Archaeological site · Archanes

Fourni Necropolis - Wine in Minoan Afterlife

Fourni Necropolis (Archanes) held 26 funerary buildings + 250 ceremonial cups. Room 1 stored wine must; room 2 held a 4000-year-old wine press—oldest known in antiquity, established in 2400 BC.

What to do there

AdventureFourni Necropolis - Wine in Minoan AfterlifeA remarkable Minoan cemetery near Archanes with chamber tombs containing wine vessels, rhytons, and other funerary offerings. The presence of wine vessels in tombs proves Minoans believed wine was essential for the afterlife journey - predating Greek symposium culture by 1,000 years.

Places to see nearby

Landmark Archanes Village - 4,000 Years of Continuous Viticulture Archanes — 4,000+ years unbroken viticulture since Minoan times, with a 3,500-year-old wine press still visible.
Archaeological site Vathypetro Archaeological Site - Ancient Wine Press Minoan villa with world's oldest winepresses still in situ from Bronze Age, plus pottery kilns and olive presses, revealing ancient wine production.
Landmark · Heraklion Knossos Palace - Minoan Wine Culture Knossos Palace stored wine in massive 5-foot pithoi (500-gallon jars) in 16 magazines—central to Minoan prosperity and the Bronze Age trade economy across the Mediterranean.