Arkalochori
Encyclopedia
Arkalochori is a former municipality in the Heraklion peripheral unit, Crete
, Greece
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Minoa Pediada
, of which it is a municipal unit. It lies on the western edge of the Minoa Pediada plain, west of the Lasithi
plateau, in central Crete. It contains the archaeological site of a Minoan
sacred cave. The sacred cave was used from the third millennium to ca 1450 BCE, when the natural ceiling collapsed, fortuitously protecting some of the votive deposits there.
Located near Partira
, the town is 32 km south of Heraklion
and, as of the 2001 census
, has a population of 10,897 inhabitants.
Arkalochori is 3 km south from the recently discovered Minoan palace at the small village of Galatas. G. Rethemiotakis has associated the votive objects of the cave with the Galatas palace.
weapons from the cave known locally as "the treasure hole" and sold them for scrap metal in the port town of Candia (Iraklion). The ephor Joseph Hadjidakis, the first explorer of the central cave chamber of three, was rewarded with the discovery of masses of bronze votive weapons, and a silver double axe
. No gold was reported to the Ministry until 1934, when a child had found a gold labrys that had been unearthed by a rabbit; the village turned out to rifle the site. Prof. Spyridon Marinatos
immediately took charge of the site and discovered the side chambers, which had been blocked with debris from the collapse of the cave's natural roof. There were found, undisturbed, hundreds of bronze axes--twenty-five gold ones and seven silver ones--a hoard of bronze long swords, the longest (to 1.055 m) discovered in Europe, and daggers and gold simulacra of weapons, cast "bun" ingots of copper alloy, a small altar, and pottery sherds that enabled the deposits to be given a range of continuous occupation from the late third millennium BCE to Late Minoan II (ca. 1500 to 1425 BCE). The warlike implements, both actual weapons and their votive simulacra, are in strong contrast to the entirely peaceable finds at other Minoan cave sites.
The cave was not forgotten after the collapse, and votive offerings continued to be deposited at its mouth.
At the Arkalochori cave, among the bronze and gold double axe
s, the second-millennium bronze Arkalochori Axe
was excavated by Marinatos in 1934. It has been suggested that these might be Linear A
but Professor Glanville Price agrees with Louis Godart
that "the characters on the axe are no more than a 'pseudo-inscription* engraved by an illiterate in uncomprehending imitation of authentic Linear A characters on other similar axes."
The Psychro
cave also contained labrys votive offerings.
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Minoa Pediada
Minoa Pediada
Minoa Pediada is a municipality in Heraklion peripheral unit, Crete, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Evangelismos.-Municipality:...
, of which it is a municipal unit. It lies on the western edge of the Minoa Pediada plain, west of the Lasithi
Lasithi
Lasithi is the easternmost regional unit on the island of Crete, to the east of Heraklion. Its capital is Agios Nikolaos, the other major towns being Ierapetra, Sitia and Neapoli. The mountains include the Dikte to the west and the Sitia Mountains to the east...
plateau, in central Crete. It contains the archaeological site of a Minoan
Minoan civilization
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that arose on the island of Crete and flourished from approximately the 27th century BC to the 15th century BC. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century through the work of the British archaeologist Arthur Evans...
sacred cave. The sacred cave was used from the third millennium to ca 1450 BCE, when the natural ceiling collapsed, fortuitously protecting some of the votive deposits there.
Located near Partira
Partira
Partira is a small village in Crete. It is located near Arkalochori in the peripheral unit of Heraklion. Its population is 400. In the summer it is warm and sunny almost every day, at winter it is cold and rarely snowy. In the near territory there are some areas like where the residents are...
, the town is 32 km south of Heraklion
Heraklion
Heraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....
and, as of the 2001 census
National Statistical Service of Greece
The Hellenic Statistical Authority , mostly known by its acronym ELSTAT , is an independent and autonomous authority in Greece that deals with the collection of data on behalf of the state...
, has a population of 10,897 inhabitants.
Arkalochori is 3 km south from the recently discovered Minoan palace at the small village of Galatas. G. Rethemiotakis has associated the votive objects of the cave with the Galatas palace.
Archaeology
The Arkalochori cave first came to scholarly attention in 1912, when peasants collected 20 kilos of Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
weapons from the cave known locally as "the treasure hole" and sold them for scrap metal in the port town of Candia (Iraklion). The ephor Joseph Hadjidakis, the first explorer of the central cave chamber of three, was rewarded with the discovery of masses of bronze votive weapons, and a silver double axe
Labrys
Labrys is the term for a symmetrical doubleheaded axe originally from Crete in Greece, one of the oldest symbols of Greek civilization; to the Romans, it was known as a bipennis....
. No gold was reported to the Ministry until 1934, when a child had found a gold labrys that had been unearthed by a rabbit; the village turned out to rifle the site. Prof. Spyridon Marinatos
Spyridon Marinatos
Spyridon Nikolaou Marinatos was one of the premier Greek archaeologists of the 20th century.- Career :...
immediately took charge of the site and discovered the side chambers, which had been blocked with debris from the collapse of the cave's natural roof. There were found, undisturbed, hundreds of bronze axes--twenty-five gold ones and seven silver ones--a hoard of bronze long swords, the longest (to 1.055 m) discovered in Europe, and daggers and gold simulacra of weapons, cast "bun" ingots of copper alloy, a small altar, and pottery sherds that enabled the deposits to be given a range of continuous occupation from the late third millennium BCE to Late Minoan II (ca. 1500 to 1425 BCE). The warlike implements, both actual weapons and their votive simulacra, are in strong contrast to the entirely peaceable finds at other Minoan cave sites.
The cave was not forgotten after the collapse, and votive offerings continued to be deposited at its mouth.
At the Arkalochori cave, among the bronze and gold double axe
Labrys
Labrys is the term for a symmetrical doubleheaded axe originally from Crete in Greece, one of the oldest symbols of Greek civilization; to the Romans, it was known as a bipennis....
s, the second-millennium bronze Arkalochori Axe
Arkalochori Axe
The bronze Arkalochori Axe is a second millennium BC Minoan votive double axe excavated by Spyridon Marinatos in 1934 in the Arkalochori cave on Crete which is believed to be part of a religious ritual. It is inscribed with fifteen symbols...
was excavated by Marinatos in 1934. It has been suggested that these might be Linear A
Linear A
Linear A is one of two scripts used in ancient Crete before Mycenaean Greek Linear B; Cretan hieroglyphs is the second script. In Minoan times, before the Mycenaean Greek dominion, Linear A was the official script for the palaces and religious activities, and hieroglyphs were mainly used on seals....
but Professor Glanville Price agrees with Louis Godart
Louis Godart
Louis Godart is an Italian archaeologist of Belgian origins. He is a specialist in Mycenaean archaeology and philology and holds the chair of philology at the University of Naples Federico II...
that "the characters on the axe are no more than a 'pseudo-inscription* engraved by an illiterate in uncomprehending imitation of authentic Linear A characters on other similar axes."
The Psychro
Psychro
Psychro Cave is an ancient Minoan sacred cave in the Lasithi district of eastern Crete. Psychro is associated with the Diktaean Cave, the putative site of Zeus' birth...
cave also contained labrys votive offerings.