Geraki (Laconia), Greece - Definition

Geraki (Greek, Modern: Γεράκι, Ancient/Katharevousa: -ion) is a village in the evrotas plain, southwest of Sparta, Lakonia, Greece. The municipal population dimarcheíon. is approx. 1,000 inhabitants. The ancient name is Geronthrae and this is also the name of the municipality.

Dutch excavations (University of Amsterdam) point to first settlement of the acropolis hill in the (Final) Neolithic period. In the Early Helladic period the site must have contained an administrative centre of some kind, judged by the sealing fragments that can be compared by those found in Lerna. Habitation continued towards the end of the Middle Helladic period, but no Mycenaean finds have been found yet. First signs of renewed habitation date from the Iron Age. The site is left again in the Roman period.

Close to the village is a medieval kastro. In the village itself are several Byzantine churches.

Historical population

About 67.9% of the municipality live in Geraki.

External links

• traveljournals.net - Geraki (http://www.traveljournals.net/explore/greece/map/m1226288/yerakion.htm)
• GTP - Geraki (http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=9710)
• GTP - Municipality of Geraki (http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=9709)
• Indexmundi - Geraki (http://indexmundi.com/z/?lat=37=22.7&t=p&r=1164&p=yerakion&cc=gr&c=greece.htm)

See also

• Communities of Laconia