Toponyme

NAXOS

The island of Naxos is remarkable in many ways. Located in the center of the Cyclades, it is also the largest of them. Its coasts provide numerous shelters even for small boats, as for the inland is one of the most fertile land of the Cyclades with lot of pasture. Although of a lower quality than of Paros the naxian marble has always be work.
The human presence is attested from the Late Neolithic by the impressive coastal settlement of Kokkinovrachos. Occupation of the cave of Zas is also attested to the same period but lasted at least until the Late Neolithic. The prosperous archaeological material found on these sites demonstrates significant contacts with the rest of the Aegean already at this time.
From the Bronze Age date many cemeteries scattered in the island as well in the valleys as in mountainous regions. The type is most often simple cist graves but should be mention that many chamber tombs were discovered on the site of Aplomata near Chora. Unfortunately, those cemeteries are hardly in connection with the settlement, most of them have disappear. However, the southern part of the island seems to have more densely inhabited. Situated on promontories, settlement had panoramic view of the small islands of Kouphonisia, Keros, Schinousa, Herakleia and where looking towards the sea route of Crete. To this period Naxos is also particularly known for the production of Cycladic figurines, since many of cycladic type figurines are naming after Naxian toponyms. Small sizes figurines are interpreted as psychopompoi but larger ones (sometimes more than a meter) may be representations of deities. However, no cult have identified with assurance.
Very few sites survive Middle Bronze Age, the few exceptions are located near the sea and bear the marks of the Minoan influence. This is the case of Grotta, Kastro, Rizocastellia and Mikri Vigla. The latter was perhaps the most significant but had a relatively short life time and was overshadowed by the Late Bronze Age Grotta. At that time the island was still inhabited at various places but Grotta was undoubtedly the major site. The archaeological material shows that very quickly Mycenaean was introduced. The variety and the number of artifact allow us to judge the importance of the contacts and exchanges with the Aegean world and even beyond.
This opulent Mycenaean community could not avoid a succession of disasters at the end of the Late Bronze Age. However, thanks in part to its resources Naxos pulled out of the game and became one of the most important centers of the Cyclades for this period. Particularly significant are the excavations in Chora which help us to understand the evolution of the community through the “Dark Ages”. At this time, the population leaves their installation on the shore and settles on the heights of Kastro a few hundred meters away. But they didn’t desert totally the old place (Grotta) since they used it as a cemetery. In the ninth century some periboloi were made to delimit plot where the families can come to honour their ancestors. In the eighth century the site was covered with a tumulus and the place seems to converge to a common cult of ancestor or hero. This site of Grotta testifies the vivid memory of Naxian for their illustrious past. In fact, the community preserves some of its splendor and participated in several colonization. An additional witness of their healthiness is the pottery production throughout the EIA. It is of outstanding quality, equivalent to those of Attica or Euboea. In the inland is also inhabited but of smaller communities. However, a site as Tsikalario allows us to observe the diversity. In this case the ceramic production is very characteristic, mostly plain ware but incised decorations.
From the Archaic period and despite of its large superficies, the island of Naxos formed only one city. It was one of the most influential of the Greek world, especially between 650 and 550 BC. Its sculpture spreads over the Aegean and seems to play a major role on Delos. In the sacred island there is some of the most significant works of the Naxians, the " oikos of Naxian " probably the first temple of Apollo, the monumental kouros, the kore of Nikandre as well as the famous lions. All those exuberant offerings leave no doubt about the Naxian domination over the sanctuary.
On its proper land, from the late 8th century and during all the archaic period are some of most renowned rural sanctuaries, the sanctuary of Dionysus at Yria and that of Demeter at Gyroulas near Shangri. In the latter case a marble temple is built around 525 BC. It was under the tyranny of Lygdamis, the same who undertook the construction of a monumental temple of Apollo on the Palatia peninsula. But the end of the tyranny and the unusual dimensions of this project will cause its abandon and the temple remained unfinished. This fiasco may mark the progressive decline of Naxos. Already in the sixth century its rival Paros was more successful but in 490 BC the Persian sack of Naxos gave the final hit. The shrines were burned down and from then Naxian swung between different hegemonies until the Roman times.

