CHOIROMANDRES - Minoan Roads Research Programme - 2004

S. Chrysoulaki (ΚΔ’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports work carried out on this site in 2004 (for a plan see entry for 2006).

South of the guardhouse, an elongated terrace 9m long is oriented northeast-southwest. Its northern end is delineated by the guardhouse and its southern by the round ‘tower.’ The west-southwest and east-southeast sides are delineated by two peribolos walls (1 and 2). Wall 1 is the longest megalithic wall in the complex, made of the same material as the tower and guardhouse. The foundation pottery places its construction in Late Minoan IA. Wall 2 is built differently. Excavation in the south-southeast part produced MM IIIB-LM IA pottery.

Within the building, space VI was divided off from the neighbouring space during LM I. The existence of a pipe in the LM IB-II destruction deposit is taken to indicate that the space was at that point unroofed.

Study of pottery from the south of the guardhouse indicated the following horizons:

A: construction of the building (MM IIB);

B: end of the first habitation phase (MM IIIB);

C: reconstruction and second habitation (LM IA);

D: end of the second habitation phase (LM IB-II);

E: reuse (LM IIIA).