On the Greek island of Lesvos, researchers are excavating the medieval ruins where the castle of Agios Theodoros stood in the 14th century. Here, archaeologists discovered a lintel - a horizontal lintel, which is installed above a window or doorway. On the lintel, you can see the original image of the castle, rebuilt in the 15th century: the main gate and three rectangular towers. The drawing corresponds to the descriptions from written sources.
In addition to the image of the castle, the marble lintel is carved with a cross with four symbols "B" (beta), the symbol of the Byzantine imperial dynasty of Palaiologos and the coat of arms of the Genoese family Gattilusio. The founder of the family was Francesco I, the ruler of the island of Lesbos in the XIV century, who received possession from John V Palaiologos for his help in the fight against the Byzantine co-ruler John VI Kantakouzenos. Gattilusio ruled over Lesbos, Lemnos and other Greek islands in the Aegean. They took control of textile production and profited from the textile trade. When Constantinople fell, the clan held power for some time, paying tribute to the Ottoman Empire until Lesbos was captured.
Archaeologists know of a similar lintel with symbols of the ruling dynasty of Lesvos. The same symbols are depicted on an architectural element found in the Castle of Mytilene, one of the largest fortresses in the Mediterranean. The main difference is that instead of a lock on the lintel there is a Byzantine eagle.
