Science Archives

The Gate Below: Tsoutsouras, Hidden Tech, and the Forgotten Geometry of Crete

“There are places where the skin of the world grows thin. And under it, things wait.”

Nestled on the southern coast of Crete, outside the sleepy village of Tsoutsouras, lies a cave whispered about for generations. The locals call it sacred. Some say it was dedicated to Eileithyia, the Minoan goddess of birth and transition. Others speak in lower tones — of strange lights, healings, and moments where time itself seems to pause.

But in the early 2000s, something happened that shifted the cave from myth to mystery.

The Day the Gate Was Sealed

The cave in question is the Cave of Eileithyia — sacred in Minoan tradition as a womb of the goddess of birth. But for some, it has a different name entirely: the site of contact. Eyewitnesses say that in the early 2000s, this very cave was the epicenter of something extraordinary.

The story doesn’t begin with soldiers. It begins with a shepherd.

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The Eteocretans and Breadcrumbs for Understanding the Keftiu

Science

A famous passage from Homer’s Odyssey speaks of the Greek hero Odysseus on his return home to Ithaca. In the verse, Odysseus pretends he’s the grandson of King Minos of Crete. The hero of the Trojan War tells his wife, Penelope, of the marvellous island as if it were his true homeland before revealing he is her husband. The King of Ithaca speaks of Crete long after the fall of the mysterious Minoan (Keftiu) Civilization. Odysseus’ account goes something like this:

There is a land called Crete in the midst of the wine-dark sea, a beautiful and fertile land, seagirt; in it are many people, innumerable, and there are ninety cities. Language with language is mingled together. There are Akhaians, there are great-hearted Eteocretans, there are Kydones, and Dorians in their three clans, and noble Pelasgians.

According to Homer, Crete supposedly had 90 thriving cities during this age. Today, revered archaeologists say hundreds of religious temples, cities, and other large Keftiu sites may still be buried. A few examples of thriving Keftiu cities as yet uncovered include Albe on Heraklion Prefecture’s South coast, the lost Asterousia, Einatos, where the seaside town of Tsoutsouras now stands, the port city of Dia, Dragmos in the island’s Far East, and many more. (Antonis Vasilakis)

In Search of Keftiu: A Shimmery New Explanation

Science

By the time artisans finished decorating the inside of the tomb of the Egyptian vizier Rekhmire, only a pale reflection of the greatness of the people known as the Keftiu remained. The carvings and paintings dedicated to the 18th Dynasty noble associated with Thutmosis III and Amenhotep II told of gifts from afar, one hundred years after the Thera cataclysm ended the world’s first Thalassocracy. The enigmatic people deemed “Minoan” by Sir Arthur Evans, became a footnote in history by 1400 BCE. All that remains, so far, are the ripples in time these enigmatic people left. What if the explanation were the simplest one?

Forgotten for thousands of years, were the traces archaeologists research and toil to unearth and classify these days. Until Evans, all the world knew of the remarkable Keftiu empire were stories passed down orally from the people of the region. As astonishing as this sounds, it wasn’t until Evans began investigating these tales and clues he found studying the Mycenaeans that any hint of one of humanity’s great civilizations was witnessed. Now, we have unbelievable palace temples, treasure troves of miraculous artifacts, and better clues as to who these fascinating people were. Besides being Keftiu, these ancient people might also have been referred to as the Caphtorim, or people even those people associated with the Akkadian term Kaptara.

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.