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Armeni - Arkadi

Harkia

The village of Harkia is 17 km far from Rethymno. It was the capital of an old community that now belongs to the Municipality of Arkadi. One can reach this village in many ways from the town of Rethymno. Either through the monastery of Arkadi following the route: Rethymno - Arkadi - Kavousi - Harkia, or either following the route: Rethymno - Adele - Agia Triada - Harkia

Harkia is located at a site, where probably there were the south borders of the region of ancient Ario or Agrio and comprised the villages that lie northeast of the county of Rethymno. A(g)rios River, today the gorge of Arkadi, used to define the borders between A(g)rios and Milopotamos. The so called Xerokamaro, near Rethymno, was the western border. The southern borders were possibly at the sites were Harkia and Kavousi are now located. We could, therefore, say that A(g)rio included the modern Municipality of Arkadi. The name of this region has existed at least since the 9th-10th century and the occupation of Crete by the Turks.

The village of Harkia is mentioned by Barozzi with the name Charchia as early as 1577. In 1583, it was mentioned by Petros Kastrofilakas with the name Charchia, with 128 residents. In 1630, it was mentioned by Frantseskos Vasilakatas with the name Charchia. In the Venetian’s, Nicolas Gualdo, titled “Territorio di Rettimo”, the village was mentioned to be called Gerachia and Garachia and to be obliged to participate in the Sanguinazzi watchtower (Torre Sanguinazzo sentinalla) together with the villages of Pigi, Ano and Kato Kavousi, Loutra and Ag. Dimitrios. In 1881, it was mentioned as Harkeia and, since 1920 it has been named Harkia. According to some opinions, the name possibly derives from the word Halkeion or Harkeion (meaning forge). Also, there is a possible explanation that associates the name with the “charakia” (meaning rocky and rough locations), since access to this village is achieved by such regions.

It is not known when the region was inhabited for the first time. In excavations that took place in 1991-1992, two kilometres east of Harkia, towards Kavousi village, pieces of a big ceramic jar of the Minoan era was found. Excavations brought architectural remains to light, which were largely destroyed due to farming works that had been conducted in this region.

Source:
Municipality of Arkadi
Cultural Association of Harkia