During the Late Bronze Age the Molossians were probably located over much of the central and western ranges of the Pindos. They were among the known Greek tribes of the Mycenaean period (1600-1100 BC). The area of Pogoni has been regarded as the heartland of the Molossian tribes due to the large number of tumuli burials found in this region dating from that time. They initially lived in small unwalled settlements, "kata komas", mainly scattered in the river valleys and lakeside areas of central Epirus. Among those settlements the most excavated were located in Liatovouni (near Konitsa) established in the 13th-12th century B.C and Vitsa (from 9th century B.C). A large Molossian cemetery, was also found at Koutsokrano, Pogoni. Molossians were also among the Greek colonists that reached the Ionian shore of Asia Minor during the period of its colonization (1020-900 B.C).