The important field and restoration works, as well as studies on the island of Naxos by Vassilis Lambrinoudakis, Manolis Korres, Gottfried Gruben and many more are well known. In the more recent years it is the excavation and the preservation of the rural sanctuary at Melanes (V. K. Lambrinoudakis, A new early Archaic building on Naxos. Some thoughts on the Oikos of the Naxians on Delos, in M. Yeroulanou & M. Stamatopoulou (eds.), Architecture and Archaeology in the Cyclades. Papers in honour of J.J. Coulton, BAR Int. Series 1455, Oxford 2005, 79-86) which was added to the long list of such places on the island, such as Sangri, Hyria and Palatia and Mitropolis Square at the Chora (see in general V. K. Lambrinoudakis, The emergence of the city-state of Naxos in the Aegean, M.-C. Lentini (ed.), The two Naxos Cities: a Fine Link between the Aegean Sea and Sicily, Palermo 2001, 13-22)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dimitrokallis, G. 1968. The Byzantine Churches of Naxos, AJA 72: 283-286.
Gruben, G. 1991-92. Die Entwicklung der Marmorarchitektur auf Naxos und das neuentdeckte Dionysos-Heiligtum in Iria, NüBlA 8: 41-51.
Gruben, G. K. W. 1970. Der Hekatompedos von Naxos und der Burgtempel von Paros, AA: 135-153.
Kontoleon, N. M. & C. Karouzou. 1937. Ανασκαφαί εν Νάξο, PAAH: 115-122.
Kourou, N. 1999. Ανασκαφές Νάξου, Το νότιο νεκροταφείο της Νάξου κατά της γεωμετρική περίοδο, Athens (Bιβλιοθήκη της εν Αθήναις Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας).
Lambrinoudakis, V. 1988. Veneration of Ancestors in Geometric Naxos, Acta Atheniensia 38: 235-246.
Lambrinoudakis, V. 1991. The sanctuary of Iria on Naxos and the birth of monumental Greek architecture New perspectives in early Greek art. Proceedings of the symposium, 27 - 28 May 1988, Washington, 173-188.
Lambrinoudakis, V. 1994. Temple in Iria on the Naxos, VDI 64-74.
Lambrinoudakis, V. & G. Gruben. 1987. Das neuentdeckte Heiligtum von Iria auf Naxos, AA: 569-621.
Lambrinoudakis, V. K. 1983. Les ateliers de céramique géometrique et oreintalisante de Naxos. Perspectives pour l'analyse archéometrique in Les Cyclades. Matériaux pour une étude de géographie historique. Table ronde réunie à l'Université de Dijon, les 11, 12 et 13 mars 1982, 165-174.
Lambrinoudakis, V. K. 1992. Έξη χρόνια ανασκαφικής έρευνας στα Ύρια της Νάξου, AEph: 201-216.
Lambrinoudakis, V. K. 2002. Rites de consécration (Naxos) Rites et cultes dans le monde antique : actes de la table ronde du LIMC à la Villa Kérylos à Beaulieu-sur-Mer, les 8 et 9 juin 2001, 1-19.
Lambrinoudakis, V. K. & G. Gruben. 1990. Ανασκαφή αρχαίου ιερού στα Ύρια της Νάξου. Η έρευνα κατά τα έτη 1982, 1986 και 1987, Αρχαιογνωσία 5 (1987-88): 133-191.
Pelagatti, P. 1983. Bilancio degli scavi di Naxos per l'VIII e il VII sec. a.C, ASAA LIX (1981): 291-311.
Simantoni-Bournia, E. 1990. Ανασκαφές Νάξου, Οι αναγλυφοί πίθοι, Athens (Bιβλιοθήκη της εν Αθήναις Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας).
Simantoni-Bournia, E. 1998. Kleinfunde aus dem Heiligtum von Iria auf Naxos, MDAI(A) 113: 61-74.

