Cyclades
Islands
: Amorgos, Andros,
Folegandros, Ios,
Kea, Kythnos,
Milos, Mykonos,
Naxos, Paros
and Antiparos, Santorini,
Sifnos, Serifos,
Sikinos, Syros,
Tinos
Northern
Aegean Islands:
Chios, Ikaria,
Limnos, Lesvos,
Samos, Samothraki,
Thassos
Ionian
Islands:
Corfu (Kerkyra), Ithaki,
Kefalonia, Kythera,
Lefkada, Paxos,
Zakynthos
Saronic
Islands:
Aegina, Angistri,
Poros, Hydra,
Salamina, Spetsis
Sporades
Islands:
Alonissos, Skiathos,
Skopelos, Skyros
Dodecanese
Islands:
Astypalia, Halki,
Kalymnos, Karpathos,
Kassos, Kastellorizo,
Kos, Leros,
Nisyros, Patmos,
Rhodes, Symi,
Tilos
Other
Islands:
Crete, Evia,
Cyprus
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Northern Aegean Islands - Ikaria (Icaria, Icarus)
Ikaria is an island steeped in antiquity, and in fact
it is named for Daedalus the inventor’s son Icarus,
whose wax and feather wings melted from the heat of the
sun, plunging him to his death in the sea. According to
legend, his body washed up on the shores of the then-unnamed
Ikaria, and Heracles found and buried his body on the
island. Today, Ikaria is known for its many museums and
archaeological sites, including a number of tombs, though
none is said to be that of Icarus.
The island is part of the
Sporades, and part of the same mountain range that
connects Samos to Asia Minor.
The sea around it has always been known as one of the
most turbulent parts of the Aegean, particularly in July
and August when the gales begin. But despite its sea’s
volatility and its lack of good ports, Ikaria has been
settled since Neolithic times, around 7000 BC. These early
settlers were called the Pelasgians; they were joined
in around 2000 BC by the Carians. A native Ikarian, Themistocles
Katsaros, is currently excavating remains related to these
Neolithic people.
The Greeks entered the Aegean around 1500 BC and took
most of the Aegean islands
quickly, but Ikaria was not attractive to them; they left
it alone until around 750 BC, when Greeks from Miletus
colonized it. In the 6th century, Ikaria became part of
Polycrates’ sea empire; at about this time the temple
of Artemis in the northeast corner of the island was built.
Ikaria’s wealth was in its Pramnian Wine, made in
Oenoe – the qualities of the wine are unknown to
modern historians, but it sold well enough to place the
people of Oenoe in the ranks of the wealthier states,
though it was smaller than most of them. The other great
Ikarian city, Therma, did not do quite so well, and probably
based its wealth on tourists to its hot springs.
Later, after passing through many hands, Ikaria came
under the control of Rome, and then the pirates that were
a scourge of the Mediterranean area at the time. Their
history led them to the Genoese, and the Knights of St.
John, and at last the Turks, who they didn’t like
very well, killing the first Turkish tax collector. They
joined Greece at last in the early 20th century.
Ikaria has several excellent museums, and if you want
a laid-back vacation with walking tours, sunshine, and
a little education, it’s a great spot. The Folklore
Museum of Vrakades is located in the historic village
of Vrakades, and holds a variety of traditional historic
artifacts as well as documents and memorabilia from the
Free State of Ikaria. In the capital city, the Agios Kirikos
Archaeological Museum holds a small but excellent collection
of items dating back as far as the Classical Period. In
Perdiki, the Ikarian Folklore Museum holds a similar collection
to the Vrakades museum. And on a hill that used to be
the ancient citadel of Oenoe, first capital of Ikaria,
the Kampos Archaeological Museum contains over 250 items
dating from Neolithic times, and is located next to the
Church of St. Irene, built on an ancient temple of Dionysus.
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