{"id":26095,"date":"2023-07-12T08:41:56","date_gmt":"2023-07-12T06:41:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.cycladic.gr\/essay\/oikismoi-tn-kikladon-tis-3is-xilietias-px\/"},"modified":"2025-04-02T11:25:08","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T09:25:08","slug":"oikismoi-tn-kikladon-tis-3is-xilietias-px","status":"publish","type":"essay","link":"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/en\/essay\/oikismoi-tn-kikladon-tis-3is-xilietias-px\/","title":{"rendered":"Settlements of the Cyclades in the 3rd millenium BC"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"section HeaderBlock \">\n  <header>\n  <h1 class=\"title\">Settlements of the Cyclades in the 3rd millenium BC<\/h1>  <p class=\"data\">CYCLADIC ART<\/p>  <\/header>          <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  \" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-L_21-9\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03ba\u03b5\u03bd\u03c4\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae-\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03bd\u03b1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03ba\u03b5\u03bd\u03c4\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae-\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03bd\u03b1-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03ba\u03b5\u03bd\u03c4\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae-\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03bd\u03b1-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03ba\u03b5\u03bd\u03c4\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae-\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03bd\u03b1-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03ba\u03b5\u03bd\u03c4\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae-\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03bd\u03b1-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03ba\u03b5\u03bd\u03c4\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae-\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03bd\u03b1-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03ba\u03b5\u03bd\u03c4\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae-\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03bd\u03b1-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        \n  <\/div>\n\n  \n  <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\">\n  <div class=\"main\">\n    <div class=\"left sticky\">\n      <div class=\"contentSidebar\">\n  \n    <div class=\"textSidebar\">\n    During the Early Bronze Age, an important culture \u2013 known to scholars as the Early Cycladic Culture \u2013 flourished in the Cyclades. \n  <\/div>\n    \n \n<\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right\">\n      <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>In this period, other civilizations developed in mainland Greece (Early Helladic), Crete (Early Minoan), and the eastern Aegean. The Early Cycladic Culture covers the period from around 3200 BC to 2000 BC and is divided into three sub-periods: the Early Cycladic I (c. 3200 \u2013 2800 BC), the Early Cycladic II (c. 2700 \u2013 2400\/2300 BC), and the Early Cycladic III (c. 2300 \u2013 2000 BC).<\/p>\n<p>Between each sub-period, transitional phases have been identified: the transitional phase from the Early Cycladic I to the Early Cycladic II (the so-called &#8216;Kampos phase&#8217; (c. 2800 \u2013 2700 BC) and the transitional phase from the Early Cycladic II to the Early Cycladic III period, the so-called &#8216;Kastri phase&#8217; (c. 2500\/2400 \u2013 2300 BC). As there is no evidence of writing from this period, our information about this culture stems from the movable and immovable finds in the settlements and cemeteries.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\" >\n        <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  mainImage\" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-L_21-9\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba-300x199.png 300w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba-1024x681.png 1024w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba-768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba-1536x1021.png 1536w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba-2048x1362.png 2048w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba-600x399.png 600w\"  \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n    <div class=\"caption\">View of the site Kavos \u2013 Dhaskalio<\/div>  <div class=\"text\">From: C. Renfrew, O. Philaniotou, N. Brodie, G. Gavalas, M. J. Boyd (eds), <i>The Sanctuary on Keros and the Origings of Aegean Ritual Practice: the excavations of 2006-2008<\/i>, II: <i>Kavos and the Special Deposits<\/i>, Cambridge, 2015<\/div><\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"main mobileFirst\">\n    <div class=\"left \">\n                        <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>The settlements of the Early Bronze Age in the Cyclades were built in locations that provided the inhabitants with access to maritime communication and safe anchorages, as well as protection from natural disasters and enemy attacks.<\/p>\n<p>They were usually built on capes, low hills, slopes, or naturally fortified places near the sea. However, there were also cases of settlements in the interior of the islands.