Thasos
Thasos
Περιφερειακή Ενότητα / Δήμος Θάσου | |
---|---|
EEST) | |
Postal codes | 640 04 |
Area codes | 25930 |
Car plates | ΚΒ |
Website | www |
Thasos or Thassos (Greek: Θάσος, Thásos) is a Greek island in the North Aegean Sea. It is the northernmost major Greek island, and 12th largest by area.
The island has an area of 380 km2 and a population of about 13,000. It forms a separate
The most important economic activity on the island is tourism. The main agricultural products are honey, almonds, walnuts, olives (such as the local Throumba variety which has a protected designation of origin), olive oil, and wine. The inhabitants also engage in fishing, and in the herding of sheep and goats.
History
Mythology
Staphylus (
Prehistory
Lying close to the coast of
There is then a gap in the archaeological record until the end of the Bronze Age c 1100 BC, when the first burials took place at the large cemetery of Kastri in the interior of the island.[4][5] Here built tombs covered with small mound of earth were typical until the end of the Iron Age. In the earliest tombs were a small number of locally imitated Mycenaean pottery vessels, but the majority of the hand-made pottery with incised decoration reflects connections eastwards with Thrace and beyond.
Antiquity
The island was colonised at an early date by Phoenicians, attracted probably by its gold mines; they founded a temple to the god Melqart, whom the Greeks identified as "Tyrian Heracles", and whose cult was merged with Heracles in the course of the island's Hellenization.[6] The temple still existed in the time of Herodotus.[7] An eponymous Thasos or Thasus, son of Phoenix (or of Agenor, as Pausanias reported) was said to have been the leader of the Phoenicians, and to have given his name to the island.[8]
Around 650 BC, or a little earlier, Greeks from
During the
The
After the Battle of Aegospotami (405 BC), Thasos again fell into the hands of the Lacedaemonians under Lysander but the Athenians must have recovered it, for it formed one of the subjects of dispute between them and Philip II of Macedonia. In the embroilment between Philip V of Macedonia and the Romans, Thasos submitted to Philip, but received its freedom at the hands of the Romans after the Battle of Cynoscephalae (197 BC), and it was still a nominally "free" state in the time of Pliny.[8]
Excavations of various island sites between March and May 1887 by Theodore and Mabel Bent uncovered an 'Arch of Caracalla', and the collapsed remains of a unique portrait-statue of the emperor Hadrian's wife, the empress Flavia Vibia Sabina, with an inscription dedicated to her as a "high priestess".[13][14]
Middle Ages
Thasos was part of the
It is related that the Byzantine Greek Saint Joannicius the Great (752–846) in one of his miracles freed the island of Thasos from a multitude of snakes.
Ottoman era
Thasos was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1456.
The island had been given in 1813 by the Sultan
Modern era
During the
In the post-war decades, another native of Thasos, Costas Tsimas, was to attain national recognition; a friend of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, he was appointed Director of the National Intelligence Service, the first civilian to hold that post.
Thasos, the capital, informally known as Limenas, or "the port", is served by a ferry route to and from Keramoti a port close to Kavala International Airport, and has the shortest possible crossing to the island. Scala Prinos 20 km south of Thassos town is served by a ferry route to and from Kavala.
Administration
Thasos is a separate
Geography
Thasos is located in the northern Aegean sea approximately 7 km (4 mi) from the northern mainland and 20 kilometres (12 miles) south-east of Kavala. It is of generally round shape, without deep bays or significant peninsulas. The terrain is mountainous but not particularly rugged, rising gradually from coast to centre. The highest peak is Ypsario (Ipsario), at 1,205 metres (3,953 feet), somewhat east of centre. Pine forest covers much of the island's eastern slopes.
Historically, the island's population was chiefly engaged in agriculture and stockbreeding, and established villages inland, some of them connected via stairways (known as skalas) to harbors at the shore. The local population gradually migrated towards these shoreline settlements as tourism began to develop as an important source of income. Thus, there are several "paired villages" such as Maries–Skala Maries, with the former inland and the latter on the coast.
Geology
This section may be too technical for most readers to understand.(January 2013) |
The island is formed mainly by gneisses, schists and marbles of the Rhodope massif. Marble sequences corresponding to the Falakro marbles intercalated by schists and gneisses, are up to 500 m thick and are separated from the underlying gneisses by a transition zone about 300 m thick.
