The end of the Late Bronze Age
During the Late Minoan (LM) IIIC period (ca 1200-1100 BCE) small settlement sites were scattered all along the ridge. In the vicinity of one of them, excavations revealed a succession of six East-West terrace walls, probably representing the remains of agricultural terraces.
Religious activities are also attested for the LM IIIC period. Votive terracottas representing zoomorphic figures were deposited on a small rocky peak located ca 100 m to the South-West of the terraces (Deposit 2). From the slope of Kako Plaï and the layer corresponding to the earliest phase of the cult building, fragments of LM IIIC vessels were recovered. However, these sherds were mixed with Protogeometric material and the specific use of this area in the LM IIIC period remains to be clarified.
Finally, many LM IIIC sherds were collected in the necropolis area, but they all come from the surface or from very disturbed contexts. In the current state of research, it is impossible to securely date any funerary structure recorded in the necropolis to the LM IIIC period, nor to specify the use of this area at that time.
The Protogeometric (PG) period
At the end of the LM IIIC period, most of the small settlement sites seem to have been abandoned and from the PG period onwards, a large settlement that remained continuously occupied until the beginning of the seventh century BCE started developing in the highest part of the central valley. This settlement is attested by the presence of PG sherds on the surface, but thus far no residential architectural remains could be securely dated to the PG period until now.
However, the existence of this PG nucleated settlement is corroborated by the discoveries made in the necropolis. Two funerary tumuli (40.01 and 42.01) in use during the PG period were notably brought to light on the hill of Lami.
The development of the settlement and the necropolis coincides with major changes in cult activities, both on the summit and at Kako Plaï. From the PG period onwards, a new kind of votive offerings depicting female figures was deposited 150 m to the West of Deposit 2, at a place that we labelled Deposit 1. Below, on the abrupt slope of Kako Plaï, excavations revealed a ramp leading to the entrance of a small rectangular building with a stone bench against its back wall.
The Geometric and Early Archaic periods
Somewhere in the eighth century BCE, the settlement was radically restructured. Megalithic terrace walls were built, structuring the slopes and supporting buildings, the back walls of which were constructed against the shaved bedrock. A complete and separate district was notably brought to light. We labelled it the Quartier de la Forge, as it yielded very well preserved Early Iron Age industrial contexts evidencing intense metallurgical activities. On the opposite slope, a terrace already reported by Demargne, and therefore labelled “Demargne’s Terrace”, was striking for its impressive size and megalithic retaining walls, its central location and its high visibility and reachability from any other place of the settlement . Excavations there revealed a large building, accessed by a ramp and established on two different levels. But the size and organization of the rooms excavated on “Demargne’s Terrace” are very comparable to those of the residence of the “Quartier de la forge” and they yielded no specific equipment for the gathering of people. Therefore, although it cannot be excluded, at this stage of research, there is no clear evidence for any communal or public function for this building.
By contrast, clear evidence for important gatherings of people and communal meals comes from Kako Plaï. The slope below the cult building yielded an extremely abundant quantity of Late Geometric-Early Archaic fragments of pottery. The Early Archaic period is also particularly well represented at Deposit 1, where hundreds of molded terracottas were deposited. Many of the Early Archaic terracottas from Deposit 1 find comparanda at other Cretan sanctuaries, integrating Anavlochos in a regional network of cult practices and of coroplastic production and circulation. But close or exact parallels also come from Anavlochos itself, from the cult building of Kako Plaï and its immediate vicinity. Moreover, sections of a potential ancient path leading from Kako Plaï to the summit were recorded. Thus the quantity and type of material recovered, as well as the location and topography of the place suggest that Deposit 1 may have been the point of arrival of a sacred road, which passed Kako Plaï. But in contrast with the material from Deposit 1, where only female figures are represented, male and zoomorphic figurines are also attested at Kako Plaï. This suggests that although Deposit 1 and the sanctuary at Kako Plaï seem to have been connected, their respective and specific functions were different.
The Late Geometric-Early Archaic period is also remarkably well documented by the remains from the necropolis. At least five (47.04, 51.01 and 52.1 to 3) and perhaps up to seven tumuli were used during this period. Unforunately, most of them were looted and severely ruined by erosion and agro-pastoral activities. Interestingly, other types of funerary structures were co-existing with these tumuli in the Late Geometric-Early Archaic period. Some small ruined tholos tombs have been recorded and below Tumulus 47.04, a rectangular structure (FE 10) was brought to light that yielded secondary deposition of at least two human cremations and a number of objects.
The Archaic and Classical periods
Based on the pottery recovered, both the settlement and the necropolis were seemingly abandoned by the end of the first half of the 7th c. BCE. However, the votive material recovered from Kako Plaï and Deposit 1 shows that both remained visited until the Classical period.
Bibliography:
F. Gaignerot-Driessen forthcoming. Before the Polis: Recent Excavations at Anavlochos, Lasithi (2017-[2020]2022), in I.D. Fappas and P.P. Iossif (eds), Αρχαιολογικές Συμβολές. Ανατολική Κρήτη (Archaeological Contributions 5), Museum of Cycladic Art: Athens.