There are very many ancient cities in Crete. The most famous are Knossos, Gortyna, Aptera, Faistos, shrouded in legends and inscribed in the history of the island. But there is one excavation cite attracting archeologists for more than a century. This is Eleftherna, an ancient polis in the Rethymno region. The city-state has brought to the world many artifacts and has not yet been fully explored.

Eleftherna is an ancient Greek city-state in the northern foothills of Ida (the highest peak on the island of Crete), on a steep, natural-fortified hill at an altitude of 380 m above sea level and about 25-30 km south of Rethymnon. The city developed rapidly and had a huge influence in the ancient time. It was located at the intersection of the roads to the cities of Cydonia (the predecessor of present-day Hania) and Knossos, to the ports of Stavromenos and Panormo, and the way to a sanctuary on the top of Mount Ida. The ancient road did not pass along the sea, where is now, but ran just through that locality.

From the ancient city, it was about 9-10 km to go to the sea, if passing directly along the mouth of the river. The ancient people were well adapted to such a life, and these distances they overcame quite easily: there was also transport – donkeys and horses. On the other hand, the city was far enough and invisible beyond the hills from the sea. Due to the location, its climate was also wonderful for growing various crops and livestock. There were forests around, many plants grew, some of them useful for health.

The city is known as the birthplace of the philosopher Diogenes, the sculptor Timochares, the ancient Greek poets Linus and Ametor. The giant area of the city-state’s settlement is amazing – 4 square kilometers. The ancient city had two names: Apollonia and Eleftherna. The last was after the name of a Curete: they were children of various gods in Greek mythology, especially revered in Crete, where they were distinguished by their names and considered the founders of some cities. His name was Elefthereas. It was founded by the Dorians in the 9th century BC. Excavations showed that the city was built with a clear layout of the streets, it had sanctuaries and necropolises.

Ancient masters did not take construction stone from under their feet although it would be enough there not for one city. They cut off a solid rock mass next to the city, in the underground quarries (in the vicinity Praynes Hill), where the stone was not subject to even minimal aging under the sun, rain and was as durable as possible. The polis was built for hundreds of years. Well preserved till now are huge bunkers-pools for collecting water, which Professor Ernst Muldashev, who studied ancient civilizations, mistakenly considered the labyrinth of the Minotaur. The city was a rich shopping center with its own fleet. Its port was in Panormo. By riches and might, it competed with the famous Knossos.

The city did not lose of his influence after the conquest of Crete by the Roman commander Quintus Metelius in 67 BC. Beautiful villas, baths, and other public buildings and constructions, indicate that Eleftherna flourished under the Roman Empire. Roman baths and houses have air conditioning, heated floors and were abandoned in the 4th century AD. It is characteristic that in each house there was a water tank, there were streets between the houses and a large public building, probably of the Hellenistic period. The city center was on the top of a hill, it could only be reached through a narrow isthmus paved with huge stone slabs. At the end of the hill there was an acropolis and the old town. The tunnel-channel for supplying water to the ancient city shakes imagination by its size. Public fountains were present in different places of the ancient city.

Before the catastrophic earthquake of 365, which greatly destroyed the city, it was the seat of the Christian bishops. It is known that in the 7th century Bishop Euphratas built here a large Christian basilica. In the late eighth century, an assault of Harun al-Rashid led to the establishment of Arab hegemony on the island. In 796, another earthquake struck the remnants of the already almost deserted city. Then the population returned, but founded a new settlement, not far from the old one. It still exists and called Eleftherna.

 

Amazing finds

The first short archaeological excavations in the region were carried out by the British archaeological school of Athens in 1929. Since 1985, the University of Crete begins the systematic excavation in the region. A huge number of artifacts were recognized by the scientific community as unique and ancient Eleftherna considered as one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.

Among the main finds were intact burials. Their value is a good condition. Similar necropolises in Greece were plundered in antiquity, and it has done impossible to fill the gaps of history. The tombs are filled with amphoras, cult objects and gold jewelry. There are several types of graves in Eleftherna: among them more than 40 Christian and archaic. On them it is possible to trace changes of funeral customs and forms of gravestones.

