Some time prepubescence, all kids learn and love Greek Mythology; that made our visit to the museum island of Delos doubly impressive: mentioned by Homer as the mythological birthplace of the twin sons of Zeus, Apollo, god of poetry & music, and Artemis, god of virginity & birth. Established 3000 years ago due to its location as the center of the Aegean Sea, and surviving as a major trade & religious center for a millennium. The guide's story was that it was the richest city in the world at the time, but was sacked & burned by 3000 soldiers in 69 B.C., along with 20,000 civilians killed and 20,000 taken into slaves, then it was inhabited for almost two millennium, so there's plenty for archeologists to find: the stone & stucco houses with mosaic tile floors, the commercial district, and the remnants of the Temple of Apollo, and the original Apollo theater. The famous Delphi Oracle said since Delos was the birthplace of the gods, no mortal was allowed to be born nor die there, so a ferry shuttled the pregnant and the dying to a nearby island, which was probably just practicality since the island could not support itself. A giant phallic statue, and surviving artwork suggested sexual perversion were a major focus of society.
What was most remarkable, considering the protected archeological nature of the whole island, was that the rubble from the excavation was used as fill for a manmade pier. While we were waiting for a boat to take as back to Mykonos, I looked down and saw a two Millenia-old pottery fragment, picked it up and brought it home.
Delos, Greek Isles
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Martin Hash
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Delos, Greek Isles
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