Area Of Crete Research Articles

Social capital and adherence to cervical and breast cancer screening guidelines: a cross-sectional study in rural Crete

Breast and cervical cancers are among the leading causes of female mortality. The reasons that make women adhere, or not, to screening guidelines are not only related to individual and health characteristics but are also placed in a wider social and cultural context. Social capital might facilitate the dissemination of relevant knowledge of and the adherence to cancer screening guidelines. This cross-sectional study explored the associations of individual-level social capital with breast and cervical cancer screening and the knowledge for the existence of relevant screening tests (Pap test and mammography) in the municipality of Gorgolaini, a rural area in Crete, Greece. A random sample of 131 of the 592 women of the 2001 electoral register were invited to participate in the study and 125 completed the Social Capital Questionnaire and two questions on self-reported health knowledge and behaviour (participation rate 95.4%). Women were eligible to participate if they were aged 35-75, had lived in the area for the last 10years and were of Greek origin. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to establish associations among each social capital factor (total, participation in the community, value of life, tolerance for diversity, feelings of safety, family/friends connections) and knowledge of and adherence to breast and cervical cancer screening guidelines after adjustment for confounders. Our results suggest that early detection of breast and cervical cancers may be facilitated when taking into account the social context of the population.

"Geo-characterization" of selected areas in Crete, Greece, towards realistic assessment of seismic design actions

The geo-characterization of site conditions is crucial for the estimation of regional elastic spectra. The work to be done in the framework of the “GEO-CHARACTERIZATION” THALIS-project, will combine geotechnical and geophysical methods and evaluate them to estimate critical geotechnical parameters. Although geotechnical tests in lab may provide more accurate estimates of geotechnical parameters, they require costly and time consuming drilling procedures. On the other hand geophysical methods are useful in providing estimates in situ of subsurface physical properties, which are not directly related to geotechnical parameters. Within “GEO-CHARACTERIZATION” THALIS-project a pilot survey for geotechnical characterization at selected sites of Hellenic Accelerometric Network in Crete will be conducted by employing geotechnical, geological and geophysical techniques. Subsequently, by correlating “geo-data” collected within this project, relations of certain mechanical parameters obtained in laboratory or/and in situ with geophysical parameters for typical geologic formations and soils will be established. The “GEO-CHARACTERIZATION” project, will focus on the influence of dynamic loads on geotechnical phenomena related to the static stress field variation, the estimation of site effects due to seismic motion and the proposal of regional elastic spectra for seismic provisions as well as their comparison with the corresponding elastic design spectra of Eurocode 8 (EC8).

First occurrence of carnivore footprint with hyaenid affinities from the Late Miocene of Crete (Greece)

Nine terrestrial mammal localities of Miocene age based on body fossils have been reported from the island of Crete to date. A new locality where footprints of terrestrial mammals were exposed has recently been discovered in western Crete. Platýlakkos, the locality, is situated near the village Vouves, west of the city of Chania. The ichnofossils come from lacustrine deposits that belong to the Chatzi Formation. The most impressive finding is a clearly defined footprint that might be referred to a large-sized hyaenid. The footprint impression, a convex hyporelief on a sandstone slab, is a natural cast of a left manus where the traces of the interdigital pad and all four digital pads, as well as their respective claw marks- are clearly visible. Based on nearby marine deposits of the Chatzi Formation, the age of the fossiliferous layer with the footprints can be considered to be early to middle Turolian (MN11-MN12) in terms of mammalian biochronology. To date, there is no certain record of Miocene large-sized hyaenid footprints worldwide, and thus this isolated footprint might belong to a new ichno- taxon. However, in the absence of a trackway, the erection of a new ichnotaxon is avoided. The Platýlakkos findings are the first recorded case of fossil land mammal footprints from the Neogene of Crete, and Greece in general. They further the evidence for the presence of well-established terrestrial environments and faunas in the area of Crete during the Late Miocene.

Psychometric Validation of the Youth Social Capital Scale in Greece

Objectives: This article describes the psychometric validation of the Youth Social Capital scale (YSCS) in 16- to 17-year-old students living in rural and urban areas in Crete, Greece. Methods: Sampling was performed among 27 secondary education units of Heraklion Prefecture. The self-reported questionnaire was answered by 692 participants (response rate 96.3%). The validation of the scale included both internal consistency and construct, convergent and discriminant validity tests. Results: Exploratory factor analysis yielded five social capital factors. The overall Cronbach’s α was coefficient .771. Factor analysis revealed common patterns for many questions between the Greek and the original scales. Conclusions: This article supports the validity of the YSCS for assessing the social context of young individuals in Greece.

