Date: April 7, 2005
Partners for the day: Laura (text) Jackie (images)
Site(s): Lato, Gournia, Vasiliki, Myrtos Pyrgos
Museum(s): The Ierapetra Archaeological Collection
Principal Buildings/Monuments: Panayia Kera
Time Spent on Each Site: Lato- from ca. 8:30 AM to ca. 10:00 AM [ _1.5___ hours], Panayia Kera- from ca. 10:10 AM to ca. 10:30 AM [ _.3___ hours], Gournia- from ca. 11:00 AM to ca. 12:00 PM [ _1___ hours], Vasiliki- from ca. 12:30 PM to ca. 1:30 PM [ _1___ hours], Ierapetra- from ca. 1:50 PM to ca. 2:05 PM [ _.25___ hours], Myrtos Pyrgos- from ca. 2:30 PM to ca. 3:15 PM [ _.75___ hours]
Weather: Cloudy and gray, but mild
Our day began with the site of Lato, a Late Classical/Early Hellenistic town. We explored its agora and temple, before climbing a nearby peak for a beautiful view of the site, as well as the sea. On our way to Gournia, we made a quick stop at the Church of Panayia Kera, a small Byzantine church from the 13th century. Its three main aisles were intricately decorated with wall paintings depicting the lives of Jesus, Mary and other important Christian figures. Our next stop was Gournia, a late Minoan town with both private architecture and a mini palace. After a short lecture from Prof. Rutter, we wandered around the site on our own, enjoying the extensive ruins as well as another beautiful view of the sea. Next we went to Vasiliki, a smaller Minoan settlement. One building had intact walls over a story tall, so we were able to see what a building would have been like in prehistory. The tiny doorways and rooms were very claustrophobic, but it was exciting to be in building so well preserved. After a picnic lunch at Vasiliki, we made a quick stop at the Archaeological Collection in Ierapetra, a small museum which featured a mixture of material from Minoan pottery to Roman sculpture. Our last stop of the day was Myrtos Pyrgos, another Minoan settlement with a long occupation history. The site had fortification walls, tombs, and beautiful colored stone causeways, and was impressively located on the top of a tall hill yet again overlooking the sea. After Myrtos Pyrgos, we traveled to the seaside town of Sitea for the night.
At all the sites we visited today, the landscape played a huge role in how we viewed the ruins. The topography of Eastern Crete is very dramatic, with sweeping, rocky mountain ranges, green fertile valleys, and impressive seascapes. In class and in guidebooks, we learn about the history of the sites and specific buildings, but rarely is the natural environment discussed. For example, I had read a little about Myrtos Pyrgos and we had seen some artifacts from the site earlier, but that could not prepare me for how impressive the landscape of the site was. Myrtos Pyrgos is located at the top of tall hill from which one can see a beautiful rocky coastline, a towering mountain range, and a peaceful valley. Standing up there, having made the steep climb up and with the wind whipping all around, it gave me a new appreciation for the site. Constructing anything up there would not have been easy, and therefore, the massive walls and beautiful buildings they did construct thousands of years ago are all the more impressive.
The environment was most striking at Lato; no guidebook can describe how impressive the site is. One accesses the town center up a long staircase with workshops on either side. At the top, the agora of the town is located on the saddle between two tall peaks, overlooking a valley and a beautiful view of the sea. Buildings are dramatically arranged on the cliffs, with houses on terraces built right into the mountain. Even beyond just the beauty of the area, the environment gives a much better understanding of the site. The area seems precarious to build a town, but it is naturally defensible. The site is hidden in the saddle, but would have had a clear view of approaching enemies. And the elevated location would also have made attacks harder. Additionally, from Lato, one can see the modern seaside city of Ayios Nikolaos. With this visual connection, it is easier to understand why the inhabitants of Lato moved to Ayios Nikolaos when they eventually abandoned their city by the Roman Period; they could see the fertile land near the sea from their high mountain.
The natural setting of a site is critically important to the function and history of that site, but it is usually not discussed. Actually seeing these sites in their environments has given me not only a greater appreciation for the ability and ambition of ancient builders, but also explains a great deal more than any book.