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right sticky\">\n              \n          <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\"  id=\"early-cycladic-i-period-3200-2800-bc\" >\n  <header class=\"blockheader\">\n  <h2 class=\"title\">EARLY CYCLADIC I PERIOD (3200 \u2013 2800 BC)<\/h2>  <\/header>\n\n    \n  <div class=\"main mobileFirst\">\n    <div class=\"left \">\n                        <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>The Early Cycladic I period is also known as the cultural group of Grotta &#8211; Pelos (c. 3500 \u2013 2700 BC) from the sites of Naxos and Melos. Our knowledge about life in this period is minimal as archaeologists have not found any large and organized settlements. Although it is possible that such settlements could have been constructed with perishable materials, it may also reflect a different way of society organization. The far-reaching geographical spread of cemeteries in this period, combined with their relatively small size, suggests that they served small and relatively isolated settlements \u2013 possibly farmsteads inhabited by members of a larger family. The few architectural remains from Grotta on Naxos indicate that the houses differed little from those of the Late Neolithic Kefala on the island of Kea. The houses were relatively rectangular, with one or two rooms, and the walls were carefully built either directly on natural rock or on a substrate of small stones.<\/p>\n<p>However, at least one settlement \u2013 the one in Markiani of Amorgos \u2013 seems to have been fortified during the Early Cycladic I period (c. 3200 \u2013 2800 BC) on its northern side (the rest of the settlement has a very steep slope towards the sea). The settlement was continuously inhabited from the Early Cycladic I to the Early Cycladic III period (ranging from 3200 \u2013 2200 BC). Furthermore, a study of soil erosion in the settlement showed an uninterrupted occupation for about 800 years. The fortification wall, with its horseshoe-shaped bastions, was built directly on the natural rock. While the bastions on the hill of Markiani do not differ from the other known examples of fortifications of the Early Cycladic II period (c. 2700 \u2013 2400\/2300 BC) in the Aegean (Kastri of Syros, Korfari ton Amygdalion in Panormos of Naxos), they had a longer period of occupation, as excavation research has shown that they were abandoned during the Kastri phase (2500 \u2013 2300 BC).<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the settlement seems to have had about 12 to 15 households (each occupying 40 to 80 square meters) with a population totaling around 60 to 75 people. The fortification of Markiani dates to the Early Cycladic I period (c. 3200 \u2013 2800 BC), while the bastions date to the Early Cycladic II period (c. 2700 \u2013 2400\/2300 BC); a fact that is supported by the typological parallels at Kastri on Syros and at the Korfari ton Amygdalion on Naxos. Although the northern bastion is generally considered to be a later addition, certain details, such as the relationship of its stones to the fortification wall and its long and uninterrupted occupation, allow the potential hypothesis of an earlier date.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right sticky\">\n              <div class=\"contentSidebar\">\n      <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  \" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-L_3-2\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-2-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-2-1-196x300.jpg 196w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-2-1-670x1024.jpg 670w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-2-1-768x1174.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-2-1-1005x1536.jpg 1005w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-2-1-1340x2048.jpg 1340w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-2-1-600x917.jpg 600w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-2-1-scaled.jpg 1675w\"  \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n    <div class=\"caption\">Aerial view of Markiani on Amorgos island <\/div>  <div class=\"text\">From: L. Marangou, C. Renfrew, C. Doumas, G. Gavalas (eds), <i>Markiani, Amorgos. An Early Bronze Age Fortified Settlement. Overview of the 1985 \u2013 1991 Investigations<\/i>. Supplementary Volume no. 40, Athens, 2006, pl. 2<\/div><\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n    \n   \n<\/div>\n\n          <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\"  id=\"early-cycladic-ii-period-2700-2400-2300-bc\" >\n  <header class=\"blockheader\">\n  <h2 class=\"title\">EARLY CYCLADIC II PERIOD (2700 \u2013 2400\/2300 BC)<\/h2>  <\/header>\n\n    \n  <div class=\"main \">\n    <div class=\"left sticky\">\n              <div class=\"contentSidebar\">\n      <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  \" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-L_3-2\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-3-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-3-1-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-3-1-1024x686.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-3-1-768x515.