Archaeological site of Apodoulou
The excavations of the last years revealed a very important Minoan installation dating to the period of the first palaces (19th century BC-1600BC) , very close to the modern village Apodoulou in the southern area of Amari area. The site is located in the middle of the natural route from Phaistos to Monastiraki, thus the settlement of Apodoulou seemed to operate as a stopover between the two major palatial centres of the region. Clear traces of fire upon the ruins suggest what caused the destruction of the settlement, at exactly the same period when both its neighboring centers were destroyed. However life at Apodoulou and Phaistos continued into the New Palace period. Excavations have revealed jars in some warehouses , that are a part of a united complex, probably the house of a local lord. The settlement of the New Palace period that was discovered in the 1930s, is situated in the top of the same hill. Moreover, a lot of circular vaulted tombs of the Postpalatial period with shrines, vessels and some jewelry have been excavated in various locations close to the village.
