Pellana, in the north of the Sparta area, has been lived in since around 2500 BC and was an important place in Mycenaean times. Its position made it strategic, so the ancient Spartans fortified it.
About 1 km north of the village, at a spot called Spilies, there is a Mycenaean cemetery of rock-cut vaulted tombs. The largest, a royal tomb from around 1500 BC, has a dome about 10 metres across. On Paleokastro hill above, an ancient paved road climbs to what may have been a Mycenaean palace – some believe the palace of Menelaus and Helen. The archaeological site can be visited after contacting the local Ephorate of Antiquities.