Lasithi Plateau

F9f8

The Lasithi Plateau (Greek Οροπέδιο Λασιθίου Oropedio Lasithiou (n. sg. ) ) Is a Polje to an average of 830 meters above sea level on the Greek Mediterranean island of Crete. At the same time it constitutes a municipality ( Δήμος, Dimos ) in the Regional District Lasithi, Lasithi Prefecture of the former. According to the census of 2001, lived at this time a total of 3067 inhabitants in the municipality constantly.

• 2.1 History of Research

Geography

The limestone hills Kephala divides the plane into two parts, Campos in the west and the dry and stony Xero Campos in the east. The Megalos Potamos flows through the Chavgas gorge in the southeast to Lasithi, to the west to disappear in the Chonos. He joins Lyttos back to the surface. In Venetian and Ottoman periods the center of the plain was flooded in the spring regularly. At the edge of the plain, a considerable soil order is observed. Thus, the American archaeologist Livingston Vance Watrous found in Kaminaki ( Agia Paraskevi ) Minoan sherds (LMI ) at a depth of 1.5 m, in Platellais lay ceramic ( MMIII - LMI) below 0.6 m colluvium. The erosion appears to have been caused mainly by deforestation in the early modern period and the subsequent grazing.

Community structure

The municipality of Lasithi Plateau is formed from the following villages and settlements. The population figures are derived from the results of the census of 2011.

• Place Avrakondes - Τοπική Κοινότητα Αβρακόντε - 194 Avrakondes - Αβρακόντες - 170
• Koudoumalia - Κουδουμαλιά - 24

• Agios Georgios - Άγιος Γεώργιος - 490

• Agios Konstantinos - Άγιος Κωνσταντίνος - 104
• Monastery Krystallenias - Μονή Κρυσταλλένιας - 11

• Kaminaki - Καμινάκι - 273

• Agios Karalambos - Άγιος Χαράλαμπος - 36
• Kato metohi - Κάτω Μετόχιον - 66
• Monastery Vidianis - Μονή Βιδιανής - 1

• Mesa Lasithaki - Μέσα Λασιθάκιον - 18
• Mesa Lasithi - Μέσα Λασίθιον - 98
• Nikiforidon - Νικηφόρηδων - 6
• Smaliano - Σμαλιανό - 1

• Plati - Πλάτη - 131

• Tzermiado - Τζερμιάδο - 637

• Lagou - Λαγού - 46
• Pinakiano - Πινακιανόν - 19

• Marmaketo - Μαρμακέτον - 25
• Farsaro - Φαρσάρον, το - 18

• Magoulas - Μαγουλάς - 80
• Psychro - Ψυχρόν - 133

The northwest of the plane ( Limne ) was only sparsely inhabited from prehistoric times in Venetian time, as swampy, especially in spring. Access from the north over the 1,050 m high ambelos Pass, on the east by the gorge of Potamos and the 1000 m high Selia Pass.

1582 lived on the Lasithi Plateau in 1054 people in 40 small villages. Overall, the names are handed down from 49 Venetian settlements, not all can be localized. Pashley reported in 1837 by 17 villages with 490 families and about 2,500 inhabitants, called Spratt 1865 16 villages and about 3000 inhabitants. 1971, the level of 5229 inhabitants. Since the level is regularly flooded in the spring rain and melt water, the villages are only slightly higher at the edge of the plateau.

Agriculture

The fertile soil of the plateau is flooded by the melting snow of the surrounding mountain peaks in spring. The water collects in limestone caverns. The only outflow is the cavern of the Chonos in the west of the plain. Was it blocked, the plane was in the spring often for weeks under water, the grain harvest ruined. Since the level is so high, flourish here neither oil nor the carob trees. Many residents have olive trees at lower altitudes, where the herds are brought in winter, as snow falls in the mountains. Windmills for irrigation were introduced in the 1920 years before were hand operated draw-well ( gerani ) in use. Potatoes were grown only after the introduction of windmills, before restricting it to drought more resistant cultivars such as cereals ( especially wheat ) and legumes. The plane was 1964/65 connected to the electricity grid, previously served oil lamps for lighting.

