Crete will turn its gaze once again toward Papoura Hill this Sunday, November 16, as the Municipality of Minoa Pediada, the Local Branch of the Archaeological Association of Greece, and the Cultural Association of Kastelli host a special presentation at the Kastelli High School. At 12:00 noon, archaeologist and excavation lead Danae Kontopodi will unveil the identity and archaeological significance of the Minoan labyrinthine structure discovered last year. This discovery has shaken the foundations of our understanding of Minoan architecture.
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The event follows the October presentation in Athens and arrives at a crucial moment. The recent decision of the Central Archaeological Council (KAS) to approve the installation of radar and aviation antennas directly on the hill has reignited concern, not only among archaeologists but across the entire region. Sunday’s gathering is not simply an academic update. It is a gentle but firm rallying of Cretan voices — a reminder that heritage deserves both respect and careful listening.
Why Papoura Hill Matters
Papoura Hill is not a random elevation on the plateau. It is a living landmark, a vantage point that has shaped the local landscape, folklore, and memory for generations. What emerged during the excavation is not just another Minoan building — it is a unique labyrinthine architectural complex, previously unknown in form and purpose, and capable of altering what we believed we understood about Minoan sacred topography.
To the archaeologists working on-site, the find is extraordinary. It is the type of discovery that would routinely lead to immediate protective zoning, an A-class archaeological designation, and the kind of slow, careful research that allows a site to speak without being rushed.
However, Papoura is currently expected to share its summit with modern air navigation infrastructure.
This is the tension that hovers quietly over Sunday’s event.
The Radar Decision and Why People Are Worried
The KAS decision, delivered after a session that lasted from late Wednesday evening until dawn on Thursday in July (July 9-10), approved the placement of radar and antennas on Papoura Hill — despite objections raised by:
- The Heraklion Ephorate of Antiquities
- The Association of Greek Archaeologists (S.E.A.)
- The Association of Contract Archaeologists (S.E.K.A.)
- More than 300 Greek and international archaeologists
- The Technical Chamber of Eastern Crete
- The local community, including the Mayor of Minoa Pediada and elected representatives
- Citizen initiatives dedicated to the protection of the hill
- Cultural associations representing the wider Pediada region
It is perhaps the first time that such a broad coalition — archaeologists, engineers, municipal authorities, academics, residents — have spoken so uniformly and so clearly. Their position is not emotional. It is grounded in:
- Archaeological integrity: The monument is unique. Its significance is not limited to the building but includes the entire hill, which functions as a unified archaeological landscape.
- Insufficient study: Despite the official agenda claiming otherwise, no full preliminary study for radar installation was submitted for evaluation, nor any complete plan for the monument’s protection.
- Pre-decided placement: Documents and interventions during the session suggested that the radar site had been effectively predetermined for over a year, with “alternative locations” evaluated only nominally.
- Technical concerns: Experts noted the absence of aviation studies, incomplete comparisons of alternative peaks, and contradictory claims regarding safety, cost, and engineering feasibility.
- Cultural continuity: Residents emphasized that Papoura Hill is not only a mound of earth and stones. It is a place of memory, identity, and generational belonging. You cannot install military-grade technology “next to” the monument — because the hill is the monument.
The Voices Asking for Time
During the KAS meeting, archaeologists from the Heraklion Ephorate — particularly Vasiliki Sythiakaki and Danae Kontopodi — defended the hill with calm, unforced clarity. They reminded the Council that:
- the excavation changed everything;
- the Ephorate had consistently cooperated for four years on all airport-related works;
- the radar issue is the only point of genuine disagreement;
- and meaningful alternatives were never properly studied.
Their requests were modest:
- complete the excavation;
- allow scholars from across Greece and abroad to review the findings;
- perform a proper evaluation of alternative locations;
- and — most importantly — make decisions based on written studies, not verbal assurances.
In the world of archaeology, this is not radical. It is standard procedure.
Officials and experts from the Technical Chamber, the School of Architecture of NTUA, the University of Crete, and numerous cultural associations echoed the same concern. As the NTUA School put it, the planned interventions would “alter the archaeological landscape in ways incompatible with its monumental nature” and would deprive future generations of the chance to see Papoura as it truly is.
What Sunday’s Event Represents
Sunday’s presentation at Kastelli is more than a cultural gathering. It is Crete doing what it has always done: defending its heritage with dignity.
Papoura Hill is a Minoan landmark of exceptional significance.
Its excavation is still in progress.
Its identity is still unfolding.
The community stands behind its archaeologists. And the effort to protect it is neither political nor obstructive — it is responsible.
Development matters. Infrastructure matters. Aviation safety matters. But so does the landscape that holds the earliest chapters of Cretan memory.
A radar can be placed in many locations.
A Minoan labyrinthine monument cannot be rebuilt.
As Crete gathers this Sunday to hear the newest chapter of the excavation story, one thing becomes quietly, steadily clear:
Papoura deserves the time, respect, and thoughtful stewardship that every great monument of the island has always demanded.