Chemical and nutritional characterisation of the Central Mediterranean Giant red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea): Influence of trophic and geographical factors on flesh quality

The Giant red shrimp (GRS, Aristaeomorpha foliacea) is a seafood product that is highly appreciated on the Italian market. This work aims at investigating whether a close relationship can be established amongst the area of origin, sex and the GRS quality. GRS samples caught in five Geographical Sub-Areas in the Central Mediterranean Sea, were analysed for their chemical and physical parameters. All the GRS samples had a good nutritional quality and those caught from Northern Tunisia, the Southern Ionian Sea and in the Crete areas showed the highest levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n3 series, with high concentrations of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. Samples caught from Northern Tunisia and in the Crete areas also showed the best colour and lightness values, whilst those caught from Northern Tunisia and in the Southern Ionian Sea areas showed the highest flesh hardness values. The highest total carotenoids content was found in the GRS samples caught in the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea and Crete areas. Finally, the GRS composition indicates that this seafood is a good source of nutrients and natural antioxidants, with lower atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes, which may provide some health benefits to consumers.

Teachers’ perceptions of pupils’ social dysfunctions: A combined qualitative and quantitative approach

School and classroom teachers play a critical role in improving pupils’ social-emotional skills. Furthermore, inadequate handling can amplify the social-emotional deficits of children at risk. For the purposes of this study, a quantitative and qualitative approach was used in order to study teachers; perceptions on pupils’ social dysfunctions within Greek elementary schools. More specifically, the Revised Social Dysfunction Scale (R-SDS) (Greek version) was employed to evaluate elementary school pupils’ social dysfunctions within educational settings in the area of Crete, Greece. The focus group method was employed to gain insight into teachers’ perceptions of individual and systemic factors which are related to pupils’ social dysfunctions, as well as of methods of managing critical situations within school contexts. It was confirmed the urgent need of teachers to be supported and guided in meaningful ways in their work with pupils who present challenging behavior. Based on the research findings, authors suggest a series of inclusive practices aiming at responding to teachers’ actual needs and to concrete shortfalls in the school inclusive system.

Climate change and the demise of Minoan civilization

Abstract. Climate change has been implicated in the success and downfall of several ancient civilizations. Here we present a synthesis of historical, climatic, and geological evidence that supports the hypothesis that climate change may have been responsible for the slow demise of Minoan civilization. Using proxy ENSO and precipitation reconstruction data in the period 1650–1980 we present empirical and quantitative evidence that El Nino causes drier conditions in the area of Crete. This result is supported by modern data analysis as well as by model simulations. Though not very strong, the ENSO-Mediterranean drying signal appears to be robust, and its overall effect was accentuated by a series of unusually strong and long-lasting El Nino events during the time of the Minoan decline. Indeed, a change in the dynamics of the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) system occurred around 3000 BC, which culminated in a series of strong and frequent El Nino events starting at about 1450 BC and lasting for several centuries. This stressful climatic trend, associated with the gradual demise of the Minoans, is argued to be an important force acting in the downfall of this classic and long-lived civilization.

The role of general practitioners in promoting cervical cancer screening: a field survey in a rural area of Crete, Greece

The early detection of cervical cancer with a Papanicolaou (Pap) smear has resulted in a great decline of mortality rates in developed countries, a progress suggesting that general practice may have a crucial role in promoting screening. This study explores the impact of general practitioners on women's adherence to Pap screening recommendations in a rural area of Crete, Greece. A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2006 in a rural area of 3,000 inhabitants, where access to primary care is free of charge. A random sample of 120 women (response rate=97.5%) aged 35-75 years were interviewed about Pap smear uptake within 6 years and the influence of health professionals on their screening intentions. Adequate screening was defined according to the American Cancer Society guidelines. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to estimate odds ratios. About 40.8% of the respondents had been screened according to the guidelines. However, only 10.8% were recommended to have a Pap smear within the last year and 4.2% were informed about human papilloma virus. Having visited the primary care clinics for prevention or the availability of a general practitioner to consult regularly did not affect the likelihood of being screened. Both the adequate and occasional screening rates were positively associated with a history of gynecological problems and with age less than 55 years. No disparities were observed regarding socio-economic status. Despite free provision of primary care, current preventive practice has not influenced women's screening behavior. National policy to support organized cancer screening and physician' training are necessary for effective early detection of cancer.

