1 EΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΔΡΥΜΟΣ ΣΑΜΑΡΙΑΣ αγγλικα 1Α 2 MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT HELLENIC REPUBLIC EUROPEAN UNION EROF CO-FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION EΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΔΡΥΜΟΣ ΣΑΜΑΡΙΑΣ αγγλικα 1B 3 THE GORGE OF SAMARIA shelter for life den of freedom 4 Republication or reproduction of this work in whole or in part in any way, as well as its translation, adaptation or use in any way for any reproduction of a work of literature or art is forbidden in accordance with Law 2121/1993 and the Berne and Paris Inter- national Conventions, as ratified by law 100/1995. In addition, the reproduction of the layout, cover and general appearance of the book, through photocopies, electronic or any other means is forbidden, in accordance with article 51 of Law 2121/1993. ISBN: 978-960-98552-2-8 © Copyright 2008 SAMARIA NATIONAL PARK MANAGEMENT BODY PREFECTURAL ADMINISTRATION OF CHANIA 5 THE GORGE OF SAMARIA shelter for life den of freedom SAMARIA NATIONAL PARK MANAGEMENT BODY PREFECTURAL ADMINISTRATION OF CHANIA CHANIA 2008 6 Publication profile EDITOR: TEXT EDITING (Greek): Emmy Papavasileiou, Department of Culture, Sport Giorgos Loupasis, Philologist, Athanasia Zotou and Youth, Prefectural Administration of Chania ENGLISH TRANSLATION: EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: Despina Christodoulou Emmy Papavasileiou COPY EDITING (english edition): Hariklia Kargiolaki Caroline Cooper Athanasia Zotou MAP DESIGN: Argyro Chaniotaki-Smyrlaki Irene Vlazaki CONTRIBUTORS: MAP DRAWING AND G. MANOUSAKIS LITERARY TEXT, PART I: The natural environment COVER DESIGN: Hariklia Kargiolaki, Director of Chania Forestry Service, Sophia Vlazaki, Painter and iconographer Vice President of the Samaria National Park Management Body, DPhil Forestry (Oxford University) PHOTOGRAPHS: Paraskevi Nousia, Chania Forestry Service, MSc Forestry Manolis Manousakas, Vasilis Kotrotsos, Anastasios Sakoulis, Giorgos Antonis Barnias, Samaria National Park Management Body, Ekkekakis, Kostas Gyparis, Kaloyerakis family, Sophia Pratsoli, Eftychis MSc Forestry Marakakis, Irene and Sophia Vlazaki, Theano, Fotini and Angela Boraki, Helen Karpathaki, Chania Forestry Service, Economist, Alkis Pentarakis, Manolis Manolioudakis, Theano Boraki-Mavridaki, Graduate of the National Centre for Public Administration Christos Aretakis, Alkibiades Geskou, Lykourgos Manousakis, Apostolos and Local Government Trichas, Ilias Iliades, Stefanos Alexandrou, Vanna Niniou-Kindeli, Katerinia Irene Vlazaki, Architect NTUA, Landscape architect Tzanakaki, Michalis Andrianakis, Aimilia Kladou-Bletsa, F. Angeliki- Athanasia Zotou, Philologist, MSc Philosophy, Fantaki, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh), Greek th Head of the Department of Culture, Sport and Youth, Mountaineering Club of Chania, Aeroclub of Chania, 25 Ephorate of Prefectural Administration of Chania Prehistoric and Classical Antiquitie, 28th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities, PART ΙΙ: The Manmade Environment Hellenic Post Philately Section, Forestry Service, M.Toubis SA. Vanna Niniou-Kindeli, Archaeologist, 25th Ephorate FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT: of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities Kostas Tyrovolas, Anastasios Diamantakis, Athanasia Zotou, Katerina Tzanetaki, Archaeologist, 25th Ephorate Emmy Papavasileiou - Chania Prefectural Administration of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities Antonis Barnias, Elpida Peroulaki - Samaria National Park Management Michalis Andrianakis, Archaeologist, Director of the 28th Body Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities SECRETARIAL SUPPORT: Aimilia Kladou-Bletsa, Architectural engineer Despina Kapadoukaki, Maria Psaroudaki, Maria Karvoulaki - Chania Argyro Chaniotaki-Smyrlaki, Graduate in Social Sciences, Prefectural Administration D.