GREECE CRETE LASITHI PRESSOS PRESSOS

After the invasion of the Dorians, a part of the original population withdrew to the mountains. These Eteocretans - the true Cretans, genuine descendants of the Minoans - founded Pressos, which was to become an important city from the Archaic to Hellenistic times. - Pressos controlled the sanctuary of Zeus Diktaios at Palaiokastro, leading to a continuous struggle with the powerful cities of Itanos and Ierapytna (modern Ierapetra). Around 155 BC, Pressos "was razed to the ground by the Hierapytnians" (Strabo) and never rebuilt.

Excavations of the site were begun by Federico Halbherr in 1884 and continued in 1901 by the British School of Archaeology. Three hilltop acropoleis were revealed with temples, houses, and vaulted tombs. Among the smaller finds were three extremely important Eteocretan inscriptions, written "boustrophedon" ("as the ox plows", i.e. from right to left and then from left to right).

Below right: A view from Pressos to the bay of Sitia, where the northern harbour of Pressos was located. Here, the surviving inhabitants of Pressos settled after the destruction of their city.