The entire territory of Eleftherna is a protected area. Visitors can see remains of the protective Hellenistic wall, built of large blocks, a bridge carved into rock and a Hellenistic complex of residential buildings.

In 2010, during the excavation of a necropolis, archaeologists accidentally drew attention to a stone slab, protruding from the hill. A burial was hidden so that no thieves could find it. With difficulty pushing back the 800 kg. plate, archaeologists have found several large jugs, located one after another. Along the entire length, this burial was dotted with small pieces of gold foil of different shapes – square, round and diamond-shaped. Scientists literally took gold from the soil of the burial. It was a double one, of the 7th century BC. There were found there more than 3000 fragments of gold foil. Pieces of gold foil are small in size, from 1 to 4 cm in length. Once they were sewn on the funerary clothes or shrouds of a buried woman. Over the centuries, the tissue was completely rotted, but researchers managed to find a few white threads.

Another amazing finding from the tomb was the gold jewelry belonged to a girl and depicting a bee. This was the first depiction of the Cretan goddess in the form of a bee. But surprisingly, if you turn the jewelry around, the bee disappears, and you get a beautiful lily. This dual jewelry has aroused general interest of archaeologists. Full-sized golden eyes were found among the bones in a pithos. They are called the “eyes of Tutankhamun” because of full similarity to the ones from the funerary mask of this Egyptian king.

Next to the deceased woman of 25-27 years old was buried a young man of 17 years. Apparently the woman occupied a high social position. In this burial also laid a copper chalice, ceramics fragrant bottles brought from Egypt, Syria or Palestine and hundreds of amber, crystal or earthen beads. Also, scientists had questions: Who were they and why were not cremated? In that time, deceased rich people aged 15 and older underwent cremation. Scientists continue to work on this burial. Excavations are very labor-intensive and time-consuming.

We hope, new amazing finds will be yet to come.

 

The best museum of antic artifacts

The official opening of the Museum of antic artifacts took place in the region in 2016. It is located on Mount Psiloritis with a view of the sea, surrounded by oaks, plane and olive trees. Outside, the museum looks as an avant-garde structure of glass and metal. Thousands of antiquities making up the original exposition are inside the three halls of it. It is expected that the unique kore-statue from Eleftherna will also take its place at this exhibition. It has already been compared with the famous Lady of Auxerre, kept in the Louvre.

A special place in the exposition will be taken by finds from burial places of Eleftherna. These are dozens of ceramic objects and gold jewelries found in sarcophaguses of the necropolis. The value of the museum is not only in its collection, but also in its layout. Here everything is thought out so that visitors can enjoy the beauty of nature. There are gardens and an open-air cinema for cultural events.

The museum contained everything that was collected during the last thirty years of archaeological excavations. He took not only local archaeological finds. Ancient inscriptions and items brought to Eleftherna from other regions of the Mediterranean will be presented among the most valuable artifacts. They will evidence the former importance of the polis, including its participation on the trade market. It is expected that the collection will be updated every 5 years to maintain the continuous interest of tourists.

The museum is rightly called the first museum of archaeological sites in Greece. Something similar is only in Vergina (ancient town in central Macedonia), in Olympia and Delphi. The exhibition will be accompanied by specially designed audiovisual effects and the demonstration of digital exhibits.

 

How to get to Eleftherna

It is most convenient to rent a car (see http://thenewrentcars.ru). The way must be kept to the center of Crete, turning into the interior of the island. Eleftherna is located in a mountainous area, near the Arkadi Monastery. Both objects are very popular among visitors, so you can get there without difficulties, following the signs.

As for buses, many tourists prefer to travel to the village of Margarites from Rethymnon. The village is frequently visited, and it is not difficult to call a taxi to Eleftherna: the distance is 1.5 km. Near the ancient polis, you can relax in a tavern or find apartments for accommodation.

Watcht on Elefhterna – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P90-Xyey088