É.A. in International and European Studies, TEXT FORMATITING BIBLIOGRAPHY: Université Lille 2. Roula Oikonomaki Emmy Papavasileiou, Civil engineer, D.É.A. Géographie BOOK DESIGN: Evi Damiri de l’ Aménagement, Paris X (Nanterre) PRINTING - PRODUCTION: M. Toubis SA. PART ΙΙΙ: Protection and Management of Samaria PUBLICATION: Samaria National Park Management Body and Chania National Park Prefectural Administration, co-funded by the European Union Hariklia Kargiolaki ORAL HISTORIES: PAPER USED FOR THE BOOK AND COVER: Eftychis Marakakis, Kostoula Marakaki, Environmentaly friendly paper certified by the FSC Council Eleni Kokolaki, Ioannis Kaloyerakis, Filitsa Mantaka, Mathios Stavroudakis, Giorgos Tzatzimakis, Athena Y. Tzatzimaki, Aristea Koundouraki, Evangelia T. Stavroudaki. SELECTION OF RIZITIKA AND MANTINADES: Stamatis Apostolakis, Teacher, Folklorist 7 We protect what we love, we love what we understand. Jacques-Yves Cousteau 8 Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . 10 CHAPTER 3. AGRIMI: THE WILD GOAT OF CRETE . 59 PROLOGUE BY THE PREFECT OF CHANIA . 12 1. The agrimi . 59 PROLOGUE BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SAMARIA NATIONAL Origin and evolution . 59 PARK MANAGEMENT BODY . .13 Characteristics. 60 INTRODUCTORY NOTES. 14 Mating and reproduction. 60 Biotope . 61 Introduction Population and dangers . .62 2. The agrimi in myth, prehistory and history . 62 Chania: Land of gorges. 19 3. Protection of the agrimi. 63 Early attempts at protection . 63 Part Ι Post-war international and Greek interest. 64 THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Drastic protection measures . 64 The honour protocol . 64 INTRODUCTION The question of the EDA parliamentarians. 65 The Gorge of Samaria: A profile . 23 Foundation of the Samaria National Park as a measure for protecting the agrimi . .65 Greece’s most important gorge . .23 Size and location . 23 CHAPTER 1. GEOLOGY. 25 Part ΙΙ 1. Madares, or the Lefka Ori . 25 THE MANMADE ENVIRONMENT 2. The creation of the mountains, many years ago…. 26 3. Rocks . 29 INTRODUCTION 4. Creation of the gorges . 32 Humans and Samaria: A unique relationship . 69 5. The springs . 33 CHAPTER 1. THE EARLIEST TRACES OF A HUMAN PRESENCE CHAPTER 2. BIODIVERSITY. 35 IN THE GORGE . 73 1. The Landscape. 36 1. From the Prehistoric era until the Roman years. 73 Terms . 36 The city of Kaino. 73 The landscape of Samaria . 36 The ancient sanctuary of Samaria Park . 74 The landscape of Samaria from the perspective of the architectural landscape. 40 Ancient Tarra (Ayia Roumeli). 76 2. The Ecosystems. 41 2. From the Early christian period until Venetian rule . 80 3. The flora of the Gorge . 43 Introduction. 80 Trees of the Gorge. 44 The churches . .82 Flowers of the Gorge. 45 3. Through the yearas of Turkish rule (1645-1898) . 89 Medicinal and aromatic plants of the Gorge. 46 Introduction. 89 Endemic, rare and threatened plants . .48 Turkish fortresses (kules) . .90 4. The fauna of the Lefka Ori and Gorge of Samaria . .52 Invertebrates . 52 CHAPTER 2. PERMANENT HABITATION IN MODERN TIMES . 93 Amphibians and reptiles . 52 1. Towns and villages . 93 Birds . .53 Samaria. 94 Mammals . .56 Ayia Roumeli . 98 9 2. Habitation: Structural details . 102 Part ΙΙΙ 3. The population . 106 4. Access and passage through the Gorge . 108 PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT 5. Samaria gorge: Toponyms and microtoponyms. 111 OF SAMARIA NATIONAL PARK Toponyms. 111 Microtoponyms. 112 INTRODUCTION 6. Occupations of the people . 114 The declaration of Samaria as a National Park . 193 7. Social life . 121 8. The last families of Samaria. 127 CHAPTER 1. INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF SAMARIA. 195 CHAPTER 3. THE ROLE OF SAMARIA GORGE IN HISTORY . 129 CHAPTER 2. MANAGEMENT OF SAMARIA NATIONAL 1. Venetian rule (1204-1669). ..