ABSTRACT
Very quickly we discovered that the values of the archaeological site are only partly predicated on the archaeological fabric itself. The majority of them are based on the knowledge of the locals and the ways in which they understand the landscape. This emphasizes how important it is for the preservation programs of heritage sites to include activities to protect and promote the locally held intangible bases for the heritage values, in order to complement conservation programs that are typically designed to protect only the relevant tangible fabric. It is along these lines that we designed the public archaeology program at the Philioremos peak sanctuary site. Through taking a comprehensive and participative approach to assessing the values of the Minoan peak sanctuary site, we not only gained a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the site and what is represented, but we were also able to identify ways to make the site relevant to the local community, place it at the center of their interests and thus engage them in the long-term protection of their heritage.