The human presence is attested from the Late Neolithic by the impressive coastal settlement of Kokkinovrachos. Occupation of the cave of Zas is also attested to the same period but lasted at least until the Late Neolithic. The prosperous archaeological material found on these sites demonstrates significant contacts with the rest of the Aegean already at this time.

From the Bronze Age date many cemeteries scattered in the island as well in the valleys as in mountainous regions. The type is most often simple cist graves but should be mention that many chamber tombs were discovered on the site of Aplomata near Chora. Unfortunately, those cemeteries are hardly in connection with the settlement, most of them have disappear. However, the southern part of the island seems to have more densely inhabited. Situated on promontories, settlement had panoramic view of the small islands of Kouphonisia, Keros, Schinousa, Herakleia and where looking towards the sea route of Crete. To this period Naxos is also particularly known for the production of Cycladic figurines, since many of cycladic type figurines are naming after Naxian toponyms. Small sizes figurines are interpreted as psychopompoi but larger ones (sometimes more than a meter) may be representations of deities. However, no cult have identified with assurance.
Very few sites survive Middle Bronze Age, the few exceptions are located near the sea and bear the marks of the Minoan influence. This is the case of Grotta, Kastro, Rizocastellia and Mikri Vigla. The latter was perhaps the most significant but had a relatively short life time and was overshadowed by the Late Bronze Age Grotta. At that time the island was still inhabited at various places but Grotta was undoubtedly the major site. The archaeological material shows that very quickly Mycenaean was introduced. The variety and the number of artifact allow us to judge the importance of the contacts and exchanges with the Aegean world and even beyond.

This opulent Mycenaean community could not avoid a succession of disasters at the end of the Late Bronze Age. However, thanks in part to its resources Naxos pulled out of the game and became one of the most important centers of the Cyclades for this period. Particularly significant are the excavations in Chora which help us to understand the evolution of the community through the “Dark Ages”. At this time, the population leaves their installation on the shore and settles on the heights of Kastro a few hundred meters away. But they didn’t desert totally the old place (Grotta) since they used it as a cemetery. In the ninth century some periboloi were made to delimit plot where the families can come to honourtheir ancestors. In the eighth century the site was covered with a tumulus and the place seems to converge to a common cult of ancestor or hero. This site of Grotta testifies the vivid memory of Naxian for their illustrious past. In fact, the community preserves some of its splendor and participated in several colonization. An additional witness of their healthiness is the pottery production throughout the EIA. It is of outstanding quality, equivalent to those of Attica or Euboea. In the inland is also inhabited but of smaller communities. However, a site as Tsikalario allows us to observe the diversity. In this case the ceramic production is very characteristic, mostly plain ware but incised decorations.

From the Archaic period and despite of its large superficies, the island of Naxos formed only one city. It was one of the most influential of the Greek world, especially between 650 and 550 BC. Its sculpture spreads over the Aegean and seems to play a major role on Delos. In the sacred island there is some of the most significant works of the Naxians, the " oikos of Naxian " probably the first temple of Apollo, the monumental kouros, the kore of Nikandre as well as the famous lions. All those exuberant offerings leave no doubt about the Naxian domination over the sanctuary.
On its proper land, from the late 8^th century and during all the archaic period are some of most renowned rural sanctuaries, the sanctuary of Dionysus at Yria and that of Demeter at Gyroulas near Shangri. In the latter case a marble temple is built around 525 BC. It was under the tyranny of Lygdamis, the same who undertook the construction of a monumental temple of Apollo on the Palatia peninsula. But the end of the tyranny and the unusual dimensions of this project will cause its abandon and the temple remained unfinished. This fiasco may mark the progressive decline of Naxos. Already in the sixth century its rival Paros was more successful but in 490 BC the Persian sack of Naxos gave the final hit. The shrines were burned down and from then Naxian swung between different hegemonies until the Roman times.

