L-Shaped Palace at Gla

The L-shaped palace at Gla is dated to the Late Helladic IIIB period, ca. 1300 BC. The ʺpalaceʺ complex consists of two wings joined at a right angle forming a courtyard. It was uncovered by T.A. de Ridder in 1893 and features two megarons, one on each end of the L. The absence of a circular hearth and a traditional palace bathroom cause some experts to question this building's use. The building is clearly residential in nature and contains many multifunctional rooms that had been decorated with frescoes. The palace is located on the north side of the site atop a 35m cliff, a place that was probably reserved for important buildings. The discovery of tiles implies that some buildings were covered with a pitched roof. The earliest evidence of occupation at the site dates to the Neolithic period, although at that time the plateau would have been an island surrounded by ancient Lake Kopias. Gla was destroyed by fire shortly before 1200 BC, roughly the same time as the destruction and subsequent abandonment of the complex Mycenean Lake Kopias drainage system. The most recent excavations and publications are from Sp. Iakovidis (1981-1983, 1990-1991).