Antimilos | |
Native Name: | Αντίμηλος |
Native Name Lang: | el |
Coordinates: | 36.7869°N 24.2386°W |
Map: | Greece |
Archipelago: | Cyclades |
Elevation M: | 671 |
Country: | Greece |
Country Admin Divisions Title: | Region |
Country Admin Divisions: | South Aegean |
Country Admin Divisions Title 1: | Regional unit |
Country Admin Divisions 1: | Milos |
Country Admin Divisions Title 2: | Municipality |
Population: | 0 |
Population As Of: | 2001 |
Antimilos (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Αντίμηλος; pronounced as /el/) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group, 13miles northwest of Milos. Administratively, it is part of the municipality of Milos. Antimilos is an uninhabited mass of trachyte (671 m height), often called Erimomilos (Desert Milos). It is a volcanic island and the crater is still obvious. Ancient inhabitants transformed the crater to an open rain tank. On the island lives a rare variation of the common goat called Capra aegagrus pictus. It is similar but not the same as the Cretan goat known as "kri-kri" (Capra aegagrus creticus).
According to an interpretation of Homer's Odyssey, it is the island of the sun god Helios, where Odysseus's companions slaughtered the sacred cattle of the sun god. Previously, the island was also known by the name Ephyra (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Έφυρα)[1] or Ephora (Έφορα, meaning "watchtower"), because one could observe the sea from its highest point over long distances.
Settlement in prehistoric times can be assumed due to remains of walls and arrowheads made of obsidian found on the island. Remains of a cistern probably of Roman or early Christian origin have also been found.