The rocks have undergone several periods of regional metamorphism, to at least upper
The Late Miocene oil-producing Nestos-Prinos basin is located between Thassos island and the mainland. The floor of the basin is around 1,500 m deep off the Thassos coast (South Kavala ridge; Proedrou, 1988) and up to 4.000–5.000 m in the axial sector between Thassos and the mainland. The basin is filled with Late Miocene-Pliocene sediments, including ubiquitously repeated evaporite layers of rock salt and anhydrite-dolomite that alternate with sandstones, conglomerates, black shales, and uraniferous coal measures (Proedrou, 1979, 1988; Taupitz, 1985). Stratigraphically equivalent rocks on the mainland are clastic sediments with coal beds, marine to brackish fluvial units and travertines.
Mining history
The earliest mining on the island has been dated to around 13,000 BC, when
In the early 20th century, mining companies (most notably the Speidel mining company) exploited the island's zinc-lead rich calamine ores, with a yield of around 2 million tonnes, and a processing plant at Limenaria produced zinc oxide. Iron ore was mined on a significant scale from 1954 to 1964, with a yield of around 3 million tonnes. Since 1964, surveys have established the existence of a deep-level zinc-lead deposit, but the only mining activity on the island has been marble quarrying.
-
Iron mine of Koupanada
-
Gold mine
-
Iron mine at Tzines, with paleolithic mine-tunnel
-
Marble quarry of Alyki
Climate
Thasos has a
Climate data for Thasos | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 19.8 (67.6) |
20.4 (68.7) |
23.6 (74.5) |
27.3 (81.1) |
30.9 (87.6) |
35.7 (96.3) |
37.2 (99.0) |
39.0 (102.2) |
36.1 (97.0) |
30.0 (86.0) |
25.3 (77.5) |
20.9 (69.6) |
39.0 (102.2) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.5 (50.9) |
12.2 (54.0) |
14.3 (57.7) |
18.5 (65.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
28.3 (82.9) |
31.2 (88.2) |
32.1 (89.8) |
27.1 (80.8) |
20.9 (69.6) |
16.6 (61.9) |
12.5 (54.5) |
20.7 (69.2) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 7.3 (45.1) |
8.8 (47.8) |
10.7 (51.3) |
14.2 (57.6) |
19.2 (66.6) |
23.7 (74.7) |
26.4 (79.5) |
27.3 (81.1) |
22.8 (73.0) |
17.2 (63.0) |
13.4 (56.1) |
9.5 (49.1) |
16.7 (62.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.1 (39.4) |
5.3 (41.5) |
7.0 (44.6) |
9.9 (49.8) |
14.7 (58.5) |
19.1 (66.4) |
21.6 (70.9) |
22.4 (72.3) |
18.4 (65.1) |
13.4 (56.1) |
10.2 (50.4) |
6.4 (43.5) |
12.7 (54.9) |
Record low °C (°F) | −4.8 (23.4) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
2.3 (36.1) |
8.9 (48.0) |
11.4 (52.5) |
16.3 (61.3) |
17.8 (64.0) |
9.3 (48.7) |
6.6 (43.9) |
1.2 (34.2) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 112.3 (4.42) |
55.7 (2.19) |
74.1 (2.92) |
48.7 (1.92) |
41.2 (1.62) |
57.5 (2.26) |
17.5 (0.69) |
15.6 (0.61) |
30.0 (1.18) |
71.2 (2.80) |
128.5 (5.06) |
142.3 (5.60) |
794.6 (31.27) |
Source 1: National Observatory of Athens Monthly Bulletins (Dec 2014 - Sep 2023) [25] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Thasos N.O.A station [26] and World Meteorological Organization[27] |
Economy
By far the most important economic activity is tourism. The main agricultural products on the island are
Localities
Towns and villages with over 100 inhabitants (2021 census) are:[29]
- Kallirachi (417)
- Limenaria (2,351)
- Panagia (672)
- Potamia (1,274)
- Potos (788)
- Prinos (1,160)
- Rachoni (408)
- Skala Kallirachis (554)
- Skala Marion (367)
- Skala Rachoniou (219)
- Skala Sotiros (360)
- Thasos (Limenas Thasou) (3,331)
- Theologos (515)
Historical population
Year | Town | Municipality |
---|---|---|
1981 | 2,312 | – |
1991 | 2,600 | – |
2001 | 3,140 | 13,765 |
2011 | 3,240 | 13,770 |
2021 | 3,331 | 13,104 |
Sights
- Archaeological Museum of Thasos and the nearby ancient agora in Thasos town
- Acropolis of Thasos and ancient theater near Thasos town
- Polygnotos Vagis Municipal Museum in Potamia
- Folklore Museum of Limenaria
- Archangel Michael's Monastery
- Saint PanteleimonMonastery: it was built in 1843 and became monastery in 1987. According to inhabitants of Thassos, someone wanted to build it in favor of Saint Panteleimon. The workers started the building at a location, but the next day when they wanted to continue with the construction, the part they had built was found destroyed and their tools were missing. The same happened on the following days. One day they saw footprints on the ground and followed them until they found their tools nearby a natural spring. Finally, they built the monastery at that spot.
