SCHINOUSSA

Schinousa Island History

Sources:The archaeological findings both on the land and at the bottom of the sea around the island such as statues ,marble columns, ceramics, byzantine temples prove that cultural and other human activities flourished on the island during the ancient years.

There are very few written documents and the existing ones are administrative reports and ecclesiastical Acts mainly found in the archives of Naxos island and of the “Hozoviotissa” Monastery of Amorgos island.

The study of folk stories, local legends and toponomy have helped the researchers to write down the history of the island through the centuries. Recent excavations on the island brought into light the excistance of settlements back to Hellenistic and Proto-Christian years and the years after.

The existence of an “Acropolis” is acclaimed as a place for the transmission of messages from island to island according to archeaologists’ research.

During the Byzantine years there were great trading activities and transaction. This is due to ceramic findings and the ruins of byzantine temples.

The island had been invaded by pirates who had probably settled down on the island at different times.That’s why the habitants left the island very often.There are still places that have taken the names after the pirates such as “Liolios  beach”, “Bazaios beach” and “Maniati’s Cave”.

In the middle of 19th century families coming from Amorgos island settled down on the island again. The new comers started working on the land growing up food, fishing, farming and building houses. As a result they organized their own communities and developed trading with the nearby islands, they constructed schools, temples and churches. However, the island was isolated and the people feeling the need to improve their living conditions and mainly to have higher education were forced to move to other places either in the mainland or abroad. These people never forgot their island .They always looked forward to coming back to it. That’s why they set up a Union in 1938.The Union was inactive during the 2nd World War but in 1961 it started being active again having as members people from Schinousa who lived in Athens. In 1986 the Union included the inhabitants of the island as well. The Union’s   activities were beneficial to the island and its inhabitants, because it focused on the preservation of tradition and protection of the natural environment.

There has been a great development on the island and a lot of works have been done such as power works, expansion  and improvement of the telecommunication network, expansion of the old port and construction of a new one, construction of water supply system ,health center and churches’ reconstruction.

The life for the local people has been improved immensly  and all the above together with the improvement of transport and rubbish disposal have contributed to the touristic development of the island.

One of the most important things which made a lot of people come and settle down on the island again was the foundation of higher and upper-higher educational institution.

There are over 300 rooms and studios to let, modern bars, traditional restaurants and places of entertainment where the visitors can enjoy the traditional way of life within a modern environment. No need to say that the beaches and the crystal clear waters are of unrival beauty. The main occupation of the inhabitants is agriculture, farming, fishing, building and tourist business.

We should mention that there are many talented local musicians and famous singers and our Union has a dancing group. The main celebrations are religious ones and are devoted to Mary Virgin on the 25th of March and on the 15th of August. During these dates there are great festivities on the island.

MANIATI’S CAVE

There is a cave called “Maniati’s cave” .According to an old legend it has taken its name after a pirate from Mani in Southern Greece , who arrived at the island and broke into the church called: “Panagia Akathi”. While he was stealing the money of the church he turned his eyes towards the icon of Virgin Mary and he felt that she was watching him. He was so irritated that he pulled the trigger and shot the icon.

Coming out of the church with the stolen he slipped down the hill next to the cave and died. He was collected and burnt and since then the rocks of the cave became black and they are black ever since.