Gournia

the site of an ancient town on the eastern coast of Crete; one of the centers of Cretan-Mycenaean culture. The founding of Gournia dates to the third millennium B .C. It flourished in the first half of the 15th century B.C . Excavations during 1901–04 uncovered ruins from that time, including a rectangular town square (40 m by 17 m), which may have been used for assemblies and public performances, and a small palace (50 m long). The houses of the inhabitants were located along three streets, which ringed the central hill and were linked with one another by narrow alleys. Many ceramic artifacts such as dishes and statuettes have been found at Gournia, as well as metal objects (weapons and dishes). Gournia was destroyed in about 1400 B.C.