Amorgos

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "about". Template:Infobox Greece place Amorgos (Template:Langx, Script error: No such module "Lang".; Script error: No such module "IPA".) is the easternmost island of the Cyclades island group and the nearest island to the neighboring Dodecanese island group in Greece. Along with 16 neighbouring islets, the largest of which (by land area) is Nikouria Island, it comprises the municipality of Amorgos, which has a land area of Template:Convert[1] and at the 2021 census had a population of 1,961.

Geography

File:Amorgos Satellite.jpg
Satellite image of Amorgos

Due to its position near the ancient Ionian towns, such as Miletus, Halicarnassus and Ephesus, Amorgos became one of the first places from which the Ionians passed through to the Cycladic Islands and onto the Greek mainland.

History

File:Acropole Arkesini Amorgos.JPG
Acropolis of Arkesini

Throughout history, Amorgos was also known as Yperia, or Platagy, Pagali, Psichia, and Karkisia.[2] Amorgos features many remnants of ancient civilizations. At the time of Archaic Greece, there were three independent city-states there. They are believed to have featured autonomous constitutions but the same currency. Amorgos is distinguished by the size and quality of the walls surrounding the city of Arkesine (Template:Langx), the ancient towers whose remains are scattered around the island, ancient tombs, stone tools, inscriptions, vases and by other antiquities. Arcesine or Arkesine was one of the three main settlements on the island in antiquity.[3]

Due to the name Minoa for one of its ancient cities, it is suspected that Amorgos had been colonized by the Cretans from ancient times,[2] but no known archeological evidence supports this view.[4]

The island was visited by the British explorers Theodore and Mabel Bent in 1883/4.[5]

Early Cycladic period

File:Maestro dell'ashmolean museum, figurina femminile n. 206, forse incinta, tipo canonico, varietà dokathismata, periodo EC II, 2800-2300 ac ca.jpg
Dokathismata figurine, Early Cycladic II, Syros phase (2800–2300 BC)

Excavations and findings, especially burial tombs, prove the intense presence of Amorgos during the prehistoric years, particularly during the first period of Cycladic civilization (3200 to 2000 BC).

Almost a dozen separate inhabited centres are known in this period. Amorgos is the origin of many famous Cycladic figurines. ‘Dokathismata style’ figurines were originally found here. Cycladic sculptures had been discovered from the cemeteries at Aghia Paraskevi, Aghios Pavlos, Dokathismata, Kapros, Kapsala, Nikouria and Stavros.[2]

'Kapsala Cycladic figurines', dating around 2700 B.C., are named after a find place in Amorgos. This is the earliest of the 'canonical types' – a reclining female with folded arms. They tend to have slender and elongated proportions. At this time, anatomical features such as arms are modeled three-dimensionally. With the later types, sculptors tended to render this feature with incised lines.[6]

'Dokathismata Cycladic figurines' date from a somewhat later period of 2400–2100 BC. Compared to the statuettes of the Spedos type—the most common and renowned type of figurines featuring finely modeled and somewhat rounded shapes—the statuettes of the Dokathismata type tend to have a more slender and sometimes angular silhouette.

Classical period

In approximately 630 BC, the poet Semonides led the foundation of a Samian colony on Amorgos. The Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax mentions it as Tripolis. It was a member of the Delian League.[7] It participated in the Second Athenian League.[8]

The names of the three cities given by Stephanus Byzantinus are Arkesini, Minoa, Aigiali or Melania which, according to inscriptions, are the most correct. The three towns are on the island's west coast because that is where bays and natural ports that could provide the proper positioning for seaside towns and forts exist. Aigiali was on the north East Side of the island close to the present day locations of Tholaria and Stroumvos. Minoa was situated at the center of the northern side near the present day village of Katapola and Arkesini on the present-day location Kastri.

In 322 BC, Athens and Macedonia fought the naval Battle of Amorgos.

Heraclides Lembus wrote that the island produced much wine, as well as olive oil and fruits.[9]

With the passing of time, the island's name changed to Amolgon and Amourgon.

