Image via WikipediaOn an isolated beach in southern Crete, in the prefecture of Chania, a mysterious castle stands proud which carries a proud secret. Today the X-Files opens the case of the Drosoulites who mysteriously appear at the Frangokastello castle in southern Crete. Are they a reflection of the morning dew… or a ghost army that is still trapped in this world?
At the end of May and until the beginning of June, shadowy figures dressed in black and carrying armour begin to appear in front the monastery of Aghios Charalambos just before the sun rises and they begin to head down to the beach of Frangokastello. When the sun rises, witnesses have seen them walking in a single file for about ten minutes, and as they begin making their way to the castle, they mysteriously disappear into the sea.
The ghost army is led by Hatzimichalis Dalianis, from Delvinaki in Epirus. History states that the area was site to a bloody battle between several hundred Greek soldiers and 8000 Turks. The army apparently took refuge in the fort during the Greek War of Independence, where they were later brutally killed by the Turks following a long seven-day siege. In the end almost 335 of the Greek soldiers died along with their leader, while the Turks lost about 800 men.
Legend has it that the bodies of Dalianis’ warriors remained unburied, until a strong wind brought sand from the dunes of “Orthi Ammos” beach and covered them.
The inhabitants of Frangokastello have noticed that the “ghosts” only appear very early in the morning with the dew, and many have openly admitted to have experienced this phenomenon.
There have been actual accounts documented of this phenomenon. More precisely, a Turkish Ottoman garrison stationed in Frangokastello experienced the phenomenon and rang the alarm in 1890, a similar experience was also recorded in 1942 when German soldiers apparently witnessed the “drosoulites” and began firing at them thinking they were being attacked. Later on a formal report was subsequently made to the occupying authorities in Chania who supposedly sent three higher-ranking officers to Frangokastello for investigation. They apparently concluded that the phenomenon was real but was due to a rare natural occurrence. Both these stories are frequently cited in the (scarce) literature that has been recorded over the years about the “drosoulites” however; to they remain unverified by contemporary sources.
In fact very few textual sources actually exist on this phenomenon. The first first clearly dated textual mention of the "drosoulites" goes back to 1928 when a report was sent by one of the descendants of Hatzimihalis Dalianis, namely Christos Dalianis, to the President of the Athenian Εταιρεία ψυχικών ερευνών (Society of psychical researches), Angelos Tanagras. An article followed along with report and was published in the January 1929 issue of the society's journal Ψυχικαί έρευναι (Psychikai Erevnai, ie. Psychic researches) under the title "Οι "δροσουλίται" τό όραμα τών Σφακιών" (the "drosoulites", the display of Sfakia).
In his article Tanagras claims that the phenomenon can be described as a sort of mirage which under favourable atmospheric conditions in the early morning can possibly reflect scenes from the coasts of Libya. He does, however, note that the coast of Libya is much too far off the coasts of Crete to be the cause of a reflection. The same explanation seems to have been proposed by yet another scholar by the name of G. Baker, an Englishman who heard about the phenomenon while staying in the region of Frangokastello one year. Baker’s study was published in an article in the journal Taxydromos on May 24, 1961.
Another factor which might have played a role in the development of the legend is the patriotic feeling that grew very strongly in this period following the independence of Crete.
Finally the phenomenon of the "drosoulites", even though unnamed as such, is also mentioned in an anonymous Cretan mantinada (or traditional rhymed poem), which can easily date back to the early 20th century or before:
«Μ΄ ακόμη και το σήμερο,
στις δεκαφτά του Μάη
ούλο τα ασκέρι φαίνεται με τον Χατζημιχάλη.
Και πολεμούν στα σύννεφα κι ακούγοντ οι μπουρμπάδες.
Φωνές και αλογοπεταλιές στου Καστελλιού τσι μπάντες.
Ούλ΄ οι γιαλαφρόστρατοι, θωρούν τσι και τρομάζουν,
μα κείνοι Θεός σχωρέσει των, κανένα δεν πειράζουν...
αραγες κι είντα θέλουσι κι είντα μασέ θυμίζουν;
Αυτούς που σφάχτηκαν εκειά και τα βουνά ραϊζουν...»
"But still to this day, on the 17th of May,
the whole army appears with Hatzimihalis,
and they fight in the clouds and the unbelievers hear
voices and tramp of horses at the sides of the castle.
All the ghost soldiers you see and fear,
but, God have pity on them, they do not hurt anyone...
What do they wish and what do they want to be remembered ?
Those who were slaughtered there so the mountains tremble..."
Some sceptics might think that this phenomenon is simply a good tourism attraction, and indeed it is, but the locals swear by it as do the thousands of tourists who flock here annually to witness this mysterious event.
If you plan on visiting the area, and set to photograph them, or catch them on video… think again… many have tried but they always document blank images…
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