The island of Elafonissos does not have a museum itself. As it is a small island with a few inhabitants and was settled in the middle of the 19th century, the inhabitants haven’t created yet a museum to promote their cultural identity.
However, the archaeological excavations that were made on the island some decades ago show that Elafonissos has a long and interesting history. The archaeologists have unearthed findings from the prehistoric era, |
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In the antiquity, Elafonissos was united to the coast of Peloponeese. The area was used as a place of cult. As Elafonissos was a hunting place with many red deer, it was dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of hunting.
In fact, excavations on modern Pavlopetri islet, to the north of Elafonissos, have revealed ruins from temples of Artemis, Apollo and Zeus. Pausanias, the Greek geographer who lived in the 2 century A.D., said that there was also the tomb of Kinados, a navy |
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What has also been discovered close to Elafonissos is a submerged, prehistoric town which lies to the north-east of Pavlopetri islet in a depth of 2-3 m. This town can be seen from above and you can distinct a well-built town with buildings, streets and squares.
This rare, prehistoric settlement was discovered in 1968. In the 4th century A.D., Elafonissos was separated from the coast of Peloponnese, as did the nearby tiny islets that surround it. |
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