The Irakleia Caves Exploration Project and the importance of cave research for the archaeology of the Cyclades:

Mavridis, Fanis; Tankosić, Žarko; Kotsonas, Antonis

doi:10.2307/j.ctv170x408.19

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Societies may even connect to neighboring islands, as is the case of Agios Ioannis cave on Herakleia island, for example, when pilgrims from the rest of the Cyclades visit this site on St. John's day to pray and celebrate (Mavridis, Tankosić, and Kotsonas 2018). On Santorini, the examples of Panagia Katifiani, and Zoodochos Pigi 1 further support this notion when people from Therassia, Ios, and Anafi Islands sail to Santorini to participate in the celebrations on Zoodochos Pigi day in the homonymous cave.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, our research investigates cave use strategies on one of the smaller Aegean islands, but one with evidence for diachronic occupation and a rich cultural history. The ongoing research and preservation project of cave sites in the Cyclades by the Ephoreia of Paleoanthropology and Speleology has added new and complementary evidence for the role and importance of caves in the insular environment of the central Aegean islands (Mavridis 2018a;Mavridis, Tankosić, and Kotsonas 2018). Santorini (Thera) Island (Figure 1) is located in the southern Aegean Sea and is part of the Cyclades complex of islands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Recording Santorini’s subterranean landscapes: A noninvasive approach to the investigation of cave use strategies in insular environments

Mavridis

Trimmis

2020

The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper investigates cave use strategies in insular environments, focusing on a case study from Santorini (Thera) island in Greece. The paper has a two-fold aim to propose and test a methodological framework for noninvasive archaeological evaluation of cave sites and to explore the ways that people, not only on Santorini, but also on similar small islands, have engaged with caves through time. Santorini is famous today as a holiday destination; however, a large part of the island's historic landscape has disappeared. This is due to the Bronze Age volcanic eruption that covered the majority of the island with a thick layer of tuff and pumice, as well as intensive building and agricultural activity in the second half of the twentieth century, all of which have dramatically transformed the island's natural environment. Today, our accounts of the island's prehistory come from the extraordinary preservation of the Akrotiri site, and considerable knowledge gained from other locations, about the role that the island played diachronically in the history of the Aegean. We are, however, still missing valuable information about the relationship between the island's inhabitants and their environment.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recording Santorini’s subterranean landscapes: A noninvasive approach to the investigation of cave use strategies in insular environments

Mavridis

Trimmis

2020

The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The Irakleia Caves Exploration Project, a cooperation of the Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology and Speleology together with NIA (2014-2016), aimed at the systematic investigation of the caves on the island of Irakleia of the Lesser Cyclades, located south of Naxos (Mavridis, Tankosić and Kotsonas 2018). The systematic excavation of the Agios Ioannis/Cyclops Cave complex at the southwest part of the island led to a number of conclusions.…”

Section: Irakleiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research at Irakleia confirms that caves were important throughout the Bronze Age, but also during later periods. The wider aim of the project is to allow for a better understanding of the caves in the Central Aegean due to their importance for both every day and religious life (Mavridis, Tankosić and Kotsonas 2018).…”

Section: Irakleiamentioning

confidence: 99%

8 Recent archaeological work in the Cyclades (Geometric to Hellenistic)

Alexandridou¹,

Ainian²

2022

Arch. Rep.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The last decade marked a fruitful period for the archaeology of the Cyclades. The initiation and continuation of excavations, surveys, and archaeological projects on a number of the islands, initiated by the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, the foreign schools (EfA, AAIA, NIA), and Greek universities (University of Athens and of Thessaly) offered new valuable evidence for the Cycladic history from the Early Iron Age to the Hellenistic era. New data for the Early Iron Age have emerged on Andros (Zagora), Kythnos, and Despotiko. Excavations enlightened the form and components of the poleis during the Classical and Hellenistic periods (Palaiopolis, Vryokastro), revealed parts of cemeteries (Tenos, Seriphos, Paros, Naxos), and enriched our knowledge on island cultic life from the Geometric period onwards (Vryokastraki, Siphnos, Despotiko). The underwater surveys and excavations (Kythnos, Delos, Naxos) form one of the most interesting aspects of recent archaeological work in the Cyclades, elucidating the maritime landscape and the operating trading networks.

show abstract

“…The presence of humans in the cave dates back to the beginnings of the Early Cycladic period (second half of the 4th millennium BC) and continues up to Modern time (Mavridis et al 2018). The cave has been officially declared an archaeological site and is situated within the Wildlife Refuge "Nisos Irakleia" (OGG 1052/Β/2000), the Special Area of Conservation "GR4220013 -Mikres Kyklades: Irakleia, Schoinoussa, Koufonisia, Keros, Antikeria Kai thalassia zoni", and the Special Protection Area "GR4220021 -Nisos Irakleia, Nisoi Makares, Mikros and Megalos Avelas, Nisida Venetiko Irakleias" (Law 3937/2011 & Joint Ministerial Decision 50743/2017) Despite its legal protection status, the cave is not protected and several hundred people are visiting it every summer.…”

Section: Human Activities and Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A surprising new genus and species of cave-adapted Plusiocampinae Cycladiacampa irakleiae (Diplura, Campodeidae) from Irakleia Island, Cyclades Islands in the Aegean Archipelago (Greece)

Sendra¹,

Nikoloudakis²,

Gavalas³

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The surprising discovery of Cycladiacampa irakleiae, a new genus and species, a cave-adapted campodeid dipluran highlights the paleobiogeographical importance of the insular Aegean cave-ecosystems. This new dipluran genus inhabits with other noticeable endemic cave-adapted invertebrate species in the isolated Spilaio Agiou Ioanni cave in Irakleia, a small island in the centre of the Cyclades Archipelago. C. irakleiaegen. nov. et sp. nov. is related with Stygiocampa species, a subgenus of Plusiocampa genus, with hereto six cave-adapted species inhabiting karst areas in Dinaric and the Rhopode Mountains. These species share similarities such as the absence of mesonotal and metanotal macrosetae, the abundance and shape of urosternal macrosetae, as well as the lack of medial posterior macrosetae on mesonotum and metanotum. This can be explained by a common ancestor that probably originated from Asia and expanded its distribution to the fragmented Europe since the Eocene-Oligocene, colonizing cave habitats in recent periods. Cycladiacampa irakleiae is a remarkable addition to the fauna of the cave of Irakleia and should raise awareness on the need to enhance the study and conservation of the cave’s natural heritage.

show abstract

The Irakleia Caves Exploration Project and the importance of cave research for the archaeology of the Cyclades:

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Recording Santorini’s subterranean landscapes: A noninvasive approach to the investigation of cave use strategies in insular environments

Recording Santorini’s subterranean landscapes: A noninvasive approach to the investigation of cave use strategies in insular environments

8 Recent archaeological work in the Cyclades (Geometric to Hellenistic)

A surprising new genus and species of cave-adapted Plusiocampinae Cycladiacampa irakleiae (Diplura, Campodeidae) from Irakleia Island, Cyclades Islands in the Aegean Archipelago (Greece)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About