Antikythera
Antikythera Αντικύθηρα | |
|---|---|
 Antikythera's harbour Potamos | |
  Antikythera | |
| Coordinates: 35°52′N 23°18′E / 35.867°N 23.300°E / 35.867; 23.300Coordinates: 35°52′N 23°18′E / 35.867°N 23.300°E / 35.867; 23.300 | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Attica |
| Regional unit | Islands |
| Municipality | Kythira |
| • Municipal unit | 20.43 km2 (7.89 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Municipal unit | 68 |
| • Municipal unit density | 3.3/km2 (8.6/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 801 00 |
| Area code(s) | 27360 |
| Vehicle registration | Z |
| Website | www.antikythira.gr |
Antikythera or Anticythera (/ˌæntɪkɪˈθɪərə/, /ˌæntɪsɪˈθɪərə/; Ancient Greek: Ἀντικύθηρα Greek: Αντικύθηρα, Greek pronunciation: [andiˈciθira], literally "opposite Kythera") is a Greek island lying on the edge of the Aegean Sea, between Crete and Peloponnese. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality of Kythera island.[2]
Antikythera may also refer to the Antikythera Strait, through which modified Mediterranean water[clarification needed] enters the Sea of Crete.[3]
Its land area is 20.43 square kilometres (7.89 square miles),[4] and it lies 38 kilometres (24 miles) south-east of Kythira. It is the most distant part of the Attica region from its heart in the Athens metropolitan area. It is lozenge-shaped, 10.5 km (6.5 mi) NNW to SSE by 3.4 km (2.1 mi) ENE to WSW. It is notable for being the location of the discovery of the Antikythera mechanism and for the historical Antikythera wreck.
Its main settlement and port is Potamós (pop. 34 inhabitants in the 2011 census). The only other settlements are Galanianá (pop. 15), and Charchalianá (pop. 19). Antikythera is periodically visited by the Ablemon Nautical Company ferry F/B Ionis on its route between Piraeus (Athens) and Kissamos-Kastelli on Crete.
Contents
1 History
2 Fauna
3 Notable people
4 References
5 External links
History
Antikythera Ephebe; bronze c. 340–330 BC, National Archaeological Museum of Athens
The earliest known inhabitants (5th or 4th millennium BC) were likely seasonal hunters who traveled there to exploit the presence of migratory birds. The population of the island then changed frequently as it was settled and abandoned several times, including a period of significant influence by Cretan culture during the Bronze Age.[5] In antiquity, the island of Antikythera was known as Aegilia or Aigilia (Ancient Greek: Αἰγιλία), Aegila or Aigila (Αἴγιλα),[6] or Ogylos.[7]
Between the 4th and 1st centuries BC, it was used as a base by a group of Cilician pirates until their destruction by Pompey the Great. Their fort can still be seen atop a cliff to the northeast of the island. The archaeology of the island has been thoroughly surveyed and the data made openly available for further study.[8]
Antikythera is most famous for being the location of the 1900 discovery of the Antikythera wreck,[9] from which the Antikythera Ephebe and Antikythera Mechanism were recovered. The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient mechanical calculator (sometimes described as the first mechanical computer) designed to calculate astronomical positions which has been dated to about 205 BC.[10] Technological artifacts of similar complexity did not reappear until a thousand years later.
The island was occupied by Italy and was known as Cerigotto.
Fauna
Antikythera is a very important stop-over site for migratory birds during their seasonal movements, due to its geographical position and certain features (a longitudinal island, with a north-south direction and very low human impact).[11] Furthermore, the island hosts the largest breeding colony of Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae) in the world.[12] The importance of Antikythira for studying bird migration led to the creation of Antikythera Bird Observatory (A.B.O) by the Hellenic Ornithological Society. The island also has a large population of wild goats. [13]
Notable people
Andreas Anagnostakis (1826–1897) physician
References
^ ab "Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. ΜΟΝΙΜΟΣ Πληθυσμός" (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ Kallikratis law Greece Ministry of Interior (in Greek)
^ Peter Saundry, C. Michael Hogan & Steve Baum. 2011. Sea of Crete. Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds.M.Pidwirny & C.J.Cleveland. National Council for Science and Environment. Washington DC.
^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2015.
^ Bevan, A.; Conolly, J.; Tsaravopoulos, A. (2008). "The fragile communities of Antikythera". Archaeology International. 10: 32–36. doi:10.5334/ai.1007.
^
Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Aegilia". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
^ Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 57, and directory notes accompanying.
^ Bevan, A.; Conolly, J. (2012). "Intensive Survey Data from Antikythera, Greece". Journal of Open Archaeology Data. 1: e3. doi:10.5334/4f3bcb3f7f21d.
^
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 761.
^ Carman, Christian; Evans, James (15 Nov 2014). "On the epoch of the Antikythera mechanism and its eclipse predictor". Archive for History of Exact Sciences. 68 (6): 693–774. doi:10.1007/s00407-014-0145-5.
^ The Importance of Antikythira
^ Dimalexis, A; Xirouchakis, S; Portolou, D; Latsoudis, P; Karris, G; Georgiakakis, P; Fric, J; Barboutis, C; Bourdakis, S; Ivovič, M; Kominos, T; Kakalis, E (2008). "Breeding distribution and population status of the Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae) in Greece". Journal of Ornithology. 149: 23–30. doi:10.1007/s10336-007-0207-4.
^ http://antikythera.gr/en/culture/articles/agios_miron.html
Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Aegilia". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911).
External links
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Antikythera. |
- Antikythera audio pronunciation
Official website of the Antikythira Community (in Greek) (in English)
- The "Return to Antikythera" Dive Official Website (English)
The Antikythera (Archaeological) Survey Project (Website in Greek)
Antikythira Bird Observatory (Greek Text)
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