Oropedio Lasithiou Οροπέδιο Λασιθίου | |
|---|---|
 Panorama of the Lasithi Plateau | |
 Seal | |
  Oropedio Lasithiou Location within the region  | |
| Coordinates:35°11′N25°28′E / 35.183°N 25.467°E /35.183; 25.467 | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Crete |
| Regional unit | Lasithi |
| Area | |
• Municipality | 130.0 km2 (50.2 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
• Municipality | 2,258 |
| • Density | 17/km2 (45/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Vehicle registration | AN |
| Website | Oropedio.gr |
TheLasithi Plateau (Greek:Οροπέδιο Λασιθίου,Oropedio Lasithiou) is a highendorheicplateau, located in theLasithi regional unit in easternCrete,Greece. Since the 1997Kapodistrias reform, it is amunicipality whose seat isTzermiado [el] and the second biggest village isAgios Georgios. The municipality has an area of 129.9 km2.
The Lasithi Plateau stretches 11 km (6.8 mi) in the E-W direction and 6 km (3.7 mi) in the N-S direction. It is approximately 70 km (43 mi) east fromHeraklion and lies at an average altitude of 840 m (2,760 ft). Winters can be harsh and snow on the plain and surrounding mountains can persist until mid-spring. The plateau is famous for its white-sailedwindmills, (more accurately,wind-pumps), made to a local design, that have been used since the 1920s to irrigate the land.[2] Despite there being around 10,000 in the past, most of them have been abandoned in recent times in favour of modern diesel and electric pumps. Because the water table is close to the surface of the ground, the bodies of the dead are often housed above ground during burial, in stone mausoleums, or decorative stone boxes. This is because the plateau isendorheic, and there is impermeable rock just below the surface of the ground. Floodwater from the plateau is diverted via a 3.5 km tunnel toAposelemis Dam reservoir.
The fertile soil of the plateau, due toalluvial run-off from melting snow, has attracted inhabitants sinceNeolithic times (6000BC).[3]Minoans andDorians followed and the plateau has been continuously inhabited since then, except a period that started in 1293 and lasted for over two centuries during theVenetian occupation of Crete. During that time and due to frequentrebellions and strong resistance, villages were demolished, cultivation prohibited, and natives were forced to leave and forbidden to return under penalty of death. A Venetian manuscript of the thirteenth century describes the troublesome plateau of Lasithi asspina nel cuore (di Venezia) - a thorn in the heart of Venice.Later, in the early 15th century, Venetian rulers allowed refugees from the Greek mainland (easternPeloponnese) to settle in the plain and cultivate the land again. To ensure good crops, Venetians designed a large system of drainageditches (linies,Greek:λίνιες) that were constructed between 1514 - 1560 and are still in use. The ditches transfer the water to Honos (Greek:Χώνος), asinkhole in the west edge of the plateau, that feeds the river Aposelemis.
During theGreek War of Independence in January 1823, HassanPasha led an army ofOttoman and Egyptian forces sent byMuhammad Ali that seized the plateau killing most residents who had not fled to the mountains. In May 1867 during the greatCretan revolt, Ottoman and Egyptian forces under the command of PashasOmar andIsmail Selim marched towards the Lasithi plateau.[4] Their aim was to strike a decisive blow on the revolutionaries who used it as their hideout. After fierce fighting, the outnumbered rebels were defeated and forced to retreat to the slopes ofDikti. Between 21 and 29 of May, many village dwellers were slaughtered or taken as slaves, their homes were set ablaze after being looted and livestock and crops were destroyed.[5] The monastery of Kroustalenia that was the seat of the revolutionary committee was also demolished.
During theAxis occupation of Greece in 1941–1944, the peaks surrounding the plateau were used as hideouts by localresistance fighters.
There are several caves of archaeological interest in the plateau and surrounding mountains. ThePsychro Cave (Greek:Δικταίον Άντρον, alsoDiktaean / Diktaian Cave) in theDikti mountains near the village ofPsychro (Greek:Ψυχρό) is reputedly the birthplace ofZeus according toGreek Mythology. Zeus is also said to have used the cave as his hiding place after abductingEuropa. The archeological site ofKarfi, believed to be the last outpost of theMinoan civilization is located in the mountains immediately north of the plateau.
Permanent residents derive most of their income from agriculture and animal farming, a smaller number from tourism.
Because of its isolated nature, the Lasithi plateau has attracted the attention of population geneticists. A 2007Y-DNA study showed that Y-DNA samples from the Lasithi plateau differed significantly from those of lowland Crete, and may be indicative of it having served as a refugium of the Minoan civilization.[6] A 2013mtDNA study of bone samples from a Minoanossuary in the Lasithi Plateau, dated to 4,400-3,700 years ago, showed that Minoan samples were closest to samples drawn from the modern population of the plateau, as well as other Greek, western and northern European samples, while being distant from North African and Egyptian samples. According to the authors, these results are consistent with the hypothesis the plateau served as a Minoan refugium, and that the current inhabitants of the plateau carry the maternal signature of the Minoan population.[7]
Administrative division of theCrete Region | ||
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| Regional unit ofChania |  | |
| Regional unit ofHeraklion | ||
| Regional unit ofLasithi | ||
| Regional unit ofRethymno | ||
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