Amorgos (, ; ) is the easternmost island of the Cyclades island group and the nearest island to the neighboring Dodecanese island group in Greece. Along with 16 neighbouring islets, the largest of which (by land area) is Nikouria Island, it comprises the municipality of Amorgos, which has a land area of and at the 2021 census had a population of 1,961.

Geography

thumb|left|Satellite image of Amorgos

Due to its position near the ancient Ionian towns, such as Miletus, Halicarnassus and Ephesus, Amorgos became one of the first places from which the Ionians passed through to the Cycladic Islands and onto the Greek mainland.

History

thumb|Acropolis of Arkesini

Throughout history, Amorgos was also known as Yperia, or Platagy, Pagali, Psichia, and Karkisia.

Due to the name Minoa for one of its ancient cities, it is suspected that Amorgos had been colonized by the Cretans from ancient times,

The island was visited by the British explorers Theodore and Mabel Bent in 1883/4.

Early Cycladic period

thumb|upright=0.5|Dokathismata figurine, Early Cycladic II, Syros phase (2800–2300 BC)

Excavations and findings, especially burial tombs, prove the intense presence of Amorgos during the prehistoric years, particularly during the first period of Cycladic civilization (3200 to 2000 BC).

Almost a dozen separate inhabited centres are known in this period. Amorgos is the origin of many famous Cycladic figurines. ‘Dokathismata style’ figurines were originally found here. Cycladic sculptures had been discovered from the cemeteries at Aghia Paraskevi, Aghios Pavlos, Dokathismata, Kapros, Kapsala, Nikouria and Stavros.

thumb|One of the top ten largest Cycladic figures at 75 9cm long, found in a [[cist grave in Amorgos, 2800-2300 BC, now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford]]

'Kapsala Cycladic figurines', dating around 2700 B.C., are named after a find place in Amorgos. This is the earliest of the 'canonical types' – a reclining female with folded arms. They tend to have slender and elongated proportions. At this time, anatomical features such as arms are modeled three-dimensionally. With the later types, sculptors tended to render this feature with incised lines.

'Dokathismata Cycladic figurines' date from a somewhat later period of 2400–2100 BC. Compared to the statuettes of the Spedos type—the most common and renowned type of figurines featuring finely modeled and somewhat rounded shapes—the statuettes of the Dokathismata type tend to have a more slender and sometimes angular silhouette.

Classical period

In approximately 630 BC, the poet Semonides led the foundation of a Samian colony on Amorgos. The Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax mentions it as Tripolis. It was a member of the Delian League. It participated in the Second Athenian League.

The names of the three cities given by Stephanus Byzantinus are Arkesini, Minoa, Aigiali or Melania which, according to inscriptions, are the most correct. The three towns are on the island's west coast because that is where bays and natural ports that could provide the proper positioning for seaside towns and forts exist. Aigiali was on the north East Side of the island close to the present day locations of Tholaria and Stroumvos. Minoa was situated at the center of the northern side near the present day village of Katapola and Arkesini on the present-day location Kastri.

In 322 BC, Athens and Macedonia fought the naval Battle of Amorgos.

Heraclides Lembus wrote that the island produced much wine, as well as olive oil and fruits.

With the passing of time, the island's name changed to Amolgon and Amourgon.

Byzantine, Venetian, Ottoman and Modern

thumb|Fifteenth century map by [[Cristoforo Buondelmonti]]

In the 5th century, Bishop Theodore, who attended a synod in Constantinople, signed as Bishop of the Parians, Sifnians, and Amoulgians. After the Fourth Crusade it became a dependency of the duchy of Naxos but was later disputed by other Venetians. In 1312, the Hospitaller fleet defeated a fleet of Menteshe at the island.

It was known as Yamurgi during Ottoman rule between 1537 and 1829. It became part of Greece upon independence in 1830.

On 9 July, the 1956 Amorgos earthquake occurred, with its epicentre about south of the island. The shock had a moment magnitude of 7.7 and had a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). The earthquake generated a local tsunami of up to at Amorgos and nearby islands. Fifty-three people were killed and 100 were injured.

Municipal districts

thumb|View of Tholaria village

thumb|upright|Street of Langada village

The municipality of Amorgos is subdivided into the following communities (population at 2021 census and constituent villages within brackets):

Amorgos was predominately featured for its rich aquatic life and architectural aesthetic in the 1988 film The Big Blue by the French director Luc Besson. The success of the film transformed the island into an international destination for tourists and freediving communities. Amorgos was also featured in the 2023 film Two Tickets to Greece by Marc Fitoussi.

See also

  • List of settlements in the Cyclades
  • List of islands of Greece
  • Markiani

References

Sources

  • The official Amorgos web site at Amorgos.gov.gr: Amorgos Portal by the Municipality of Amorgos