Pylos excavation findings make Greek archaeologists revise beliefs on Mycenaean Era civilization

Α Decrease font Enlarge font
Pylos excavation findings make Greek archaeologists revise beliefs on Mycenaean Era civilizationClay tablet inscribed with Linear B script, from the Mycenaean palace of Pylos. Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Sharon Mollerus License: CC-BY-SA

“The results of the excavations carried out by the Archaeological Society at Iklaina in Messinia have led us to revise our knowledge about the Mycenean states, with truly unexpected findings,” the chief archaeologist in charge of the dig Prof. Michalis Kosmopoulos of Missouri-St. Louis University unveiled in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) published on Saturday.

He revealed that digs at Iklaina have revealed one of the capitals of the Mycenean kingdom of Pylos but the finds have radically changed what archaeologists believed until that time.

“Cyclopean architecture, developed urban structures (paved roads and plazas, water supply systems, central sewage), linear B signs, exceptionally aesthetic murals. On the basis of what we knew until now about Mycenean Greece, such finds were confined to the big palaces (Mycenae, Tirynth, Thebes, Pylos). The finds at Iklaina force us to reexamine the existing evidence from a new angle,” he noted.

The discoveries also showed that Iklaina was at some point violently taken over by the nearby kingdom of Pylos while others indicated that it may have been part of an early federal state, like the current United States of America.

“Based on the linear B archives found in Ano Eglianos, which is considered the central capital of the Mycenean kingdom of Pylos, even though Iklaina was a secondary capital of the kingdom and under the authority of the central capital, it had some autonomy. For example, its own governor and its own economic production. Based on existing evidence, this system of governance was the most ancient version of a two-tier governance system: in other words, a central authority and subject semi-independent regions,” Prof. Kosmopoulos clarified.

He added the Minoan and Mycenean kingdoms of ancient Greece were the first certified states of the western world and marked the transition from a world without states to a world where the state was the prevailing political institution.

What may (or may not) be a bath at the Palace of Nestor in Pylos. Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Alun Salt License: CC-BY-SA

History of Pylos

Pylos has a long history, having been inhabited since Neolithic times. It was a significant kingdom in Mycenaean Greece, with remains of the so-called "Palace of Nestor" excavated nearby, named after Nestor, the king of Pylos in Homer's Iliad. In Classical times, the site was uninhabited, but became the site of the Battle of Pylos in 425 BC, during the Peloponnesian War. Pylos is scarcely mentioned thereafter until the 13th century, when it became part of the Frankish Principality of Achaea. Increasingly known by its French name of Port-de-Jonc or its Italian name Navarino, in the 1280s the Franks built the Old Navarino castle on the site. Pylos came under the control of the Republic of Venice from 1417 until 1500, when it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans used Pylos and its bay as a naval base, and built the New Navarino fortress there. The area remained under Ottoman control, with the exception of a brief period of renewed Venetian rule in 1685–1715 and a Russian occupation in 1770–71, until the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence in 1821. Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt recovered it for the Ottomans in 1825, but the defeat of the Turco-Egyptian fleet in the 1827 Battle of Navarino forced Ibrahim to withdraw from the Peloponnese and confirmed Greek independence.

Pylos has evidence of continuous human presence dating back to the Neolithic Age. In Mycenaean times, it was an important centre often referred to as Nestor's kingdom of "sandy Pylos" and described by Homer in Book 17 of the Odyssey when Telemachus says:

"we went to Pylos and to Nestor, the shepherd of the people, and he received me in his lofty house and gave me kindly welcome, as a father might his own son who after a long time had newly come from afar: even so kindly he tended me with his glorious sons."

The Mycenaean state of Pylos (1600–1100 BC) covered an area of 2,000 sq km and had a minimum population of 50,000 according to the Linear B tablets discovered there, or even perhaps as large as 80,000–120,000. It included the important regional capital of Iklaina (ca. 1600-1100 BC).