Naxos, Dia

<h2>NAXOS</h2>
The island of Naxos is remarkable in many ways. Located in the center of the Cyclades, it is also the largest of them. Its coasts provide numerous shelters even for small boats, as for the inland is one of the most fertile land of the Cyclades with lot of pasture. Although of a lower quality than of Paros the naxian marble has always be work. The human presence is attested from the Late Neolithic by the impressive coastal settlement of Kokkinovrachos. Occupation of the cave of Zas is also attested to the same period but lasted at least until the Late Neolithic. The prosperous archaeological material found on these sites demonstrates significant contacts with the rest of the Aegean already at this time. From the Bronze Age date many cemeteries scattered in the island as well in the valleys as in mountainous regions. The type is most often simple cist graves but should be mention that many chamber tombs were discovered on the site of Aplomata near Chora. Unfortunately, those cemeteries are hardly in connection with the settlement, most of them have disappear. However, the southern part of the island seems to have more densely inhabited. Situated on promontories, settlement had panoramic view of the small islands of Kouphonisia, Keros, Schinousa, Herakleia and where looking towards the sea route of Crete. To this period Naxos is also particularly known for the production of Cycladic figurines, since many of cycladic type figurines are naming after Naxian toponyms. Small sizes figurines are interpreted as psychopompoi but larger ones (sometimes more than a meter) may be representations of deities. However, no cult have identified with assurance. Very few sites survive Middle Bronze Age, the few exceptions are located near the sea and bear the marks of the Minoan influence. This is the case of Grotta, Kastro, Rizocastellia and Mikri Vigla. The latter was perhaps the most significant but had a relatively short life time and was overshadowed by the Late Bronze Age Grotta. At that time the island was still inhabited at various places but Grotta was undoubtedly the major site. The archaeological material shows that very quickly Mycenaean was introduced. The variety and the number of artifact allow us to judge the importance of the contacts and exchanges with the Aegean world and even beyond. This opulent Mycenaean community could not avoid a succession of disasters at the end of the Late Bronze Age. However, thanks in part to its resources Naxos pulled out of the game and became one of the most important centers of the Cyclades for this period. Particularly significant are the excavations in Chora which help us to understand the evolution of the community through the “Dark Ages”. At this time, the population leaves their installation on the shore and settles on the heights of Kastro a few hundred meters away. But they didn’t desert totally the old place (Grotta) since they used it as a cemetery. In the ninth century some periboloi were made to delimit plot where the families can come to honour their ancestors. In the eighth century the site was covered with a tumulus and the place seems to converge to a common cult of ancestor or hero. This site of Grotta testifies the vivid memory of Naxian for their illustrious past. In fact, the community preserves some of its splendor and participated in several colonization. An additional witness of their healthiness is the pottery production throughout the EIA. It is of outstanding quality, equivalent to those of Attica or Euboea. In the inland is also inhabited but of smaller communities. However, a site as Tsikalario allows us to observe the diversity. In this case the ceramic production is very characteristic, mostly plain ware but incised decorations. From the Archaic period and despite of its large superficies, the island of Naxos formed only one city. It was one of the most influential of the Greek world, especially between 650 and 550 BC. Its sculpture spreads over the Aegean and seems to play a major role on Delos. In the sacred island there is some of the most significant works of the Naxians, the " oikos of Naxian " probably the first temple of Apollo, the monumental kouros, the kore of Nikandre as well as the famous lions. All those exuberant offerings leave no doubt about the Naxian domination over the sanctuary. On its proper land, from the late 8th century and during all the archaic period are some of most renowned rural sanctuaries, the sanctuary of Dionysus at Yria and that of Demeter at Gyroulas near Shangri. In the latter case a marble temple is built around 525 BC. It was under the tyranny of Lygdamis, the same who undertook the construction of a monumental temple of Apollo on the Palatia peninsula. But the end of the tyranny and the unusual dimensions of this project will cause its abandon and the temple remained unfinished. This fiasco may mark the progressive decline of Naxos. Already in the sixth century its rival Paros was more successful but in 490 BC the Persian sack of Naxos gave the final hit. The shrines were burned down and from then Naxian swung between different hegemonies until the Roman times. 