Endosulfan in Wind-Transported African Dust Depositions in Crete

The presence of endosulfan in samples of African dust after a typical red dust storm in May 2007 was investigated. The samples were collected from a remote and mountainous area of Crete (Greece) where olive groves are cultivated. Endosulfan I, endosulfan II and endosulfan sulphate were detected at concentrations of 2.7, 1.4 and 1.1 ng/g, respectively, indicating that long range aeolian dust transport could be a possible source of contamination of olive cultivations.

Dialkyl phosphates in meconium as a biomarker of prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides: A study on pregnant women of rural areas in Crete, Greece

The authors developed a sensitive analytical method for the determination of dialkyl phosphates (DAPs) in meconium. This method was applied to determine the DAPs, which are non-specific metabolites of the organophosphate pesticides (OPs), in meconium of newborns by mothers who live in rural areas in Crete, Greece. DAPs are considered as biomarkers of exposure to OPs. Meconium is produced in the foetus at approximately 16 weeks of gestation and it acts as a repository of many xenobiotics. The determined organophosphate metabolites were dimethylphosphate (DMP), diethylphosphate (DEP), dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP), diethylthiophosphate (DETP), and diethyldithiophosphate (DEDTP).The DAPs were extracted from meconium by liquid–solid extraction, derivatized, and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The mean percentile recoveries were 76.9%, 65.2%, 94.1%, 109.4%, and 107.2% for DMP, DEP, DMTP, DETP, and DEDTP, respectively. The percentage of positive samples was 92.1% for DMP, 36.8% for DEP, 60.5% for DMTP, 63.2% for DETP, and 57.9% for DEDTP. Mean (± standard deviation) and the range concentrations of the positive samples (ng g−1) were 126.74 ± 142.73 (10.64–739.45), 11.46 ± 20.43 (1.50–79.14), 215.05 ± 187.34 (8.54–662.16), 4.92 ± 5.09 (1.25–19.04), and 1.84 ± 2.07 (0.5–8.04) for DMP, DEP, DMTP, DETP, and DEDTP, respectively.Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in meconium levels between high- and low-risk groups of exposure of pregnant women. However, the results of this study demonstrate that DAPs in meconium may be considered as a potential biomarker for the assessment of foetal exposure to organophosphate pesticides.

Risk factors for smoking among school adolescents in Greece

We conducted this study among school adolescents to identify factors, which influence schoolchildren to smoke. We carried out a cross-sectional study in a sample of 924 students of all classes (ages 12-18 years old) in 15 public high schools in a semi-urban area in Crete, Greece, using a questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised of 46 questions covering children's lifestyle habits regarding daily activities and leisure time, frequency of risk-taking behaviour, knowledge about the hazards and long-term consequences of smoking. 23.9% of participants were experimental smokers and 18.6% were current smokers. 11.4% of the total population was daily smokers. There was a significant increase in the prevalence of experimental and current smokers with school grades, while peaks in last grades were observed. Boys started smoking earlier than girls, mean (standard error) age 13.4 (2.3) years vs. 14.1 (2.3) years, P = 0.01. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed a positive relationship between current smoking and having brother or sister smoking [odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 2.7 (1.7-4.4) and 1.8 (1.1-3.3) respectively], having more than three friends who were smokers [2.6 (2-3.4)] and last school grade [1.4 (1.2-1.7)]. Students appeared to be informed about long-term smoking hazards and had negative views on children who smoke especially in the lower grades. Prevention programmes should be imposed early in elementary schools while cessation policies should target at all grades, in particular at critical grades depending on population-specific characteristics.

Comparison of gravimetric and seismic constraints on the structure of the Aegean lithosphere in the forearc of the Hellenic subduction zone in the area of Crete

