archanes (, godart & olivier abbreviation: arkh) is a former municipality in the heraklion regional unit, crete, greece. since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality archanes-asterousia, of which it is a municipal unit. the municipal unit has an area of . population 5,042 (2011). it is also the archaeological site of an ancient minoan settlement in central crete. the discovery of ancient roads leading from archanes to juktas, anemospilia, xeri kara and vathypetro indicate that archanes was an important hub in the region during minoan times. archaeological evidence indicates that ancient archanes spread out over the same area as the modern town of archanes.