The Pylos site was excavated by Carl Blegen between 1939 and 1952. It is located at modern Ano Englianos, about 9 km north-east of the bay 37.028°N 21.695°E. Blegen identified the remains found there as the great "Palace of Nestor" described in the Homeric poems. Linear B tablets found by Blegen clearly demonstrate that the site itself was called Pylos by its Mycenaean inhabitants. This site was abandoned sometime after the 8th century BC and burned to the ground.

The ruins of a crude stone fortress on nearby Sphacteria Island, apparently of Mycenaean origin, were used by the Spartans during the Peloponnesian War. (Thucydides iv. 31)

The Pylos Combat Agate, an ancient object found in Pylos, Greece and created around 1450 BCE. Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: BrendonTheWizard  License: CC-BY-SA

Classical Pylos

According to the Greek historian Thucydides in his History of the Peloponnesian War, in the 5th century BCE the area was "together with most of the country round, unpopulated".

The ancient city was not located at the modern Pylos, but north of the isle of Sphacteria. In 425 BC the Athenian politician Cleon sent an expedition to Pylos where the Athenians fortified the rocky promontory now known as Koryphasion or Old Pylos at the northern edge of the bay, near the Gialova Lagoon, and after a conflict with Spartan ships in the Battle of Pylos, seized and occupied the bay.

A little later the Athenians captured a number of Spartan troops besieged on the adjacent island of Sphacteria (see Battle of Sphacteria). Spartan anxiety over the return of the prisoners, who were taken to Athens as hostages, contributed to their acceptance of the Peace of Nicias in 421 BC.

Modern day Pylos with Sfaktiria port. Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Dnalor 01 License: CC-BY-SA

RELATED TOPICS: GreeceGreek tourism newsTourism in GreeceGreek islandsHotels in GreeceTravel to GreeceGreek destinations Greek travel marketGreek tourism statisticsGreek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright:  License: CC-BY-SA


 

Tornos
  1. 28/03 18:41

    Attica Region to channel 640 bln euros to services of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups

  2. 28/03 17:32

    Greece to auction three-month T-bills on April 3, 2024 in a book entry form

  3. 28/03 15:46

    Greece's Meteora Pyli Geopark added to UNESCO Global Geoparks network

  4. 28/03 14:44

    IPTO announces framework agreement tender for undersea power cables in Greece

  5. 28/03 11:49

    IOBE: Construction sector in Greece records robust growth and good prospects

  6. 26/03 23:51

    St. Thomas Hellenic School honors 1821 and the Feast of the Annunciation in NJ

  7. 26/03 21:59

    PM at Economic Club of Canada: Greece is an attractive investment destination

  8. 26/03 17:56

    Greek State budget primary balance reaches a surplus of 3,378 million euros

  9. 26/03 11:45

    Ancient Messene to get upgraded visitors' facilities after approval by Council

  10. 23/03 17:43

    New requirements for 'Golden Visa' program to kick in on March 31

  11. 23/03 16:49

    Athenians continue to head out of the Greek Capital for March 25 long weekend

  12. 23/03 16:47

    Greek Parliament lights to be turned off for Earth Hour 8:30-9:30 pm

  13. 22/03 21:54

    US President on Greek Independence Day: Alliance with Greece stronger than ever

  14. 22/03 19:51

    High diplomacy and geopolitics at Delphi Economic Forum IX in Greece

  15. 22/03 19:32

    Tax authorities enable payments with foreign bank cards in Greece

  16. 22/03 14:19

    Greece to take part in Earth Hour on Saturday

  17. 22/03 00:24

    Greece ranks first on list of countries with fastest business environment progress

