Ancient Karthaia city theater on Greek island of Kea goes live again after 3,000 years (videos)

Three thousand years later, the theater of ancient Karthia in Kea lived again.

The Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades, in collaboration with the Municipality of Kea and under the auspices of the South Aegean Region, organized on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th of September an extremely successful two-day event on re-opening the archaeological site of ancient Karthia to the public.

Visitors toured the archaeological site of Kartea under guidance and a performance in the ancient restored theater followed. For the first time, the Rhapsody O from Iliad of Homer was presented as an action of speech and music, translated by the late Dimitris Maronitis. 

The scientific staff of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades also conducted guided tours at the archaeological site of the prehistoric settlement of Agia Irini in Vourkari as well as the restoration project of the Tower of Agia Marina.

About the ancient city of Karthaia 

 Karthaia was populated for around 1300 years from the 8th century BCE to the 5th century CE, and it was one of the four members of Kea’s Tetrapolis, the league of the four city-states on the island. Despite its monumental architecture, not much is known about Karthaia’s history. It was definitively abandoned in the 6th century CE, but its particular location, isolated from the rest of the island, helped to preserve its ruins until the Danish archaeologist Peter Oluf Brøndsted first excavated here in 1811.

Karthaia started being inhabited during the Late Bronze period, but it flourished in the Classical period. Some of the excavations embezzled many findings and distributed them to museums and collections throughout Europe. The exhibition of the excavation became the cause for even more thefts and it is certain that really important objects have been lost or destroyed. In the early 20th century, a French expedition discovered the temple of Athena and in the ‘60s the ancient theatre was brought to light. Since then many excavations have been conducted with conservation and restoration projects. Important findings are now exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Ioulis. The bay of Karthaia and the neighboring Poles were the natural ports which served the needs of the residents. For its protection there was a wall with bastions and towers, part of which is preserved today. The two Doric temples of the archaeological site are located in the southern section of the acropolis. The temple of Athena was built circa 500 BC. At the same time the temple of Apollo was built above the sea level, and according to archaeologists, it had sculptures with subjects from the Trojan war. Info You will find detailed information about Karthaia at the site of the Foundation of Hellenic World www2.egeonet.gr   

Even today it is not an easy place to reach, and in order to get there you need to follow more or less the same footpaths that were used in ancient times. The only alternative is to approach from the sea, using small boats that need to be anchored in the same place as the crafts of old, as no harbour was ever built. Centuries of isolation has created a very special environment, and today the ruins of Karthaia is home to many species of birds and pharmaceutical plants. In order to better preserve this particular harmony between nature and archaeology, no modern street has ever been built connecting the ancient city with the rest of Kea.

Protecting and enhancing the historical and cultural heritage, without compromising the fragile environment, is the challenge that this beautiful island must face in years to come.The restoration of the ancient city of Karthaia is key to this strategy of promoting the local resources that can also help boost tourism. The project was led by a Scientific Committee under the supervision of the Greek Ministry of Culture, with the aim to restore the archaeological monuments and improve the accessibility of the site without altering the unique natural-historical landscape that makes this place so fascinating. The project has made Karthaia easier to access for visitors, and the work done has greatly aided in facilitating visitors’ understanding of its history and urban layout. These are the main reasons that convinced the jury of Europa Nostra to give the restoration project of Karthaia one of 2017’s Awards in the category of Conservation.

The neolithic settlement of Kefala

At cape Kefala, on the northwestern coast of Kea, an outdoor settlement of the Final Neolithic or Chalcolithic period (late 4th century, circe 3300 BC) was found. The small community lived in rectangular, stone-built houses and they were involved with agriculture, cattle-breeding, basketry, fishing and maritime trade (Melian obsidian), as well as metallurgy, as evidenced by the traces of copper smelters. The cemetery of the settlement consists of built, rectangular and circular, individual or common graves. It is considered to be the first organized cemetery in the Aegean outside the settlement. The findings and offerings of Kefala integrate it in the cultural phase of Attica-Aegena of the Final Neolithic period, which is not found anywhere else in the Cyclades. This element makes the position of Kea really important in the prehistoric Aegean, since along with the Cave of Za in Naxos (Late and Final Neolithic period) and the phase of Late Neolithic peiod from Saliagos of Antiparos they provide useful information about the appearence and the evolution in the Aegean of the transitional period between the Stone age and the Bronze age.     * Source: www2.egeonet.gr   

Prehistoric settlement of Agia Irini

The area took its name from the chapel that dominates above the bay. The ruins of the settlement show traces of habitation from the Neolithic period (3300-3200 BC) to the end of the Bronze era (1200-1100 BC). According to excavations, the settlement was destroyed by natural causes and the houses were repaired with the use of older materials –thus the dating is difficult.

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Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Phso2 License: CC-BY-SA