Project Overview

The Australian Paliochora-Kythera Archaeological Survey (APKAS) seeks to investigate the broad question of the relationship between fortified centres and their hinterlands in the Byzantine period, testing alternative hypotheses for site location and the factors influencing occupation and abandonment of sites. The project focuses on the abandoned site of Paliochora (mediaeval Agios Demetrios) on the island of Kythera, mid-way between the Peloponnesos and Crete (on Byzantine Kythera see Herrin 1972).

Map of Greece showing the location of Kythera

Traditionally it has been assumed that fortified centers, particularly medieval castles, existed primarily for purposes of defence, and that military considerations were the pre-eminent concerns for their location and existence. Our project is designed to test this hypothesis against other possible explanations of fortified settlements, especially in the island environments of the Aegean area, but with ramifications for other parts of the world.

APKAS seeks to conduct a statistically designed survey of the area surrounding Paliochora, using the area as a ‘field laboratory' to investigate the locational characteristics, and the settlement and abandonment of fortified sites in marginal environments. The project uses leading-edge GIS and GPS methods, developed or adapted by members of the team in the course of other projects, for survey design, data recording, analysis and presentation of results.

For detailed information browse the APKAS website.