Tylissos

Tylissos is an ancient Minoan settlement 16 km west of Heraklion on Crete, strategically positioned to control routes between central and western Crete under the authority of Knossos. Excavations begun in 1912 by Iosif Hatzidakis revealed three grand mansions (A, B, and C) with sophisticated architecture, including water supply and sanitation systems. The site yielded exceptional finds: three large bronze cauldrons, a bronze figurine suggesting a major bronze-working center, pithoi inscribed with Linear A, and miniature frescoes comparable to those at Knossos. The settlement flourished from 1650 to 1200 BC.