Archaeological sItes – The Responsible Travelers' Advisor

Prehistoric Myrina

santotraveler — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 10:02:58 +0000

The oldest testimony of human presence at Myrina are dated in 4.000 b.C. The first inhabitants were settled on the small peninsula of the Officer’s Club, where today one can see the only visited place of prehistoric Myrina. The settlement was 80.000 acres big and had a population of 3.000 -4.000 thousand.

At the archaeological site one can see wide rectangular buildings divided in 2-3 connected rooms. They were made of stone with a roof made of wood, seaweed and mud. The floors were made of dirt, shells or gravel. Some buildings have stone paved yard, well, storage, stone benches and cookery. You can easily see the early urban structure, the sewer and the roads. Findings were very close to the surface (20-30 cm) and showed a farmer, fishermen, hunter and traders’ society. There were also people who worked with wood, stone and bronze, which certify Lemnos’ characterization as “Hephaestus’ island”.

Poliohni

santotraveler — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 10:00:54 +0000

Poliohni, the most remarkable settlement of the island, is situated on the eastern coast of Lemnos, near Kaminia village. It was founded in about 4.000 b.C., right opposite of Troy, which was founded 1.000 later, when Poliohni had already evolved into an urban center with stone houses, wall, wells, roads and even parliament. It is considered to be the oldest urban center and commercial port of Europe and overtopped the NE Aegean sea for 2.000 years.

Poliohni’s parliament is the oldest testimony of the democratic constitution in the whole world. It was also named “Eptapolis” (seven cities), as seven different cities were excavated.

It was destroyed by successive earthquakes 500 years before Preamus’s Troy. Among the findings there is the golden jewelry treasure that is exposed in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens and reminds of “Preamus’s treasure”, that was found by Schliemann in Troy.

Tue-Sun: 8.00 – 15.00

Road from Kontopouli

Tel: 22540 91249

Artemis’ sanctuary

santotraveler — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 09:59:11 +0000

Inside hotel’s “Porto Myrina” yard you can find Artemis’ sanctuary, which was found during the building of the hotel. The sanctuary, devoted to goddess Artemis – Selena, the patron saint of Myrina, later associated with mythical queen of Lemnos Hypsipili, was used from archaic to hellenistic period. The excavation showed romanesque buildings with arcs. Around the sanctuary, outdoor since Artemis was a goddess of the sky, there are secondary places for worshipping and the stay of the visitors. In the main sanctuary figurine bulls were found, as well as a sacrificed young bull, which prove the connection between this sanctuary and the one of Artemis Tavropolos. The sanctuary is situated in the hotel and can be visited.

Everyday throughout the day

Through “Porto Myrina” hotel

Koukonisi

santotraveler — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 09:56:38 +0000

Koukonisi is a small island of 140 acres and an altitude of 10 m. A narrow land strip of land, 400 m. long combines the little island with the rest of Lemnos. Excavations that started in 1992 showed that there was a prehistoric settlement on the island, from early to late Bronze Age.

Indication of stone paved roads, sewer and wall lead to the conclusion that at Koukonisi there was a similar to Poliohni’s society. Beside the farmers, findings show that there was also some kind of cottage industry, as well as trade with Cyclades, Minoan Crete and Thessaly.

Kavirio

santotraveler — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 09:54:29 +0000

Situated on a sharp cliff on the northern coast of the island, Kavirio gives view to Samothraki and is built at the entrance of Ifestia port, the town which commanded it. The sanctuary was protected by a long wall and included large initiation halls, the “telestirion”. This place is the oldest initiation sanctuary in Greece. It was devoted to the worship of Kaviri, children of Hephaestus and Kaviro, demons of fire and metallurgy, fertility, wine and sea.

It was here that all sacraments concerning nature’s rebirth were held. According to the legend, women who couldn’t have children came here to earn fertility by sacred ceremonies.

Under the Kavirio sanctuary one can find the cave where Filoktitis, one of Homer’s heroes lived for 12 years, abandoned by Achaeans on the way to Troy, because he was bit by a snake.

Through Kontopouli

Tue – Sun: 8.00 – 15.00

Tel: 22543 50700

Ifestia

santotraveler — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 11:11:00 +0000

It was Lemnos’ biggest city for 22 centuries (1000 – 1200 a.C.). It was built by Pelasgoi and bloomed during athenian, roman and byzantine period. Excavations during 1926-1936 showed houses, cemeteries, baths, wells, Hellenistic theatre and a big building, probably the palace. Coins that testify a celebration in honor of Hephaestus have been found, as well as the sanctuary of the Great Godess.
After Ifestia ebbed due to the physical destruction of its port, Kotsinas became the commercial center.
Last year Ifestia’s theatre reopened after 2.500 years to show Sophocles’s tragedy “Oidipous the Tyrannous”.
From Kontopouli by smooth country road.
Everyday except Monday, 8.00 – 15.00
Tel: 22543 50700