Kato Zakros

 village, archaeological site

Zakros is located in a remote area of eastern Crete, 45km southeast of Sitia. Communication with the Mid East was faster from here during the Minoan Age, thus the Minoans built here the administrative center of Eastern Crete, with an important port. The findings are very rich (sheets of gold, ivory, jewelry, pottery, etc.) and prove the close relationship of the city with the ports of Cyprus, Egypt and the Middle East.
The Palace of Zakros is the fourth largest Minoan palace that has been excavated. The region is full with archaeological treasures, and even the name of the gorge of the Deads is taken after the preminoan graves found on its sides. The site is visitable, although most findings are kept in museums of Heraklion, Sitia and Agios Nikolaos.
The palace covers an area of 4.5 acres, while the surrounding settlements covered a total area of 8 acres. The excavations started in 1900 by the British School of Archaeology and continued till 1940, bringing to light many Minoan houses and objects. But he who first discovered the palace in 1961 was Nikolaos Platon, after seeing three golden objects from Zakros from the collection of a doctor. The palace at Zakros is one of the most important archaeological discoveries, considering that it is the only Minoan palace not looted and found with its treasury vault intact.