Overview

Atsipades is about 20km south of the modern town of Rethymnon. Korakias peak is a part of Mount Kouroupas, above the modern village of Atsipades. Atsipades was identified as a peak sanctuary in 1986. The site was first excavated in 1989 by the Atsipadhes Korakias Peak Sanctuary Project. Atsipades was in use from Early Minoan III to Middle Minoan II. Finds included ceramic spindle whorls for weaving, numerous clay human and animal figurines, ceramic lamps and ceramic altars (a group of finds originally suggested to depict circumcised human phalloi has since been recognised to represent sleeved human arms).