Naxos

Naxos is a Greek island in the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea and the largest island in that group.

Naxos is a Greek island in the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea and the largest island in that group. Its main settlement is Naxos City, also called Chora, which serves as the island’s capital and principal town. The island is also known for its long history in Cycladic culture and for its role in ancient Greek history.

Geography and settlement

Naxos is a Greek island in the Cyclades, located in the Aegean Sea. Its main town, Naxos City or Chora, is on the west side of the island and functions as the island’s administrative centre.

History

Archaeological and classical sources describe Naxos as an important centre of Cycladic culture in prehistory and antiquity. Later historical traditions link the island to marble production, sculpture, and periods of Venetian and Ottoman rule before its incorporation into modern Greece.

Culture and archaeology

Naxos is associated with early Cycladic civilization and marble-based sculpture traditions. It is also connected to Greek mythology and to notable archaeological remains such as temples, settlements, and unfinished kouros statues.

Name and related uses

The name Naxos also refers to the ancient Greek colony in Sicily, which was founded by Chalcidians in the 8th century BC. In historical writing, this can create ambiguity between the island in the Cyclades and the Sicilian colony.