Ikaria

For the utopian place see the entry for Étienne Cabet

Ikaria Ικαρία
View of Agios Kirykos,Ikaria's capital
Geography
Coordinates:	37°35′N 26°10′E / 37.583°N 26.167°E / 37.583; 26.167
Island Chain:	North Aegean
Area:	255.303 km² (99 sq.mi.)
Government
Greece
Periphery:	North Aegean
Prefecture:	Samos Prefecture
Capital:	Agios Kirykos
Statistics
Population:	8,312 (as of 2001)
Density:	33 /km² (84 /sq.mi.)
Postal Code:	833 xx
Area Code:	22750
License Code:	MO
Website
www.icaria.gr

Ikaria, also spelled Icaria (Greek: Ικαρία), locally Nikaria or Nicaria (Νικαριά), ancient name: Doliche (Δολίχη), is a Greek island 10 nautical miles (19 km) southwest of Samos. It derived its name from Icarus, the son of Daedalus in Greek mythology, who fell into the sea nearby.

History

Ikaria has been inhabited since at least 7000 B.C. when it was populated by the Neolithic pre-Hellenic people that Greeks called Pelasgians.

Around 750 B.C., Greeks from Miletus colonized Ikaria establishing a settlement in the area of present day Campos, which they called Oenoe for its wine.

Ikaria was absorbed by Samos and became part of Polycrates' sea empire. At this time the temple of Artemis at Nas, on the northeast corner of the island, was built.

Nas was a sacred spot to the pre-Greek inhabitants of the Aegean, and an important port of the island in antiquity, the last stop before testing the dangerous seas around Ikaria. It was an appropriate place for sailors to make sacrifices to Artemis, who, among other functions, was a patron of seafarers.

Later fate of Classical remnants

The temple stood in good repair until the middle of the 19th century when it was pillaged by the villagers of Christos, Raches, for marble for their local church.

In 1939 it was excavated by the Greek archeologist Leon Politis. During the German and Italian occupation of Icaria in the Second World War many of the artifacts unearthed by Politis disappeared.

Local custom has it that there are still marble statues embedded in the sand off the coast.

Genoese Era

In the 14th century A.D. Ikaria became part of a Genoese Aegean empire. At one stage, during this time, the Icarians actually destroyed their harbours to deter the aggressive visitors.

According to local historians^{[citation needed]} the Ikarians, left to their own devices, built seven watchtowers around the coast. As soon as a hostile or unknown sail was seen, the watchers immediately lit a fire and then ran to a cistern that was always filled with water. They pulled out a wooden bung in the bottom, and the water, of course, began to leak out. The garrisons of the other towers had been alerted by the fire to do the same thing at the same time.

Inside each cistern in each castle were identical lines, like those on a measuring jar. Each of these calibrations had a different message attached to it: "pirates attacking", "unknown sail approaching", etc.

When the water level reached the level of the appropriate message, the senders rebunged the cistern and put out the fire, and everyone in the other towers could read off the size and proximity of the danger.

During this time, the Ikarians seldom built villages. Each house was remote from its neighbour, had only one door and was barricaded behind high walls. A working chimney could be a giveaway, so they endured smoke-filled rooms which were kept bare of lootable belongings. Tradition promises that everyone slept on the floor and hid their belongings in niches in the walls.

Men and women wore much the same clothes: woven linen skirts for the women, kilts for the males. This lifestyle is said to have procured longevity and also classlessness^{[citation needed]}.

Ottoman Era

The Knights of St. John, who had their base in Rhodes, exerted some control over Ikaria until 1521 when the Ottoman Empire incorporated Ikaria into its realm. The Ikarians hanged the first Turkish tax collector, but somehow managed to escape punishment^{[citation needed]}.

The Turks imposed a very loose administration, not sending any officials to Ikaria for several centuries. The best account we have of the island during these years is from the pen of the Bishop J. Georgirnees who in 1677 described the island with 1,000 inhabitants who were the poorest people in the Aegean^{[citation needed]}.

In 1827, during the Greek War of Independence, Icaria broke away from the Ottoman Empire, but was not included in the narrow territory of the original Independent Greece and was forced to accept Turkish rule a few years later^{[citation needed]}.

It remained part of the Ottoman Empire until July 17, 1912 when the Ikarians expelled a Turkish garrison and thereby achieved independence^{[citation needed]}.

George Spanos (c.1872-1912) of Evdilos, killed in a Turkish ambush on that July 17, is honored as the hero of the Icarian Revolution. His bust, depicting him with bandoliers and defiant rifle in hand, may be seen in the National Resistance Square in Evdilos.

Free State of Icaria

Flag of the Free State of Icaria (1912), similar in shape to the Flag of Switzerland.

On July 18, 1912, the Free State of Icaria was declared. The neighboring islands of Fournoi Korseon were also liberated and became part of the Free State. Ioannis Malachias was the only president of the short-lived nation^{[citation needed]}.

For five months, it remained an independent state, with its own armed forces, flag, stamps, and anthem. These five months were difficult times. There were food shortages, the people were without regular transportation and postal service, and they were at risk of becoming part of the Italian Aegean Empire^{[citation needed]}. But in November 1912, after a delay due to the Balkan Wars, Icaria became part of Greece.