The important field and restoration works, as well as studies on the island of Naxos by Vassilis Lambrinoudakis, Manolis Korres, Gottfried Gruben and many more are well known. In the more recent years it is the excavation and the preservation of the rural sanctuary at Melanes (V. K. Lambrinoudakis, A new early Archaic building on Naxos. Some thoughts on the Oikos of the Naxians on Delos, in M. Yeroulanou & M. Stamatopoulou (eds.), Architecture and Archaeology in the Cyclades. Papers in honour of J.J. Coulton, BAR Int. Series 1455, Oxford 2005, 79-86) which was added to the long list of such places on the island, such as Sangri, Hyria and Palatia and Mitropolis Square at the Chora (see in general V. K. Lambrinoudakis, The emergence of the city-state of Naxos in the Aegean, M.-C. Lentini (ed.), The two Naxos Cities: a Fine Link between the Aegean Sea and Sicily, Palermo 2001, 13-22)
 
<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2>
Dimitrokallis, G. 1968. The Byzantine Churches of Naxos, AJA 72: 283-286. Gruben, G. 1991-92. Die Entwicklung der Marmorarchitektur auf Naxos und das neuentdeckte Dionysos-Heiligtum in Iria, NüBlA 8: 41-51. Gruben, G. K. W. 1970. Der Hekatompedos von Naxos und der Burgtempel von Paros, AA: 135-153. Kontoleon, N. M. & C. Karouzou. 1937. Ανασκαφαί εν Νάξο, PAAH: 115-122. Kourou, N. 1999. Ανασκαφές Νάξου, Το νότιο νεκροταφείο της Νάξου κατά της γεωμετρική περίοδο, Athens (Bιβλιοθήκη της εν Αθήναις Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας). Lambrinoudakis, V. 1988. Veneration of Ancestors in Geometric Naxos, Acta Atheniensia 38: 235-246. Lambrinoudakis, V. 1991. The sanctuary of Iria on Naxos and the birth of monumental Greek architecture New perspectives in early Greek art. Proceedings of the symposium, 27 - 28 May 1988, Washington, 173-188. Lambrinoudakis, V. 1994. Temple in Iria on the Naxos, VDI 64-74. Lambrinoudakis, V. & G. Gruben. 1987. Das neuentdeckte Heiligtum von Iria auf Naxos, AA: 569-621. Lambrinoudakis, V. K. 1983. Les ateliers de céramique géometrique et oreintalisante de Naxos. Perspectives pour l'analyse archéometrique in Les Cyclades. Matériaux pour une étude de géographie historique. Table ronde réunie à l'Université de Dijon, les 11, 12 et 13 mars 1982, 165-174. Lambrinoudakis, V. K. 1992. Έξη χρόνια ανασκαφικής έρευνας στα Ύρια της Νάξου, AEph: 201-216. Lambrinoudakis, V. K. 2002. Rites de consécration (Naxos) Rites et cultes dans le monde antique : actes de la table ronde du LIMC à la Villa Kérylos à Beaulieu-sur-Mer, les 8 et 9 juin 2001, 1-19. Lambrinoudakis, V. K. & G. Gruben. 1990. Ανασκαφή αρχαίου ιερού στα Ύρια της Νάξου. Η έρευνα κατά τα έτη 1982, 1986 και 1987, Αρχαιογνωσία 5 (1987-88): 133-191. Pelagatti, P. 1983. Bilancio degli scavi di Naxos per l'VIII e il VII sec. a.C, ASAA LIX (1981): 291-311. Simantoni-Bournia, E. 1990. Ανασκαφές Νάξου, Οι αναγλυφοί πίθοι, Athens (Bιβλιοθήκη της εν Αθήναις Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας). Simantoni-Bournia, E. 1998. Kleinfunde aus dem Heiligtum von Iria auf Naxos, MDAI(A) 113: 61-74. 

