The oldest remains of human activity in the area of Ermionida were found in the Fraghthi cave and date back to the Upper Paleolithic period (around 28000 BC). It is one of the most important archaeological sites in the region
Prehistoric Franchthi Cave
Taking the marked and idyllic path from Lambayannas beach, the visitor can reach the cave in a short time (about 20 minutes).
In the cave, remnants of human activity from the Upper Paleolithic period were found. For approximately 13,000 years, the cave was periodically inhabited by small groups of transient hunters who used flint tools for hunting and cutting the meat of large animals.
From the 10th to the 8th millennium BC, the cave was inhabited by entire families who developed foraging activities and acquired more complex toolkits with flint as the primary material. The presence of jewelry and the introduction of obsidian from Milos for the manufacture of stone tools at the end of the Paleolithic era are impressive.
During the Mesolithic period (7500-7000 BC), hunting activity was reduced, and the diet of the cave's inhabitants relied mostly on plants, mollusks, and land snails.
During the period 7000-6000 BC, the cave's inhabitants collectively focused on fishing, particularly tuna, and made jewelry from shells.
In the Neolithic era (6000-3000 BC), there was a transition to a new agricultural-subsistence economy, evidenced by the appearance of domesticated animals and plants in the cave. However, its inhabitants did not completely abandon fishing and hunting habits.
The habitation, which extended outside the cave towards the beach, became permanent and was characterized by the burial of the dead and the appearance of pottery (6000-5000 BC). The burial of a 25-year-old man in the cave is a rare testimony to Mesolithic burial practices.
Artifacts with symbolic content, such as figurines and jewelry, reveal the ideology of the inhabitants, while imported objects and raw materials confirm communication and trade with other areas.
Gradually, from 3000 BC, the rise in sea level combined with landslides attributed to seismic activity shrank the community's living space and led to the abandonment of the cave.
It is recommended to visit the cave in the afternoon when the combination of the landscape and the sunset further highlights the beauty of the area.