- Monastery of the Assumption
- Kastro: its foundation year is unknown. This village must have been created during the years of Frankish domination.
- Krambousa Isle: it can be found across the coast of Skala Potamia. The thick vegetation makes it impossible to explore all parts of it. It is full with a special wild vegetable called "Krambi". The little church of Saint Daniel is located at the top of the hill. The inhabitants visit this church on the day of the saint every year.
- Mount Ypsario (Ipsario) 1,203 meters (3,947 ft)
- Artificial Lake in Maries
Notable people
- Archilochos(7th century BC), warrior and poet.
- Aglaophon (6th–5th century BC), painter, teacher and father of Polygnotus and Aristophon[30]
- Hegemon of Thasos, comedian, inventor of parody
- Leodamas (4th century BC), mathematician
- Neseus of Thasos, painter
- Polygnotos Vagis (1892–1965), Thasos-born US sculptor
- Polygnotus (mid-5th century BC), painter
- Stesimbrotos (c. 470 BC – c. 420 BC), sophist
- Theagenes of Thasos (480 BC) Olympic boxer
- Pankratiast (476 BC), Olympic runner
- Androsthenes of Thasos (4th century BC), Admiral serving under Alexander the Great.
- Vassilis Vassilikos (1934), poet and author. His novel "Z" was the source for the eponymous Academy Award-winning film, was born in Thasos.
Notes
- ^ Suda, § th.59
- ^ Papadopoulos S., "Recent Field Investigations in Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age Thasos", International Symposium in Memoriam Mieczislaw Domaradzki, Kazanlak, Archaeological Institute of Sofia, Kazanluk, (in press)
- ^ Κουκούλη Χ.- Χρυσανθάκη, "Ανασκαφή Σκάλας Σωτήρος Θάσου", Το Αρχαιολογικό Έργο στη Μακεδονία και Θράκη, 1, ((1987), 1988, 391–406, 2 (1988), 1991, 421–431, 3 (1989), 1992, 507–520, 4 (1990), 1993, 531–545).
- ISBN 960-214-107-7
- ^ Agelarakis A., "Reflections of the Human Condition in Prehistoric Thasos: Aspects of the Anthropological and Palaeopathological Record from the Settlement of Kastri". Actes du Colloque International Matières prèmieres et Technologie de la Préhistoire à nos jours, Limenaria, Thasos. The French Archaeological Institute in Greece, 1999. 447–468.
- ^ Pausanias, 5.25.12. "The Thasians, who are Phoenicians by descent, and sailed from Tyre, and from Phoenicia generally, together with Thasos, the son of Agenor, in search of Europa, dedicated at Olympia a Herakles, the pedestal as well as the image being of bronze. The height of the image is ten cubits, and he holds a club in his right hand and a bow in his left. They told me in Thasos that they used to worship the same Heracles as the Tyrians, but that afterwards, when they were included among the Greeks, they adopted the worship of Heracles the son of Amphitryon."
- ^ Herodotus. Histories, 2.44. "In the wish to get the best information that I could on these matters, I made a voyage to Tyre in Phoenicia, hearing there was a temple of Heracles at that place, very highly venerated. I visited the temple, and found it richly adorned with a number of offerings, among which were two pillars, one of pure gold, the other of smaragdos, shining with great brilliancy at night. In a conversation I held with the priests, I inquired how long their temple had been built, and found by their answer that they, too, differed from the Hellenes. They said that the temple was built at the same time that the city was founded, and that the foundation of the city took place 2,300 years ago. In Tyre I remarked another temple where the same god was worshipped as the Thasian Heracles. So I went on to Thasos, where I found a temple of Heracles, which had been built by the Phoenicians who colonised that island when they sailed in search of Europa. Even this was five generations earlier than the time when Heracles, son of Amphitryon, was born in Hellas. These researches show plainly that there is an ancient god Heracles; and my own opinion is that those Hellenes act most wisely who build and maintain two temples of Heracles, in the one of which the Heracles worshipped is known by the name of Olympian, and has sacrifice offered to him as an immortal, while in the other the honours paid are such as are due to a hero."
- ^ a b c d e Chisholm 1911, p. 727.
- ^ AJ Graham,"The Foundation of Thasos", The Annual of the British School at Athens, Vol. 73 (1978), pp. 61-98.
- ^ Zafeiropoulou F., A., Agelarakis, "Warriors of Paros". Archaeology 58.1(2005): 30–35.
