“Τetralogy of Culture”
Within the frame of the “Cultural Tetralogy”, dedicated to our historical heritage, we have organized in the Conference Hall “George Karayannis” of the Chamber of Commerce, a very interesting presentation of the two archaeologists of the KB Direction of Medieval Antiquities, Mrs. Eleni Farmakidou and Mrs. Toula Marketou, on: “The prehistorical city of Ialyssos. The newest finds”.
Τhe work of the two distinguished archaeologists has been presented to the numerous audience by Mrs. Eleni Farmakidou (as mrs. T. Marketou was absent) who, with pictures and maps she has projected, has shown the area of the excavations in Ialyssos and has explicitly explained the importance of the new finds.
The presentation in short:
The excavations have shown thta in Ialyssos, has been founded a large prehistoric city, comparable to Akrotiri of Thera and large palaces of Minoan Crete. Ialyssos, due to its geographical position between Asia Minor and the other islands of the eastern Aegean, was alongside the Aegean gate and from the eastern Mediterranean.
The self-sufficiency of the great fertile island and the communication with other cultural centers of the region quickly led to the development of Ialyssos in one of the major cities, since the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. The luxury buildings, the art development, the trade and the participation in the events of the prehistoric Aegean refer to early cultural centers of the Mediterranean. The finds are irrefutable evidence of prosperity and wealth that early societies in the area of Ialyssos had experienced, since the end of the 3rd millennium BC.
The composition of the pieces of a complex and challenging puzzle that comes to light with the excavations of the Antiquitie, permits an attempt to interpret important aspects of art, architecture, urban planning, religion and daily life of this great prehistoric city.