Skarkos is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the Aegean — an Early Bronze Age settlement dating from around 2800 to 2300 BC, situated on a low hill a short walk from the port of Yialos. The site was continuously inhabited for several centuries and then abandoned, which is precisely why it survived so well: later generations built elsewhere, leaving the ancient town largely intact beneath the soil.
Excavations have revealed a densely built settlement with multi-storey buildings, paved lanes, drains, and storage areas for grain, oil, and wine — evidence of a sophisticated urban community three thousand years before the classical Greek world. The site is open to visitors and is signposted from the port. It receives far fewer visitors than Mylopotas beach, which is a pity: this is genuinely remarkable archaeology.