- ^ Hugh Johnson, Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 39. Simon and Schuster 1989
- ^ Agelarakis A., – Y., Serpanos "Auditory Exostoses, Infracranial Skeleto-Muscular Changes and Maritime Activities in Classical Period Thasos Island", Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2010, 45–57.
- ^ Sheila Dillon, The Female Portrait Statue in the Greek World, 147-149, 278. Cambridge University Press (2010).
- ^ See also Mabel Bent’s diary, January 1888, Istanbul, The Travel Chronicles of Mrs J. Theodore Bent, Vol. 1, p.230 (Oxford, 2006).
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6.
- ^ Somel, Selçuk Akşin, The A to Z of the Ottoman Empire, p. 103, Scarecrow Press, Mar 23, 2010
- ^ "Greek Islands:Thassos". Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- The University of Wisconsin Press, p. 9 & 114
- ISSN 0288-3503.
- ^ Κώστας Τσίμας, Σελίδες Ζωής: Αγώνες για την Ελευθερία και τη Δημοκρατία, 2004, σελίδες 36-40
- ^ "ΦΕΚ A 87/2010, Kallikratis reform law text" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
- ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
- ^ "Detailed census results 1991" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. (39 MB) (in Greek and French)
- ^ Kovkouli et al. 1988.
- ^ "Meteo.gr - Προγνώσεις καιρού για όλη την Ελλάδα".
- ^ "Latest Conditions in Thasos".
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization". Retrieved 25 November 2023.
- ^ "Why is Thassos important". thassos-dream.gr. Economy. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
- ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού – Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population – Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
- ^ "Aglaophon". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Ancientlibrary.com. p. 74 (v. 1). Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
References
- Agelarakis A., "Linen Thread Fragment". Ed. Chi. Koukouli-Chrysanthaki. "Proto-Historic Thasos", Archaeologiko Deltio 2.45 (1992–1993): 803
- Agelarakis A., "Investigations of Archaeo-Anthropological Nature at the Classical Necropolis of the Island of Thasos between 1979–1996", Archaiologiko Ergo sti Makedonia kai Thraki, 10B (1997): 770–794.
- Agelarakis A., "On the Anthropological and Palaeopathological Records of a Select Number of Human Individuals from the Ancient Necropolis of Thasos Island". In <Jewelry from Thasian Graves> by Sgourou M., BSA 96 (2001): 355–364.
- Agelarakis A., "Investigations of Physical Anthropology & Palaeopathology at the Ancient Necropolis of Thasos", In M. Sgourou, Excavating houses and graves: exploring aspects of everyday life and afterlife in ancient Thasos, BAR International series 1031 (2002): 12–19.
- ISBN 3-932410-30-0.
- N. Epitropou et al.: "The discovery of primary stratabound Pb – Zn mineralization at Thassos Island", L' Industria Mineraria n. 4, 1982.
- N. Epitropou, D. Konstantinides, D. Bitzios: "The Mariou Pb – Zn Mineralization of the Thassos Island Greece.", Mineral deposits of the Alps and of Alpine Epoch in Europe ed. by H. J. Echneibert, Spring – Verlag Berlin Heilderberg, 1983.
- N. Epitropou et al.: "Le mineralizzazioni carsiche a Pb – Zn dell' isola di Thassos, Grecia.", Mem. Soc. Geol. H. 22, 1981, pp. 139–143.
- Omenetto P., Epitropou N., Konstantinides D.: "The base metal sulphides of W. Thassos Island in the Geological Metallogenic Frame work of Rhodope and Surrounding Regions.", International Earth Sciences Congress on AEGEAN Regions, 1–6 October 1990, İzmir -Turkey.
- Epitropou N., Omenetto P., Constantinides D., "Μineralizations a Pb – Zn comparables au type ' Mississippi Valley'. L'example de l'ile de Thassos ( Macedoine, Grece du Nord)", MVT WORKSHOP, Paris, France, 1993.
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Thasos". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 727–728. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
- Inscriptions
- Hamon, Patrice (2019). Corpus des inscriptions de Thasos III: Documents publics du quatrième siècle et de l'époque hellénistique. Athènes: École française d'Athènes. ISBN 978-2-86958-305-4.
- Fournier, Julien (2023). Corpus des inscriptions de Thasos V: Documents publics d'époque romaine Ier s. av. J.-C. - IVe s. apr. J.-C. Athenes: École française d'Athènes. ISBN 9782869585874.
External links
- Media related to Thasos at Wikimedia Commons
- Thasos travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Virtual tour of Thasos
- Ultimate guide of Thasos