Asterousia Mountains | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 1,231 m (4,039 ft) |
Parent peak | Kofinas |
Geography | |
Location | Crete |
Geology | |
Mountain type | Mountain range |
The Asterousia Mountains are a range in southern Crete separating the Messara Plain from the Libyan Sea.[1] Evidence of ancient Cretan cultures have been found in excavations performed within sites contained in this range; moreover, one of the most significant Minoan sites on Crete has been excavated at nearby Phaistos to the north; apparently, the Phaistos palace was designed to permit views over the expansive Messara Plain and the Asterousi Mountains.[2] A further historical name for this range is reported by Encyclopædia Britannica as the Kofinos Range, named after the highest peak of Asteroussia, Kofinas (1231 m).[3]