Nea Praisos

By car:

Nea Praisos is about 2km away from Agios Spyridon village and 15km from the city of Sitia, while the road through Epano Episkopi is 17km.

By car, the drive will take about 25 minutes in an asphalt road with many curves.

The name of the village Praisos was heard for the first time around 13th-14th century in the fiefdom ledger of Tourma, Sitia.

Later on we come across it in the form of 'Vavelus' in 1577, 'Vavellus' in 1630, 'Vaveluz' in 1671 and 'Vavelus' in 1834.

However, in 1955, the village was named 'Nea Praisos', a name that was totally different from those referred to previously.

But the etymological analysis of the name offers more information. Some have claimed that it may have come from an altered Arabic anthroponym 'Bab' Ali' which took the given form during the later Byzantine period, after the Arab occupation.

In that case it would refer to a settlement founded during that period.

Also, the name 'Vavelli' supposedly came from the Arabic word 'bab' which means gateway or crossing.

Finally, another reference to the settlement with a rather different form, more specifically 'Vavelyma' (Βαβέλυμα) or 'Vavelia' (Βαβέλια) appears in Pape-Benseler.

Source: praisos.com

Translated and edited by: Yallou

• ANCIENT PRAISOS

The old city of Praisos was was built by the Heteocretans in the 12th century BC and was the capital of the country of Praisos which covered a large part of the region.

Ancient Praisos extends over three hilltops-acropolis, 1km to the north of the village of Praisos. Hilltop Α, the tallest, consists of a wall which can be seen today on the north-east side. A remarkable Hellenistic dwelling, probably the house of a landlord or a guest-house, has also been excavated there.

Hilltop C was named Hill Altar because a sacrificial altar was discovered there dating from 8th - 7th century BC with two inscriptions in Heteocretan along with other artifacts such as shields, helmets, breast plates, leg armour and bronze and clay figurines (notable is the clay figurine of a lion - the symbol of the Goddess Rhea).

Praisos had two ports, Etea in the Cretan sea and Stiles in the Libyan sea.

Ancient Praisos became embroiled in conflict first with Itanos and then with Ierapetra who destroyed it completely in the war of 145 BC.

The region of Praisos has been inhabited from Neolithic times up to the present day and each era has left its mark.

Traces of Neolithic habitation, including Neolithic vases, have been found in the cave at Skales.

Minoan remains can be seen scattered around the area.

Two significant domed tombs have also been found, unfortunately looted. To the west of the first tomb a whole cemetery was excavated in which it would appear that all burials took place from the founding of the town to its destruction.

Many tablets were also found bearing inscriptions in Heteocretan script as well as altars and many other ancient and sacred artefacts.

After its destruction the old town of Praisos was never rebuilt.

Sources: visitsitia.gr, sitia.gr

Edited by: Yallou

• BLOCKADE OF VAVELLI

Following a series of massacres that took place around 1896, the Christians of Sitia started to move towards their villages, while the Turkish inhabitants of the villages, prompted by the Turkish commission, began to move in the direction of Sitia. The elite of both sides chose a mixed committee which visited villages and tried to reassure the inhabitants.

At the outset of this endeavour the committee went to the Municipality of Handra (later Praisos), where the Muslim population was larger than the Christian one (Vavelli was essentially an Ottoman village, with approx. 70 families), and then they moved on to other villages. The Turkish members of the committee stayed behind and conversed with co-religionists. This created suspicion in the Christians, who had started to think that the Turkish members were making recommendations that had not been agreed upon. The consequences of this quickly became apparent, as the Turks began to leave in larger numbers.

The Christians of the city were forced to do the same. On the evening of the 29th January 1897 a group of Armenians went through Handras, joined a group of Handras inhabitants, and together they reached the area around Vavelli at night.

When they arrived there they joined soldiers from Kanene (Agios Spyridonas) and chose a northern location, as they believed fleeing from there would be impossible due to the steepness of the terrain. The Turks did not become aware of the exclusion.

