Kos White Stone Cave

Location: Kefalos

Among the traditional sights in the area near Kefalos, such as the old chapels on Mount Dikeos, or the castle ruins at old Pyli, Aspri Petra Cave (or Cave of White Stone) stands out for its natural beauty. Located beyond the Palatia area atop Mount Zini, the cave has historical relevance as its exploration by expert speleologists brought several findings to light, dating from the Neolithic Age and beyond. These prehistoric findings proved that Kos has been inhabited since the Bronze Era, between 2900 BC and 2100 BC.

Opinions regarding how the cave was formed differ between speleologists. Some experts state that the corrosive activity of streams was responsible for enlarging their channels and may have led to the cave’s formation, as water, sand, and pebbles can be very erosive over time. Although the theory may sound plausible, others claim it would be difficult for the corrosive process to start at an initial point or passage where it was not previously present in the rock itself.

The white stones of the cave are mostly made of granite and have rather appreciated over the ages for a variety of reasons. In ancient times, a white stone would serve for monumental purposes or as an admission token or ticket to public shows. The fact that the White Stone Cave near Kefalos is, in a way, hidden from the general public sight, served as a natural way of preservation, as it is possible that the sight could have run out of the white stone if it had been used as a source of gravel or for covering building facades.

The initial excavations of the site were under the supervision of Alessandro Della Sefa in 1922, who was the director of the Italian Archaeological School in Athens. He concluded that Aspri Petra Cave was one of the most important excavations in connection with Prehistoric times. The findings placed the cave close to the period ranging from the Neolithic Age and the beginning of the Bronze Era, about 3000 BC.

The importance of the area goes beyond the Prehistoric Age, as it also provided human evidence of later periods. Namely, a collection of clay pots was found there, which confirmed the worship of the gods that continued until the end of the Roman Empire. Today, the Cave of White Stone is considered one of the oldest archaeological monuments in Kos.