  18. 22/03 00:02

    Hellenic Police acquires first electric VAN-type highway patrol vehicle

  19. 21/03 22:41

    Greek Finance Ministry tightens Golden Visa rules

  20. 21/03 15:33

    Unseen Museum presents "The stele of the twin babies" exhibition in Athens

  21. 20/03 22:48

    Health Minister: 95% of Greek hospitals to perform afternoon surgeries

  22. 20/03 21:52

    Greek Deputy Minister of Justice meets delegation from US Embassy in Athens

  23. 20/03 21:44

    Greek Interior Minister to visit United States and Canada on postal vote

  24. 20/03 20:55

    Philadelphia Icarians mark 85th Anniversary and organize Apokriatiko Dance

  25. 20/03 18:01

    Development Minister: We continue the battle against high prices in Greece

  26. 19/03 22:28

    President of the Hellenic Republic meets her Ethiopian counterpart in Athens

  27. 19/03 20:57

    Greek Tourism Minιster meets Hellenic Chamber of Hotels

  28. 19/03 20:25

    FinMIn: Moody’s analysis records significant progress in the Greek economy

  29. 19/03 11:15

    Sector chiefs report: Good news for Greek tourism in 2024 at ITB Berlin

  30. 18/03 22:20

    American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association honors Past Supreme President

  31. 16/03 13:01

    Greek Deputy Foreign Μinister meets her Slovenian counterpart in Athens

  32. 16/03 12:56

    Greek-Canadian Diaspora to welcome Greek Prime Minister to Toronto

  33. 16/03 11:28

    Greek Migration Minister visits refugee hosting facilities in Kavala, Drama and Serres

  34. 15/03 21:50

    Greek Minister announces conference on defence ecosystem in Athens from Lithuania

  35. 15/03 13:45

    PM: More than 80 hospitals and 156 health centres being upgraded in Greece

  36. 15/03 12:55

    Piraeus Port and Genoa Chambers of Commerce ink memorandum of cooperation

  37. 14/03 23:43

    President of Hellenic Republic meets Prime Minister of Slovakia in Bratislava

  38. 14/03 22:58

    American Express report highlights Global Travel Trends during 2024

  39. 14/03 22:52

    Four hospitals in Attica Region already organizing afternoon surgical procedures

  40. 14/03 22:49

    US Ambassador to Athens: More flights from the United States to Greece and Thessaloniki

  41. 14/03 22:43

    Greek archaeologists discover ten ancient shipwrecks off Aegean island of Kasos

  42. 14/03 19:32

    No new intubations for Covid-19 recorded in Greece for the first time

  43. 14/03 18:36

    Extra road safety measures adopted for Greek pre-lent carnival and Clean Monday

  44. 14/03 14:48

    HRADF eyes bidders for Lavrio Port majority share

  45. 14/03 12:54

    Electric buses to be deployed on the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki by May

  46. 13/03 22:23

    Chairman: 2023 was an exceptional one for AEGEAN Airlines

  47. 13/03 20:11

    Prices of basic lenten products either lower or equal to last year's in Greece

  48. 13/03 19:15

    US Ambassador to Athens: Greece secures NATO readiness via Alexandroupolis

  49. 13/03 17:19

    Greece shines at 1st European Cruise Exhibition

  50. 13/03 12:26

    Greece shows new costumes for revamped Olympic Flame-lighting ceremony

  51. 12/03 22:46

    Epirotes Society of Philadelphia ‘Omonia’ organized 16th Annual ‘Tsipourovradia’

  52. 12/03 21:38

    The President of the Hellenic Republic to visit Slovakia on March 13-15

  53. 12/03 20:29

    First afternoon surgeries in Greece kick off at Papageorgiou Hospital in Thessaloniki

  54. 11/03 23:58

    Greek Foreign Minister: We stand behind Montenegro's European perspective

  55. 11/03 23:47

    Visa Express for Turkish citizens to commence on five Greek islands in March

  56. 11/03 19:40

    Amadeus acquires travel payments expert Voxel

  57. 11/03 18:49

    Microsoft Data Center construction kicks off in Spata next to Athens Airport

  58. 11/03 17:53

    Dodecanese Federation marked 76th Anniversary of Unification with Greece

  59. 09/03 22:23

    The future of travel planning is multimodal and interactive

  60. 08/03 14:27

    Prime Minister: Radical change in Greek education and a brave reform for growth

  61. 08/03 14:24

    Traffic restrictions expected in Athens mid-morning to evening on Friday due to protests

