Gournia (Greek: Γουρνιά) is the site of a Minoan palace complex in the Lasithi regional unit on the island of Crete, Greece. Its modern name originated from the many stone troughs that are at the site and its original name for the site is unknown. [1]

Gournia lies on a small hill, a few hundred metres from the sea in the Gulf of Mirabello. Its position is important as it lies on the east to west route along the north coast of Crete but also near the main route in this area between the north and south coasts of Crete.

Gournia was a regional production center of bronze tools and weapons, domestic objects, and pottery and stone vases, an active trade emporium with overseas connections to other parts of the Aegean and the Near East, and the palatial administrative center for the Mirabello region.

Jan 10, 2020 · Gournia – the ancient name of which is not known – is the most characteristic of the excavated medium-size settlements, dated to the period of the peak of the Minoan culture (Late Minoan I period: 1550-1450 B.C.). It is called “Pompeii of Minoan Crete” because of the good state of preservation.

Gournia is an important excavation site in Crete. In ancient times there was a harbour town here. It was a very large settlement in the Minoan period. One can visit the excavations of Gournia. Every day in summer many tourists come to Gournia mainly by rental car. By car: Gournia is 15 to 20 km away from Agios Nikolaos and Ierapetra.

The ancient town at Gournia prospered in the early Late Minoan period (1600 BC) when it had a population of about 4.000. It is probably the most thoroughly excavated Neopalatial residential complex of the Minoan era, in the whole of Crete.

From May 1901 Boyd’s interest centred on a rich site she discovered at Gournia, an outlying district of Kavousi. She was the first archaeologist to discover and completely excavate an Early Bronze Age Minoan town site, and her work there won her worldwide fame.

The archaeological site of Gournia is located on a low ridge overlooking the Mirabello Bay near the Isthmus of Ierapetra.

Jan 19, 2016 · Gournia is an archaeological site of a Minoan city about 20 km east of Agios Nikolaos town on the road between Istron and Pacheia ammos. Archaeologists are still unsure of the name of the city so the site took its name from the vessels (“gournes”) found in the area.

During three field seasons—1901, 1903, and 1904—she oversaw an excavation employing on average 100 local men and 10 women. Her main focus was on the high point of Gournia, the Middle Minoan III–Late Minoan I period (ca. 1750–1490 B.C.).