On the next day, as the sun rose, they were taken aback by the view of the soldiers surrounding the village. They sent three representatives to confirm the reasons for the presence of armed men. The Christians explained that their presence was not of a hostile nature, but rather was aimed at obstructing the Turks from fleeing from the village before the Christians had left the city.

The Ottomans, as insolent as ever, began to shout loudly , and thus, Georgios Kouroupakis, a teacher from Kanene, who was far away at the time and was under the misconception that there had been an altercation between the two sides, in his effort to be brave and take action, shot against the Ottomans, but did not hit a target. The Ottomans fled in fear, but shots started to be fired from both sides. The battle continued throughout the day and ceased at night.

The shooting from both sides continued the next day, but no outcome was reached, as the Ottomans were entrenched in their homes and shot from there and, thus, suffered no losses, and, furthermore, the village itself acted as a fortress which it was almost impossible to conquer; the Christians, on the other hand, were positioned in fortification positions around the village, and as they suffered no losses, it was difficult to oust them. Thus the battle lasted all day, and was limited to shots and quarrels.

The night was frosty and it was difficult for the guards to stay outdoors all night, so one of the upstanding citizens of Kanene, Ioannis Pantelakis, a prudent man, due to his fear that the men may flee and bring the siege to an end, called the men to move to their positions in the direction of Kanene, where the inhabitants of Kanene were acting as guards, so that they could change positions at times, and go to Kanene in turns to keep warm.

The relocation of the guards left many positions unguarded, and therefore it became possible, and even easy, for the Turks to flee. So it came about that during the night, a few hours later, the Turks safely and silently abandoned the village with their families and their valuables.

When they passed by Santali they joined some of that village's inhabitants, as well as the inhabitants of Kalamafki that had alerted them in time. As they approached Kato Piskopi and made it obvious that they were going to continue to Sitia, the Ottomans guarding the village became aware of them, impeded them by firing shots and blocked them in the village with their co-religionists.

Their escape was attributed to Ioannis Pantelakis, a merchant of Kanene, who supposedly helped save them in order to cling onto the financial gains he had from them.

According to Aggelakis, this is not a valid opinion, as Pantelakis was not just any man, he was wise enough to know that whatever the outcome of his debtors may have been they would have left behind enough property to cover their debts to him. The only thought that led Pantelakis to the relocation of the guards was the fear that the Christian guards may have abandoned their positions during the night because of the bitter cold, and, thus, would have brought the siege to a halt; this, in its turn, could have led the Ottomans, of whose bravery and valour he was fully aware, to become aware of this and attack the village of Kanene, which was less than two kilometres away and had few, and inadequately armed, inhabitants.

This was the explanation that Pantelakis himself gave to E. Aggelakis. Aggelakis was convinced by Pantelakis' s assurances, as he was aware of the former's prudence, patriotism and honesty. Besides, this is made evident by the way Pantelakis tried to lure the guards to positions between the two villages in order to protect his village.

Either way, their escape was considered a major mishap, as the brutality exhibited by those that were more unholy than them should have been punished.

Source: E.Aggelaki "Σητειακά" partΒ pages. 276-280

Translated and edited by: Yallou

• WATER STREAMS

In the area of the New Praisos village there are many streams with abundant flowing water.

Under the village one comes across the stream of 'Mavrogiannis' which is surrounded by numerous tall plane-trees.

Two kilometres further in we find another stream with a lot of water, named 'Flega' or 'Tzani's flega'.

They used to carry water from there to Ancient Praisos, using containers (named 'koutouta'), some of which are preserved in parts of the area.

On the central road that leads to Ancient Praisos one comes across 'Koutsounaria', a rather old stream. The main stream was destroyed during the 60s and its various raw materials are to be found in the stone walls of the gardens. This stream needs to be redeveloped.

The stream at 'Vathiades' is also located in a lovely spot. Large elm trees, plane-trees, ivies, butterflies, as well as a small cistern, are some of the elements that surround it.

There are also a number of rivulets, small streams, which have flowing water for most of the year, like for example in Dromonero where one could find an Ottoman fount in the past.

Source: praisos.com

Translated and edited by: Yallou