  62. 08/03 14:24

    Applications to out-of-court settlement more than doubled in Greece in February

  63. 08/03 13:18

    Metro station 'Maniatika' near Piraeus Port to be closed on Saturday and Sunday

  64. 07/03 14:12

    Athens wins World Travel Award 2024 as the top city-break destination in Europe

  65. 06/03 22:51

    WTTC data show Greece and Portugal lead league for growth in tourist arrivals

  66. 06/03 20:28

    Greek Tourism Minister at ITB: 2024 will be another excellent year for sector

  67. 06/03 19:47

    Greek Foreign Minister to meet UAE Minister of Industry and Technology on Friday

  68. 06/03 18:43

    European Union actions of 274m euros to support cultural heritage in Greece

  69. 06/03 16:37

    'Odontotos' rack railway temporarily stopped until landslides issue is resolved

  70. 06/03 14:40

    Minister: Bringing about the return of Greeks abroad 'a moral duty'

  71. 05/03 14:28

    Archdiocese of America Eparchial Synod to meet on March 14-17 in Florida

  72. 05/03 14:21

    The 'Lent Basket' to be launched in Greece on March 13

  73. 05/03 14:11

    ITB BERLIN 2024 opens with excellent bookings after global rise in travel in 2023

  74. 05/03 12:24

    Greek PM at Athens supermarket: Consumers 'can already see lower prices on the shelf'

  75. 04/03 22:02

    Greek Health Minister: Afternoon surgeries at state hospitals to begin shortly

  76. 04/03 21:47

    Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Whitestone Community marks 49th Anniversary

  77. 04/03 20:27

    Labor chief: Greece to train 500,000 workers in digital, green skills by 2025

  78. 04/03 19:44

    Foreign Ministry to organize event on 'Women, Peace, and Security' on Friday

  79. 04/03 15:12

    Athens Riviera | The summer experience with Athens as a background

  80. 29/02 22:54

    Consumers to see price cuts up to 18.1% in 3,000 Greek supermarket products as of Friday

  81. 29/02 21:44

    Greece and Germany set up Working Group on shipping cooperation

  82. 29/02 21:30

    Wyndham Rewards’ Member Month offers 5 weeks of deals, discounts, and bonus points

  83. 29/02 21:03

    Temple of Poseidon at Sounion near Athens to get new lighting system

  84. 29/02 21:02

    Greek Tourism Minister meets with Ambassador of Qatar

  85. 29/02 20:47

    Greece is represented by 60 firms at GULFOOD 2024 exhibition

  86. 29/02 19:58

    Greek government gives 1+1 month extension for cash register-integrated POS terminals

  87. 29/02 19:49

    Archangel Michael Church Dance Program shines at Folk Dance Festival in SF

  88. 29/02 15:39

    'Renovate-rent' programme to be launched, Minister tells Greek Parliament

  89. 29/02 12:39

    Rio-Antirrio ferry line in central Greece closed due to strong winds

  90. 28/02 21:34

    Weather with heavy rain and storms in Greece as of Sunday night

  91. 28/02 17:31

    CEO: The goal is for PPC to become a leading player in Southeast Europe

  92. 28/02 17:04

    New Wyndham Hotels Market Managing Director of Central and Eastern Europe

  93. 28/02 12:21

    Minister: Transactions with the Greek State will be further simplified in 2024

  94. 28/02 11:57

    24-hour strikes halt trains and ferries in Greece

  95. 27/02 17:25

    UN Tourism hails Saudi Arabia's historic milestone of 100 million tourists

  96. 27/02 15:00

    Greek Prime Minister: Relations with Armenia can become even more productive

  97. 27/02 14:26

    Wyndham: New growth cycle in Greece for the largest hotel chain franchise in the world

  98. 27/02 13:15

    Price cuts of up to 15% in important product categories in Greece after March 1

  99. 27/02 12:46

    Athens taxi drivers' protest rally in progress from Athinon avenue to Messogion

  100. 26/02 18:30

    Annual Summit of Women Political Leaders (WPL) to be held in Athens in April