Mochlos

Mochlos is a small coastal village and archaeological site on the northeastern coast of Crete, Greece, noted for a Bronze Age Minoan settlement located on a tiny islet and adjacent mainland. The archaeological work at Mochlos began in 1900 and revealed occupation dating to the Minoan Bronze Age.

The site combines a modern fishing harbour and beach with exposed archaeological remains on the islet and along the shore. Visitors commonly explore the shallow waters around the islet, walk short coastal trails, and visit local tavernas; the on-site ruins are compact and close to the village.

Excavations by early 20th-century archaeologists uncovered Minoan houses, burial deposits and abundant pottery that identify the location as a Bronze Age harbour settlement. Later archaeological work has continued to study the relationship between the islet settlement and mainland cemeteries.

Mochlos sits on Crete’s northeastern coast near the small town of Sitia in the region of Crete, along a rocky shoreline with a sheltered harbour and short sea crossings to the islet.

• Access: Access is by a short road from the coastal village and there is a small harbour with tavernas at the modern settlement, making the site easy to combine with swimming and boat trips.
• Excavation history: Excavations first began in 1900 and brought the site to international archaeological attention; finds have been published and displayed in Greek archaeological reports and museums.

What to See #

• Islet settlement: Settlement remains occupy a small rocky islet just off the modern shoreline and associated low-lying habitations on the adjacent coast; archaeological material on the islet dates to the Bronze Age Minoan period.
• Mainland cemetery and settlement: A series of cemeteries and habitation remains on the nearby mainland show Bronze Age burial and domestic activity linked to the islet community.