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CYCLADES
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CYCLADES , a compact See also:group of islands in the See also:Greek See also:Archipelago, forming a cluster around the See also:island of See also:Syra (Syros), the See also:principal See also:town of which, now officially known as Hermoupolis, is the See also:capital of a See also:department. See also:Population of the group (1907) 130,378. The islands, though seldom visited by foreigners, are for the most See also:part highly interesting and picturesque, notwithstanding their somewhat barren See also:appearance when viewed from the See also:sea; many of them See also:bear traces of the feudal See also:rule of Venetian families in the See also:middle ages, and their inhabitants in See also:general may be regarded as presenting the best type of the Greek See also:race. To the student of antiquity the most interesting are: See also:Delos (q.v.), one of the greatest centres of See also:ancient religious, See also:political and commercial See also:life, where an important See also:series of researches has been carried out by See also:French archaeologists; Melos (q.v.), where, in addition to various buildings of the Hellenic and See also:Roman periods, the large prehistoric stronghold of Phylakopi has been excavated by members of the See also:British school at See also:Athens; and See also:Thera (see See also:SANTORIN), the ancient capital of which has been explored by See also:Baron See also:Hiller von Gaertringen. Thera is also of See also:special See also:interest to geologists owing to its remarkable volcanic phenomena. See also:Naxos, the largest. and most fertile island of the group, contains the highest See also:mountain in the Cyclades (Zia, 3290 ft.); the island annually exp arts upwards of 2000 tons of See also:emery, a See also:state See also:monopoly the proceeds of which are now hypothecated to the See also:foreign See also:debt. The See also:oak See also:woods of See also:Ceos (Zea) and Ios furnish considerable supplies of valonia. Kimolos, which is absolutely treeless, produces See also:fuller's-See also:earth. The famous See also:marble quarries of See also:Paros have been practically abandoned in See also:modern times; the marble of Tenos is now worked by a British See also:syndicate. The See also:mineral See also:wealth of the Cyclades has hitherto been much .neglected;. See also:iron ore is exported from Seriphos, See also:manganese and See also:sulphur from Melos, and volcanic See also:cement (pozzolana) from Santorin. Other articlesof export are See also:wine, See also:brandy; hides and See also:tobacco. Cythnos; Melos and other islands possess hot springs with therapeutic qualities. The prosperity of Syra, formerly an important distributing centre fot the whole See also:Levant, has been declining for several years. Population (1907) :—Syra 31,939 (communes, Hermoupolis 18,132, Mykonos 4589, Syra 9218); See also:Andros 18,035 (Andros 8536, Arni 2166, Gaurio 2897, Corthion 4436) ; Thera 19,597 (Thera 4226, Egiale 1513, Amorgos 2627, Anaghe 579, See also:Emporium 2172, Therasia 679, dos 2090, Kalliste 3519, Oea 2192); Ceos 11,032 (Ceos 3817, Dryopis 1628, Cythnos 1563, Seriphos 4024) ; Melos, 12,774 (Melos 4864, Adamas 529, Siphnos 3777, Kimolos 2015, Pholegandros 962, Sikinos 627),; Naxos 25,185 (Naxos 2064, Apiranthe 2421, Vivlos 4343, Coronis 3205, Marpessa 1313, Naoussa 167o, Paros 3586, Tragea 4661, Hyrie 1922) ; Tenos 11,816 (Tenos 4697, Panorme 2658, Peree 2801, Sosthenion 166o). Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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