Phaistos

Also known as Phaestos, Phaestus, Festos

Phaistos (, ; Ancient Greek: , , Linear B: Pa-i-to; Linear A: Pa-i-to), also transliterated as Phaestos, Festos and Latin Phaestus, is a Bronze Age archaeological site at modern Faistos, a municipality in south central Crete. It is notable for the remains of a Minoan palace and the surrounding town.

Key facts

Ancient site.name: Phaistos
Ancient site.native_name: Pa-i-to
Ancient site.alternate_name: Phaestus
Ancient site.map: 285px
Ancient site.map_caption: Map of Minoan Crete
Ancient site.location: Faistos, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Ancient site.region: The eastern point of a ridge overlooking Messara Plain to the east
Ancient site.type: Minoan palace and city
Ancient site.area: for the palace. The city extended a few km into the valley below.
Ancient site.material: Trimmed blocks of limestone and alabaster, mudbrick, rubble, wood
Ancient site.built: First settlement dates to about 3000 BCE. First palace dates to about 1850 BCE. New palace dates to around 1700 BCE

Article

11 sections

Contents

History
Bronze Age
Classical and Roman era
Contemporary period
Palace
Excavation
In literature and myth
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Ancient Phaistos was located about east of the Mediterranean Sea and south of Heraklion. Phaistos was one of the largest cities of Minoan Crete. The name Phaistos survives from ancient Greek references to a city on Crete of that name at or near the current ruins.