Byzantine, Venetian, Ottoman and Modern

File:Amurgo - Cristoforo Buondelmonti - 1420.jpg
Fifteenth century map by Cristoforo Buondelmonti

In the 5th century, Bishop Theodore, who attended a synod in Constantinople, signed as Bishop of the Parians, Sifnians, and Amoulgians. After the fourth crusade it became a dependency of the duchy of Naxos but was later disputed by other Venetians. In 1312, the Hospitaller fleet defeated a fleet of Menteshe at the island.

It was known as Yamurgi during Ottoman rule between 1537 and 1829. It became part of Greece upon independence in 1830.

On 9 July, the 1956 Amorgos earthquake occurred, with its epicentre about Template:Cvt south of the island. The shock had a moment magnitude of 7.7 and had a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). The earthquake generated a local tsunami of up to Template:Cvt at Amorgos and nearby islands. Fifty-three people were killed and 100 were injured.

Cinema and popular culture

The island was featured in Luc Besson's film The Big Blue (1988) and "Two tickets to Greece", France, 2023 in which Agia Anna and the monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa can be seen. The island was also featured in Giorgos Kordelas' film Ariadni (2002).[10] Amorgos has been referenced online due to the similarity of its name to that of the video game Among Us.[11]

Municipal districts

File:Amorgos-15.jpg
View of Tholaria village
File:Amorgos-12.jpg
Street of Langada village

The municipality of Amorgos is subdivided into the following communities (population at 2021 census and constituent villages within brackets):[12]

  • Aigiali (536, Aigiali, Agios Pavlos, Ormos Egialis, Potamos)
  • Amorgos (409, Chora, Kastelopetra)
  • Arkesini (182, Arkesini, Kalotaritissa, Kalofana, Mavri Myti, Rachoula)
  • Katapola (568, Katapola, Lefkes, Nera, Xylokeratidi, Pera Rachidi, Rachidi, Christoulaki)
  • Tholaria (154, Tholaria, Paralia Tholarion)
  • Vroutsis (75, Vroutsis, Kamari)

Historical population

Year Community population Municipality population
1981 353 –
1991 330 1,632
2001 427 1,852
2011 409 1,973
2021 446 1,961

Climate

Amorgos has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate with mild temperatures all year. Template:Weather box

Landmarks

File:Amorgosmonastere.JPG
The monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa.

Script error: No such module "labelled list hatnote". The monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa is situated on the cliffside, northeast of Chora. It was built early in the second millennium in order to protect a religious icon, dating from the year 812, from intruders. The icon is on public display inside the monastery. Opening time for visitors every day from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m and 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Visitors have to be dressed in a specific way in order to enter. Men have to wear long trousers and women a skirt or a wrap around shift down to the knee, not trousers. The shift may, however, be worn over trousers. As of July 2012, the monastery is active and houses three practicing monks.

Tourism is increasing slowly, although the island's geographical features prevent mass tourism. It is accessible only by boat. The three main tourist accommodations are located in Katapola, Aegiali and Chora. Hiking paths are relatively well maintained. Other activities include scuba diving, free-diving, and visiting the island's beaches (although this isn't its main attraction, like other Greek islands).

Another landmark in the area is a group of windmills that can be seen on a hill above Chora. A couple of them can be visited, while others are either locked or in ruins. It's easy to reach the location either by car or on foot, going through Chora. There is no admission to enter the area.[13]

See also

References

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Sources

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External links

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Template:The Cyclades Template:Kallikratis-South Aegean Template:Amorgos div Template:Aegean Sea

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ a b c Template:Usurped www.amorgos-island-magazine.com
  3. ↑ Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica s.v.v. Ἀρκεσίνη, Ἀμοργός.
  4. ↑ Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism (in Greek) Template:Webarchive
  5. ↑ Theodore Bent, “The Cyclades, of Life Among the Insular Greeks” (London, 1885).
  6. ↑ The Getty Museum
  7. ↑ Athenian Tribute Lists
  8. ↑ Amorgos
  9. ↑ Heraclides Lembus, On Constitutions, 47
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named census21
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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