The characteristic windmills with white sails, which gave the plane in early summer the appearance of a large meadow with daisies, have now largely been replaced by water pump with diesel engines because of the lowering of the groundwater table. Many of the white sails were obtained for tourism, but no pumps to drive more.

History of Research

After the discovery of the sanctuary in the Psychro Cave 1894 Arthur Evans visited the Lasithi Plateau and discovered in Papoura a tholos grave. On the Karphí he dug several graves in the cave of trapeza at Kastellos a medium - Minoan sanctuary which contained a golden miniature double ax among others. Richard M. Dawkins dug in 1914 Kato Kephali at Plati from a settlement from the late Minoan ( LMIII ) and the Archaic period. 1936-1939 led by John Pendlebury excavations at Tzermiadon and examined the trapeza Cave systematically. In Karphi he uncovered a Late Minoan (LM IIIC) settlement in Agios Georgios Papoura he was able to prove a settlement from the Geometric period. He showed the Neolithic colonization of the plane. His research has been completed by the outbreak of World War 2. Livingston Vance Watrous led in 1973 with the help of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens by a survey in the plateau. Finds from Lasithi are in the museums of Heraklion, Knossos and Agios Nikolaos.

History

The plane was settled in the late Neolithic. There are 13 sites with the typical black polished stone axes and goods known that most were relatively high on the valley slopes, which were then still densely forested. The higher mountains were covered with scrub and probably served as pasture. From trapeza Cave goats are occupied from this time. Obsidian blades occupy trade links with other Aegean islands, seashells contact with the coast. From Psychro the bones of domestic cattle, sheep and goats, pigs and dogs come from. From Kastellos and a small cave in Skaphidia Final Neolithic burials are known. The ceramic inventory is dominated by large jars that will bring Watrous with dairy farming and cheesemaking in conjunction.

In Karphi was a Minoan peak sanctuary. From the late Minoan period olive pits are occupied, which must originate ( under 600m ) from low-lying areas. In the Hellenistic period Lasithi was administered by Lyttos from that pursued a very aggressive policy towards its neighbors. In Roman times, the most important settlement was Kardamoutsa.

The Venetians already banned in 1283, the settlement in the plane. Another decree, which threatened heavy fines, dates of 1341st In the course of the uprising of the Venetian settlers ( 1363-1366 ) was in 1364 even threatened the amputation of a foot. All houses in the plane were torn down to Venetian command, devastated the fields.

It was not until 1463 an agricultural use was allowed again, as the Venetian masters needed grain to supply its troops in the war against the Turks. The plane was heavily wooded at that time and was only cleared in 1514. The country was divided into 342 plots of 8 ½ fields, which were leased. However, there seem to have not found many interested parties. 1548 settlers from Monemvasia and Nauplia were settled in the Lasithi plain, who received the land on a long lease. They were exempted from taxes and forced labor to build the attachment of Candia and the conscription to the Venetian fleet, but had to deliver half of their harvest. In the plane itself only wheat could be grown, wine was cultivated on the mountain slopes, which were still mostly covered by oak forests. It was forbidden the inhabitants to build permanent homes. The rules were not adhered to. 1572 had the Provveditore Marin General find that the residents cultivated wine and fruit trees and their fields leased without displaying it to the authorities. They cut down oak trees without having to set it charges; the forest stand was soon greatly reduced by contemporary illustrations. 1574 found that of the original had left over half the valley because of poor harvests 400 settler families, and the rest was too poor to pay the prescribed fees or hidden the crop before the Venetian officials. The wheat was of a disease ( Sirica ), so infested rust.

1595 a tax inspector was appointed, who lived in Moros in the valley itself, and to oversee the harvest, to prevent such misappropriation. 1630, the engineer Francesco Basilicata was sent to Lasithi, to provide better drainage, as the water often for weeks was in the spring in the fields, when the outflow of Megalos Potamos was clogged with Chonos. He put a rectangular system of channels at the edge of the fields, which should provide for better drainage. They are clearly visible today. The individual plots ( boudée ) were labeled with columns.

Attractions

Of the 21 villages on the edge of the plain, especially Psychro by many tourists visit, as there is in the vicinity of the entrance to the cave of Psychro. Numerous tour buses bring tourists from the hotels of the north coast.

• Monastery of Kera Kardiotissa
• Zeus Cave