| This is the chronological record of the discovery of a royal tomb and the remains of a nearby settlement in the bay of Staphylos on the island of Skopelos, ancient Peparethos, with an analysis of the historical information which emerges from the study of the excavation data. Most of the finds are dated to the mid-15th century BC and bear witness to close relationships between Minoan Crete, Mycenaean mainland Greece and the Minoan colonies on the Sporades. The author’s conclusions are reinforced by the investigation of the ancient tradition concerning the hero Staphylos, the first settler of the area, which is connected to both the first settlement of Peparethos by the Cretans and the ensuing spread of systematic viticulture. Ancient place-names surviving on Skopelos confirm the historical basis of the Cretan colonisation. |