Archaeological Site Of Koufonisi (Lefki)

  Overview:

The island of Leuke is mentioned by Pliny. A special mention is also made in the inscription known as the “Diaitesia (arbitration) of the Magnetes”, built in the facade of the catholicon (main church) of the Toplou Monastery. The inscription refers to the conflict between Itanos and Ierapytna. Leuke was an important station of sponge collecting and mainly, of the working of murex shells, from which the famous, precious, and expensive purple dye was extracted; moreover, its position was strategic mainly for the ships that stopped on the south-east coasts, and as a result, became a reason of conflict between the two cities. Itanos was justified in the end.

Leuke was continuously inhabited from the Early Minoan (3000-2200 B.C.) until the Early Christian period and was finally abandoned in the 4th century A.D. The very restricted human presence on the island thereafter (it was used only for cultivation and stock-breeding) greatly contributed to the preservation of the antiquities as it actually remained uninhabited, although the largest part of its surface was covered with sand.

  Address:

Koufonisi

 Location:

Koufonisi (or Lefki) Island, Lasithi

  Telephone:

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  Fax:

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  E-mail:

[email protected]

 Url:

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  Operating Period:

JAN-DEC

  Operating Days & Hours:

Open site

  Admission Fee:

• Free entrance

  Notes:

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* The above information, are subject to change without prior notification from the institution. In any case, visitcrete.com has no responsibilities for any occurred changes.