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The Minoan palace in Malia is being shielded to face the threats of the climate crisis and at the same time tell its glorious history. According to a relevant announcement, the Ministry of Culture is launching maintenance and structural strengthening work on the monument, which dates back to the beginning of the First Palace period. As is known, Malia is on the list of high-risk archaeological sites due to the climate crisis, as heavy rains have caused flooding in the archaeological site in the last five years.

The archaeological site of Malia

The Ministry of Culture, assessing the data and immediately taking action to ensure the authenticity and integrity of the monument, has included in its planning the implementation of a flood protection project with a budget of 3,360,000 euros, with resources from the Recovery Fund. Also, the Minoan palace of Malia is included in the six Minoan palatial centers – Zakros, Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Zominthos, Kydonia – which claim their serial registration in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, characterized as a “political priority”, “the prevention, systematic monitoring and shielding of our country’s cultural stock from the climate crisis, as well as the protection, restoration and promotion of archaeological sites, and the upgrade of visitor service infrastructure”. The archaeological site to be visited includes the Minoan palace and the excavated parts of the ancient city that surround it. “Extreme weather phenomena began to be observed from 2019, when the intense floods that hit the island led to landslides and destruction in the archaeological site as well. The implementation of fixing and maintenance works was considered necessary for the protection of the monuments, while the anti-flood protection project with the construction of an extensive drainage network and the replacement of the damaged roofs with new, highly durable ones is also underway”, noted Ms. Mendoni and pointed out that “the discovery of archaeological material dating between 1900-1700 BC. reinforces the hypothesis that the palace of Malia is earlier than those of Knossos and Phaistos”.

The Mu district flooded, in 2020.

The study of maintenance and fixing of construction materials that was completed – according to the Ministry of Culture – concerns the architectural remains of the archaeological site of Malia, an area with extensive political, economic and cultural activity, and with expanded commercial transactions. Excavations at Malia began in 1915 by the Ephorate of Crete. In 1921, the collaboration with the French Archaeological School began, which excavated the building complex of Chrysolakkos. Pottery has been found in the area since the 3rd millennium BC, but the systematic habitation of the area dates back to between 2450-2200 BC. Large architectural units were developed around the palace during the Protopalatial period, such as the Mu quarter, the hypostyle crypt that joins the market. At the end of the Protopalatial period, the site of Malia was destroyed by a strong earthquake and subsequent fire. After the destruction, attempts were made to reconstruct it at the beginning of the Neopalatial period (1700-1430 BC). But in 1530 BC the palace was destroyed once more, probably by the earthquake caused by the eruption of the Santorini volcano. However, according to historical sources, around 1390 BC. activity detected in the area once more.

Major flood collapses

According to the study, the construction materials of the monument are recorded and then the state of preservation of its individual elements is described. In the archaeological site of Malia, the palace is not covered, but exposed to the weather, in contrast to other parts of the archaeological site, such as the eastern Storehouses, the Crypt and the Mu quarter, where there are plasters and constructions made of earthen material and covered with a canopy .

Regarding the pathology of the monument, problems of corrosion and stone breakage, collapse and deformation are identified, among others. As stated in the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the heavy rains of November 2020, the wider area of ​​Malia and the archaeological site were flooded. Due to the nature of the materials and the poor state of preservation, point collapses of stones and masonry, as well as parts of the earthen masonry, were caused.

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