Phil Butler, Author at Keftiu

Keftiu Fine Art as Symbolism and a Means to an End

In the first half of the second millennium B.C., the people of Crete enjoyed unprecedented prosperity. The basis of this was partly active trade with other Bronze Age civilisations. However, the core of Keftiu society was reaching for a higher state of existence and spiritual awareness. Their rich land produced a surplus of commodities like timber, olive oil, and excesses of various agricultural produce. Keftiu textiles, ceramics, jewellery, and other luxury goods were coveted across the Mediterranean basin. It’s fair to say the Keftiu excelled at everything they endeavoured to accomplish.

The Keftiu were also the great metallurgists of the age. Their exquisite filigree and granulated jewellery creations were unequalled. Carved seal stones with detailed scenes in miniature are, to this day, a mystery. How did they craft these magnificent items? What technology did the Keftiu possess, and what tools did they create to carve tiny intricacies in stone? However, their unusual attention to minute detail was not limited to stone or rare metals. The Keftiu created masterpieces in clay, ivory, painting, and even the colouring of textiles. Some experts believe the Keftiu created Tyrian Purple from crushed Murex (Muricidae) snail shells. Several sites on Crete and offshore of the main island were dye production facilities dating from the 20th–18th century B.C.

Peskesi Farm: Prototype for a Regenerative Future

Legacy, Без рубрики

He plucked with two fingers a sprout from a plant that encroached upon the stone path we walked on. Panagiotis Magganas’ eyes glowed with pride as he held out the bean called Azogires for me to examine. Then the broad-shouldered Cretan explained, in the same tone a museum director might use, how he and his fellow farmers are reclaiming an ancient food source almost lost to the culinary world. “You see? These large beans were once prevalent on the island, but the plant almost went extinct,” he explained. “We obtained a few seeds from a local farmer, and now our friends and guests can enjoy an authentic Cretan recipe that will not be lost forever.”

Magganas owns Peskesi in the heart of Crete’s capital of Heraklion. The stylish restaurant that serves only traditional Cretan dishes has been deemed one of the world’s finest traditional cuisine restaurants. The reason it’s one of the best in the world stems from the regenerative agriculture farm that supplies ingredients for authentic Cretan dishes plated there. Magganas’s restaurant thrives, while many others have failed here on Crete. So, I was excited to get the chance to visit his farm finally. I did not know what to expect as I drove the few miles into the Crete wilds. What I discovered was not the typical co-called AgroTourism operation like many we’ve visited all over Crete and throughout Greece. I expected the same gesture toward the popular “sustainability” trends most businesses make, but what I found surprised me in many ways.

Keftiu Ventures: Crete’s Rugged Sougia to Agia Roumeli E4 Trek

Odyssey

For those who love the outdoors and elect to visit Crete, there are unforgettable experiences in the wildest parts of the island. One section of Europe’s E4 trail in the remote southwestern part of Chania Prefecture waits for those who are bold enough to venture beyond the ordinary.

“It’s not because things are difficult that we dare not venture. It’s because we dare not venture that they are difficult.”

― Lucius Annaeus Seneca

One of the most challenging sections of the E4 trail in Crete, the coastal trek from Sougia to Agia Roumeli is as rewarding as it is difficult. For those hikers seeking a captivating experience on Crete, this mountainous trail is right out of an epic film. Sougia is located at the end of a long gorge 75 kilometers Southwest of Chania town. The ride through the White Mountains is scenic and quite windy, so the journey is just over 2 hours by car from Chania.

The Resurrection of Glaucus, Prince of the Keftiu

Science

On Crete, many rare herbs grow in wild meadows or beneath the trees, and some cling precariously to the sheer rock cliffs deep in the mountains. Some of these plants are indigenous only on Greece’s largest island and nowhere else on Earth. One of these rare plants may hold secrets well hidden by the gods over time. We believe a legend offers clues as to the source of creation, life, and rebirth. Now that you are interested, let me share a myth with you.

A Miracle of Keftiu

It was a shimmering Summer day, and Glaucus was playing blissfully with a ball one of the athletes had given him. Tossing and kicking his toy in and out of the columns of the palace temple, the son of King Minos was a picture of Keftiu health, beauty, and vitality. At length, the colorful ball dropped out of sight. Glaucus raced to retrieve it, down a stairway into the enormous storerooms where olive oil, wine, and honey were stored in huge vases or Pithoi. Glaucus pranced down the stairs into the cellar to fetch his ball, and he met the most peculiar sight there.

The Inescapable Mystique and Magnetism of Keftiu Religion

Legacy

Sir Arthur John Evans, the legendary British archaeologist who unearthed the wonders of the Knossos Palace/Temple, had the most profound effect on what we currently understand of the lost civilization he dubbed “Minoan.” As is so often the case, however, true understanding is dynamic. So often, more is learned from our mistakes than from our initial concepts. There’s a saying attributed to Confucious (Kǒng Fūzi, 559-471 BCE) that seems to apply:

“If names are not correct, language will not be in accordance with the truth of things.”

One would think, by now, that the wonderful world Evans and his successors uncovered so far should at least be appropriately named. Perhaps as we begin to better understand their religion, the true depth and breadth of their influence, and their daily routines, their legacy may enlighten us all. In time, the as-yet-uncovered secrets of the Keftiu may reveal an unexpected truth.