Rethymno Ancient Eleftherna

Location: Eleftherna

The archaeological site of ancient Eleftherna is located about 30 km southeast of Rethymno Town, on a narrow spur of Mount Psiloritis. It is one of the most important ones in Crete and has provided a fascinating insight into burial customs in Homeric times.

Though inhabited since the Prehistoric times, ancient Eleftherna flourished from the Greek Dark Ages till the Byzantine times. It gained prominence during the 9th century BC, when it was colonized by the Dorians, as it constituted a natural crossroads between Kydonia, Knossos, and the Ideon Andron Cave on Mount Psiloritis. Moreover, the ruins of luxurious villas, baths and other public buildings indicate that the city continued to be a prosperous center after the Roman conquest of Crete. Its demise began as a result of a tremendous earthquake in the early Christian times and was completed in the 9th century AD, in the aftermath of Arab raids.

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More about Ancient Elefthera

The first excavations were conducted by a British expedition in the late 1920s, while systematic archaeological research began in 1985 under the supervision of the University of Crete. Among the most important sites that have been brought to light, we can mention the one of Pyrgi, which includes ruins from the Hellenistic times, as well as the stone quarries in the area around Prines Hill. A well-preserved Hellenistic corbel arch bridge, which is still in use, can also be found near Eleftherna.

However, the most significant discovery was the necropolis of Orthi Petra. Dating from the Greek Dark Ages and the Archaic Period, it has yielded such findings as a tomb of four females, which was ranked among the top 10 archaeological findings for 2009 by the American Archaeology Journal as it has contributed to the identification of an Iron Age matriline, a dynasty of priestesses.

At the same time, excavations have revealed a unique funerary pyre of a young aristocratic warrior and evidence of a ritual execution in his honor. This has, at last, provided material substantiation of the cremation of Patroclus, which had long been a subject of debate, bringing the Homeric world to life. Other notable findings include the so-called tomb of the warriors, which contained over 480 funerary urns, and the grave of a couple covered by a stunning piece of cloth adorned with 3,000 pieces of gold foil!

Findings are exhibited in the marvelous Archaeological Museum of Eleftherna, near the archaeological site.