Sifnos

Lore & Background

Sifnos was inhabited from at least 4000 BCE and was part of Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Cycladic civilization. Its gold, silver, and lead mines made it very wealthy, as evidenced by the treasury the Siphnians built at Delphi in the 6th century BCE. According to Pausanias, the mines were obliterated by floods, which some attributed to the people suspending tribute out of greed; modern scholars suggest some mines flooded due to depth below sea level, while others were exhausted. Remains of ancient mines are still visible, notably at Ay. Sostis, and ancient fortifications from the third millennium to the sixth century BCE have been found at Ay. Andreas, Ay. Nikitas, and Kastro. The island was one of the first in Greece to mint coins, around 600 BCE, though the number minted was not great.

During Greek migrations beginning perhaps as early as the 12th century BCE, Sifnos was mostly populated by Ionian Greeks from Athens. In the sixth century BCE it was invaded by pirates from Samos. In the fifth century BCE it was an official member of the Greek defensive alliance against the Persian Wars. In the next century the island was briefly taken over by the Persians but liberated by a fleet sent by Alexander the Great. Little is known of Sifnos during the Roman and Byzantine eras, though three Roman sarcophagi in Kastro and a collection of 80 Byzantine coins testify to substantial continued population. In the early 14th century it came under the power of the Hospitaller Januli I da Corogna, who proclaimed the island independent from the Sanudo dynasty. The Corognas ruled for over a hundred years; around 1440 power passed to the Gozzadini family, who ruled until 1617. Both dynasties became Hellenized but retained Roman Catholicism. During Ottoman rule from 1617, control was fairly loose, mainly tax collection. By the early 17th century Sifnos was a significant commercial center, and from 1821 it played an important role in the Greek War of Independence.

Reader's Guide

Sifnos is significant for its long history of habitation and wealth from ancient mines, which contributed to early coinage and the famous Siphnian Treasury at Delphi. The island's pottery tradition, supported by rich clay veins, sunny weather, and temperature, has made it a capital of pottery in the Aegean, with unique jars and pots that are a trademark of the island. The verb 'to play the Siphnian' appears in a fragment of Aristophanes, explained in the Suda as a reference to transgression. Notable modern figures include educator and revolutionary leader Nikolaos Chrysogelos, who served as Greece's Minister of Education, and chef Nikolaos Tselementes, who wrote a classic cookery book still used in Greece. The island has 237 churches and holds many religious festivals. Its beaches include Cherónnisos, Pouláti, Fáros, Platís Gialós, Vathí, Apokoftó, Vroulídia, Fykiáda, Chrysopigí, and Kamáres. The main town is Apollonia, home of the folklore museum and library; the second-largest town is Artemonas; Kastro was the capital until 1836 and has extensive medieval remains and the archaeological museum; the port settlement is Kamares.

Did You Know?

• Sifnos was one of the first places in Greece to mint coins, beginning around 600 BCE.
• The island's ancient mines were obliterated by floods, according to Pausanias.
• The verb 'to play the Siphnian' appears in a fragment of Aristophanes, explained in the Suda as a reference to transgression.
• Sifnos has 237 churches and is known for its pottery, with 'Sifnios' being a variant word for potter.