The island of Crete is located in the forearc of the Hellenic subduction zone, where the African lithospheric plate is subducting beneath the Eurasian one. The depth of the plate contact as well as the internal structure of the Aegean plate in the area of Crete have been a matter of debate. In this study, seismic constrains obtained by wide-angle seismic, receiver function and surface wave studies are discussed and compared to a 3D density model of the region. The interface between the Aegean continental lithosphere and the African one is located at a depth of about 50 km below Crete. According to seismic studies, the Aegean lithosphere in the area of Crete is characterised by strong lateral, arc–parallel heterogeneity. An about 30 km thick Aegean crust is found in central Crete with a density of about 2850 kg/m3 for the lower Aegean continental crust and a density of about 3300 kg/m3 for the mantle wedge between the Aegean crust and the African lithosphere. For the deeper crust in the area of western Crete two alternative models have been proposed by seismic studies. One with an about 35 km thick crust and another one with crustal velocities down to the plate contact. A grid search is performed to test the consistency of these models with gravimetric constraints. For western Crete a model with a thick lower Aegean crust and a density of about 2950 kg/m3 is favoured. The inferred density of the lower Aegean crust in the area of Crete correlates well with S-wave velocities obtained by surface wave studies. Based on the 3D density model, the weight of the Aegean lithosphere is estimated along an E–W oriented profile in the area of Crete. Low weights are found for the region of western Crete.

The Effect of Diet on Asthma and Atopy in Children in Different Environmental Settings in Crete

P-088 Introduction: In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the role of nutrition in the development of asthma and in the modulating effect of nutrition on environmental exposures. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that dietary intake of antioxidants (especially vitamins A, C, E, and selenium) is positively associated with ventilatory function in adults and children. We evaluated the association between several dietary factors with asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopy among children in different environmental settings in Crete, a Greek island with a nutritional pattern described as the prototype of the Mediterranean diet. Methods: The study was conducted in 2001, among 797 children aged 7–18 years in four areas of Crete. Parents were invited to complete a questionnaire including questions on the child's respiratory and allergic symptoms, family history of allergic diseases, siblings, parental education, occupation, and a food frequency questionnaire on 58 items. Children underwent skin prick tests with 10 common aeroallergens. Results: In the multivariate analysis, weekly intakes of fresh tomatoes (1–2 times per week: OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.05–0.48), orange fruits, (1–2 times per week: OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.09–0.91) orange fruit juice (3–4 times per week: OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.07–0.89), grapes (once per week: OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.04–0.41), and kiwi fruits (once per week: OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.27–0.86) were found to be significant protective factors for wheezing ever, after controlling for age, sex, study area, number of siblings, parental asthma, paternal and maternal education. Wheezing ever in atopic children was found to be negatively associated with the intake of fresh orange juice, fresh tomatoes, and kiwi fruits. Wheezing in the last 12 months was negatively associated with daily intake of potatoes (OR, 0.01; 95% CI, 0.001–0.34); and allergic rhinitis in the last 12 months with daily consumption of orange fruits (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.09–0.91). A quantitative analysis, using an evaluation by a nutritionist of the degree of adoption of the Mediterranean diet, together with an analysis of the protective effect of this diet in different environmental settings, will be presented. Discussion: The study suggests that dietary intake of certain fruits and vegetables during childhood may have a protective role on the prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis. Further studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms underlying the associations, and their relation with environmental exposures.

Assessing the potential benefits of technical intervention in evolving the semi-intensive dairy-sheep farms in Crete

A survey was organized to study the semi-intensive system of sheep farming in the island of Crete and examine possibilities of improvement by means of technical intervention. Thirty-nine farms with a total number of 7362 sheep were studied in seven areas of Crete. Various parameters were assessed related to management, flock performance, as well as quantity and quality of milk produced. Ewe fertility, births and lambs weaned were recorded. In addition, milk yield and variables related to milk quality such as somatic cell counts and total microbial flora were measured. Technical intervention aimed at removing non-productive animals of the flock, programming matings, balancing rations, managing grazing more efficiently and preventing diseases. As a result, ewe fertility and numbers of lambs weaned were significantly improved, whereas harvested milk and milk quality were also improved. It is expected that information obtained from this study will enrich our knowledge of the dairy sheep farming systems in the Mediterranean countries and elsewhere.

