About
About Phaistos (Festòs)
Phaistos (Festòs) in Crete, Heraklion, Greece is a Minoan ancient city attributed to Minoan culture. Settlement complex with stratified occupation, demonstrating urban planning and craft production.
This entry is brief — help us grow it. Suggest a source or correction.
Why it mattersRepresentative Minoan site contributing to understanding of ancient-city distribution.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Function and sequencing of Phaistos within regional landscape
- 02Chronometric precision and construction organization without modern tools
Theories
- 01Regional ceremonial centre for Minoan communities
- 02Territorial marker and ancestral burial focus
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 2000–1450 BCE
- Period
- Minoan
- Culture
- Minoan
- Purpose
- Second largest Minoan palace: Disk of Phaistos findspot (undeciphered script), east-west aligned court, lustral area
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 2000–1450 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1053 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
35.0510° N · 24.8140° E · 100 m · 2 mapped features
Phaistos (Festòs) — Main Feature
structurePrimary structure / enclosure at Phaistos (Festòs)
35.0520° N · 24.8150° EPhaistos (Festòs) — Secondary Feature
annexAssociated annex or burial/outlier
35.0500° N · 24.8130° E