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-3-1-600x402.jpg 600w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-3-1.jpg 1425w\"  \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n    <div class=\"caption\">Settlement of Skarkos on Ios island <\/div>  <div class=\"text\">From: \u039c. Marthari, \u201cArchitecture, seals and aspects of social organisation in the peak period of the Early Bronze Age Cyclades: the evidence from the major settlement at Skarkos on the island of Ios\u201d, \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf \u0397. Meller, D. Gronenborn, R. Risch (eds), <i>Surplus without the State \u2013 Political Forms in Prehistory 10. Archaeological Conference of Central Germany, October 19\u201321, 2017 in Halle<\/i>, Halle, 2018, 170, fig. 4<\/div><\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n    \n   \n<\/div>\n\n          <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right \">\n                         <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>In the heyday of the Early Cycladic culture \u2013 the Early Cycladic II period (c. 2700 \u2013 2400\/2300 BC) \u2013 the settlements were very dense and were built on small peninsulas and on low hills, and each settlement\u2019s size varied. Some of them were even fortified, such as the acropolis of Kastri on Syros and Panormos on Naxos. The urban design of the settlements adapted to the terrain\u2019s morphology, and the houses, which usually consisted of one to three rooms and open spaces, were made of stone.<\/p>\n<p>The Early Cycladic II period is also called the &#8220;golden age&#8221; of Early Cycladic culture, as, during that period, important technological developments and innovations took place. With such advancements, the development of the economy and, consequently, the increase in population became visible in the archaeological remains of the period.<\/p>\n<p>One of the largest settlements of the period is Skarkos on Ios\u00a0 island, which boasts an area of about 11 acres. The settlement, which was surrounded by farmland, utilized a natural harbor. The settlement\u2019s main period of occupation was the Early Cycladic II period. Located on a hilltop, a few of the settlement\u2019s buildings date to the earliest phase \u2013 probably the transition phase from the Early Cycladic I to the Early Cycladic II (c. 2800 \u2013 2700 BC).<\/p>\n<p>The settlement is structured in 10 insulae and 55 buildings and is organized concentrically. However, the settlement was not protected by a separate defensive wall. At the beginning of the Early Cycladic II (c. 2700 BC), it seems that the level of protection had to be increased \u2013 this was done by sealing the openings of the outer zone of the settlement walls. Therefore, the buildings of the outer zone were transformed into a single perimeter wall for the demarcation and protection of the area. If this can be considered a fortification, then it has no parallel in the Early Cycladic architecture (possibly because no corresponding cases have been preserved or excavated so far).<\/p>\n<p>The buildings of Skarkos were two-story (many of them are preserved to the upper floor, which was 3 or even 4 meters tall) and were arranged in concentric zones around wide streets and small squares. Overall, Skarkos was a well-designed settlement, with a drainage system that ran through its entire area \u2013 from the top of the hill to its base. The plan of Skarkos indicates that an organized effort was needed for its construction, and the excavation finds show that the settlement participated in regional trade networks. Agricultural, craft, and commercial activities were developing, as well specialized work, such as masonry, pottery, the making of tools, and the production of marble goods.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\" >\n        <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  mainImage\" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-L_21-9\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/daskalio_aerophoto-ENG.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/daskalio_aerophoto-ENG-300x129.png 300w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/daskalio_aerophoto-ENG-1024x439.png 1024w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/daskalio_aerophoto-ENG-768x329.png 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/daskalio_aerophoto-ENG-1536x658.png 1536w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/daskalio_aerophoto-ENG-600x257.png 600w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/daskalio_aerophoto-ENG.png 1856w\"  \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n    <div class=\"caption\">Aerial photography of the settlement of Dhaskalio\n<\/div>  <div class=\"text\">From: C. Renfrew, O. Philaniotou, N. Brodie, G. Gavalas, M. J. Boyd (eds), <i>The Sanctuary on Keros and the Origings of Aegean Ritual Practice: the excavations of 2006-2008<\/i>, II: <i>Kavos and the Special Deposits<\/i>, Cambridge, 2015<\/div><\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"main mobileFirst\">\n    <div class=\"left \">\n                        <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>The largest Early Cycladic settlement \u2013 that we know of \u2013 is Dhaskalio on the island of Keros. The settlement has an area of about 13 acres, and archaeological research suggests a continuous habitation from the beginning of the Early Cycladic II to the beginning of the Early Cycladic III period (c. 2800\/2700 \u2013 2250 BC). Dhaskalio is an islet that, during the Early Bronze Age, was united with its neighbor, Keros island, and was in direct connection with the site of Kavos on Keros \u2013 a site that has been interpreted as an open-air pan-Cycladic sanctuary and a place of great symbolic importance for the islanders of that period. In this sanctuary, archaeologists found primary depositions of deliberately broken objects.