This small island is situated off the northern coast of the region of Sitia and is 150m from the small picturesque fishing village of the same name on the mainland. In the Bronze Age it would appear that the island was connected to the mainland forming two natural harbours to the east and west.
It is owing to these geographical features that the Minoans favoured Mochlos. The American archaeologist R Seager discovered rectangular tombs on the north west side of the island in 1908 which belonged to aristocratic families. In the same spot they were also found remarkable pieces of gold jewellery, diadems, stone seals, unique stone vases and double axes, all of which can be seen in the first room of the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion. A most important find was a gold ring portraying a naked goddess.
The excavations continue today and a large part of the settlement has been discovered on the south side of the island. The site can be visited by boat from the village of Mochlos.