Lecture „The Circular Monument on the Summit of Mount Papoura”

 Lecture „The Circular Monument on the Summit of Mount Papoura”

Date: Wednesday, 13 May 2026, 18:30 Venue: Evangelische Akademie, Römerberg 9, 60311 Frankfurt Language: GreekSpeakers:

• Vasiliki Sythiakaki, Director of Antiquities of Heraklion
• Danae Kontopodi, Archaeologist, Ephorate of Antiquities of Heraklion

The lecture took us approximately 4,000 years back in time – to an era during which the Minoan civilisation was undergoing a significant phase of development.Crete in that period was far more than just the great, well-known palatial centres such as Knossos, Phaistos or Malia. It was also a land of plains, mountains, villages and places of ritual significance. At the heart of the presentation was a circular monument on the summit of Mount Papoura in the Kastelli Plain near Heraklion, which was brought to light during excavations and raises numerous questions:

• Was it a sanctuary?
• Did it serve as a gathering place?
• Was it used for ceremonies, communal meals or other social and religious activities?

The answers are not yet definitive – but that is precisely what makes archaeological research so fascinating. Through the finds, the architecture and the position of the monument in the landscape, we can approach a distant yet extraordinarily important world for the history of Crete.We thank Vasiliki Sythiakaki and Danae Kontopodi for their captivating lecture, as well as all attendees for their interest and the stimulating exchange!