The study was written by the archaeologist Cyprian Broodbank. The research is part of the Kythera Island Project (KIP), a collaboration between University College London and the 2nd Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities (Ministry of Culture), with the participation of an international interdisciplinary team.
Summary
The report presents the results of the first period of intensive surface survey in Kythera in 1998, which focused on the area around Kastri and Paleopolis, in the eastern part of the island. The aim of the project was to investigate the evolution of the settlement network and land use from prehistory to modern times, through a systematic and detailed recording of archaeological sites and the distribution of pottery in the landscape.
During this first year, the survey covered an extensive area around the coastal settlement of Kastri, confirming its central role as a hub of communication and trade already from the Early Bronze Age. Finds from the Second Palace period (Neo-Anacostal) indicate the existence of a dense network of smaller settlements and farms in the hinterland of Kastri, which demonstrates the intense «Minoanisation» of the island and its full integration into the Aegean networks of influence in Crete.
Apart from the prehistoric sites, research has documented significant activity during the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods, with the emergence of Paleokastro as the dominant bastion of the period. The study of pottery dispersal allowed the identification of different levels of occupation and agricultural exploitation, while particular emphasis was placed on environmental archaeology and geomorphology to understand soil erosion and shoreline change.
The report concludes by stressing that the preliminary results of 1998 lay the foundations for a holistic approach to the history of Kythera. The successful application of surface survey methods has shown that the island is an ideal field of study for the dynamics of island societies and their long-term interaction with the wider Mediterranean area.