<\/p>\n<p>The landscape of Dhaskalio is quite steep below the summit, and, therefore, terrace walls had to be constructed in order to create flat surfaces on which the buildings could be built. These walls may have also served as a means of protection for the settlement. These elaborate terraces were built on terrain with a particularly difficult morphology. Many of the buildings were two-storey, but the majority of them were not of a residential nature. All were constructed of Naxos marble, the transportation of which required a high level of organized community effort and perhaps some form of centralized management or authority. Additionally, the settlement had a drainage system and a monumental staircase in its entrance.<\/p>\n<p>Metallurgical workshops, a large number of bronze objects, as well as remains of metal-production processes illustrated the importance of metallurgy and metalworking to the people of Dhaskalio. The settlement was located in the center of a complex network of islands in the central Aegean. The careful planning, the transport of marble from Naxos for the construction of the buildings, and the skills required for the whole project indicate the scope of the effort and the importance of Dhaskalio to the islanders of the period.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right sticky\">\n              \n          <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\"  id=\"kastri-phase-c-2500-2400-2300-bc\" >\n  <header class=\"blockheader\">\n  <h2 class=\"title\"> Kastri phase (c. 2500\/2400 \u2013 2300 BC)<\/h2>  <\/header>\n\n    \n  <div class=\"main mobileFirst\">\n    <div class=\"left \">\n                        <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>During the second half of the 3rd millennium BC, periods of unrest and rearrangements occurred in the wider Aegean area. This may have been due to population movements or conflicts over the control of mineral resources and their distribution networks. As a result, many settlements were temporarily abandoned, while others were occupied after enemy raids. At the same time, new settlements were established in difficultly accessed areas and were protected by strong fortifications.<\/p>\n<p>These changes can be seen in the so-called Kastri group (c. 2500\/2400 \u2013 2300 BC) of pottery, which includes new shapes \u2013 such as the beak-spouted jug, the <em>tankard <\/em>(one-handled cup), the depas amphikypellon (two handled cup), etc. Artifacts from the Kastri group appear in almost the entire geographical range of the Cyclades (Panormos on Naxos, Kastri on Syros, Ayia Irini on Kea, Phylakopi on Melos, Akrotiri on Thera, Markiani on Amorgos, and Dhaskalio on Keros). Therefore, archaeologists associate the Kastri group to the settlements in which it was found. Many scholars believe that these styles originated in the East, as they were recognized typologically in parallel to Asia Minor and the Eastern and Northeastern Aegean. Similarly, the type of fortification with horseshoe-shaped bastions is also considered to be of Eastern origin.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right sticky\">\n              <div class=\"contentSidebar\">\n      <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  \" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-1-1\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ng0206_square_stories-1.jpg\" alt=\"beak-spouted jug on white background\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ng0206_square_stories-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ng0206_square_stories-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ng0206_square_stories-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ng0206_square_stories-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ng0206_square_stories-1-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ng0206_square_stories-1-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ng0206_square_stories-1.jpg 1280w\"  \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n    <div class=\"caption\">Beak-spouted jug\nKastri phase (2500\/2400 \u2013 2300 BC)\n\u039d\u03930260<\/div>  <div class=\"text\">\u00a9Museum of Cycladic Art<\/div><\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n    \n   \n<\/div>\n\n          <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\" >\n    \n  <div class=\"main \">\n    <div class=\"left sticky\">\n              <div class=\"contentSidebar\">\n      <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  \" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-L_3-2\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-6-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-6-300x267.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-6-1024x910.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-6-768x683.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-6-1536x1366.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-6-2048x1821.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-6-600x533.jpg 600w\"  \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n    <div class=\"caption\">Ground plan of the fortified settlement at Kastri on Syros island<\/div>  <div class=\"text\">From: \u039c. \u039c\u03b1\u03c1\u03b8\u03ac\u03c1\u03b7, \u00ab\u0391\u03bd\u03b1\u03c3\u03ba\u03b1\u03c6\u03ae \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf \u039a\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03af \u03a7\u03b1\u03bb\u03b1\u03bd\u03b4\u03c1\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd\u03ae\u03c2 \u03a3\u03cd\u03c1\u03bf\u03c5\u00bb, <i>\u03a0\u0391\u0395<\/i> 161, 2006, 115 fig. 2\u02d9 see also N. C. Stampolidis, I. G. Lourentzatou (eds), <i>Cycladic Society 5000 thousand years ago<\/i>. Museum of Cycladic Art 16.12.2016 \u2013 9.4.2017, Athens, 2016, 59 fig. 2<\/div><\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n    \n   \n<\/div>\n\n          <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right \">\n                         <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>Kastri, on the island of Syros, is one of the most representative settlements of the period. The hill upon which the settlement was built is naturally fortified to the south, while a semicircular wall protected the rest of the hill. The fortification consisted of three enclosures: the rampart, the main wall with the horseshoe-shaped towers, and the arched wall at the top of the hill. This leads to the assumption that there was advanced planning for the complex fortification project, implemented by a well-organized community.