The first clue, back in the 1980s, was the “Seal of the Despot” dating back to the 15th century BC. and depicts an imposing building built on a seaside hill, on which stands an arrogant man with a scepter. Later, the remains of a great sacrifice were discovered, which, in addition to many animals, included the human sacrifice of a young woman and was performed after the great earthquake of the 13th century to appease the gods.

Now, with the results of recent excavations carried out in October and November by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania on the hill of Kastelli in the Old City, the opinion that there was the center of the palace, as well as part of the palace itself, dominated Chania in the 14th and 13th centuries BC . and in ancient Kydonia of the Minoan and Crete-Mycenaean times: the identified large hypostyle hall indicates a public space of an administrative or religious nature.

columns

“We discovered more wooden column bases, which show that the hall was divided by two colonnades into three aisles and had an area of ​​at least 200 square meters,” says Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki, head of the systematic excavations at Castelli and honorary general director of the Department of Antiquities and Cultural heritage. “The hall,” he continues, “could not have belonged to a simple residential building, but probably to a gathering place, which, as we know, was an administrative or religious part of the palace, must have existed on a hill.” Between the two colonnades of the hall, apparently, there was also a wooden piece of furniture, possibly a seat placed on a stone slab. Ms. Vlazaki does not support the term “throne”, as further research is needed to clarify this issue. However, with regard to the more general characteristics of the palace center, a few things can be said with certainty.

Between the two colonnades of the palace hall, apparently, there was also a wooden piece of furniture placed on a stone slab.

For example, in Crete there are Minoan palaces in Knossos, Phaistos, Zakros, Malia, as well as in Kastelli Pediados, Zominthos, Archanes. “The Kydonia Palace is one of the largest of them,” says Ms. Vlazaki, adding: “It must have been the most important in western Crete, especially during the Cretan-Mycenaean years, when the Mycenaeans had a strong influence on the island. At some point, the palace will play a major role. The difference from the rest is that here we are not in a village, but in a settlement, and not only now, but since the 4th millennium.”

The modern settlement of Chania, combined with the numerous and thin ancient layers of the city (each of which requires special respect), makes it difficult to excavate, which began decades ago and moves in small areas every year. However, collaboration with the positive sciences means that more insights are being made now than in the past. It is significant that the analysis of aDNA (ancient DNA), obtained, among other things, from the skull of a virgin sacrificed after an earthquake in the 13th century, showed that the inhabitants of ancient Kydonia represented genetic variability with local and introduced characteristics from mainland Greece.

Warrior

Among the movable finds from recent excavations, a clay tablet with a Linear 1 ideogram depicting a warrior with a shield is of interest. However, one element from later layers also stands out: “this is a hoard of 33 silver coins, mostly staters from the 4th century BC. e., an impressive and unique find,” says Ms. Vlazaki, adding: thirteen cities of Crete. You don’t see a meeting like this very often. Perhaps we are dealing with a concentration of wealth from activities on the island and a cover-up due to an emergency. These are expensive coins, and thanks to their good preservation, their images are easily recognizable.”

The excavations, which are carried out with the ultimate goal of highlighting and making them accessible to the public, were funded by the Institute of Aegean Prehistory and supported by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania. E. Protopapadakis, H. Tsirindoulakis, E. Statakis, E. Karalekas, volunteers, master restorers, restorers, geologist E. Manutsoglu, archaeobotanist A. Sarpakis and others took part.