Spatio-temporal microseismicity clustering in the Cretan region

Spatio-temporal clustering of microseismicity in the central forearc of the Hellenic Subduction Zone in the area of Crete is investigated. Data for this study were gathered by temporary short period networks which were installed on the islands of Crete and Gavdos between 1996 and 2004. The similarity of waveforms is quantified systematically to identify clusters of microseismicity. Waveform similarities are calculated using an adaptive time window containing both the P- and S-wave onsets. The cluster detection is performed by applying a single linkage approach. Clusters are found in the interplate seismicity as well as in the intraplate seismicity of the continental crust in the region of the transtensional Ptolemy structure. The majority of the clusters are off the southern coast of Crete, in a region of elevated intraplate microseismic activity within the Aegean plate. Clusters in the Gavdos region are located at depths compatible with the plate interface while cluster activity in the region of the Ptolemy trench is distributed along a nearly vertical structure throughout the crust extending down to the plate interface. Most clusters show swarm-like behaviour with seismic activity confined to only a few hours or days, without a dominant earthquake and with a power law distribution of the interevent times. For the largest cluster, precise relocations of the events using travel time differences of P- and S-waves derived from waveform cross correlations reveal migration of the hypocenters. This cluster is located in the region of the Ptolemy trench and migration occurs along the strike of the trench at ∼ 500 m/day. Relocated hypocenters as well as subtle differences in the waveforms suggest an offset between the hypocenters and thus the activation of distinct patches on the rupture surface. The observed microseismicity patterns may be related to fluids being transported along the plate interface and escaping towards the surface in zones of crustal weakness (Ptolemy structure), triggering swarm-like cluster activity along its way.

Constraints on absoluteSvelocities beneath the Aegean Sea from surface wave analysis

The 3-D structure of the lithosphere beneath the Aegean Sea is investigated through surface wave dispersion analysis. Rayleigh and Love waves recorded by 12 broad-band stations installed for a duration of 6 months in the Aegean region are processed through array analysis and Wiener filtering. Data from three GEOFON stations in the area of Crete were also used. The resulting two-station phase velocities are used to determine lateral variations of Rayleigh wave phase velocities between periods of 20 and 100 s by a 2-D ray tomography method. The obtained phase velocities are inverted to calculate variation of S-wave velocity with depth using a combination of linearized inversion and a Monte Carlo based non-linear inversion. The absolute S-wave velocity is resolved to a depth of approximately 200 km. A high-velocity anomaly of 3 per cent is observed in the southern Aegean attributed to the Hellenic subduction. In the northern part of the Aegean, in the prolongation of the North Anatolian Fault which is influenced by strong extensional movements, we found low absolute S-wave velocities at 50–100 km depth. This supports a model of a distributed deformation of the upper mantle in the area. Separate Rayleigh and Love wave phase velocity inversions along common profiles reveal a strong Love–Rayleigh discrepancy in the northern Aegean down to at least 150 km depth, i.e. most probably including the top of the asthenosphere.

Seismicity of the Hellenic subduction zone in the area of western and central Crete observed by temporary local seismic networks

Temporary local seismic networks were installed in western Crete, in central Crete, and on the island Gavdos south of western Crete, respectively, in order to image shallow seismically active zones of the Hellenic subduction zone. More than 4000 events in the magnitude range between −0.5 and 4.8 were detected and localized. The resulting three-dimensional hypocenter distribution allows the localization of seismically active zones in the area of western and central Crete from the Mediterranean Ridge to the Cretan Sea. Furthermore, a three-dimensional structural model of the studied region was compiled based on results of wide-angle seismics, surface wave analysis and receiver function studies. The comparison of the hypocenter distribution and the structure has allowed intraplate and interplate seismicity to be distinguished. High interplate seismicity along the interface between the subducting African lithosphere and the Aegean lithosphere was found south of western Crete where the interface is located at about 20 to 40 km depth. An offset between the southern border of the Aegean lithosphere and the southern border of active interplate seismicity is observed. In the area of Crete, the offset varies laterally along the Hellenic arc between about 50 and 70 km. A southwards dipping zone of high seismicity within the Aegean lithosphere is found south of central Crete in the region of the Ptolemy trench. It reaches from the interface between the plates at about 30 km depth towards the surface. In comparison, the Aegean lithosphere south of western Crete is seismically much less active including the region of the Ionian trench. Intraplate seismicity within the Aegean plate beneath Crete and north of Crete is confined to the upper about 20 km. Between 20 and 40 km depth beneath Crete, the Aegean lithosphere appears to be seismically inactive. In western Crete, the southern and western borders of this aseismic zone correlate strongly with the coastline of Crete.