<\/p>\n<p>Residential buildings were located behind the arched wall; they were relatively small \u2013 with one or two rooms, rectangular or curved. In recent years, research has shown that both the settlement and the fortification belong to the period of the Kastri phase (2500\/2400 \u2013 2200 BC).<\/p>\n<p>Also, metallurgy seems to have played an important role in the development of the settlement. Metal objects, including axes, daggers, and spearheads were found, as well as an impressive silver diadem with dotted decoration that depicts human and animal figures. Clay crucibles for smelting metals were also found, as well as open clay and schist molds for casting tools and weapons. In the Kastri phase, the use of a copper-tin alloy \u2013 otherwise known as bronze \u2013 was introduced; a practice that probably originated in Asia Minor or the eastern Mediterranean. Furthermore, this suggests that new commercial networks were created by the technological development of metallurgy. The famous frying-pan vessels of Syros \u2013 which depict the paddled longboats of the period \u2013 are characteristic of the development of these networks. Overall, the settlement of Kastri was short-lived, and there are indications that it was abandoned after a military conflict.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\" >\n    \n  <div class=\"main mobileFirst\">\n    <div class=\"left \">\n                        <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>The Korfari ton Amygdalion in Panormos on Naxos is a hill with smooth slopes and natural fortification. The settlement, which is neither easily visible from the sea nor the land, had full control over the natural harbour of Panormos. The settlement occupied an area of 285 square meters and includes 20 stone-built rooms.<\/p>\n<p>Excavation research has shown that the settlement was a fortress of the Kastri phase (c. 2500\/2400 \u2013 2200 BC) and was abandoned after a violent enemy attack. Storage vessels were found in the settlement, mainly for storing goods in large quantities (which may have been the target of the invaders, since the raid\u2019s objective was robbery). Although the perimeter wall of the small fort at Panormos included towers, they were not external additions, as was the case of Kastri on Syros island.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right sticky\">\n              <div class=\"contentSidebar\">\n      <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  \" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-1-1\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/CycladicSociety_Catalog-High-58.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/CycladicSociety_Catalog-High-58-245x300.png 245w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/CycladicSociety_Catalog-High-58-836x1024.png 836w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/CycladicSociety_Catalog-High-58-768x941.png 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/CycladicSociety_Catalog-High-58-1254x1536.png 1254w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/CycladicSociety_Catalog-High-58-1672x2048.png 1672w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/CycladicSociety_Catalog-High-58-600x735.png 600w\"  \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n    <div class=\"caption\">Aerial photography of the fortified acropolis at Korfari ton Amygdalion (Panormos), Naxos<\/div>  <div class=\"text\">From: \u201cThe Southeast Naxos Survey Project\u201d, under C. Renfrew, M. Boyd, N. Brodie, Ir. Legaki and G. Gavalas\u02d9 see also N. C. Stampolidis, I. G. Lourentzatou (eds), <i>Cycladic Society 5000 thousand years ago<\/i>. Museum of Cycladic Art 16.12.2016 \u2013 9.4.2017, Athens 2016, 54-55 fig. 1<\/div><\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n    \n   \n<\/div>\n\n          <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\" >\n        <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  mainImage\" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-L_21-9\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-8-300x190.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-8-1024x647.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-8-768x485.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-8-600x379.jpg 600w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-8.jpg 1500w\"  \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n    <div class=\"caption\">Sunrise on Kynthos mountain<\/div>  <div class=\"text\">From: D. Baud-Bovy, F. Boissonnas, <i>Des Cyclades en Cr\u00e8te au gr\u00e9 du vent<\/i>, Geneva 1919, 41<\/div><\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"main mobileFirst\">\n    <div class=\"left \">\n                        <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>An Early Cycladic settlement of the same period was unearthed on the peak of Mount Kynthos on Delos. This settlement was built around a central apex and was fortified with a wall and (probably) horseshoe-shaped bastions.