Priniatikos Pyrgos, Archaeological site in Agios Nikolaos Municipality, Greece.
Priniatikos Pyrgos is an archaeological site on a limestone promontory along a broad beach on eastern Crete near the Istron River. The site contains remains spanning from the Neolithic period through Roman times, including residential structures and pottery workshops from multiple eras.
Excavations beginning in 1912 revealed the layered settlement history of this location spanning thousands of years. The site was occupied from Neolithic times through the Roman period, with particularly intense activity during the Minoan Bronze Age.
Pottery kilns reveal that this coastal settlement was a major production hub where craftspeople made and traded ceramics across the region. The remains show how central ceramic work was to daily life and economic ties with neighboring communities.
The site is located in an open coastal area that can be reached easily, but ongoing excavations may restrict public access at certain times. Check ahead to confirm if the location is open to visitors, as international research teams work there regularly.
Deep drilling revealed a large Neolithic village hidden beneath the Bronze Age layers, buried partly under a modern soccer field. This older settlement suggests the location was inhabited far longer than surface finds initially indicated.
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