknown provenance or insecure contexts can be set in place. After cataloguing the sites of Crete and the Cyclades, he proceeds to lay down chronologies for the deramic, matallic and sculptural products of the regions. Comments are offered on theoretical culture models, and all this information is finally amalgamated to establish a model for the direction of influence and indications of exchange (ideas and items) between the coexisting cultures.