FEBRUARY 13, 2015
ATHENS, GREECE
(AP) —
Death did
not part them.
Archaeologists in southern Greece have discovered the grave
of a man and woman buried as they died some 5,800 years ago — still tightly
embracing.
A senior member of the excavation team, Anastassia
Papathanassiou, says the discovery — made in 2013 and publicized this week
after DNA testing
determined each skeleton's sex — is the oldest of its kind in
Greece. She says the couple most likely died holding each other.
Papathanassiou told The Associated Press on Friday that
the remains of the couple, estimated to be in their 20s, were found near the
Alepotrypa Cave, an important prehistoric site.
It's unclear how they died and whether they were
related, but Papathanassiou says further DNA testing should answer the latter
question.
