Pendlebury, John D.: The archaeology of Crete: an introduction (London, 1939)

Chapter II

A. THE NEOLITHIC PERIOD

(See Map 3)

THE FULL extent of the Neolithic habitation of Crete is
as yet undetermined. Remains 1 have been excavated at
Potisteria, Kamarais, Knossos, Phaistos, Mallia, Trapeza and
other sites near Tzermiadha in Lasithi, Agia Photia, Magasa
near Palaikastro, Skalais near Praisos, Zakros and Sphoungaras
near Gournia, as well as elsewhere, but it is certain that
further discoveries await the explorer. Individual objects,
indeed, such as stone celts, have already been picked up at
various sites, mainly in the East end of the island, but these
may well belong to the succeeding Sub-Neolithic Chalcolithic
Period of E.M. 1. In any case, these sites are widely enough
separated to show that the Neolithic inhabitants occupied,
however sparsely, as wide an area as came later under the
hand of the Bronze Age Minoans. The western settlements
at Potisteria and Gavdhos we may perhaps take as unsuccessful
exploratory settlements in the West. Probably the country
was too wild.

With so few sites upon which to base an argument it would
be unsafe to draw definite conclusions as to the places favoured
as settlements by the folk of this period. It is, however,
remarkable that, with the exception of Potisteria, Gavdhos,
Amnisos, Dia, Komo, Mallia, and Sphoungaras, every settlement
lies a good hour or more from the sea. The Lasithiote sites,
as well as Magasa and Skalais, indeed, maybe termed inland sites,
while the preference for caves shown at Potisteria, Amnisos,
Kamarais, Miamou, Trapeza, Sphoungaras, Magasa, Agia
Photia, Zakros, and Skalais proves the uncertainty of life at
that time (PI. V, 1).

At Knossos alone are the earlier stages of Neolithic culture
present, and the selection of Knossos in the centre of the

1 References to the publications of the following sites will be found
at the end of the chapter.

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