Kavousi Kastro, Archaeological site from Bronze Age on hilltop near Kavousi, Greece.
Kavousi Kastro is an archaeological site on a steep hilltop at around 713 meters (2,340 feet) above sea level, with views stretching across the Gulf of Mirabello and the Ierapetra Isthmus. The remains show several house complexes arranged on terraces, revealing how a Bronze Age and Iron Age hilltop settlement was structured.
The site was continuously inhabited from the 12th to the 7th century BCE, spanning a period of significant transition in the eastern Mediterranean. Excavations beginning in 1900 under archaeologist Harriet Boyd uncovered the layers of this settlement, showing how people lived through major cultural shifts in the ancient world.
The way houses sit on terraces up the hillside tells you how people adapted to life after the Minoan collapse, building homes that fit the steep terrain. Their arrangement shows how the community organized itself within the constraints of the landscape.
The site is reached on foot from the village of Kavousi via a dirt road and hiking trail, and there is no entrance fee. The climb is steep, so wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water, especially if you visit during warm weather.
Beyond the archaeological remains, the hilltop position offers views that help explain why people chose to build here - the location allowed control of trade routes and sight lines across the valleys below. Standing at this height, you can see how defensibility and long-distance observation were built into the settlement's location.
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