Keros: The Island of Broken Figurines

The island

Keros and the islet of Daskalio to its west had been as soon as linked by an isthmus. Nonetheless, rising sea ranges separated them, dividing the island in two. Keros and Daskalio, together with the islands of Koufonisia, Schinoussa, Irakleia, Donoussa, and different small islets, comprise the Lesser Cyclades island advanced, which is positioned between the bigger islands of Amorgos to the east and Naxos to the northwest.

The time

Cycladic civilization emerged within the space through the Early Bronze Age, within the third millennium BC. No written sources date from that period, making it tough to find out how folks lived, which gods they worshipped, and the way their society was organized. Keros is a wonderful instance of a prehistoric thriller brimming with sudden discoveries and intriguing theories.

Looting and archeology

Within the early Nineteen Sixties, when Keros numbered solely eight inhabitants,* intensive looting was found, significantly on the web site of Kavos, on the western aspect of the island, reverse Daskalio. That’s when the Archaeological Service determined to get entangled, launching what turned out to be a large undertaking that might final many years.

Christos Doumas and Colin Renfrew of the College of Cambridge are two archaeologists whose names are inextricably linked with Keros. The ultimate part of excavations on the island, generally known as the Keros Undertaking, occurred between 2015 and 2018.

The finds

On Daskalio, a big settlement of about 0.13 hectares was found, constructed on terraces because of the island’s steep terrain and consisting of streets, homes, squares, assembly areas, and stairways. The settlement is an instance of early urbanization, which was unprecedented on the time. The principle constructing materials was marble, which didn’t come from Keros – native marble was thought-about of inferior high quality – however from Naxos, six nautical miles away. Tons of marble had been transported by rowing ships, an arduous, formidable endeavor that required sources, planning, and manpower. Among the many most extraordinary finds at Daskalio are the quite a few pebbles found in a 15-metre-long constructing.

On the similar time that traces of an organized settlement had been found on Daskalio, Keros unveiled its personal distinctive treasures. Within the web site of Kavos, reverse Daskalio, the “Keros Hoard” was found: deposits containing giant portions of damaged collectible figurines and ceramics. Evaluation of the fabric revealed that the objects didn’t come from Keros however from neighboring islands similar to Naxos-Ios-Amorgos (the so-called “Keros triangle”), Milos, Thira, Tinos, and others.

The prevailing idea

The prevailing idea is that the folks of prehistoric Cyclades would break collectible figurines on numerous islands of the world, place the damaged items in picket – almost definitely – baskets, and transport them to the deposits on Keros. It’s believed that they did this as a result of the island was house to a pan-Cycladic sanctuary, probably the primary island sanctuary on the planet. One other idea, which has since been deserted, holds that the damaged collectible figurines had been deposited on Keros as a result of there was a cemetery there.

Metallurgy

Bellows and molds used to make metallic objects had been among the many extra fascinating discoveries made through the excavation. Prehistoric Keros was thought to be a metallurgy heart, making it an essential island through the Bronze Age, when metallurgy was important to the event of civilization. Keros and Daskalio had no mines, so metallic was introduced from different islands, similar to Kythnos and Serifos, and processed on Keros. The commercial and business nature of the islands lends assist to the speculation of a pan-Cycladic sanctuary.

Entry

Keros has rugged, rocky terrain, and entry to the island is prohibited. When the required technical works are accomplished, the island shall be open to guests, starting with specialists and progressing to most of the people.

The way forward for the island

The Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades intends to return to Keros and Daskalio in 2025, together with the British Faculty at Athens, to proceed the analysis work that has been ongoing for the previous 60 years. The undertaking’s aim is to research not solely prehistoric Keros, but additionally classical and medieval Keros, to be able to acquire a greater understanding of how this space advanced over time. The truth that Keros and Daskalio are at the moment uninhabited is considered as a bonus as a result of the islands’ uninterrupted stratigraphy will present researchers with a transparent image of their growth. On the similar time, one other main archaeological undertaking within the Cyclades, scheduled to be accomplished in 2027, is the institution of museums within the Citadel of Hora on the island of Naxos. The undertaking will embody three museums, one among which shall be a Museum of Cycladic Civilization with reveals from Keros. Till the undertaking is accomplished, a number of the Keros fragments shall be on show on the Naxos Archaeological Museum.

The documentaries

When you benefit from the Aegean Sea and its archaeological mysteries, there are two documentaries about Keros. The primary, “Keros: The Thriller of the Damaged Collectible figurines” (co-produced by COSMOTE TV and Nationwide Geographic and accessible to COSMOTE TV subscribers), presents an in-depth have a look at prehistoric Keros by means of interviews with scientists from numerous disciplines. The second, entitled “The Enigma of Keros” (accessible on the tv platform ERTFLIX), contains, amongst different issues, the invaluable testimony of Georgoula Prasinou, a Koufonisia resident who grew up on Keros and remembers seeing a looter (also called “Uncle”) on the island as a baby.

* From the e-book “Systematic Examine of the Greek Islands, 1951-1981” by George Ok. Giagakis.

We want to thank Dimitrios Athanasoulis, Director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades, and Eirini Legaki, Archaeologist of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades and deputy director of the analysis program, for his or her data concerning the physiognomy, excavations, and way forward for Keros.