Greece. Kephallénia

PREHISTORY AND EARLY HISTORY

The Stone Age settlement of Kephallénia was extensive, including major Middle Palaeolithic coastal sites, suggesting the existence of early maritime contacts with the mainland, a large quarrying site, and many (inland) Neolithic settlements. Obsidians (of Early Bronze Age) suggest other maritime contacts. From the (Mid- to Late) Bronze Age come both numerous settlement sites and graves, including fine tholoi, and several fortresses.

The Iron Age, with the Geometric and Archaic periods, saw the establishment of several sanctuaries (city-, prominent site in the landscape-, or border-), and a series of small round or square Archaic border fortresses or fortified compounds between the poleis. The poleis centres themselves were not fortified with certainty until the (later) fifth century BC, at the earliest. (In fact, only the enceinte of brave but ignorant Same - besieged and conquered by Rome in 189-88 BC - may ever have been completed.)

Incidentally, Corinth , expanding westwards during the Archaic period, does not seem to have played a strong role in Kephallénia (contrary to Ithaka), although it may have provided the stimuli for the sixth century BC temples of the former island.