Τα «Κρητικά Χρονικά», πρωτοπόρο επιστημονικό περιοδικό που εξέδιδε από το 1947 στο Ηράκλειο ο Ανδρέας Γ. Καλοκαιρινός, υπήρξαν επί δεκαετίες ένας από τους βασικούς μοχλούς της κρητολογικής έρευνας. Στις σελίδες τους παρουσιάσθηκαν εκατοντάδες πρωτότυπα άρθρα και μελέτες αρχαιολογικού, ιστορικού, λαογραφικού και φιλολογικού ενδιαφέροντος, με επίκεντρο την ιστορία και τον πολιτισμό της Κρήτης από την αρχαιότητα ως τις αρχές του 20ου αιώνα.
Priniatikos Pyrgos is a limestone headland jutting out into the southwest corner of the Gulf of Mirabello in East Crete. The research so far has revealed evidence of prehistoric industrial activity (e.g. two pottery kilns) and settlement, part of the Classical and Hellenistic city plan of Istron and a previously undiscovered Byzantine ecclesiastical site of regional importance.
The project, funded by Instap, is part of a larger research framework titled Topography of Power. Towns, Sanctuaries and Territories on Bronze Age Crete. The aim of the project is to identify a historical topography of power by assessing archaeological data that reflects hierarchical relationships on the island of Crete during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages (2000-1200 BC). The Minoan Peak sanctuaries project is based on a collaboration of the Institute of Mediterranean Studies-FORTH (Dr. A. Sarris) and the Université Catholique de Louvain (Prof. J. Driessen).
Kommos is situated on the shores of the Libyan Sea, which borders the western area of the Mesara, the largest plain in Crete. It first attracted the attention of archaeologists in 1924, when Arthur Evans heard of large storage vessels from the site and speculated about the existence of a Bronze Age “Customs House” there.
According to Greek legend, Crete was ruled by three mythical brothers, Minos, Sarpedon and Rhadamanthus. Sarpedon is said to have had dominion over the eastern part of the island until he was exiled by his brother Minos.
The ancient Minoans are best known as seafarers, but excavations at the site of Zominthos, nestled in a plateau on Mt. Ida, Crete’s highest mountain, have shown that they were also highlanders. This important second-millennium B.C. site, located about 1,200 meters (nearly 4,000 feet) above sea level, lies on the ancient route between the palace at Knossos, the Minoans’ primary administrative center, and the sacred Ideon Cave, where many believe the legendary god Zeus was born and raised. Zominthos is the only mountaintop Minoan settlement ever to have been excavated and after just a handful of large-scale dig seasons is already yielding groundbreaking information.
The Aegean “Minoan” 3D GIS Project has been created by W. Sheppard Baird. It was initiated in 2007 to produce a three-dimensional (3D) full-color mapping of the archaeological sites of the Minoan times in the Aegean Sea area using Google Earth. It is intended to be a definitive geographical reference available to everyone.
