In ARNAC, mapping is not treated simply as visual presentation, but as a core research activity through which ancient roads and patterns of connectivity can be reconstructed and interpreted. This part of the project brings together archaeological remains, literary and epigraphic testimonies, topographic data, and GIS analysis in order to reconstruct the road networks of Crete from the Minoan period to Late Roman times. By combining these different forms of evidence, the project investigates how major settlements, sanctuaries, cemeteries, harbours, quarries, water sources, and other important locations were connected across the island over time.
The maps produced by ARNAC are intended to reveal both local and island-wide patterns of communication, circulation, and historical change. They allow us to move beyond isolated sites and consider broader networks of movement linking communities, political centres, ritual places, and economic resources. This part of the project also forms the basis of the digital platform through which the results will be shared with scholars and the wider public. The project’s web application will present GIS-based maps and reconstructed routes in a form that makes the ancient roadscape of Crete visible, explorable, and open to further research.