View source for Archanes

{{merge_from|Lakkos|discuss=Talk:Archanes#Proposed_merge_of_Lakkos|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox Greek Dimos
|name               = Archanes
|name_local         = Αρχάνες
|type = municipal unit
|image_skyline      = Αρχάνες 169.JPG
|caption_skyline    =
|image_map          = DE Archanon.svg 
|city_flag          =
|city_seal          =
|coordinates        = {{coord|35|14|N|25|10|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation = 340
|map_caption = Location within the regional unit
| periph = [[Crete]]
| periphunit         = [[Heraklion (regional unit)|Heraklion]]
|municipality = [[Archanes-Asterousia]]
|demonym            =
|population_as_of   = 2021
|pop_municunit         = 5064
|pop_community         = 3901
|area_municunit        = 31.5
|postal_code        = 701 00
|area_code          = 281 
|licence            = HK, HP, HZ
|website            =
}}
'''Archanes''' ({{langx|el|Αρχάνες}}, [[Godart & Olivier]] abbreviation: ARKH) is a former municipality in the [[Heraklion (regional unit)|Heraklion regional unit]], [[Crete]], [[Greece]]. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality [[Archanes-Asterousia]], of which it is a municipal unit.<ref name=Kallikratis>{{Cite web|url=http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wGYK2xFpSwMnXdtvSoClrL81-32jgAMSfbnMRVjyfnPUeJInJ48_97uHrMts-zFzeyCiBSQOpYnT00MHhcXFRTsb2fGphpq4MKX2ZkaHobySNnvZCNHXvYVvlf80XevW0Q.|title=ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities|language=el|publisher=[[Government Gazette (Greece)|Government Gazette]]}}</ref> The municipal unit has an area of {{convert|31.516|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name=stat01>{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece |title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) |language=el |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |archivedate=2015-09-21 }}</ref> Population 5,064 (2021). It is also the [[archaeological]] site of an ancient [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]] [[human settlement|settlement]] in central [[Crete]].<ref name="Sakellarakēs91">{{cite book |last1=Sakellarakēs |first1=Giannēs A. |last2=Sapuna-Sakellarakē |first2=Ephē |title=Archanes |date=1991 |publisher=Ekdotike Athenon |location=Athen |isbn=9602132345}}</ref>  The discovery of ancient roads leading from Archanes to [[Juktas]], [[Anemospilia]], [[Xeri Kara]] and [[Vathypetro]] indicate that Archanes was an important hub in the region during Minoan times.  [[Archaeological]] evidence indicates that [[Acharna|ancient Archanes]] spread out over the same area as the modern town of Archanes.

==Archaeology==
In 1912, [[Xanthoudides]] noted the importance of Archanes, but [[Sir Arthur Evans]] was the first to characterize the site as [[palatial]], declaring that [[Acharna|Archanes]] was likely a Summer Palace for the [[Knossos]] kings.  [[Spyridon Marinatos]] and N. Platon excavated minor areas in the region, but nothing supported Evans' theory.  In 1964, [[Yannis Sakellarakis]] dug trial trenches at the Tourkoyeitonia site and uncovered the first evidence of a palace site.  Since 1966, Archanes has been excavated by the [[Archaeological Society of Athens|Greek Archaeological Society]] under the supervision of Yannis Sakellarakis and Efi Sapouna-Sakellarakis.

In the Minoan era, [[Aqueduct (water supply)|aqueduct]]s delivered water to [[Kephala Hill]] from spring water sources at Archanes, which are also the source of the [[Kairatos River]].<ref>C. Michael Hogan, [http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/10854/knossos.html#fieldnotes ''Knossos fieldnotes'', Modern Antiquarian (2007)]</ref>

[[Troullos]] is the easternmost site of the Archanes [[human settlement|settlement]]. Tourkoyeitonia, in central Archanes, is the site of its palace, likely built in the [[Minoan pottery|Middle Minoan]] period.  Excavations began here in 1964 by Y. Sakellarakis. It contains features such as [[ashlar]] blocks, [[limestone]] plaques and blocks, [[plaster]], wood, [[stucco]] floor tiles, [[gypsum]], [[kouskoura]] slabs, mud bricks, [[ironstone]] blocks, [[schist]] plaques, blue marble flooring, carved concave altars, wooden columns and pillars, frescoes and [[Polytheron]] doorways. A variety of [[porphyrite]] stone lamps, vases, [[amphora]]e, cooking pots, cups, lamps, tools and every-day domestic items such as tweezers have been unearthed at the site. Southwest of Tourkogeitonia, more of the palace is found.  While little remains of the architecture, the walls that are preserved are [[Minoan chronology|Middle Minoan III&ndash;Late Minoan IA]].  [[Linear A]] tablets and the model of a house were excavated at The Archive along with MMIII-LMIA [[Minoan pottery|pottery]] and several unworked pieces of [[rock crystal]], [[obsidian]] and [[steatite]].

[[File:Fourni 09.jpg|thumb|left]]
The man-made enclosure of a spring, partially excavated in 1921 by [[Sir Arthur Evans]], was completed by [[Yannis Sakellarakis|Y. Sakellarakis]] in 1964.  The floor is laid with pebbles, and the walls are limestone.  Evidence indicates that it was built between [[Minoan chronology|Middle Minoan IB and Middle Minoan IIIA]], destroyed during [[Minoan chronology|Late Minoan IA]], and then restored and in various use afterward.  The reservoir is within the palace grounds.

A large paved area, dissected by walkways that form a triangle, is found in the 'Theatre Area' or 'Aghios Nikolaos' (Saint Nicholas).  Two stepped altars are found here, one on a walkway and one on the pavement.  There is a painting of a reconstruction of this area in Sakellarakis' ''Crete Archanes'' guidebook on page 49, which does this area more justice than a written description.

Excavations in the 1980s in the archaeological site of '''<span class="anchor" id="Lakkos">Lakkos</span>''', an ancient Minoan settlement just south of Archanes, found a bronze bull figurine and bronze chisel.<ref name="Sakellarakēs91" />

==Economy==
[[File:Archanes Crete Street.jpg|thumb|right|Street in Archanes]]
[[File:Archanes_street.png|thumb|right|Street in Archanes]]
[[File:Archanes_overlooking.jpg|thumb|right|Archanes overlook, Mount. Juktas in the background]]
The economy revolves around grape and olive processing and marketing. Both products account for some 96% of its total agricultural products. The Agricultural Cooperative of Archanes, set up in 1931, is one of the oldest in Greece, and consists of 1119 members. A quarter of the wine production is exported to Germany, France and the Netherlands, and the rest of the production is largely marketed domestically. Since the late 1990s, attempts have been made to convert part of wine making step by step to organic and integrated farming, beginning with the cultivation of table grapes.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Archanes}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060901130906/http://www.archanes.gr/ Archanes Municipality]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080126090820/http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2422 Hellenic Ministry of Culture: Archanes]

{{Archanes-Asterousia div}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Heraklion (regional unit)]]
[[Category:Archanes-Asterousia]]
[[Category:Minoan sites in Crete]]
[[Category:Populated places in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Greece]]
[[Category:Greek wine]]