Myrtos Pyrgos

Myrtos Pyrgos is a Bronze Age settlement with residential rooms, courtyard areas, and a burial chamber on elevated ground near the Cretan coast. The excavated structures show how different spaces were organized for living and working activities.

The settlement developed from around 3000 BCE and remained inhabited across several Minoan periods. Archaeological work beginning in the 1970s revealed how this community evolved and eventually declined.

Clay vessels and shells found in the burial chamber show how people honored their dead and what social status meant in Minoan times. The objects reveal details about everyday beliefs and the way families arranged their funeral practices.

The site sits on elevated ground with views across farmland and can be reached through the nearby village of Myrtos. Wear sturdy shoes for uneven terrain and bring water, as there is little shade on hot days.

The settlement had remarkable technical features for its time, including drainage systems and paved floors in certain buildings. These engineering details show that the inhabitants possessed advanced skills in construction and planning.