Listed 14 sub titles with search on: Information about the place for wider area of: "MOUDROS Municipality LEMNOS (LIMNOS)" .
MOUDROS (Municipality) LEMNOS (LIMNOS)
IFESTIAS (Ancient city) LEMNOS (LIMNOS)
Ancient Hephaestiais built in the region north of the Pournja
gulf. It is dated from the Copper stone era and it appears that it was inhabited
continuously until the Byzantine years. The archaeological excavations could reveal
among the others the sanctuary of the Great godess, necropolis, baths, a big settlement
- very probably palace and hellenistic-roman theatre. Most important discoveries
of ceramic art of local production and high artistic quality are exposed in the
museum of Myrjna.
The very big extent of the archaeological space, which has been excavated only
punctually and the marvellous spot charms the visitor.
This text is cited Sept 2003 from the Municipality of Moudros URL below.
The first excavations in Ifestia were done by the Italian Archaeologist
Della Seta from 1926 to 1936. From these excavations the largest and most ancient
city of Lemnos -historic years- was discovered. The city's guardian was believed
to be the god Ifestos whose name was given to the city. Ifestia was the centre
of the ancient Greek religion on the island. Coins that were found in the region
of Ifestia had on them a lit torch that proved that ceremonies in honour of the
god Ifestos were performed, the so called "Ifestia". Ifestia was an important
port, built by the Pelasgi, on a peninsula that was surrounded by sea forming
two natural bays.
The excavations brought to light a sanctuary that was dedicated to
the Great Goddess Lemnos, cemeteries, baths, a large building like a palace that
most probably was the labyrinth of Lemnos that Plinios mentions, wells and a theatre
of the Hellenistic period. Many houses were found, a sanctuary and a large burnt
deserted cemetery that belonged to a Greek population that inhabited the island
from the 8th until the 6th century BC. The sanctuary is believed to have been
destroyed around the end of the 6th century BC. Many weapons, gold objects, clay
idols and pottery of regional art were found. On this pottery a geometrical illustration
was accomplished by curved figures, Creto-Mycinian tradition that existed on the
island until relatively late, creating an art full of vitality and motion. Some
pieces of pottery have the same writing as that found on the column of Kaminia.
Objects that were found, witness the trade exchange between the city
of Ifestia, and the other islands of the Aegean. Pottery of the early Corinthian
years and Attic, with black figures portray the relations of this city with areas
of inland Greece.
After the conquest of the island by Athens, the population, according
to Herodotus, declined. Many graves exist with attic pottery and the oldest is
estimated around the first half of the 5th century. Many graves of the following
years were found that are from up until the roman era. Between the Greek buildings
an ancient theatre was found which originally was built during the Hellenistic
period and later rebuilt in the roman era.
Other buildings (churches and houses) witness the importance of the
city during the Byzantine period.
For the period of recess and total evacuation of the city two reasons
seemed to have contributed. Firstly the natural destruction of the port due to
the flooding from heavy rain and secondly the domination of Christianity around
the second and third century. The Christians unable to apply their religion as
they wanted in the city, found a new centre at Kotsinas and the progress of this
new city caused Ifestia to be deserted.
This text is cited Jan 2004 from the Limnos Medical Association URL below.
KAVIRIO (Ancient sanctuary) LEMNOS (LIMNOS)
The sanctuary of Kavirio was discovered by L. Bernarbo Brea at the
cape Chloe in the distinct of Ifestia and was excavated by the Italian Archaeological
School of Athens between 1937-39. From 1982 onwards the excavations and research
are continued. The sanctuary was protected from land by a long wall at the top
of the hill which protected it from the sight of the uninitiated. The main buildings
of the sanctuary were large halls where the initiations took place in which the
"holy" appeared to the initiators. Their ruins are rescued in two floors, supported
to the steep slope toward the sea by embarkments. In the northern floor the ruins
of a large Hellenistic initiation hall is rescued. The hall of the initiations
with the "shrine" at the far end was divided into three aisles, by two rows of
four ionic columns. In the southern floor the ruins of a smaller hall of initiations
of the 3rd BC century is rescued, built after the distraction of the Hellenistic
hall of initiation. At the far end of the nave are the ruins of a small "chapel"
intended for the "holy". The nave was divided into three aisles by two rows of
five columns and by one portico supported from the sea by a powerful stereobate.
Under the foundations of the next Roman hall of initiations ruins of previous
periods have been discovered until the time of the establishment of the sanctuary
between the 8th and 7th century BC. In this premature phase belongs a substantial
deposit of donations.
To the classical and Hellenistic phase belongs a rich deposit of donations,
small lamps for the night ceremonies, beetles, compasses, ceramics for the holy
symposiums. In the sanctuary pieces of sculptures were found, clay and copper
statues, glass and many offerings, honorary, liberty inscriptions.
The archaic hall of the initiations are in the southern floor and are of
dimensions 6.40 x 13.5 m with desks of semi-roasted bricks along the length of
the wall where those initiated sat. At the far end the most holy site, the shrine,
where the priests entered and the statues of the gods stood. It is the most ancients
known hall of initiations in Greece, older than the Solonian hall of initiations
of Elefsis. It was destroyed probably during the Persian invasion in 512 BC.
The Hellenistic hall of initiations was built at the Northern floor and
it is the first that the visitor sees coning into the archaeological site. Rectangular
with dimensions 33 x 46.1 m are double in relation to the sanctuary of Samothrace
and in the front it had an area with 12 columns. It was divided into three aisles
with two rows and four ionic columns.
This text is cited Jan 2004 from the Limnos Medical Association URL below, which contains image.
KOTZINOS (Port) LEMNOS (LIMNOS)
Today it is a small fishing village, however during the mediaeval
years it was an important port. Initially it was the seaport of Ifestia and later
it gained the fortress where the goverment of the island was centered. The name
derives from the word Kotinos (wild olive tree). The village was first mentioned
in 1136 when the bishop of Lemnos Michael offered the island to the Venetian merchants.
The fortress is mentioned as one of the three most important ones
of the island and was built by the Venetians between 1207-1214. In 1475 it became
famous by the heroine of Lemnos Maroula who supported the people of the island
during the invasion of Souleiman Pasha. The fortress was destroyed in 1656 by
the Venetians. It was already under the Turkish occupation and its people had
abandoned it and the center of the island was transferred to Mirina. In 1688 Kotsinas
is mentioned as a small village.
In the region of the church of Zoodohos Pigi there was a small monastery
of the 14th century.. From the surrounding of the church begins a stair-case dug
into the rock having 57 steps. The steps are made of rock except for every 13th
step which was made of marble. The stair case ends up in the center of the hill
where there is drinking water which is considered holy and miraculous and in the
past this water was delivered to the fortress.
Around the fortress there was a stank which was connected with the
sea and made the fortress look like an island.
This text is cited Jan 2004 from the Limnos Medical Association URL below, which contains images.
IFESTIAS (Ancient city) LEMNOS (LIMNOS)
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