Lilies (or Spring) Fresco
MINOAN WALL PAINTING 3500 B.C.

In the twin bedroom of Hafod Y Wennol farm holiday cottage you’ll find a small mural depicting swallows “kissing” over a rocky landscape, upon which blossoming red lilies bend in the Aegean sea-breeze.

It is a copy of a portion of a wall painting discovered in the Pompeiian-like Minoan town of Akrotiri on the Greek island of Santorini. Buried by compacted volcanic ash for 3,500 years until its discovery in 1967, it is thought to represent the oldest art in Europe.

Santorini is perhaps one of the most fascinating islands in the Aegean, lying some 60 miles north of Crete in the Cyclades archipelago. In the 16th century BC, a massive volcanic holocaust shattered the island. The crater floor collapsed into the vacated magma chamber beneath the volcano causing a bang that was heard in Norway, a 300 ft tidal wave that wiped out the mighty Minoan civilization of Crete within twenty minutes and at 7 miles by 14 miles, the largest volcanic crater on Earth. Buried under the dust was Akrotiri, the intriguing remains of a lost civilization believed by many to be the fabled lost city of Atlantis.

Recent excavations have revealed a "bronze-age Pompeii”; a complete prehistoric Minoan city with squares, paved streets and multi-storey houses all connected by a sophisticated drainage system. No skeletons or treasures have been found in Akrotiri which has made historians think that the inhabitants were forewarned of the eruption and were able to escape. Most of the ground floor apartments were used for storerooms, and hundreds of pithi jars and other utensils have been found within them. The upper floors were the living quarters for what appear to have been wealthy families; each house had at least one room lined with frescoes, some among the most magnificent ever found. The swallows belong to the lilies fresco found in ‘Building Delta’, dating to the late 16th century BC.

The swallows provide a poignant insight into the changed conditions on the island, for Santorini is now one of the few Aegean islands not to see swallows nesting in the summer (the dry volcanic ash isn’t adhesive enough for them to build their mud nests), though they do still wistfully fly around looking for suitable sites. And then they decide that a summer holiday in Wales is a far better option than the Mediterranean and fly to Plas Farm’ where the standard of accommodation is far superior. (We have better mud). The remarkable unlikelihood that relatives of the swallows in the artwork nest on Plas Farm is my justification for including Minoan art in a Welsh holiday cottage. Nevermind, I’m sure there are a few love spoons in Greece.

• Sleeps 4
• All Ground Level
• Linen provided free of charge
• Secure parking
• No smoking
• Lawn area with swings and slides
• Picnic tables
• BBQ available
• Cot and highchair
• TV, VCR, DVD
• Microwave
• Washing machine
• Oil central heating
• 2 miles to 24hr supermarket
• 1 mile to the pub, post office, garage and general store
• Dogs welcome
• Selection of books and videos
• Comprehensive Information Folder
• No meters
• Wireless broadband internet

A Host of Attractions

 Bwthyn Y Saer holiday cottage is convenient to a host of attractions for all ages and interests, including the Gower Peninsula, Brecon Beacons National Park and Swansea Bay. For more information on the area please see our South Wales Region Guide.

The holiday cottage is equipped with a comprehensive information folder which includes plenty of information on where to eat and what to do during your holiday in South Wales. Our suggested itineraries will ensure that you get the most out of your holiday in Wales.