Second World War occupation and starvation

The island suffered tremendous losses in property and lives during the Second World War as the result of the Italian and then German occupation. There are no exact figures on how many people starved, but, in the village of Karavostamo alone, over 100 perished from starvation.

Red Rock

The ravages of WW II were followed by those of the Greek Civil War (1945-1947), fought between the nationalists and the Communists. Subsequently, the Greek government used the island to exile about 13,000 communists.

To this date, many of the islanders have remained sympathetic to communism^{[citation needed]}, and, for this reason, Ikaria is referred to by some as the Kokkino Nisi (Greek: Κόκκινο νησί) (Red Island) or the Kokkinos Vrahos (Greek: Κόκκινος Βράχος) (Red Rock).

In his analysis, "Rebels and Radicals; Icaria 1600-2000," historian Anthony J. Papalas (East Carolina University) examines modern Icaria in the light of such 20th-century questions as poverty, emigration to America, the nature of the Axis occupation, the rise of Communism, the Civil War and the rightwing reaction to radical post-war movements.

Modern Era

The village of Armenistis in the north Ikaria

The quality of life improved greatly after 1960 when the Greek government began to invest in the infrastructure of the island to assist in the promotion of tourism. Today, Icaria is considered one of the world's five "Blue Zones" - places where the population regularly lives to an advanced age (one in three make it to their 90s).^[1]

In 2002 Greek authorities captured Ikarian-born, Christodoulos Xiros, a member of Revolutionary Organization 17 November.^[2][3] A 58-year-old professor and economist, Alexandros Giotopoulos, was identified as the group's leader and was arrested on the nearby island of Lipsi.^[4]

Monastery in central Icaria

Geography

It is one of the middle islands of the northern Aegean, 255 km² (99 mi²) in area with 102 miles (160 km) of coastline and a population of 8,312 inhabitants. The topography is a contrast between verdant slopes and barren steep rocks. The island is mountainous for the most part. It is traversed by Aetheras range, whose highest summit is 1,037m. Most of its villages are nestled in the plains near the coast, with only some of them on the mountains. Icaria has a tradition in the production of strong red wine. Many parts of the island, especially the ravines, are covered in large bushes, making the landscape lush with green. Aside from domestic and domesticated species (small goat herds make their presence known with their bells, disturbing the serenity of the island) there are a number of small wild animals to be found, such as martens, otters, jumping spiders and toads. Icaria exhibits a typical Mediterranean climate.

Municipalities

Communities and settlements

Street in Raches village

• Xylosyrtis

Notable people

• Thespis (6th century BC) actor
• Eleftheria Arvanitaki (1962) singer
• Aris Poulianos (1924) anthropologist

References

External links

• The Official Web Page of Icaria Island
• Municipality of Aghios Kirikos
• Municipality of Evdilos
• North Aegean Prefecture website

v • d • e Articles on the Aegean Sea General Countries  Greece •  Turkey Other Aegean civilization • Aegean Islands • Aegean dispute Aegean islands Cyclades Amorgos • Anafi • Andros • Antimilos • Antiparos • Delos • Despotiko • Donoussa • Folegandros • Gyaros • Ios • Irakleia • Kardiotissa • Kea • Keros • Kimolos • Koufonisi • Kythnos • Milos • Mykonos • Nata • Naxos • Paros • Polyaigos • Rhineia • Santorini • Schoinoussa • Serifopoula • Serifos • Sifnos • Sikinos • Syros • Therasia • Tinos • Vous Dodecanese Agathonisi • Arkoi • Armathia • Alimia • Astakida • Astypalaia • Çatalada • Chamili • Gaidaros • Gyali • Halki • Iç Ada (Antalya) • Imia/Kardak • Kalolimnos • Kalymnos • Kandelioussa • Kara Ada • Karpathos • Kasos • Kastelorizo • Kekova • Kos • Küçük Tavşan Adası • Leros • Lipsi • Nisyros • Patmos • Pacheia • Pharmakonisi • Platy • Pserimos • Rho • Rhodes • Saria • Salih Ada • Strongili • Symi • Syrna • Telendos • Tilos • Zafora North Aegean Agios Eustratius • Ammouliani • Ayvalık Islands • Büyük Ada • Chios • Chryse • Cunda • Fener Ada • Fournoi Korseon • Icaria • Imbros • Incir Ada • Koukonesi • Lemnos • Lesbos • Metalik Ada • Nissiopi • Oinousses • Psara • Samiopoula • Samos • Samothrace • Tenedos • Thasos • Thymaina Saronic Aegina • Agios Georgios • Angistri • Dokos • Hydra • Poros • Psyttaleia • Salamis • Spetses Sporades Adelfoi Islets • Agios Georgios Skopelou • Alonissos • Argos Skiathou • Dasia • Erinia • Gioura • Grammeza • Kyra Panagia • Lekhoussa • Peristera • Piperi • Psathoura • Repio • Rineia Skyrou • Sarakino • Skandili • Skantzoura • Skiathos • Skopelos • Skyropoula • Skyros • Tsougria • Valaxa Other Crete • Dia • Euboea • Gavdos • Makronisos

Coordinates: 37°35′N 26°10′E / 37.583°N 26.167°E / 37.583; 26.167