Mochlos
Encyclopedia
Mochlos is a modern island in the Gulf of Mirabello in eastern Crete
, and the archaeological site of an ancient Minoan
settlement. There is evidence that Mochlos was not an island in Minoan times, but was attached to the mainland and acted as an eastern harbor.
The name Mochlos also applies to the small fishing village and resort located on the main island of Crete, opposite Mochlos island. Only 150 metres separates them. The island is administered from Tourloti which is only 9 km away.
to Middle Minoan IA
.
The main Minoan settlement is at the south end of the island. The earliest buildings are from Early Minoan IB
and the ruins visible today on Mochlos date from Late Minoan IB
. Northwest of the modern town of Mochlos, a three-storey building was found from the Late Minoan I
period. The building included two pillar crypts, a staircase and a kitchen. This building is the largest of the Late Minoan I
town.
Two buildings were also uncovered behind the modern town of Mochlos. Both are artisans' quarters. One was used for crafting bronze, ivory and stone. The other was for making pottery. Both buildings contained a shrine. Excavations continued 1989-1994 under the direction of Jeffrey Soles from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
and Costis Davaras from the University of Athens. Some excavations continue, but the core work on the project is study and publication of data.
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...
, and the archaeological site of an ancient 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...
settlement. There is evidence that Mochlos was not an island in Minoan times, but was attached to the mainland and acted as an eastern harbor.
The name Mochlos also applies to the small fishing village and resort located on the main island of Crete, opposite Mochlos island. Only 150 metres separates them. The island is administered from Tourloti which is only 9 km away.
Archaeology
Mochlos was first excavated by Richard Seager in 1908 at the western end of the island, where a prepalatial cemetery was found. At that time, tombs, pithos burials and pit graves were uncovered, as well as two large tombs at the western tip of the island. In the 1970s, Jeffrey Soles documented the tombs and cemetery uncovered by Seager. The cemetery was in use from Early Minoan IIMinoan pottery
Minoan pottery is more than a useful tool for dating the mute Minoan civilization. Its restless sequence of rapidly maturing artistic styles reveal something of Minoan patrons' pleasure in novelty while they assist archaeologists to assign relative dates to the strata of their sites...
to Middle Minoan IA
Minoan pottery
Minoan pottery is more than a useful tool for dating the mute Minoan civilization. Its restless sequence of rapidly maturing artistic styles reveal something of Minoan patrons' pleasure in novelty while they assist archaeologists to assign relative dates to the strata of their sites...
.
The main Minoan settlement is at the south end of the island. The earliest buildings are from Early Minoan IB
Minoan pottery
Minoan pottery is more than a useful tool for dating the mute Minoan civilization. Its restless sequence of rapidly maturing artistic styles reveal something of Minoan patrons' pleasure in novelty while they assist archaeologists to assign relative dates to the strata of their sites...
and the ruins visible today on Mochlos date from Late Minoan IB
Minoan pottery
Minoan pottery is more than a useful tool for dating the mute Minoan civilization. Its restless sequence of rapidly maturing artistic styles reveal something of Minoan patrons' pleasure in novelty while they assist archaeologists to assign relative dates to the strata of their sites...
. Northwest of the modern town of Mochlos, a three-storey building was found from the Late Minoan I
Minoan pottery
Minoan pottery is more than a useful tool for dating the mute Minoan civilization. Its restless sequence of rapidly maturing artistic styles reveal something of Minoan patrons' pleasure in novelty while they assist archaeologists to assign relative dates to the strata of their sites...
period. The building included two pillar crypts, a staircase and a kitchen. This building is the largest of the Late Minoan I
Minoan pottery
Minoan pottery is more than a useful tool for dating the mute Minoan civilization. Its restless sequence of rapidly maturing artistic styles reveal something of Minoan patrons' pleasure in novelty while they assist archaeologists to assign relative dates to the strata of their sites...
town.
Two buildings were also uncovered behind the modern town of Mochlos. Both are artisans' quarters. One was used for crafting bronze, ivory and stone. The other was for making pottery. Both buildings contained a shrine. Excavations continued 1989-1994 under the direction of Jeffrey Soles from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...
and Costis Davaras from the University of Athens. Some excavations continue, but the core work on the project is study and publication of data.
List of Minoan sites on Mochlos
- EMII-MMIA cemetery, western Mochlos
- EMIB-LMIB settlement, southern Mochlos
- LMIB artisans' quarters, near Mochlos
- LMIB building, eastern Mochlos, at Chalinmouri
- LMIII settlement
- LMIII cemetery
External links
- http://www.uk.digiserve.com/mentor/minoan/mochlos.htm
- http://www.uncg.edu/~jssoles/Mochlos/first.html The Mochlos Excavation Project