Palaikastro phase four: 2012-2016

Palaikastro is located at the east end of Crete (Greece), a few hundred metres away from the sea. It is a large Bronze Age settlement with substantial town blocks and cemeteries in use from the Early Bronze Age through to the latter stages of the Late Bronze Age, a period of some 1500 years.

Overview

Our research at the site started in the summer of 2013 with the aim to explore issues concerning early urbanism in Bronze Age Crete and the development of the cultural and natural landscape in the area (c.3000-1200 BC). Integral part of the new excavations are systematic bio-archaeological sampling and recovery of organic material (animal bones, shells, fish, ostracods, seeds, charcoal, and so on) in combination with extensive landscape survey. This is the first time that such an approach is adopted in excavations in Crete and the results are expected to provide significant new insights into past resource management and socio-cultural identity, while contributing to debates on the sustainable (or not) use of the environment in the past.

The project runs under the auspices of the British School at Athens. It has received funding by the British School at Athens and INSTAP.

Public engagement

2013 excavations at Palaikastro, East Crete
Oral presentation in the 115th Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) Conference, 2-5 January 2014, Chicago, USA.

2013 excavations at Palaikastro, East Crete
Oral presentation in the 3rd Meeting for the Archaeological Work in Crete, 5-8 December 2013, Rethymno, Crete, Greece.

Palaikastro: Palace, Town, and Landscape in Bronze Age East Crete Oral presentation in the 114th Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) Conference, 3-6 January 2013, Seattle, Washington, USA.