Ancient Kommos

The archaeological site of Kommos can be found on the beach of Kommos, 4km west of Phaestus, in the area of the villagePitsidia and near Matala beach. Kommos (or Komos) was a small Minoan town established in 2000 BC and functioned as the port for Phaestus, to which it was connected by road. It is likely that Kommos was destroyed by an earthquake in 1700 BC, but it persisted until the Hellenistic period.

Excavations carried out between 1976 and 1996 by archaeologists Joseph Shaw and Maria Koutroubaki revealed several Minoan houses, public buildings, warehouses, well-preserved olive press facilities, a large courtyard, and the first known shipyards in Crete.

In addition, a Greek sanctuary (dating from 1100 BC-300 AD), altars, and a banquet room were discovered. According to one interpretation of Homer, Kommos was the location where Menelaus was shipwrecked on his return from Troy. Perhaps as a result of this event, local residents began worshipping Menelaus at the sanctuary.