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Maritime Archaeology Periodical

At the time of the arrival of the first farming groups networks in the Aegean, inhabited by people without
in the Aegean, how representative the archaeology of their own cultural identity, but on the contrary, there
the Early Neolithic settlement of Ag. Petros is for the is strong evidence that the islands were a culturally
Aegean as a whole is not easy to say, especially con- active area in their own right that had the capacity
sidering the amount of archaeological evidence lost to through permanent occupation to combine and incor-
the sea forever. The discovery of two badly preserved porate Neolithic elements from Greece and Anatolia.
child burials, found among rock-hollows at the site regretably, the links with other island sites in the
(Fig. 14), can only be seen as a positive surprise, Aegean and the contact zone with Anatolia are still
since it proves that the site has survived the most missing, and there is a lot to be done in terms of sys-
extreme levels of marine attack. This leaves open the tematic reconnaissance efforts and underwater re-
possibility of a successful, systematic excavation of search. regretfully, the picture of the Early Neolithic
its rich and undisturbed Neolithic underwater deposits in the Aegean islands remains remarkably poor. The
in the near future. This kind of underwater fieldwork settlement of Knossos in Crete is the only other Neo-
may solve many questions, such as the date of the lithic settlement, dated to the same period, which pro-
first occupation of the site, which may regress in time, vides a similar picture of the first farmers who arrived
or the discovery of tools related to marine activities, by sea in the Aegean just after 7,000 BCE (Fig. 1).
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equipment, etc., which would contribute to a better Knossos is in many respects a remarkable settlement,
understanding of maritime life in the Aegean. Ag. not only because it is the only one found so far in the
Petros was probably a center for marine activities, island, but because it gives a complete account of the
situated as it is on a perfect natural harbor where archaeology of the early farming community which
boats could be built on the beach, launched, or pulled arrived to Crete by boat (probably from the east) and
out of the water as required. It seems likely that the brought a new way of village life characterized by
site commanded a leading position in a seaborne ex- stone architecture, animal husbandry, agriculture, new
change network in the northern Aegean during the technological means, and forms of socioeconomic
Early Neolithic. organization.
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As the cultural traits from the north (Balkan type The archaeological remains of both the Neolithic
figurines), west (Thessalian ceramics), and east (Ana- settlements of Agios Petros and Knossos provide a
tolian pottery shapes and figurines) show, the site’s fair picture of Aegean island life during the 7 millen-
th
position on communication and navigation routes fa- nium BCE. They may not give an answer to the kind
cilitated the exchange or trade, not only of items such of questions which stir excitement for the public (lo-
as obsidian, but also perishable materials like textiles, gistics of sea travel, the type of boats used, navigation
at which the decoration of the Ag. Petros pottery practices, etc.) but they do provide good evidence for
hints. Even if Ag. Petros was not itself the main site some basic aspects of the daily routine of these early
in the area, there is a strong possibility that the center maritime communities and their motives. In any case,
of this regional island culture was situated on one of a lot of specialized archaeological work (underwater
the nearby islands of the Sporades. It is also equally and reconnaissance) still remains to be done in the
possible that the islands were not simply stepping islands that will need generous funding, collaboration,
stones, facilitating cross contacts or serving exchange and a lot of good luck!

35 DOUKA et al 2017, 304.
36 EFSTrATIOU et al 2013, BrOODBANK-STrASSEr 1991, 233.

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