Integrated Waste Management Through Producers and Consumers Education: Composting of Vegetable Crop Residues for Reuse in Cultivation

As part of the design of an integrated waste management scheme through the use of the PRECEDE/PROCEED model in the area of Crete, data concerning the applicability of composting in various agricultural wastes was considered as necessary. Vegetable residues from tomato, cucumber, eggplant, and pepper crops were collected, shredded and composted either alone or with the use of olive press cake, olive tree leaves, and branches and vine branches as bulking agents. Seven random combinations—mixtures of the above materials were composted using windrows, where additional four similar windrows were made up by approximately 10 m3 of the above mentioned vegetable crop residues. All windrows were turned four times during the eight weeks thermophylic phase, with the help of a mechanical turner. A large number of physiochemical parameters were monitored in the raw materials, at the end of the thermophylic phase and at the end of the maturation phase. The temperature which was monitored daily, recorded the highest values (above 55°C) in the windrows where bulking agents were used. All raw vegetable crop residues and their mixtures presented increased electrical conductivity values (above 5 mS/cm and up to 9.7 mS/cm) resulting to end products with respectively high EC values (above 3 mS/cm and up to 15 mS/cm) probably due to the presence of large amounts of soil, rich in fertilisers, attached to the roots of the plants. There was no detection of any remains of the 13 pesticides for which all 11 composts were tested for. The accuracy of the results was tested through a recovery test of the pesticides in mature compost, resulting to acceptable recovery values.

Earthquake Hazard Parameters in Crete Island and its Surrounding Area Inferred from Bayes Statistics: An Integration of Morphology of the Seismically Active Structures and Seismological Data

— The study addresses the evaluation of earthquake hazard parameters such as maximum regional magnitude (M max) and the slope of Gutenberg-Richter law β (where b=β log e) for the Hellenic Wadati-Benioff zone and the overriding lithospheric plate in the area of Crete and its surroundings. The seismicity of the area is divided in a cellular (1.0° × 1.0°) manner allowing analysis of the localized earthquake hazard parameters and graphical representation of their spatial variation. Our approach incorporates the recently updated earthquake catalogue for Greece and the adjacent areas, the consideration of the morphology of the deep seismically active structures in the studied area and use of a probabilistic procedure for estimating the earthquake hazard parameters.¶One of the main inconsistencies in the earthquake hazard assessment is the estimation of the maximum magnitude and the related uncertaint y. The Bayesian approach, applied in the present, is a straightforward technique for evaluating the earthquake hazard parameters and is based on the following assumptions: Poissonian character of seismic events flow, a frequency-magnitude law of Gutenberg-Richter's type with cutoff maximal value for estimated parameter and a seismic catalogue, having a rather sizeable number of events (i.e., 50 events at least per cell). For five cells in which the number of events is less than 50, an effort is made to produce synthetic data. The re-assessed parameters obtained from the synthetic data show no significant difference and the real data (of the five cells) are finally taken into account although the estimated uncertainty is high.¶For four random cells we constructed hazard curves showing the probabilities that a certain magnitude M will be exceeded in one year and the return periods (in years) that are expected for a given magnitude. These are particularly useful for the mapping of earthquake hazard in regions of either low or high seismic activity, as is Crete and the adjacent area.¶The obtained results show that the W and E parts of both subducting and overriding plates differ in the spatial distribution of all the estimated earthquake hazard parameters. The M max distribution indicates strong coupling between the western portions of the interacting plates (M max > 6.3) to the south of 36°N. The smaller values of M max (M max 1.0 are found to the south and east of Crete for the Wadati-Benioff zone, and over the central part of the island and the area to the northeast of it (cell 11) for the continental wedge, which suggests nonuniform stress field and/or heterogeneous material.

Final Neolithic-Early Minoan I/IIA Settlement in the Vrokastro Area, Eastern Crete

This article presents the evidence for the earliest settlement of the Vrokastro region of eastern Crete, derived from systematic survey of this west-central portion of the Gulf of Mirabello coast. The Final Neolithic through Early Minoan I/IIA settlement pattern of the Vrokastro area is analyzed within an environmental framework and an island-wide context. Site size, location, function, chronology, demographics, and possible subsistence strategies are discussed. These data also provide a context for a recent excavation within the Vrokastro survey boundaries (the KARP excavation in Istron) that revealed part of a habitation and produced a stratified sequence of EM IB pottery. Resource control is a significant factor in settlement near the coast, and settlement of the interior first occurs near perennial springs and along routes and riverine systems. A network of strategically placed sites in the coastal zone and near the Istron Valley suggests that one important aspect of settlement was defense, and this function endures through EM I. The zones most prized for settlement included the coastal strip and nearby inland valleys; these were magnets for settlement from the earliest occupation of the region. Some few coastal sites may have served as the earliest ports or landing places for this portion of the Gulf of Mirabello coast. Abundant resources, demographic growth, and trade or exchange with other areas of Crete and the Cyclades contribute to an emerging social and economic complexity that gained momentum during EM I. This complexity may also be reflected in the regional settlement system, which can be ranked by size.