Prinias (Patela)

The Barrington Atlas Directory notes: Patela, Prinias The ancient site at Prinias is situated in central Crete, controlling the passes between the area of Knossos to the north and the Mesara and Gortyn to the south. The settlement lies on a triangular plateau called the Patela, 680 masl, with steep, nearly impassable cliffs on all sides, with access from the west. Final Neolithic sherds are found throughout the area of the later settlement. There is evidence of Prepalatial Minoan settlement northwest of the Patela at Siderospilia, where the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age necropolis was located. Substantial occupation on the Patela at Prinias began at the end of the Bronze Age, in the Late Minoan IIIC period, perhaps as a refuge settlement. Habitation on the plateau continued into the 9th century BCE, although it is difficult to associate much architecture with this phase. Changes in the settlement toward the end of the 8th century include the construction of well-planned house-blocks with well laid out streets, open spaces, and possibly cult buildings. Most of the excavated architecture dates to this period, between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE. The site is known for its early monumental architecture, in the form of Buildings (or 'Temples') A and B. The settlement was destroyed or abandoned sometime in the middle of the 6th century BCE, since the latest datable pottery is early Middle Corinthian; the final burials in the necropolis also date to the mid 6th century. There is, however, evidence for some sort of occupation of the site in the Late Classical or Hellenistic period, in the fourth century BCE and following; a substantial square fortress was erected on the site around 200 BCE or a bit later. There are a handful of 1st century CE burials in the necropolis.