Tylissos (also Pyrgos-Tylissos or Tylisos; Greek: Τύλισος; Linear B: Tu-li-so)[2] is a town and a former municipality in the Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Malevizi, of which it is a municipal unit.[3] The municipal unit has an area of 131.064 km2 (50.604 sq mi).[4] Population 2,252 in 2021. It is an ancient Minoan peak sanctuary and town. The Municipality of Tylisos was created in 1999 and includes 11 villages. The economy is based on agriculture, mainly grape cultivation (accounting for 4.8% of the island’s production) and olive cultivation. At the same time stock farming of sheep, goats and chickens and beehive farms are abundant.

Tylissos
Τύλισος
Ancient Tylisos
Ancient Tylisos
Tylissos is located in Greece
Tylissos
Tylissos
Location within the regional unit
Coordinates: 35°19′N 24°58′E / 35.317°N 24.967°E / 35.317; 24.967
CountryGreece
Administrative regionCrete
Regional unitHeraklion
MunicipalityMalevizi
Area
 • Municipal unit131.1 km2 (50.6 sq mi)
Elevation
200 m (700 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Municipal unit
2,252
 • Municipal unit density17/km2 (44/sq mi)
 • Community
944
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Archaeology

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Tylisos was excavated 1909–1913 by Joseph Hadzidakis, 1953–1955 by Nicholas Platon and in 1971 by A. Kanta. The town was in use Early Minoan II to Late Minoan IIIA, and the peak sanctuary, excavated in 1963 by Alexiou, was in use until at least Late Minoan IA. Structures include houses, a cistern and an aqueduct with clay pipes. Excavation finds have included a pithos with Linear A inscriptions, stone horns, and clay human and animal figurines.

There are also a significant number of caves including the Kamilari Cave, Hainospilios Cave, Trapeza Cave, Doxa and Arkaliospilio. There are also two gorges which are namely: the Almiros gorge, the Gonies gorge. Agrotourism is also a very popular among visitors all year round. Arolithos village, Ktima Kares and Agrotikon are the most visited sites for this and other leisure activities.

Also nearby is Sklavokampos.

References

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  1. ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
  2. ^ palaeolexicon.com, "Mycenaean Greek and Linear B", Palaeolexicon.
  3. ^ "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
  4. ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece.

Sources

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  • Jones, Donald W. 1999 Peak Sanctuaries and Sacred Caves of Minoan Crete ISBN 91-7081-153-9
  • Kyriakidis, Evangelos, 2005, Ritual in the Aegean: The Minoan Peak Sanctuaries, London: Duckworth publishers
  • Kyriakidis, Evangelos 2007, ‘Finding Ritual: Calibrating the Evidence’, in Kyriakidis, E. (ed.), 2007. The Archaeology of Ritual, Los Angeles: Cotsen Institute of Archaeology UCLA publications, pp. 9–22
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