A Walk Through History.

Geoff and I went for a walk along one of our favourite beaches a few days ago and decided to go and look at an archaeological dig that has been worked on over the last couple of summers. As is the norm in Greece, the site, which is full of fragments and still being worked upon, is not protected.

An archaeologist from Philadelphia University and her students come over each summer to dig.

It may be the remains of a port which was used by the inhabitants of a Minoan settlement nearby. But, it is unlikely that we shall ever find out because the area in which the archaeologist believes the remains of the palace are to be found, are under the local football pitch.


The area is scattered with pieces of terracotta pots.

These remains more than likely date from about 1700 BC.

There is even this small area of road.

We both find it humbling and thought provoking to hold ceramics that were last used over 3700 years ago. Please note, we did not remove anything from the area.

The Minoans were the first great civilization in the Mediterranean, they were cultured, peaceful people. They expanded their empire from Crete through trade rather than force.

There is much conjecture to what happened to them. Some say, the eruption on the island of Santorini contributed to the downfall. But current thinking suggests that it was waves of invaders from the north (Greece) such as the Mycaeneans and Dorians who assimilated their culture. In an effort to preserve their way of life, thousands of Minoans retreated to mountaintop sanctuaries and held out for several hundred years.

I always have trouble getting Geoff to come home, he could stay for hours searching through all the artifacts.

As a potter myself, I can appreciate the workmanship and makes me wonder whether fragments of my pots will still be around in 3000 years time....

In the background is Istron which is, by comparison, a popular holiday resort.