Papadoplaka (Greek: Παπαδόπλακα) is a natural reef islet off the southern coast of the Greek island of Crete in the Libyan Sea. The islet is in a bay between cape Lithino and cape Kefalas, at Kommos, and close to Gortyn which was the ancient capital of Crete. The name can be loosely translated as the priest's rock.[1] It is administered within Heraklion regional unit.

Papadoplaka
Native name:
Παπαδόπλακα
Papadoplaka is located in Greece
Papadoplaka
Papadoplaka
Geography
Coordinates34°55′10″N 24°47′09″E / 34.9194°N 24.7858°E / 34.9194; 24.7858
ArchipelagoCretan Islands
Administration
Greece
RegionCrete
Regional unitHeraklion
Demographics
Population0 (2001)

Group of islets

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Archaeological site of Kommos

There are a group of four islets in the bay including Papadoplaka (to the west), Megalonisi (with the lighthouse), Mikronisi (also known as Agios Pavlos), and Trafos.

Minoan era

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Papadoplaka was more substantial in Minoan times, due to lower sea levels, and is likely to have offered safe harbour for ships in that part of the bay.[1] J. W. Shaw believes that Papadoplaka is likely to have been linked with the coast via a partially submerged sandy shore. This would make a Minoan harbor at Kommos similar to the harbor at Amnisos.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b [1] Reconstructing Murex Royal Purple and Biblical Blue in the Aegean by Deborah Ruscillo.
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Amnisos – Harbour town of Minos? by Jorg Schafer, p. 4.