Sklavokambos

The Sklavokampos Farm Estate, a significant archaeological site in Crete, offers a unique window into Minoan life during the Late Minoan period. Discovered in 1930 during road construction, the estate is situated in a valley southwest of Heraklion, near Tylissos. The estate’s strategic location, close to the Minoan road network and the fertile Messara Plain, suggests it played a crucial role in agricultural production and trade during the Late Minoan era.

The estate’s architecture is simpler than Minoan palaces, lacking frescoes and gypsum decorations. It features three levels of rooms, oriented north-south, with an eastern entrance and a northern balcony providing a view of the valley. The site encompasses 17 rooms, including a main room with various artifacts like a clay ox head, a Late Minoan IB jug, and a stone rhyton. The upper floor contained 39 sealings, a cylindrical vessel, a stone hammer, and a clay foot. Interestingly, sealings from Sklavokampos have been discovered at other Minoan sites such as Zakros, Gournia, and Hagia Triada, indicating connections across Crete. These sealings, used to secure goods and documents, provide valuable insights into the administrative and economic activities of the estate.

The estate also housed a small shrine, suggesting the importance of religious practices in daily life. Storerooms containing numerous vessels indicate the storage of agricultural products and other goods, while a toilet with an underground drain points to a level of sophistication in sanitation. Evidence of a hearth in the central courtyard suggests it was a hub for food preparation and other domestic activities. The presence of storerooms filled with pithoi, large storage jars, further emphasizes the estate’s agricultural role.

The Sklavokampos Farm Estate is not just an isolated structure; evidence suggests it was part of a larger settlement that was destroyed by fire, possibly during the Late Minoan IB period. The estate’s destruction provides a snapshot of life frozen in time, with collapsed walls and artifacts scattered amidst the ruins.

• Construction Period: Late Minoan period
• Location: Southwest of Tylissos, Crete, Greece
• Dimensions: 17 rooms across three levels
• Historical Significance: Provides insights into daily life of a Minoan farm family, showcases simple yet functional architecture, and reveals connections to other Minoan sites through sealings.
• Current Status: Archaeological site, partially destroyed by road construction.