Ikaria
Population: 8,423 (2011)
ISLAND OVERVIEW
Ikaria, also spelled Icaria, is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, 10 nautical miles (19 km) southwest of Samos. Ikaria has a very varied landscape, made of the sharp contrast of verdant slopes and barren steep rocks and fill with boulder deserts, plateau, rocky hills, streams, and impressive cliffs. It is a very mountainous island, and its highest mountain range is Aetheras, whose highest summit rises at an altitude of 1,048 m. The island has an abundance of spring water streams, waterfalls, rivers, and gorges, making the land green and fertile.
Ikaria Greece is particularly famous for one thing: the longevity of the islanders! It is considered one of the world’s five “Blue Zones” where the inhabitants live to an advanced age (one in three make it to their 90s) due to the nutritious Ikarian diet, lifestyle, and genetics. Most islanders farm their land growing organic fruit, vegetables and herbs. The island produces some high-quality olive oil, wine and honey, and the latter is branded as a super-food by Blue Zones’ Dan Buettner, especially the toffee-like white heather (“reiki”) variety. On the southern coast is the capital village of Agios Kirikos, it is also its main port the other port is located is on the northern coast of the island. The economy is based on fishing, goat herding and hospitality.
Ikaria Island National Airport receives domestic flights from Athens, Lemnos and Thessaloniki. Ferries run from Athens and some nearby islands including Samos, Syros, Mykonos and Chios.
The Island & Its History
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The history of Ikaria is strongly connected to the history of Samos and has been inhabited since at least 7000 BC when it was inhabited by the Neolithic pre-Hellenic people of the Pelasgians.
Around 750 BC, Greeks colonized Icaria, then during the 2nd century, the island was occupied by Samos. At this time, the Tauropolion, the temple of Artemis was built at Oenoe and coins of the city represented Artemis and a bull. The temple stood in good repair until the middle of the 19th century when the marble was pillaged, by the Kato Raches villagers for their local church. Then in 1939, this church was excavated by the Greek archeologist Leon Politis. Sadly during the occupation of Greece during World War II, many of the artifacts that were unearthed disappeared.
The Knights of St. John, who had their base in Rhodes, exerted some control over Icaria until 1521, when the Ottoman Empire incorporated Icaria into its realm.
The local population destroyed the island’s ports to protect themselves from pirate raids and had a good reputation for building boats from the island’s fir forests. Then they sold boats and lumber for coin and grain at Chios.
The inshore waters of the island, as told by Georgirenes, provided the best cockle shellfish in the archipelago.
Icaria in the 17th century was unusual in the archipelago in not producing any wine for export. The people kept barrels of the wine for their own drinking and also continued to store it in the old-fashion way, in terracotta pithoi containers sunk to their rims in earth, thus protecting their supplies from both tax collectors and pirates.
On 18 July 1912, the Free State of Icaria was declared. For five months, it remained an independent country. Then in November 1912, after a delay due to the Balkan Wars, Icaria officially became part of the Kingdom of Greece.
The Greek government used the island to exile about 13,000 communists. To this date, a number of locals remained sympathetic to left parties and communism, and, for this reason, Icaria is referred to by some as the “Red Rock”.
Prayer Points
- The people on the island will realize their need for God and their eyes will be opened to the truth and love of God through reading the Bible for themselves.
- The Lord will work in the lives of all the God-fearing religious people already living on this island, and bring healing & refreshment to their lives.
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