Makrylia: Fossils and Minoan Traces

Makrylia offers three different ways to explore the past: plant and animal fossils, Late Minoan structures in the Petras area, and the history of the former Agios Antonios Monastery north of the village. These topics range from natural history and archaeology to the founding of a monastery, which is estimated to have taken place between 880 and 1000 AD. If you’re looking for a holiday rental in Makrylia, you can first consider which of these facets you’d like to focus on.

Fossils as a window into natural history

Plant and animal fossils were discovered in Makrylia for the first time; they had not previously been recorded in the global specialist literature. For travellers interested in natural history, this is more than a general point of interest: the discovery connects Makrylia with two expressly named groups of finds that had not previously been recorded in the global specialist literature. The connection to the village remains clear, while Petras offers an archaeological perspective. As you plan your trip, you can already decide whether you’re more interested in natural finds or in structures and clues to an ancient city.

Petras: Late Minoan structures and water channel

Structures dating from the Late Minoan period can be seen in the Petras area of Makrylia. The finds include a 500-metre-long water channel; they are considered clues to an ancient city. Petras’s history therefore brings together visible Late Minoan structures, the channel’s specific length and a cautiously worded interpretation of the settlement’s history. Those interested in cultural history can start by considering the difference between the visible structures and the interpretation of the finds.

Agios Antonios: a former monastery

The Agios Antonios Monastery once stood north of Makrylia. Its founding is estimated to have taken place between 880 and 1000 AD. The monastery housed 200 monks in hermitages in natural caves and caves hewn into the rock. The estimated founding date places the monastery in time; the number of monks and the cave hermitages provide a social and spatial context for its history. Here, the focus is on a former monastery and the people who lived in its hermitages—a different historical perspective from the fossils or the structures at Petras.

Historical periods and trip planning

For a quick sense of the historical periods, the two archaeological and historical topics can be compared: Petras is associated with the Late Minoan period, while the monastery’s founding is estimated to date from 880 to 1000 AD. The fossils complement these dates with a natural history perspective, shaped by the fact that they had not previously been recorded in specialist literature. If you’re looking for a holiday rental in Makrylia, this distinction can help you choose the focus of your trip: natural history, archaeological traces or the history of the monastery. This way, you can see whether the village’s points of interest match your travel interests.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Sisi, Agios Georgios, Kouremenos, Palekastro, Vrouchas, Toplou, Vrachasi, Theologos

For the broader travel overview: Lasithi.