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Greek Islands
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Little Cyclades
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Little Cyclades
Islands in Greece
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 Between the Cycladic islands of Naxos and
Amorgos there is a chain of small islands variously called
the Little Cyclades, Minor Islands, Back Islands and
Lesser Islands.
Only four of the islands have a
permanent population: Donousa, Koufonisia,
Irakleia and Shinousa. The islands were densely
populated in antiquity, as evident from the large number of
graves that have been found, but these days they are
inhabited only by a few goatherds and an increasing, though
still relatively small, number of visitors attracted to the
pristine beaches. The islands have a few rooms and tavernas,
but don't expect anything fancy. |
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Little Cyclades history
In Donousa, according to
the legends, the God Dionysus hid Ariadne,
so that Theseus would not find her.
It is known that Koufonisi was inhabited from
early-recorded history. A series of tombs and artifacts have been found on
the island dating from the Early Cycladic, Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Unfortunately these sites were easy prey for tomb-robbers and little can
be understood about the life and history of early Koufonisi.
During the Middle Ages and up to Greek statehood, the Cyclades were fought
over by the Byzantine Empire, the Ottomans, the Venetians and Moors. Some
traces of the Moors, a stone with Arabic inscriptions, have been found on
Kato Koufonisi (known in the Middle Ages as Pira).
In the later years of the Ottoman Empire during the 18th century, with the
weakening of central authority the Small Cyclades became both preying
grounds and refuge for pirates or water-borne bandits. Whilst pirates
roamed the Aegean since the Greek-Persian wars, it was from these years
that the name "Koufonisi"
(it was known as Fakoussa before)
appears in the written language. A poem written by an Amorgos resident (c
1824) in which he damns those Koufonisi pirates. The presence of
innumerable caverns and coves made it easy for the small boats to be
hidden from whatever authority was hunting them.
In the intervening years, between the abandonment of the Turks and the
establishment of Greek government, Koufonisi with Keros and other small
islands were settled mainly by people from Amorgos, under the authority of
the Monastery of Hozoviotissa of Amorgos. The monastery would lease the
lands to the peasants who in exchange would give tribute in agricultural
goods to the monks. Eventually the land passed to the islanders themselves
who used it as their only source of livelihood.
During World War II, unlike other parts of Greece, the Small Cyclades were
considered too small and insignificant to have a permanent occupying
garrison by either the Germans or the Italians. When the Italians
dominated the Aegean they would merely come from Naxos to confiscate what
little food the islanders had, making their living very precarious, but on
the whole were considered by the Koufonisiotes as a gentle occupying army.
When Italy surrendered in 1943 and turned against it's former ally, the
Germans would occasionally come to search the island for fleeing Italian
soldiers, both on Ano and Kato Koufonisi, but never stayed long.
With the exception of a German war plane that crash landed close to the
present day summer port and the occasional food confiscation, Koufonisi
therefore knew little of the ravages of war. The horrors of war one day
washed on shore tens of bodies of Italians who were massacred by the
Germans in Amorgos by the thousands. Their bodies were promptly buried by
the islanders to the east of the village.
After World War II and the widespread use of artificial refrigeration (ice
machines) and cheap motorized boats, the islanders started turning to the
sea as a source of income. Quite simply they could easily bring their fish
(stored in the ice) to Naxos or Athens, which was a far more desirable
product than beans or grain. Soon the settlements on Kato Koufonisi were
abandoned as the peasants became more and more fishermen and moved to Ano
Koufonisi, which even though it lacked fresh water, was blessed by good
harbors. Since the land, even of Kato Koufonisi, was so unproductive, they
took to fishing much more readily than the other islands of the Small
Cyclades, which until tourism came, were very much agricultural. |
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Little Cyclades today |
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Nine small islands that lie south of
Naxos and between Amorgos and los. Northwest of Irakleia there two caves:
in the cave of St. John there are stalactites. Nowadays only Irakleia, the
greatest of the islets. with its two villages Agios Georgios
and Irakleia, Schinousa with the villages Schinousa and Mesaria
and Donousa with its villages Donousa. Kalotaritissa, Mersini, Mesaria and
Ano Koufonisi are inhabited.
The other islands are uninhabited.
Somewhere tucked between
industrious Naxos, party-crazy Ios and historic Amorgos lie the Small
Cyclades, a series of islands where the hectic life of large urban centers
is left behind like a heavy woolen sweater on a hot day: once without, you
wonder why you would ever want it back. Of these islands, Ano
Koufonisi (Ano Koufonisi or Upper Koufonisi) is the smallest and
yet the most populated.
Closely surrounded by its deserted neighbors, there are few signs of an
outside world that could intrude on life here. The nearby islands are all
uninhabited and serve as the Koufonisiotes
(Koufonisiotes or inhabitants of Koufonisi) backyard. Kato
Koufonisi (Kato Koufonisi or Lower Koufonisi), the sister island a
mere 200m southwest, was used for grazing, beekeeping and agriculture.
Mysterious Keros dominates the southern horizon and is used only by one or
two Koufonisiotes. In between is Glaronisi (Ghlaronisi
or Sea-gull Island) which with its near perfect profile of a sea-gull,
adds a humorous tone to the whole scenery.
Situated
to the south east of its more illustrious neighbour Naxos, Koufonissia are
two islands separated by a 200 metres straight. The upper, populated
island is one of the smallest islands in the Cyclades with an area of just
3.5 square kms. and a population of 284. With the largest fleet in Greece
in direct proportion to the population, fishing is the main industry on
the island.
In spite
of its size, Koufonissia does have several tavernas and cafes together
with some local art shops and a post office. We found the meals in the
local hostelries to be of a high standard, with fish in plentiful supply
courtesy of the home fleet. There is no possibility of car or bike hire as
the only asphalted roads, are in and around the village. Anyhow, the
island is small enough to walk around in one morning. Beaches are the big
plus on Koufonissia. There are 4 really superb stretches of sand within a
thirty minute walk of the village. |
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If you like me to assist you with
your holiday choice in the Cyclades, please
send me an e-mail with your questions and enquiries. I will be glad to reply and
assist you, wherever I possibly can. |
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