[BACK TO KEA]

Kea

The history of Kea seems to have a special interest and the excavations of Agia Irini show that this history starts around 3000 BC., at the end of the Neolithic Period. From the findings, it is estimated that around 2000 BC., on the peninsula of Agia Irini, near Vourkari, there was a thriving city which was a commercial center, with buildings, temples, aqueduct, streets and large protective walls. Bearing in mind the fact, that the investigations of the archaeologists have not been completed yet, we cannot give precise information about this period.

By the end of the 12th century B.C. the hero Keos came from Nafpaktos to the island, as he was leading a group of Locrians. Keos occupied the island and gave his name to it, Kea. By then the island was referred to with various names, as Hydrousa, Euxantis, Serii etc. Inscriptions found in Karthaea, show close connections and friendly relations between Nafpaktos and Kea.

Ionians, who came from Attica about 1130 B.C, colonized Kea. They contributed to the development of an important culture with flourishing cities like Karthaea, Ioulis, Korissia and Poiessa. Each town was surrounded by strong fortification walls and had imposing buildings, statues and other monuments dedicated to Gods and heroes.

Various conquerors occupied the island, and they imposed onto the inhabitants their own way of life, besides their sovereignty. The Romans at first allowed some freedom of administration but, then corruption followed. During the period of the Venetians, Kea, like the other islands of the Cyclades, became a shelter for pirates. During the centuries of the Turkish rule the island retained a kind of self-administration. It was exercised by the local leaders of the people, who on the other hand, were supervised by the Turkish authorities. A brilliant event during that period were the struggles of Lambros Katsonis, and the base he used for his attacks was the port of Aghios Nikolaos in Kea, hence becoming the fear of the Turks.

Kea became free together with the rest of Greece, after the War of Independence (1821), and after having played an important part in it.

 

<click to go back>