Kalloni, this pretty little village is on the north side of N. Kazantzakis municipality located 20 km from Heraklion. Bordering are Katalagárion, Archanes, Aghios Vasilios, Aghies Paraskies, Peza and Choudetsi.

POPULATION: 278  (Census 2001)
ALTITUDE: 330 m
DISTANCE FROM HERAKLION: 20km.
PATH: Proposed routes.
A)-Heraklion Knossos-Spilia-Patsides-Kounavi-Peza-Kalloni.
B) Heraklion-Skalani-Kalloni. (Via the new national road Heraklion-Viannos).
PREFECTURE: Heraklion
MUNICIPALITY: Nikos Kazantzakis

Place Description- Settlement.

The road names of Kalloni are referred to the rich historical data (since the village is old) and in particular to specific ecclesiastical names since important prelates originate from this village, as the scholar Patriarch Gerasimos B Palladas of Alexandria who excelled in wisdom and piety.  Today the people of Kalloni are building up a temple to honor his memory.

Some of the village’s place names the is Megalo Charaki (the big ditch), Koutouta, Anemomylos (Windmill), Tsangas, Plakes (the plates), Fythia Skafes (The Vats), Aghia Fothia / Mazokopos, Markakis’, Kolios (mackerel), Kastelos, Fanari (the lighthouse).

In the village there are the neighborhoods: Ntistafri, Tsikimas, Panaghia, Kamara, Plystario (laundry room), Aghios Antonios (St. Anthony )and Chantakia (ditches).

Name-Historical data.

The name Kalloni appears after 1928.  The former name of the village was Skillous, oldest name, derived from the plant skilli or skillokrommyda, which abounded in the region.  Some say the name and may be related to the ancient city Skillous/Skillounta, which was in Pelopponiso.

The earliest reference to the settlement is mentioned in 1271 as Kilee, on a contract of a notary of Candia, Pietro Scardon, according to which: Marcus Dandulo, a resident of Chandakas, for value received he must deliver on his own expense to Phylippo Belono 40 Mouzouras of good Cretan Tarja at the price of 69 Cretan yperpyra and 400 MISTI of good Cretan wine from his vineyards in the village of Bela Killee, at the price of 46 Cretan yperpyra.

In another contract in 1279 it’s referred to as Sichilla or Sichylu in documents of the Ducal Archives in 1368.  In another letter from the same file it’s mentioned in 1379 as Scilu and Castro Sichilu.

In 1577 it’s in the Pediada province by Kastrofilaka as Schilus with 273 residents by Basilicata in 1583 as Schilus.  The Turkish census of 1630 reported as Iskilus with 40 hikes, while the Egyptian census of 1834 as Skylus with 10 Christian and 12 Turkish families.
Hourmouzis reports Skyloys with 11 Christian and 9 Turkish families in 1842.  In the 1881 census we find it as Skyloys in the municipality of Aghies Paraskies with 209 Christians and 80 Turks, in 1900 Skylous is written in the same municipality, and in 1920 written Scylla and becomes a homonymous rural municipality seat.

Archeology-myth and tradition.

The area must have been inhabited since the Minoan era, as found in the Fanari area were Minoan town ruins and fragments and figurines dating to the archaic period. On the same location stands a Byzantine church, Ag. Fanourios, perhaps an old monastery, which was recently renovated by the residents and there is held a big festival on August 27.

In the center of the village stands an old fountain on which is carved the Byzantine double-headed eagle and a Turkish inscription is engraved with the name of the Turk who renovated it. At the place Markakis, a name probably derived from the owner of the site is Ag. Antonios, a church built on a rock, with very old paintings.

In the place Amoudara, there is the old church of Agia Fotini, which is said to be built by Nikiforos Fokas, when he liberated Crete, and which has an important means of Byzantine frescoes.  It had to be a nunnery there, which was abandoned prior to 1600 AD Thus states in the will of the Patriarch of Pallada, according to which: I quit now without my property in Skillounti ...  Complied by from a vineyard, neighboring a fielad near the abandoned Monastery of Agia Fotini.

A fine tradition is connected with the temple back to when it was an old monastery with only one nun.  When it's said it was her time to die, she made a sfoungato (omelette) and then came out and shouted loudly to the village: "villagers, come to bury me, because I die."
Indeed, the villagers went and found her dead. They also found the sfoungato and ate it for the forgiveness of her soul.

Text: www.endoxora-irakleiou.gr

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