The island of Naxos is remarkable in many ways. Located in the center of the Cyclades, it is also the largest of them. Its coasts provide numerous shelters even for small boats, as for the inland is one of the most fertile land of the Cyclades with lot of pasture. Although of a lower quality than of Paros the naxian marble has always be work.
The human presence is attested from the Late Neolithic by the impressive coastal settlement of Kokkinovrachos. Occupation of the cave of Zas is also attested to the same period but lasted at least until the Late Neolithic. The prosperous archaeological material found on these sites demonstrates significant contacts with the rest of the Aegean already at this time.
From the Bronze Age date many cemeteries scattered in the island as well in the valleys as in mountainous regions. The type is most often simple cist graves but should be mention that many chamber tombs were discovered on the site of Aplomata near Chora. Unfortunately, those cemeteries are hardly in connection with the settlement, most of them have disappear. However, the southern part of the island seems to have more densely inhabited. Situated on promontories, settlement had panoramic view of the small islands of Kouphonisia, Keros, Schinousa, Herakleia and where looking towards the sea route of Crete. To this period Naxos is also particularly known for the production of Cycladic figurines, since many of cycladic type figurines are naming after Naxian toponyms. Small sizes figurines are interpreted as psychopompoi but larger ones (sometimes more than a meter) may be representations of deities. However, no cult have identified with assurance. Very few sites survive Middle Bronze Age, the few exceptions are located near the sea and bear the marks of the Minoan influence. This is the case of Grotta, Kastro, Rizocastellia and Mikri Vigla. The latter was perhaps the most significant but had a relatively short life time and was overshadowed by the Late Bronze Age Grotta. At that time the island was still inhabited at various places but Grotta was undoubtedly the major site. The archaeological material shows that very quickly Mycenaean was introduced. The variety and the number of artifact allow us to judge the importance of the contacts and exchanges with the Aegean world and even beyond.
This opulent Mycenaean community could not avoid a succession of disasters at the end of the Late Bronze Age. However, thanks in part to its resources Naxos pulled out of the game and became one of the most important centers of the Cyclades for this period. Particularly significant are the excavations in Chora which help us to understand the evolution of the community through the “Dark Ages”. At this time, the population leaves their installation on the shore and settles on the heights of Kastro a few hundred meters away. But they didn’t desert totally the old place (Grotta) since they used it as a cemetery. In the ninth century some periboloi were made to delimit plot where the families can come to honourtheir ancestors. In the eighth century the site was covered with a tumulus and the place seems to converge to a common cult of ancestor or hero. This site of Grotta testifies the vivid memory of Naxian for their illustrious past. In fact, the community preserves some of its splendor and participated in several colonization. An additional witness of their healthiness is the pottery production throughout the EIA. It is of outstanding quality, equivalent to those of Attica or Euboea. In the inland is also inhabited but of smaller communities. However, a site as Tsikalario allows us to observe the diversity. In this case the ceramic production is very characteristic, mostly plain ware but incised decorations.
From the Archaic period and despite of its large superficies, the island of Naxos formed only one city. It was one of the most influential of the Greek world, especially between 650 and 550 BC. Its sculpture spreads over the Aegean and seems to play a major role on Delos. In the sacred island there is some of the most significant works of the Naxians, the " oikos of Naxian " probably the first temple of Apollo, the monumental kouros, the kore of Nikandre as well as the famous lions. All those exuberant offerings leave no doubt about the Naxian domination over the sanctuary. On its proper land, from the late 8th century and during all the archaic period are some of most renowned rural sanctuaries, the sanctuary of Dionysus at Yria and that of Demeter at Gyroulas near Shangri. In the latter case a marble temple is built around 525 BC. It was under the tyranny of Lygdamis, the same who undertook the construction of a monumental temple of Apollo on the Palatia peninsula. But the end of the tyranny and the unusual dimensions of this project will cause its abandon and the temple remained unfinished. This fiasco may mark the progressive decline of Naxos. Already in the sixth century its rival Paros was more successful but in 490 BC the Persian sack of Naxos gave the final hit. The shrines were burned down and from then Naxian swung between different hegemonies until the Roman times.