Kouloura
A kouloura, or kouloures (Greek plural koulourai), is a circular subsurface pit with stone walls found in certain settlements within Ancient Crete, including the Minoan palaces at Phaistos, Knossos, and Malia.[2] The name kouloura was coined by Arthur Evans during his expedition to Knossos in 1903.He named the pits after kouloura, the round Greek bread, because of the similar shape of the two objects.Subsequently, Fernand Chapouthier [fr] discovered eight additional kouloura at Malia, and the duo of Luigi Pernier and Doro Levi unearthed four at Phaistos.Multiple theories have been put forward regarding the function of these kouloura in Ancient Minoan culture.
settlementsAncient CreteMinoan palacesPhaistosKnossosstratigraphyArthur EvansLuigi PernierDoro LeviMinoan culturegarbagecisternsgranaryPithosMinoan civilizationMinoan artMinoan chronologyMinoan potteryMinoan sealsMinoan religionMinoan eruptionPeak sanctuariesZakrosGalatasHagia TriadaKommosPalaikastroKydoniaGourniaTroullosTrypitiLakkosAmnisosPetrasMonastirakiVasilikiVathypetroZominthosArmeniApesokariChryssolakkosKamilariKoumasaNea RoumataOdigitriaPhourniPhylakiStylosYerokambosArkalochoriKamaresPsychro CaveAtsipadesMount JuktasPetsofasTraostalosVrysinasAegina TreasureAkrotiri Boxer FrescoHagia Triada SarcophagusHorns of ConsecrationSnake goddess figurinesLa Parisienne (fresco)Lustral basinPrince of the LiliesStirrup jarHarvester VaseKamares wareKnossos board gameMinoan GeniusMinoan frescoes from Tell el-Dab'aMalia altar stoneMalia PendantMinoan Moulds of PalaikastroMinoan Bull-leaperPapoura Hill Circular StructureVasiliki wareWall Paintings of TheraLinear ALinear BCretan hieroglyphsPhaistos discArkalochori scriptHeraklion Archaeological MuseumArchaeological Museum of ChaniaArchaeological Museum of Sitiaancient Greece