<\/p>\n<p>In this settlement, the protective wall was made of the houses\u2019 thick outer walls that surrounded the flat top of the hill. The habitation insulae were organized in the same fashion as in Kastri and Panormos. Additionally, unique arched buildings were found in the settlement (known only from Orchomenos, Early Helladic III). The settlement at Kynthos was abandoned during the \u0395arly Cycladic IIIA period (which occurred at the end of the 3rd millennium BC).<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right sticky\">\n              \n          <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\"  id=\"early-cycladic-iii-period-2300-2000-bc\" >\n  <header class=\"blockheader\">\n  <h2 class=\"title\">EARLY CYCLADIC III PERIOD (2300 \u2013 2000 BC)<\/h2>  <\/header>\n\n    \n  <div class=\"main mobileFirst\">\n    <div class=\"left \">\n                        <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>The evidence for settlements of the Early Cycladic III period (2300 \u2013 2000 BC) is scarce and mainly comes from the remains of City I at Phylakopi on Melos.<\/p>\n<p>It is commonly assumed that this large city was organized in an urban design, which consisted of small houses with elaborate construction.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right sticky\">\n              <div class=\"contentSidebar\">\n      <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  \" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-1-1\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/85.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/85-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/85-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/85-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/85-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/85-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/85.png 1024w\"  \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n    <div class=\"caption\">Marble figurine of Phylakopi I type\n2400\/2300 \u2013 2000 BC\n\u039d\u03930109<\/div>  <div class=\"text\">\u00a9 Museum of Cycladic Art<\/div><\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n    \n   \n<\/div>\n\n          <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"section ContentBlock\"  id=\"conclusions\" >\n  <header class=\"blockheader\">\n  <h2 class=\"title\">CONCLUSIONS<\/h2>  <\/header>\n\n    \n  <div class=\"main \">\n    <div class=\"left sticky\">\n              <div class=\"contentSidebar\">\n      <div \n      class=\"imgWithCaption card  \" \n          >\n        <figure class=\"image ratio-L_3-2\">\n              <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-10-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-10-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-10-1024x650.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-10-768x488.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-10-1536x975.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-10-2048x1301.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/\u03b5\u03b9\u03ba.-10-600x381.jpg 600w\"  \/>\n          <\/figure>\n        <div class=\"info\">\n    <div class=\"caption\">Early Cycladic buildings in Ayia Irini on Kea island<\/div>  <div class=\"text\">From: R.L.N. Barber, <i>\u039f\u03b9 \u039a\u03c5\u03ba\u03bb\u03ac\u03b4\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c3\u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u0395\u03c0\u03bf\u03c7\u03ae \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 \u03a7\u03b1\u03bb\u03ba\u03bf\u03cd<\/i>, \u0391\u03b8\u03ae\u03bd\u03b1, 1994, 55, fig. 40<\/div><\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n    \n   \n<\/div>\n\n          <\/div>\n    <div class=\"right \">\n                         <div class=\"mainText\">\n<p>The fortified settlements of the second half of the 3rd millennium BC indicate that a potential military conflict at Kastri on the island of Syros and Korfari ton Amygdalion in Panormos on Naxos \u2013 as well as their abandonment \u2013 took place. Scholars have interpreted this as a consequence of unrest in the Cycladic islands, possibly due to the arrival of foreign populations from Asia Minor.<\/p>\n<p>However, the influence of the East on the Cycladic islands is a complex issue, as the intensification of metallurgy opened new trade routes and inevitably led to new cultural contacts and interactions. Settlements of the end of the 3rd or the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC have been found, which could be characterized as small cities. This transitional period was a time of evolutionary change and pioneering transformations in the wider Aegean region.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Rich Text Editor Start -->\n  <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":18413,"featured_media":0,"template":"","essay_culture_category":[1145],"essay_topic_category":[],"class_list":["post-26095","essay","type-essay","status-publish","hentry","essay_culture_category-cycladic-art-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Settlements of the Cyclades in the 3rd millenium BC - Museum of Cycladic Art<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/en\/essay\/oikismoi-tn-kikladon-tis-3is-xilietias-px\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Settlements of the Cyclades in the 3rd millenium BC - 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