Taygetus
Mount Taygetus | |
---|---|
Ταΰγετος Profitis Ilias (HP) | |
Ultra | |
Coordinates | 36°57′14″N 22°21′08″E / 36.95389°N 22.35222°E[1] |
Geography | |
Location | Peloponnese, Greece |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Hike, some rock scrambling |
The Taygetus, Taugetus, Taygetos or Taÿgetus (Greek: Ταΰγετος, romanized: Taygetos) is a mountain range on the Peloponnese peninsula in Southern Greece. The highest mountain of the range is Mount Taygetus, also known as "Profitis Ilias", or "Prophet Elias" (Elijah).
The name is one of the oldest recorded in Europe, appearing in the Odyssey.[2] In classical mythology, it was associated to the nymph Taygete and it was named after her.[3] During Byzantine times and up until the 19th century, the mountain was also known as Pentadaktylos (Πενταδάκτυλος; Greek for five-fingered, a common name during that period).
Geography
Physical
The Taygetus Massif is about 100 km (62 mi) long, extending from the center of the Peloponnese to
Political
Taygetus overlooks the cities of Sparta and Kalamata, whose skyline it dominates. The mountain range lies within the prefectures of Arcadia, Laconia and Messenia. Taygetus is crossed by Greek National Road 82, which links Kalamata to Sparti and separates Northern Taygetus from the Central Range. The Rindomo Gorge separates the Central Range from Southern Taygetos. The section of Taygetus that forms the backbone of the Mani Peninsula is also known as Saggias, and is often not considered part of Taygetus. The central part of the mountain range is commonly called "Skoteini Plevra", which means "the dark side" because the villages located there do not receive as much sunshine in the early morning and the late afternoon hours.
Geology
The mountains of southern Europe that fringe the
The Hellenic Subduction carries the leading edge of the African Plate under the
Mount Taygetus is a limestone
Ecology
The slopes of Taygetus are heavily forested, primarily with Greek fir (Abies cephalonica) and black pine (Pinus nigra). Devastating fires in 2005 and 2007 consumed much of the forests on the central west slopes, and only about half remain.
History
The slopes of Taygetus have been inhabited since at least
According to an Open University online course, "The first century CE writer Plutarch explains that Sparta had a ritual by which newborn babies were judged by the elders and those thought unfit to be allowed to live were left at the foot of Mount Taygetos. However, no other source tells us this about Spartan practices, and no infant remains have been found at this site."[11] While bones have been found at the site, a study determined they all belonged to adolescents and adults.[12]
At the ancient period, on spring women tied around their necks a plant which was growing on the mountain and was called Charisia. This way they wanted to make themselves more passionately beloved by men.[3]
During the era of barbarian invasions, Taygetus served as a shelter for the native population. Many of the villages in its slopes date from this period. In
Religion
The peak known as Taleton, above
Recreation
The highest point, Profitis Ilias, is a popular hiking destination and European walking route E4 runs along the lower slopes of the range. The view from the Profitis Ilias includes most of the Evrotas Valley and the Parnon range to the east, while the view towards the west includes Kalamata and the eastern half of Messenia. Most of the southwestern part of Arcadia can also be seen.
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Europe Ultra-Prominences". Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2014-05-25.
- ^ Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert (1940). "Ταΰγετον". In Jones, Henry Stuart (ed.). A Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
- ^ a b "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XVII. EUROTAS". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved Dec 26, 2022.
- ^ "Other map sources give the elevation as 2407m, but GPS readings seem to confirm the 2404m value on the Greek topographic maps." "Europe Ultra-Prominences" - Footnote#13. Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2014-05-25.
- S2CID 210050738.
- ^ Armijo, Lyon-Caen & Papanastassiou 1992, p. 493
- ^ Armijo, Lyon-Caen & Papanastassiou 1992, pp. 492–492
- Pre-Greekproto-form *kawyat- (Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Brill, 2009, p. 615).
- ^ "A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), CE´ADAS". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
- New Hellenic Televisionnewscast of 9 April 2008
- ^ "Health and wellbeing in the ancient world". Open University. Retrieved Dec 26, 2022.
- ^ "Study finds no evidence of discarded Spartan babies". Dec 10, 2007. Retrieved Dec 26, 2022 – via Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ Pausanias, Guide to Greece 3:20:4
- ^ Cook, Arthur Bernard (1914). Zeus: A Study in Ancient Religion. Vol. I: Zeus God of the Bright Sky. Cambridge: University Press. p. 178.
Bibliography
- Armijo, R.; Lyon-Caen, H.; Papanastassiou, D. (June 1992). "East-west extension and Holocene normal-fault scarps in the Hellenic arc" (PDF). Geology. 20 (6): 491–494. .
External links
- Greek Mountain Flora
- "Taygetos (Taygetus)". Mani. mani.org.gr.
- Lacazette, Al (2000–2001). "Fault slip and fault names". naturalfractures.com.